Abstract:
A bar code scanning system and method for reading and processing bar code symbology uses a scanning station installed above the check-out stand and a receiving station at some distance away from the scanning station. The scanning station projects light onto a surface of the check-out stand. The projected light can have a well defined border indicating where a user should place items to be scanned. Alternatively, a pattern coincident with the projected light can be projected onto the surface and which includes a target indicating where items should be placed for scanning. Light reflected by items in the target region is processed to decode optical symbology on the item and produce a signal that is representative of said sensed symbology. Information about the scanned item can be processed and displayed by the receiving station for use in, e.g., a point-of-sale transaction. The system can also be configured to capture images of a user&#39;s payment card for use in payment processing and to store images of at least selected scanned items for use in subsequent processes.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to bar code scanning and imaging systems that are utilized at point-of-sale in stores, supermarkets and in other businesses or applications where the bar codes on items are regularly scanned by bar code scanning devices and the captured information is transferred to a host computer system, which then processes, registers and stores information transferred to it. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With the advent of the electronic age, bar codes and bar code scanning systems became the primary means for identifying, tracking, cataloging and otherwise managing objects of various sizes in a variety of different industries and applications. Grocery, food processing and retail industries, assembly lines and warehouses, among many others, utilize bar codes to store information, either directly on the items, or on printed labels that are attached or associated with the items. 
     Bar codes typically consist of a series of lines and spaces of various widths, or other types of symbols comprised of a series of contrasting markings. These contrasting markings usually represent strings of binary ones and zeroes. These patterns are read by a number of different bar code readers, hand-held wands and laser scanning systems that have been developed to capture and decode the symbol pattern to a numeric or alphanumeric representation for inventory, production tracking, check-out or sales purposes. One common example of a bar code is the Universal Product Code (UPC). 
     Most point-of-sale systems that utilize bar codes, such as retail stores and supermarkets, or factories, warehouses and other businesses utilize stationary laser-based bar code readers or scanners. The scanners are generally installed in or on the check-out counter and thus take up some otherwise useful physical space at the counter. These types of systems also are often installed, at least in part, within the physical housing. For example, in-counter slot scanners typically have glass exit windows in the same horizontal plane as the counter. One of the drawbacks of utilizing these scanners is that the debris and dirt that accumulate on the horizontal plane can scratch, damage, or otherwise obscure the glass surface, degrading performance of the scanner and possibly causing malfunctions. Moreover, the addition of such a scanning system to a check-out station requires specialized and often expensive installation to provide custom-made surfaces, cut-outs, etc. at the counter where scanning is performed. Even if the check-out station is constructed initially with cut-outs and other features designed to accept a scanning system, such features can severely limit the use of the check-out counter for non-scanning purposes. 
     Another shortcoming of the bar code readers that are utilized with existing point-of-sale systems is that they require the operator to visually locate the bar code on the item that is being scanned and to position it in the scanner&#39;s field of view. For example, when the scanner is installed on the opposite side of a check-out counter, the operator must rotate the surface containing the bar code away from himself and toward the field of view of the scanner. Bi-optic or multi-planer scanning systems, which typically have two (or more) active “sides” (i.e. able to scan a bar code on both the bottom surface and from the side) alleviate the need to rotate the object toward the scanner. They are very expensive, however, and overly complex in their installation and maintenance. 
     In addition to laser-based scanning, some camera-based scanning systems are known. These systems use conveyer belts to move and scan items with bar codes, such as inventory or mail, past the scanning system at high rates of speed. These scanning systems rely upon the automated conveyor and other automated systems to accurately place items to be scanned within the proper field of view of the scanning camera system. Such large-scale conveyor scanning systems are too expensive and impractical for use in a typical point-of-sale environment. Moreover, automated item placement by a conveyor and other systems is generally not available in a point-of-sale. Instead, establishments rely upon typically untrained customers to manually scan items. Thus, additional mechanisms are necessary to aid users in correctly placing items during the scanning process. 
     Some known point-of-sale self-checkout scanning systems for use by customers in a retail environment include a camera. Such a system is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,965,861 and 6,236,736. However, such systems do not use the camera to detect and process the bar-code on the items. Instead, a conventional in-counter laser-based scanning system is provided which has the drawbacks discussed above. The camera system is used to provide additional security, e.g., by tracking the motions of a customer&#39;s hand to detect scanning-type motions or to detect when items have been placed in a bag before it has been scanned. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One objective of the present invention is to avoid the drawbacks and shortcomings of the existing scanning systems utilized at the point-of-sale in retail stores and supermarkets, and in factories, warehouses or other businesses or applications where items to be scanned are manually positioned relative to the scanning apparatus. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a bar scanning system that is relatively inexpensive, easy to install and simple to operate and maintain. 
     It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a bar scanning system that does not require the operator to turn the bar code away from the operator&#39;s line of sight in order to get it into the field of view of the scanner. In other words, the operator can scan items while the code is in full sight, thereby removing the “blind” operation. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a bar scanning system for which the scanning component (scanning station) does not take up useful physical space on or inside of the check-out counter. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a bar scanning system that is easily adapted to for use with the different types of scanners that are known in the art today, such as CCD-type scanners, CMOS-type cameras, etc., as well as new or improved scanners that may be developed in the future. 
     Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a scanning system which utilizes the scanning system to receive credit or debit information from a customer&#39;s payment card without requiring the use of a magnetic card reader. 
     The bar scanning system of the present invention accomplishes the abovementioned and other objectives by providing a novel bar code scanning system for reading and processing bar code symbology that has at least two separate stations, namely, a scanning station that has a scanner installed above the check-out stand, as for example in the ceiling or on a bracket above the stand, and a receiving station at some distance away from the scanning station. The scanning station of this system consists of a light emitting diode (LED), laser diode, an incandescent lamp or any other type of illumination source that projects light onto the symbology to be scanned, an optical assembly that focuses light reflected from the symbology, an imager that senses and captures the reflected image, a decoder that converts that reflected image of the symbology into a signal that is representative of said sensed symbology, and a wireless transmitter. In one embodiment, the light source may be a bright incandescent lamp, focused by means known in the art to provide a sharp, bright scanning spot for scanning bar codes or other types of optical indicia. 
     When scanned symbology is captured at the scanning station, it is then decoded and transmitted to the wireless receiver of the receiving station, which then stores and processes that signal. If used at point-of-sale in a store or supermarket, the receiving station may be a check-out counter, with an input device (for example, a keyboard), a display, a cash register, and a receipt printer. Alternatively, the receiving station may be separate from the check-out counter and include a transmitter that would relay signals received from the scanning station to the check-out counter. 
     In a particular embodiment, the scanning station comprises a video camera which captures images of objects as they are passed through the illumination spot. The images are processed to locate the bar code symbology and extract the relevant item data. The video scanning system can also be used to capture an image of a customer&#39;s credit or debit card for processing to extract the card number and other printed data and so avoid the necessity of providing a separate magnetic card scanner. 
     The camera images can be stored in a database to maintain a visual record of scanned items. The images can be associated with e.g., a customer&#39;s receipt or credit-card number, and recalled in the event there is a dispute about a purchased item. The stored image data can also be used for various other security and non-security purposes. 
     Preferably, the light source which illuminates the scanning area is configured to project a light spot with a well defined boundary onto a surface of the checkout stand. The light spot boundary indicates to a user where an item to be scanned should be placed. 
     In a further embodiment, a second light source is provided which projects a target, such as a box or cross-hairs, at least partially co-incident with the light spot and onto a surface of the checkout stand. The target defines an area where an item should be placed in order for it to be properly scanned. Different target patterns can be provided for use during different phases of checkout. The target can also include instructional designs or text. Less-specific target patterns can also be provided, including logos and advertisements, for use during non-scanning periods. 
     These and other objectives, characteristic and advantages of the present invention will be disclosed in more detail with reference to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an overall schematic diagram of the scanning system according to the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are schematic box diagrams of the scanning station and receiving stations, respectively, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of a retail scanning system showing a scanning spot with an projected target thereon; and 
         FIGS. 4A-4C  show a top view of a checkout counter with a various projected patterns coincident with the scanning illumination spot. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the bar scanning system according to the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  2 B. The bar code scanning system  10  of the present invention consists of two basic components: a scanning station  100  and a receiving station  900 . The scanning station  100  can be ceiling mounted with such that the station is on or at least partially within the ceiling  300  of the room where it is intended to operate. Preferably, a durable outer shell  10  is provided to house at least some of the components of the scanning station, and particularly portions of the scanning station which are visible in the room where it is to operate. When scanning station  100  is mounted inside the ceiling  300 , some or all of the outer shell  110  can be omitted. 
     The scanning station  100  contains a light source  120  for projecting light beams  400  onto the bar code symbology  510  of the object  500  that is being scanned. The light source  120  may consist of one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), a laser diode, or other types of illumination sources, such as, for example, a bright incandescent lamp with a focusing assembly that produces a spot of bright light, which may be as small as a few inches in diameter, to which the bar code symbology  510  on the item  500  is brought by the operator for scanning operation. The diameter  650  of the light spot projected by the light source  120  may be as small as a few inches, covering only the bar code symbology  510 , or large enough to cover the whole item  500 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Preferably, the light source which illuminates the scanning area is configured to project a light spot  600  with a well defined boundary  610  onto a surface  810  of the checkout stand  800  (See  FIG. 3 ). The light spot boundary indicates to a user where an item to be scanned should be placed. In a particular embodiment, the light spot is sized and shaped to cover an area generally coincident with the field of view of the image capturing system such that an image of everything illuminated by the spot will be captured and imaged. In a typical embodiment, the light spot will be round. However, other shaped light spots, such as squares, rectangles, etc., can also be provided. 
     Preferably, the light source  120  utilizes the same coaxial lens assembly  140  (schematically shown on  FIG. 2A ) as the imager  150  for focusing light beams. The utilization of various possible arrangements of LEDs and laser diodes as an illumination or lighting source for optical scanners are well known in the art and are described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,981, U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,050, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,750, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Similarly, various optical assemblies for focusing light onto the symbology and for focusing light reflected from the scanned symbology are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,981, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,241, which are also hereby incorporated by reference. 
     The imager  150  of the scanning station  100  may be a CCD-based detector, a CMOS-based camera or any other type of image detecting device that senses and captures light reflected off the sensed symbology  510 , preferably by using the lens assembly  140  to focus the reflected light. CCD-based image detectors are well known in the art and are described in more detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,786,582; 5,291,009; 5,349,172; 5,354,977, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, while use of a CMOS-based camera imager is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,616, the disclosure of which is also incorporated by reference. The imager  150 , together with the lens assembly  140 , are preferably capable of imaging bar codes placed within the spot of light  600  from four to sixteen feet, with a depth of field  700  of eighteen to thirty-six inches. 
     Once the imager  150  captures the image of the reflected symbology  510 , it converts it to an electronic or digital image of the sensed symbology. Thereafter, the decoder  160  converts this electronic or digital image into a signal that is representative of said sensed symbology. This signal is then transmitted by the wireless transmitter  180  of a scanning station  100  to the wireless receiver  980  of a receiving station  900  for subsequent processing by the microprocessor  910 , which utilizes the computer memory  920  to store and process information received by the receiving station. The transmission may be accomplished utilizing either radio frequency (RF) or infrared signal (IR) (or multiple signals). Both, RF and IR transmitters and receivers are well known in the art. (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,359,448, and 4,622,681, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.) 
     The decoding of a digital (or electronic) image of the sensed symbology, thereby converting it to a signal that is representative of said sensed symbology, is preferably performed at the scanning station  100  by the decoder  160 . Alternatively, the transmitter  180  may transmit the digital (or electronic) image of the sensed symbology as an IR or RF signal to the wireless receiver  980  of the receiving station  900 , where it is converted to a signal that is representative of said sensed symbology by the decoder  960  (not shown). 
     In order to permit processing of sales transactions at the receiving station  900 , the receiving station  900  is preferably equipped with a display screen  930 , an input apparatus  940  (for example, a keyboard), a cash register  950  and a receipt printer  970 . 
     Electric current is supplied to the scanning and receiving stations via power inputs  199  and  999  (schematically shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B ), coming from an AC power supply, battery, rechargeable battery or any other source of an electric current. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2A and 3 , a second light source and associated projection assembly  122  is provided. The projection assembly will typically be separate from lens assembly  140  which may be used by the illuminating light source  120 . However, depending on the configuration, sharing of optical components is possible. The second light source  122  is configured to project a targeting image  820  onto the surface  810  of the checkout station  800 . The target image  820  is designed to indicate to a user where an object should be placed for scanning purposes. 
     The target from the second light source can be better defined than the spot  600  because a generally uniform illumination is not required. Advantageously, the use of a target separate from the illumination light source  120  permits a wider variety of scanning devices to be used and, in particular, allows the use of non- or poorly visible light illumination, such as infrared illumination, since the target pattern shows the placement separately from the illumination spot. 
     Various target images can be utilized and additional images, such as text or graphic based instructions, can also be projected. For example,  FIG. 3  shows a top view of surface  810  with a cross or X-target  820 , projected text instructions  822 , and images of arrows  824  to illustrate the direction items should moved through the target area. 
     Any suitable image projection system can be used to produce the target image. Because items can be scanned throughout the depth of field of the scanning assembly, targeting light source and assembly  122  should be placed close enough to the illuminating light source  120  to reduce parallax throughout the scanning field to acceptable levels. Preferably the targeting light source is adjacent to the illuminating light source. 
     In a preferred embodiment, different projection patterns are provided for use during different phases of checkout. The target and instructions shown in  FIG. 4A  are suitable for use during scanning of items for purchase. In a particular implementation, scanning system is configured to capture an image of a customer&#39;s credit or debit card after all items for purchase have been scanned. 
     Upon receiving a signal by a customer that all items have been scanned, the projection pattern can be changed, such as to the pattern shown in  FIG. 4B  which instructs the user to place their card in a specified location. Once the image of a card has been captured, it can be processed to extract the customer&#39;s name, account numbers, card expiration date, and other relevant data. This data can then be sent to a payment system (not shown) for processing. Advantageously, this configuration eliminates the need to provide a separate magnetic card scanner at the checkout station. 
     Alternatively, the system can be configured to scan images captured by the scanning system for the presence of a credit or debit card in the image. The presence of a card in the scanning region can be used as a signal that the customer has scanned all items and to enter the payment phase. 
     If entry of a PIN number is required, the number can be typed by the customer on the keyboard  940 . If a signature is required, a signature slip can be printed and delivered to the customer to sign. Alternatively, the customer can sign using an electronic signature capturing device. Such devices are known to those of skill in the art. The signature verification can be done by a store clerk or other personnel. 
     In a further embodiment, the customer can be instructed to place their credit card signature-side up in the scanning target so that the signature can be imaged. The imaged signature can then be compared with an image of the signature on the signature slip or an electronically captured signature and an alert or assistance-required signal produced if the signatures are not sufficiently similar. 
     Other projection patterns can also be provided for use at different phases of the checkout process, such as including logos and advertisements.  FIG. 4C  shows an example of a store logo  830  projected over the illumination spot and which can be shown during idle periods or after payment has been received. 
     Various image projection assemblies known to those of skill in the art can be used to form the second light source and assembly  122 . In one embodiment, the second light source comprises a light source which projects an image contained in a slide. Various projection images can be provided by moving different slides into the optical path, by using multiple lights, each of which illuminates a different image, or through other means. 
     In another embodiment, the light is provided by a laser, such as a laser diode, and the image formed by passing the light through a diffractive optical element (DOE). Separate projection patterns can be provided by using multiple DOEs. Alternatively, the image can be formed by using a laser projection system which “paints” the image by using a series of computer controlled mirrors. This variation, while more complex than static DOEs, provides a great deal of flexibility since a wide variety of images and text can be programmed for display. A computer controlled video projection system can also be used. 
     One particular advantage of the use of lasers to produce the projection pattern is that the laser light is of a well defined frequency. This permits use of a suitable narrow-pass filter in the system to eliminate the projection pattern light from the light passed to the imager for capture and processing and thereby eliminate any interference which may be produced by a projected pattern superimposed over the item being scanned. 
     According to a further aspect of the invention, images captured during scanning of various items are placed stored in a database or image store for subsequent use. As used herein, placing or storing an image encompasses storing the entire image or storing a portion of the image, such as the portion containing the item which was scanned. The stored images comprise a record of the state of those items at the time of scanning and can be used for various purposes. In one implementation, the stored image data can be associated with a user-ID or receipt number. The user-ID can be from a personal ID card, a credit or debit card, or associated with the user via other means. 
     The images can be stored in compressed form and archived periodically, e.g., by dumping data to an optical disk, or written directly to the disk in the first place. Images can be deleted after a specified time period. The image-store function can be enabled by the setting of an appropriate flag in a product database used to associated item bar-codes with, e.g., a price, such that specific products to image can be specified. In a variation, images can be placed in the image store for all products of a particular type or exceeding a specified threshold price. 
     The stored images can recalled as needed for various purposes. For example, the images can be recalled when there is a customer dispute about the state of a purchased object to determine the state of the packaging when the product was purchased. For packaging which indicates a product serial number, the image can be used to determine whether the serial number of a subsequently returned product is the same as the one on the scanned package. The stored images can also be used for security and other purposes which will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiments, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that variations and modifications are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, while an initial embodiment of the invention has been disclosed for use in a wireless-data communication environment, the scanning stations can be connected to the receiving station using physical connections. Similarly, the term bar-coding has been used throughout. This term should be considered as encompassing one- and two-dimensional bar code symbols as well as other multidimensional optical coding symbologies. The drawings and description of the specific embodiments are made by way of example rather than to limit the scope of the invention, and it is intended to cover within the spirit and scope of the invention all such changes and modifications.