Patent ID: 8459556

Claim:
A method of processing an optical code by a data reader, comprising the steps of: acquiring a first image of a first optical code within a scan volume of the data reader, the acquired first image comprising a plurality of sub-regions; receiving data corresponding to the plurality of sub-regions of the acquired first image of the first optical code, wherein each sub-region has associated therewith a processing priority; processing the sub-regions for decodable data corresponding to the first optical code in a processing order corresponding to the processing priority of the sub-regions; determining based on the step of processing the sub-regions whether one or more of the sub-regions contains decodable data; if it is determined that a sub-region contains decodable data, increasing the processing priority associated with said sub-region; determining whether a sub-region alone or in combination with one or more previously processed sub-regions contains decodable data corresponding to an entirety of the first optical code; if it is determined that no sub-region alone or in combination with one or more previously processed sub-relations contains decodable data corresponding to the entirety of the first optical code, terminating the step of processing the sub-regions of the first image; acquiring a second image of the first optical code; receiving data corresponding to the plurality of sub-regions in the second image of the first optical code; processing the sub-regions of the second image for decodable data corresponding to the first optical code according to the processing order, wherein the processing order reflects the increased processing priority associated with the sub-region from the acquired first image of the first optical code that contained decodable data.