Patent ID: 7222789

Claim:
A method for utilizing a portable bar code reading device of the type having an imaging assembly including two dimensional solid state image sensor, said portable bar code reading device being moveable between varying positions, orientations, and angles relative to a substrate, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing on said substrate a signature field in association with bar code indicia, said signature field being at a predetermined position relative to said bar code indicia; (b) obtaining an area electronic representation of said substrate utilizing said portable bar code reading device, said area electronic representation including a representation of said signature field and said bar code indicia; (c) processing said area electronic representation obtained in step (b) to determine at least a distortion characteristic of a representation of said bar code indicia in said area electronic representation obtained in step (b), said distortion characteristic being of the type resulting from said portable bar code reading device being at an angle with respect to said substrate when an area electronic representation is obtained; (d) utilizing said distortion characteristic relating to said bar code indicia determined in step (b) to correct a distortion of a representation of said signature field in an area electronic representation obtained by said portable bar code reading device; and (e) outputting to an output destination a corrected area electronic representation corrected at step (d), said corrected area electronic representation corresponding to said signature field, and representing a smaller area of said substrate than is represented in said area electronic representation obtained in step (b).