James L Canale

Title: James L. Canale and His Bar Code Decoding Patent

Introduction

James L. Canale is an inventor associated with Homer, New York, and Welch Allyn, Inc. His patent work includes an invention for reading and decoding one-dimensional bar code symbols.

Latest Patents

The available information identifies one patent associated with Canale: “Method and Apparatus for Decoding Bar Code Symbols.” The invention uses an optical assembly with a cubic phase mask to keep the optical transfer function approximately constant across a range of distances from the bar code. The resulting image is converted into a smoothly varying analog signal, which a transition-identifying circuit processes to generate a binary signal for decoding. This approach performs the transition identification without first applying a recovery function to account for the phase mask. Canale is credited with 1 patent.

Career Highlights

Canale’s documented patent contribution focuses on optical imaging and signal processing for bar code reading. The patent describes a method intended to support decoding when the distance between the reader and the symbol varies.

Collaborations

Canale’s listed coworkers include Eric D. Schwartz and Vivian Loomis Hunter. The available information does not specify their roles in the patent or their working relationship with Canale.

Conclusion

James L. Canale’s recorded invention addresses a practical challenge in bar code technology by combining phase-mask optics with signal processing to decode one-dimensional symbols across varying distances.