Storage Technology Corporation

Cheryl E Netter

Larry K Carmichael

Frederick G Munro

David L Trachy

Robert W Schmidt

A bar code conversion system and method identifies good data in the scan data array and analyzes that data to generate machine-interpretable code. A vision system optically scans bar code labels and places the resulting digital camera data into a two dimensional line scan data array of pixels. A process.sub.-- line function then searches the scan data array for three lines that intersect the initial bars and spaces of the bar code (called starting lines) and 3 lines that intersect the last bars and spaces (called ending lines). For each pair of starting and ending lines, a build.sub.-- composite generates a composite line using pixels in positions between the first pixel of a starting line and the last pixel of a corresponding ending line. A run.sub.-- length decode function is then invoked on each composite line to create a run length array of width values, each of which indicates the width (in pixels) of a bar or space of the bar code. Using statistical analysis, a convert.sub.-- bars.sub.-- and.sub.-- spaces function converts the run length array to a bar and space array of binary width values. The three resulting bar and space arrays are synthesized by a vote.sub.-- bars.sub.-- and.sub.-- spaces function. Finally, a build.sub.-- bar.sub.-- code function identifies machine-interpretable values (e.g., ASCII codes) represented by the width values in the synthesized bar and space array.

System and method for converting bar code scan line data into

A method and apparatus are described for on-the-fly cataloging of library cell contents in an automated robotic tape library. This method decouples the robotic arm motion/tape cartridge label scanning process from the image processing software/hardware. In accordance with the present invention, tape cartridge label images are captured at a library system processor priority which is higher than the priority of the image processing task. These captured images are stored in a circular buffer while image processing continues to take place in a lower priority task. Both the image processing system hardware and software are asynchronous with respect to the velocity of the robotic arm used to scan the tape cartridge cells. The scanning velocity of the robotic arm can be maximized with respect to purely mechanical, electrical, or optical camera considerations and is independent of the library system processor image processing speed. The present method provides a further advantage with respect to robotic arm position calibration. Not only can tape cartridge labels be read with maximum camera line speed, but arm calibration data can also be read on-the-fly to allow continual and rapid verification and calibration of robotic arm positioning.

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Golden, CO, United States of America

Cheryl E Netter