Cauzin Systems, Incorporated

Henry S Imiolek

Robert L Brass

G Thomas Roth

John Glaberson

Scott Santulli

Richard W Mason

Arthur J L'Heureux, Iii

John Frega

An apparatus and method are provided for reading contiguous, conterminous, parallel data lines (76) of minute, rectangular bits of information printed on a substrate (2) and together forming a data strip (3) with its length, perpendicular to the data lines (76). The reader (1) includes alignment means for holding the strip (5) and includes data line scanning means (33, 40, 130) on a chassis (20) which moves longitudinally of the data strip (3) while simultaneously and synchronously scanning the tranverse data lines (76) at a rate that scans each data line a plurality of times. An infra-red light source (50) illuminates the data line (76) being scanned, and crossed cylindrical lenses (30, 32, 40, 130), moving relative to each other and to the data strip (3), focus individual scanned bits upon a matched infra-red detector (42). Multiples (33) of one of the cylindrical lenses, mounted on a rotating drum (44), are used to increase speed of operation. Means are provided for continuously aligning the lenses with the data strip (144, 170), for synchronizing the relative motion of the lenses and the data strip (44, 27, 28, 24), for correlating the scanning means with the size and number of bits of information and with the ratio of the illumination intensity of the printed bits and the substrate (74, 80), and for utilizing a single scan from each multiply-scanned data line (76).

Optical reader for printed bit-encoded data and method of reading same

Growing community of inventors

Clark, NJ, United States of America

Henry S Imiolek