Nippondenso Co., Ltd.

Toshiyasu Sakai

Masahiro Hara

Atsutoshi Okamoto

Nobuyuki Teraura

Atutoshi Okamoto

Hiromitsu Takai

Akira Kojima

Hiroshi Yamamoto

Tadao Oshima

Katsumi Senda

Yasuhito Imai

A bar code label comprises a recording medium and a bar code recorded on a recording medium. The bar code includes a plurality of bar elements lined up parallel. Each width of bar elements is different in accordance with the kind of bar elements. The width of the bar elements is made wider than it would normally be based on its distance from the center of the bar code toward the end of the bar code.

Bar code label

Apparatus for optically reading printed information by radiating light onto printed information to be reflected thereby, receiving the reflected light through an optical system and converting the image of the reflected light into a corresponding electric signal. The light source employs red light emitting diodes which radiate highly bright red light having a wavelength peak at about 660 nm so that the image sensor can receive a highly contrasting reflected light from the information printed in black on a white base. The light source further or alternatively employs infrared light emitting diodes for radiating the light having a peak wavelength at about 925 nm so that the image sensor can also received a highly contrasting reflected light from information printed in black on a blue or green base.

Apparatus for optically reading printed information

Apparatus and method for recognizing optical information such as bar code has a light source and an image sensor which converts intensity of light reflected by the optical information into an electric image signal. The electric image signal is sample-and-held to detect the average intensity of light from the light source. The time interval for activating the light source is pulse width modulated in accordance with the detected average intensity in a previous operational cycle.

Apparatus and method for recognizing optical information

In an optical reading apparatus having a reading sensor for converting optically readable information into an electrical signal by electronically scanning an image of optical information, such as a bar code, a detector is provided to detect the intensity of light incident on an information label on which the information is provided. Data indicative of the light intensity is used to determine a subsequent scanning period in such a manner that the scanning period of the reading sensor is shortened when the light intensity increases or vice versa. Since the decrease in the scanning period results in lower output voltage from the reading sensor, undesirable saturation in circuitry following the reading sensor is effectively prevented, providing stable operation of the reading sensor, such as a bar code reader.

Optical reading apparatus having a reading sensor of electronic scanning

In an optical reading apparatus having a reading sensor for converting optically readable information into an electrical analog signal, an automatic gain control circuit is provided to maintain the amplitude of the electrical signal constant. The gain of the automatic gain control circuit is controlled such that the average or peak voltage of the electrical signal derived from the reading sensor is detected and held until next scanning effected by the reading sensor so that a variable impedance element included in the automatic gain control circuit will be controlled in accordance with the held voltage to maintain the amplitude of the electrical signal constant.

Optical reading apparatus with automatic gain control circuit

In an optical reading apparatus having an image sensor for converting optically readable information into an electrical signal, a sensor driving circuit is arranged to produce at least two clocks with which two or more groups of optical imaging elements of the image sensor are respectively driven. In one embodiment, the two clocks have a time or phase difference therebetween so that signal charges from one group of the imaging elements are derived at once after signal charges of another group are derived. The derived signal charges are read out in a sequence within a period equal to the time difference. This enables a charging time to be twice or more the time difference providing high sensitivity. Since at least two or more read data can be obtained within a single charging time, high-speed reading is also resulted. In another embodiment, the optical reader is switched so that one of high-speed mode and high-resolution mode is selected. In a further embodiment, the invention is adapted to a reader having an area image sensor.

High-sensitive optical reading apparatus and method of reading optical

A bar code having parallel bars carrying information is divided into a plurality of regions so that each region is detected by a field of vision of an image sensor of a bar code reader. The bars in each region are detected by a scanning operation to store data indicative of the width of each bar into a memory. When scanning of a region is completed, detection of another region follows to store data in the same manner. After all the regions are scanned to obtain their data, these data are combined to produce a combined data. Some superfluous data due to overlapping of two consecutive regions are removed from the combined data. In one embodiment, the superfluous data are removed by using data indicative separation bars provided between the two consecutive regions, while in another embodiment, the superfluous data are removed by using a predetermined value indicative of the actual number of bars of the bar code.

Method and apparatus for reading a bar code

A dc motor driving apparatus comprising a full-wave rectifier bridge circuit for supplying dc power to a dc motor and a dc motor driving control circuit for controlling the turning on and off of thyristors forming the full-wave rectifier bridge circuit, further comprises a protecting control circuit operatively associated with the dc motor driving control circuit for preventing the occurrence of a short-circuit mode in the full-wave rectifier bridge circuit caused by a malfunction of the thyristors and ensuring highly efficient, quick responsive and stable control of the reversing, braking, stopping and other speed changing operations of the dc motor.

DC Motor driving apparatus

A bar code scanner for scanning bar codes having a plurality of parallel bar symbols recorded in different light reflective colors on a record medium. The scanner has a light source, an image sensor comprising a plurality of light responsive elements which are aligned and activated one by one, and diaphragm having an aperture which is longitudinally extending in orthogonal relation with the straight line of the aligned elements.

Bar code scanner

A bar code scanner for scanning a bar code or bar codes having a plurality of parallel bar symbols recorded in contrastive light reflection colors on a record medium. The scanner has an image sensor comprising a plurality of light responsive elements which are arranged in a straight line and activated one by one. The image sensor is supported within a casing which is carried close to the record medium. The casing is provided with a pair of parallel side guide members which extends orthogonally relative to the light responsive elements to define a scanning region. The parallel side guide members are connected by a transversal guide member which defines a scanning line at the end portions of the parallel side guide members.

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Kariya, Japan

Toshiyasu Sakai