US3564267A - Arrangement for optical-electronic identification of a moving body - Google Patents

Arrangement for optical-electronic identification of a moving body Download PDF

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Publication number
US3564267A
US3564267A US818619A US3564267DA US3564267A US 3564267 A US3564267 A US 3564267A US 818619 A US818619 A US 818619A US 3564267D A US3564267D A US 3564267DA US 3564267 A US3564267 A US 3564267A
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United States
Prior art keywords
marks
photodetectors
narrow
code
mark
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Expired - Lifetime
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US818619A
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English (en)
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Arthur Walter
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Individual
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • G06K7/10544—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum
    • G06K7/10821—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
    • G06K7/10851—Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
    • B07C5/3412—Sorting according to other particular properties according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/34—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor 
    • B65G47/46—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points
    • B65G47/48—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to bodily destination marks on either articles or load-carriers
    • B65G47/49—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to bodily destination marks on either articles or load-carriers without bodily contact between article or load carrier and automatic control device, e.g. the destination marks being electrically or electronically detected
    • B65G47/493—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to bodily destination marks on either articles or load-carriers without bodily contact between article or load carrier and automatic control device, e.g. the destination marks being electrically or electronically detected by use of light responsive means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • G06K7/10544—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum
    • G06K7/10821—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
    • G06K7/10861—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum further details of bar or optical code scanning devices sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels

Definitions

  • An optical system for producing a scanning spot of light of at least four times the width of a narrow code mark, the optical system projecting the images of the respective illuminated areas of the field of the identification marks onto four adjacent photodetectors controlling two gates via three differential amplifiers responsive to the difference of the scanning signal of the fourth, outer detector with respect to the scanning signals of the remaining three detectors, one of the gates being responsive to a broad mark while the other of the gates is responsive to a narrow mark.
  • PATENTEU FEB 6 I97! sum 1 or 3 PATENTEU FEB 1 s 19H SHEET 2 [IF 3 .M F #3 I. 1 CU n *1 I! I I... M A? Fig.6
  • This invention relates to an arrangement for optical-electronic identification of a moving body provided with identification marks, said marks consisting of a plurality of code marks arranged in parallel relationship and being perpendicular to the direction of movement of said body.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for optical-electronic identification, in which the photodetectors need not be adjusted to the respective reflectivity of the moving body and of the code marks, and in which furthermore no second data recording in inverted form is necessary.
  • An arrangement for optical-electronic identification according to the invention is characterized in that the body carries broad and narrow code marks, the width of the broad code marks being three times that of the narrow code marks and the space on both sides of a narrow code mark being at least twice the width of a narrow code mark, and in that an optical system produces a scanning spot of light of at least four times the width of a narrow code mark, said systemprojecting the images of the respective illuminated areas of the field of the identification marks onto four photodetectors arranged adjacent each other, the scanning signals supplied by said photodetectors controlling means which selectively determines the presence of a broad and a narrow code mark in accordance with the signals supplied by the photodetectors.
  • the latter means comprises two gates connected to three differential amplifiers responsive to the difference of the scanning signal of the fourth, outer photodetector with respect to the scanning signals of the remaining three photodetectors, one of said gates being responsive to a broad mark and the second gate being responsive to a narrow mark.
  • the arrangement according to the invention does not respond to the absolute values of the amount of light reflected by the recording area but responds to contrasts of the intensity of light.
  • the code marks may be of any color.
  • the fact that during scanning of the code marks the respective width of the mark is entered constitutes an additional protection against any other accidentally present markings interfering with the scanning process.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an optical system according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a plan view of four photodetectors arranged adjacent one another as seen when viewed along lines 2-2 in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 shows code marks applied to a body and the spot of light serving scanning purposes
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the four photodetectors during scanning of a broad code mark
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the four photodetectors during scanning of a narrow code mark.
  • FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a logic circuit according to the invention for evaluating the output signals of the photodetectors.
  • the rays from a source of light are passed through a condenser lens 3 to a lens system 2.
  • the rays are reflected by reflecting mirrors 3' and 6 and by a semitransparent mirror or beam splitter 5.
  • the rays from the light source pass through the lens system 2 into an information carrier 4, to form a sharp scanning spot of light thereon.
  • the spot of light is reflected through the lens system 2 and the semitransparent mirror 5 onto the photodetector arrangement 7.
  • the image of the spot of light overlaps all four photodetectors (P1, P2, P3, P4) shown in FIG. 2.
  • the moving body carrying the identification marks is a plain data carrier 4, e.g. a prescription form which is to be put into a box together with a medicine and the identification marks of which are to be scanned beforehand for reasons of safety.
  • the identification code consists of narrow and broad marks, the narrow ones having a width E and the broad ones having a width 3E.
  • the spaces between the marks are such that a distance 2E is provided from the edge of the one mark to the edge of the next-following mark.
  • the marks may have any desired length which is selected such that no excessive demands are made with regard to observing an exact level at which the body is moved past the scanning system.
  • the scanning spot of light also shown in FIG. 3 has a width 4E.
  • the image of the said scanning spot of light is formed on the photodetector arrangement in such a way that the image of the spot just overlaps all four photodetectors P1 to P4.
  • the image of the spot of light has a width 4E.
  • the hatched area of FIG. 4 corresponds to that portion of the scanning spot of light 9 in FIG. 3 which is at that moment directed on a broad mark.
  • the photodetector P4 will (in the position of FIG. 4) receive light while the photodetectors P1 through P3 will be darkened.
  • FIG. 5 shows exactly the position in which the image of a narrow code mark lies symmetrically on the photodetector P2.
  • P1, P3 and P4 see white while P2 sees black. It is obvious that this state of exposure, too, will continue for a certain period of time during movement of the body past the detectors, which fact is due to the relatively small effective width of the photodetectors Pl through P4.
  • the logic circuit to which the scanning signals of the photodetectors are supplied responds only to the positions shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 whereas the remaining positions resulting during movement of the body past the detectors will not elicit an output signal from the logic circuit.
  • the narrow code mark will be termed O
  • the broad code mark will be termed L.
  • the s will be black and w will be white, i.e. the respective photodetector is darkened and respectively receives light.
  • Code Remark e sie s a es "s saw ass sse Two code marks being too close to each other.
  • the last line of the above table shows a state of exposure of the photodetectors in which P1 and P3 see black while P2 and P4 see white. This state may be caused by two narrow code marks being too close to each other, or by an interference which additionally darkens one of the two photodetectors. In both cases the scanning process is stopped.
  • the electronic circuit for evaluating the scanning signals substantially comprises the three differential amplifiers V1, V2 and V3, the two multiple coincidence gates 10 and 11, and the OR gate 12.
  • the output signals of the photodetectors P1 through P4 may, for instance, be derived by means of the resistance network shown in FIG. 6.
  • Each of the differential amplifiers V1 through V3 has two inputs, the output signal of the related photodetector P1, P2, or P3 being supplied to the one input of each of the differential amplifiers V1 through V3 and the output signal of the fourth photodetector P4 being supplied to the other input of each of the differential amplifiers V1 through V3.
  • the differential amplifiers V1 through V3 will generate an output signal only when one of the photodetectors Pl through P3 sees" black and P4 sees white or when at least one of the three photodetectors P1 to P3 receives a substantially smaller amount of light than the photodetector P4.
  • the outputs of the differential amplifiers V1 through V3 are directly supplied to the coincidence gate 11.
  • the coincidence gate 10 has two inverting inputs to which the output signals of the differential amplifiers V1 and V3 are supplied whereas the output signal of the differential amplifier V2 is supplied directly to the coincidence gate 10.
  • the pulses indicating O and L respectively are available.
  • the OR gate 12 is connected in parallel to the said outputs and supplies a timing impulse upon occurrence of an 0 signal and an L signal respectively.
  • the said timing impulse may, for instance, be used for controlling the output of a reference code in case the scanned mark is to be compared with a reference code.
  • the scanning position for a narrow code mark shown in FIG. 5 there may also be used the position in which Furthermore, the spaces between the code marks may also be selected differently; as may be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 it is mere- -ly necessary that the s aces on both sides of a broad code mark are at least B an the spaces on both sides of a narrow code mark are at least 2E.
  • An arrangement for the optical-electronic identification of a moving body provided with identification marks, said marks consisting of a plurality OfpOdC marks arranged in parallel relationship and being perpendicular to the direction of movement of said body, said code marks being constituted as broad and narrow code marks, the width of the broad code marks being three times that of the narrow code marks and the space on both sides of a narrow code mark being at least twice the width of a narrow code mark, an optical means for producing a scanning spot of light having a length at least four times the width of a narrow code mark, four adjacent photodetectors, said optical means projecting the images of the respective lighted areas of the field of the identification marks onto said four photodetectors, the latter producing signals in accordance with the presence or absence of a code mark, and means coupled to said photodetectors to determine selectively the presence of a broad and a narrow code mark in accordance with the signals produced by said photodetectors.
  • said means coupled to the photodetectors comprises three differential amplifiers responsive to the difference of the scanning signal of the fourth, outer photodetector with respect to the scanning signals of the remaining three photodetectors and two gates connected to said differential amplifiers, the first of said gates being responsive to a broad mark and the second of said gates being responsive to a narrow mark.
  • An arrangement according to claim 2 comprising an OR gate, the output signals of said two gates being supplied to said OR gate for producing a timing impulse.
  • An arrangement according to claim 1 comprising two light barriers for initiating the scanning process when the front edge of the moving body interrupts the said light barriers.
  • said optical means comprises a source of light, a reflecting mirror positioned so as to be illuminated by said source of light, a condenser lens between said mirror and source, a lens system positioned to receive the image which is reflected by said mirror and to project the image onto the area to be scanned so as to produce the spot of light, a beam splitter disposed between said mirror and the lens system, said lens system projecting an image of said spotof light through said beam splitter, said photodetectors being disposed at the focal point of the image formed by the lens system of said spot of light.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Artificial Intelligence (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Optical Scanning Systems (AREA)
  • Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)
  • Facsimile Scanning Arrangements (AREA)
US818619A 1968-04-26 1969-04-23 Arrangement for optical-electronic identification of a moving body Expired - Lifetime US3564267A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19681774180 DE1774180B1 (de) 1968-04-26 1968-04-26 Anordnung zur optisch-elektronischen Identifizierung eines bewegten Koerpers

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US3564267A true US3564267A (en) 1971-02-16

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US (1) US3564267A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH483065A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1774180B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2007042A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1232892A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE340901B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3701886A (en) * 1970-12-30 1972-10-31 Ibm Method of representing data codes with equal width bar and device for reading same
US3787702A (en) * 1970-09-05 1974-01-22 Agfa Gevaert Ag Apparatus for detecting and evaluating indicia on processed photographic film or the like
US4440284A (en) * 1980-05-09 1984-04-03 Environmental Products Corporation Automated aluminum can redemption center for direct return deposit payout
US4492295A (en) * 1982-03-05 1985-01-08 Environmental Products Corporation Automated redemption center for metal containers
US5051567A (en) * 1989-06-13 1991-09-24 Rjs, Inc. Bar code reader to read different bar code formats

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2636906C3 (de) * 1976-08-17 1983-12-29 Erwin Sick Gmbh Optik-Elektronik, 7808 Waldkirch Verfahren zur Erzeugung eines Schaltsignals beim Durchgang eines Kontrastsprunges und Schaltungsanordnung zur Ausführung des Verfahrens
JPS58130841A (ja) * 1982-01-29 1983-08-04 Nec Corp 発光マ−ク検知装置
DE3226385A1 (de) * 1982-07-15 1984-01-19 Deutsche Thomson-Brandt Gmbh, 7730 Villingen-Schwenningen Verfahren zum lesen von strichcodes

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3106706A (en) * 1957-08-08 1963-10-08 Stewart Warner Corp Railway car identification system
US3152256A (en) * 1958-11-21 1964-10-06 Gen Atronics Corp Photosensitive code identifying means and method
US3370504A (en) * 1965-03-29 1968-02-27 Technical Operations Inc High speed facsimile method and apparatus
US3443109A (en) * 1963-12-10 1969-05-06 Nat Res Dev Electro-optical reading device utilizing a pulsed semiconductor diode lamp
US3446351A (en) * 1967-01-19 1969-05-27 Dom Samen Gmbh Method and apparatus for sorting coded seed bags

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3106706A (en) * 1957-08-08 1963-10-08 Stewart Warner Corp Railway car identification system
US3152256A (en) * 1958-11-21 1964-10-06 Gen Atronics Corp Photosensitive code identifying means and method
US3443109A (en) * 1963-12-10 1969-05-06 Nat Res Dev Electro-optical reading device utilizing a pulsed semiconductor diode lamp
US3370504A (en) * 1965-03-29 1968-02-27 Technical Operations Inc High speed facsimile method and apparatus
US3446351A (en) * 1967-01-19 1969-05-27 Dom Samen Gmbh Method and apparatus for sorting coded seed bags

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3787702A (en) * 1970-09-05 1974-01-22 Agfa Gevaert Ag Apparatus for detecting and evaluating indicia on processed photographic film or the like
US3701886A (en) * 1970-12-30 1972-10-31 Ibm Method of representing data codes with equal width bar and device for reading same
US4440284A (en) * 1980-05-09 1984-04-03 Environmental Products Corporation Automated aluminum can redemption center for direct return deposit payout
US4492295A (en) * 1982-03-05 1985-01-08 Environmental Products Corporation Automated redemption center for metal containers
US5051567A (en) * 1989-06-13 1991-09-24 Rjs, Inc. Bar code reader to read different bar code formats

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH483065A (de) 1969-12-15
SE340901B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-12-06
GB1232892A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-05-19
DE1774180B1 (de) 1970-01-22
FR2007042A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-01-02

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