WO1999060515A1 - Dispositif d'enregistrement d'informations dans des modes differents - Google Patents

Dispositif d'enregistrement d'informations dans des modes differents Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999060515A1
WO1999060515A1 PCT/SE1999/000715 SE9900715W WO9960515A1 WO 1999060515 A1 WO1999060515 A1 WO 1999060515A1 SE 9900715 W SE9900715 W SE 9900715W WO 9960515 A1 WO9960515 A1 WO 9960515A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
mode
image
sensor
images
imaging
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE1999/000715
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Christer FÅHRAEUS
Original Assignee
C Technologies Ab
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from SE9801520A external-priority patent/SE9801520L/xx
Application filed by C Technologies Ab filed Critical C Technologies Ab
Priority to US09/673,786 priority Critical patent/US6715686B1/en
Priority to AU43030/99A priority patent/AU4303099A/en
Priority to EP99952126A priority patent/EP1073990A1/fr
Publication of WO1999060515A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999060515A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR 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
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR 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
    • G06K7/10881—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 constructional details of hand-held scanners
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06V—IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
    • G06V30/00—Character recognition; Recognising digital ink; Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
    • G06V30/10—Character recognition
    • G06V30/14—Image acquisition
    • G06V30/142—Image acquisition using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/00912—Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/04—Scanning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa
    • H04N1/10—Scanning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa using flat picture-bearing surfaces
    • H04N1/107—Scanning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa using flat picture-bearing surfaces with manual scanning
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/04—Scanning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa
    • H04N1/10—Scanning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa using flat picture-bearing surfaces
    • H04N1/107—Scanning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa using flat picture-bearing surfaces with manual scanning
    • H04N1/1075—Arrangements for facilitating holding of the scanner, e.g. shapes, grips
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/387—Composing, repositioning or otherwise geometrically modifying originals
    • H04N1/3876—Recombination of partial images to recreate the original image
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/04—Scanning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa
    • H04N1/19—Scanning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa using multi-element arrays
    • H04N1/195—Scanning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa using multi-element arrays the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for recording information of the type mentioned in the preamble to the appended claim 1.
  • a drawback of these portable computers is that inputting information by the intermediary of a key- board is often time-consuming in comparison with the time required for processing the information once it has been fed into the computer.
  • In order to achieve faster and more efficient inputting there have been attempts at finding simpler ways of feeding the information into the computer.
  • the text which is to be fed into the computer is replaced by a numerical code, for instance in the case of vehicle inspections.
  • this requires more of the user, who has to keep track of several codes, which increases the risk of input errors.
  • In the daily work of many occupational groups there is a need for a simple way of putting together image and text information.
  • Examples of this include various types of service and maintenance staff who work from some type of protocol and who wish to verify that a certain opera- tion has been carried out; policemen at the site of an accident who wish to gather image data as well as personal data concerning witnesses, etc.; and researchers and other individuals whose work involves information retrieval and who wish to put together text and images from a number of different written documents.
  • Scanners of both the stationary and the portable type are available.
  • Stationary scanners are preferably used in connection with the recording of whole pages with printed text and image information, the scanner being passed over the page at a constant speed.
  • the information is recorded by means of a light-sensitive sensor, which in stationary scanners often consists of a line sensor.
  • a more selective recording of information is desired and, moreover, the scanner must also be easy to carry.
  • scanners of the hand-held type are much more interesting in these contexts.
  • the sensors in these scanners can be either of the line type or of the two-dimensional type.
  • US 4,949,391 discloses a hand-held scanner for recording text.
  • the scanner has a two-dimensional sensor, which records images of the underlying surface when the scanner is passed over the same.
  • Another hand-held scanner is described in US 5,301,234.
  • This scanner utilises a line sensor which records a sequence of vertical "slices" of the characters and of the spaces between them when the scanner is passed over the characters on the substrate.
  • the "slices" are stored in the scanner as a digital bitmap.
  • the scanner is provided with position means in the form of a wheel which must be in contact with the underlying surface in connection with the recording of the characters to record the position of the scanner relative to the surface.
  • a drawback of using a computer, a scanner, and a digital camera at the same time is that the equipment becomes bulky and the user has to handle several units.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a solution to the above-mentioned problems by providing an improved device for recording information in text and image format .
  • This object is achieved according to the invention by a device having the features recited in the appended claim 1, with preferred embodiments in the appended claims 2-14.
  • the invention is based on the understanding that with a light-sensitive sensor with a two-dimensional sensor surface as the starting-point, a text recording function, i.e. a "scanner function", as well as an image recording function, i.e. a "camera function”, can be easily created in one and the same device. More specifically, the device is adjustable between a first mode, in which the device is adapted to essentially abut against and be passed over a surface for imaging the same by means of a plurality of images, and a second mode, in which the device is adapted to image an object located at a distance.
  • a text recording function i.e. a "scanner function”
  • an image recording function i.e. a "camera function
  • the device can be adjusted by the user or automatically by the device if, for example, it detects that the distance to an object within its field of vision changes more than a predetermined value.
  • the adjustment involves the adaptation of the device in some manner, e.g. physically or with respect to software, to make it suitable for use in the mode in question.
  • the first mode is intended for recording information located on a surface over which the device can be passed.
  • the surface need not be plane. It is sufficient that it is even enough to enable the device to be moved in contact with the surface or directly adjacent to the same.
  • the information which can be said to be "two-dimensional" since it is located on a surface, can be composed of character sequences, e.g. one or several words or one or several sentences selected from a longer text.
  • the characters can be letters, numbers, or other written characters or symbols. It is preferably stored in character-coded format.
  • the information may also be composed of image information which is scanned by passing the device over the surface and recording a plurality of images of the image information.
  • the second mode is preferably used for recording "three-dimensional" information, i.e. when one is required to take pictures of objects.
  • this mode individual pictures are taken which are stored in image format.
  • this mode can also be used for taking pictures of surfaces from a distance, which are stored in image format .
  • the same sensor is employed in both the first and the second mode, but it is also possible to use one sensor for each mode.
  • the adjustment would involve changing the beam path in the device so that the imaging takes place with the aid of one sensor in the first mode and with the aid of the other sen- sor in the second mode.
  • the beam path can be changed by adjusting one or more components in the device.
  • a first opening with a first fixed beam path can be used in the first mode
  • a second opening with a second fixed beam path can used m the second mode.
  • Adjusting between the modes then comprises an adjustment of which sensor is activated for imaging.
  • a two-dimensional sensor surface refers to the fact that the sensor surface must be able to image a surface with a matrix of pixels so that images with overlapping contents can be recorded.
  • images with partially overlapping contents are recorded.
  • the overlapping contents are used to put together the images to form a composite image, m which there is no duplication of content.
  • the puttmg-together is carried out with the aid of a signal -processing unit which, for example, may contain software for this purpose.
  • the device can be moved at varying speeds while still permitting the images to be put together into a composite image .
  • the puttmg-together of the images is preferably carried out horizontally as well as vertically. This has the advantage that the device can be held at different angles and even be turned while being passed over the surface and yet the images can be put together well enough that the characters in the composite image can be identified and OCR processed.
  • the signal-processing unit preferably comprises software for identifying characters in the composite image and for storing the same m the device in charac- ter-coded format, preferably ASCII code.
  • the character identification is advantageously carried out with the aid of a neural network. Storing m character-coded format requires considerably less memory space than if the same amount of information is stored, for example, as a bitmap image .
  • the device In order to project onto the sensor surface a clear image of the information to be recorded, i.e. the surface over which the device is passed in the first mode, or of the object located at a distance in the second mode, the device preferably comprises at least one lens means, which is adjustable between a first position in the first mode and a second position in the second mode.
  • two foci are provided for the device, i.e. two different imaging distances each providing a sharp image on the sensor surface.
  • One focus is preferably used in the first mode where an object is located adjacent to the device and the other is preferably used in the second mode where an object is located at a distance from the device.
  • the second position can suitably allow imaging of objects at distances of between 0.5 m and infinity.
  • the different foci enable imaging of surfaces or objects at different distances from the device.
  • the lens means may comprise one or more adjustable lenses.
  • the device may contain one or more fixed lenses in addition to the one or more adjustable lenses. This embodiment is intended in the first place for the case where the device has a single light-sensitive sensor which is common for both modes .
  • the device comprises a lens means, the position of which is variable for providing a variable focus or an autofocus function. This enables sharp imaging of an object located at an optional distance .
  • the device is adapted to effect the imaging in the first mode with a lower resolution than the imaging in the second mode.
  • This can, for example, be achieved in the first mode by making passive some of the sensor elements of the sensor or by saving only a part of the sensor values which are recorded by the sensor, or by using only a part of the saved sensor values in the subsequent processing of the images, such as in connection with the puttmg- together.
  • the advantage of this embodiment is that it is possible to achieve faster, yet reliable, puttmg- together of the images in the first mode if their resolution is lower.
  • the device advantageously comprises a transceiver for wireless communication with an external unit.
  • the transceiver can be an IR transceiver, a mobile radio transceiver, or some other suitable transceiver.
  • the device also comprises identification means for identifying the extent of the imaging.
  • the identification means may, for example, comprise a display mounted on the device, or one or several luminous spots projected from the device onto the object for defining the extent of the imaging.
  • Fig. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a device according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the electronic circuitry in an embodiment of a device according to the invention
  • Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing how the device is intended to function in the first mode
  • Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing how the device is intended to function in the second mode;
  • Fig. 5 schematically shows a second embodiment of a device according to the invention.
  • the device in the embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in Fig. 1, it comprises a casing 1 having approximately the same shape as a conventional highlighter pen.
  • One short side of the casing has a window 2.
  • the window 2 In the first mode of the device, the so-called scanning mode, the window 2 is intended to abut against or be held directly adjacent to a surface which one wishes to image. This surface can, for example, consist of a sheet of paper from which text is to be recorded.
  • the window In the second mode of the device, the so-called camera mode, the window is intended to be directed at an object which is located at a distance and which one wishes to image.
  • the dimensions of the window 2 determine the size of the surface which can be imaged in the first mode. In the second mode, the dimensions of the window 2 only constitute a partial factor when determining which objects can be recorded. Another partial factor of equal importance in the second mode is the distance to the object which the user wishes to image by means of the device.
  • the window 2 forms an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the device so that in the first mode the user is guided to hold the device at a predetermined angle to the underlying surface. Furthermore, the window 2 is somewhat recessed in the casing 1 so that is does not wear against the underlying surface when the device is used in the first mode.
  • the casing 1 essentially contains an optics part 3, an electronic circuitry part 4 , and a power supply 5.
  • the optics part 3 comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) 6, an adjustable lens system 7, and a light-sensi- tive sensor 8 which constitutes the interface with the electronic circuitry part 4.
  • the LED 6 is preferably used m the first mode where its task is to illuminate the part of the surface which is currently located under the window.
  • a diffuser 9 is mounted in front of the LED 6 for diffusing the light.
  • the object being imaged is preferably illuminated by means of other external light sources n the vicinity of the object.
  • the task of the lens system 7 is to project as accurately as possible an image of the surface located under the window 2, or of the object located within the field of vision of the window on the light-sensitive sensor 8.
  • the lens system 7 is moved between two positions so that two different foci are provided.
  • Fig. 1 shows the lens system 7 in the first position A.
  • the second position B is indicated, by way of illustration, by dashes extending from the lens system.
  • the lens system 7 can be moved m the same way as in a camera with two foci. Moreover, if required, the lens system 7 will reduce the image so that it will fit on the light-sen- sitive surface of the sensor 8.
  • CCD charge coupled device
  • the sensor 8 is mounted at a small angle to the window 2 and on its own printed circuit board 11.
  • the power supply to the device is obtained from a battery 12 which is mounted in a separate compartment 13 in the casing.
  • the block diagram in Fig. 2 schematically shows the electronic circuitry part 4.
  • This comprises a processor 20, which by the intermediary of a bus 21 s connected to a ROM 22, in which the programs of the processor are stored, to a read/write memory 23, which constitutes the working memory of the processor and in which the images from the sensor as well as the characters identified and interpreted in the first mode are stored, to a control logic unit 24, as well as to the sensor 8, the lens system 7 , and the LED 6.
  • the control logic unit 24 is in turn connected to a number of peripheral units, comprising a display 25, which is mounted in the casing, an IR transceiver 26 for transferring information to/from an external computer, buttons 27, by means of which the user can control the device, a tracer LED 28 which emits a light beam, making it easier for the user to follow the text, as well as an indicating device 29, e.g. a couple of LEDs, indicating which mode the device is in and whether or not recording is taking place. Control signals to the memories, the sensor, and the peripheral units are generated in the control logic unit 24. The control logic also handles generation and prioritisation of interrupts to the processor.
  • the buttons 27, the IR transceiver 26, the display 25 and the tracer LED 28, and the LED 6 are accessed by the processor writing and reading in the register in the control logic unit.
  • the buttons 27 generate inter- rupts to the processor 20 when they are activated.
  • the device operates as follows. Suppose that a user wishes to record text from a sheet of paper. In this case, he holds the device against the sheet in the location where he wishes to start recording a character sequence. He presses a button 27 to activate the device and passes the latter over the text he wishes to record, following the text in the same way as when one reads the text.
  • the tracer LED 28 emits a light beam which facilitates following the lines.
  • the processor 20 commands the LED 6 to begin generating strobe pulses at a predetermined fre- quency of 25 Hz, whereupon the sensor records images with partially overlapping contents which are stored in the read/write memory 23.
  • step 301 images with overlapping contents are recorded with the aid of the above device and are stored in a current image area in the read/write memory 23.
  • the images are stored as images, i.e. with the aid of a plurality of pixels, each having a grey scale value in a range from white to black.
  • step 302 if such an image is available. If there is no previous image, the current image is entered directly into a line image area in the read/write memory.
  • every possible overlap position between the images is examined, at the pixel level, and an overlap measurement is determined as follows: 1) For each overlapping pixel position, the grey scale values of the two relevant pixels are added up if the latter are not white. Such a pixel position in which none of the pixels are white is designated a plus posi- tion.
  • step 303 the software of the processor 20 divides the composite image in the line image memory area into sub- images each containing only one character.
  • the purpose of this is to create input signals to a neural network software which is to interpret the characters.
  • the division is effected by adding up the grey scale values of the pixels for each pixel row and each pixel column in the composite image. By studying the local intensity minima for the row sums and column sums thus obtained, boundaries can be determined for the extent of each character in the image .
  • each character in the composite image of the character sequence imaged is interpreted.
  • the grey scale values of the pixels which together constitute a sub-image containing only one character are fed as input signals to a neural network.
  • Each output from the neural network represents a character which the network can identify.
  • the output from the network which has the highest output signal is chosen and the character thus chosen is stored in step 305 using a predetermined character code format, for example ASCII code, in the read/write memory 23 in a memory area for interpreted characters.
  • the processor activates the indicating device 29 to inform the user that it is ready to record a new character sequence, step 306. Subsequently, it goes back to step 301.
  • the steps described above are thus carried out by the processor 20 with the aid of the associated units and suitable software.
  • Such software can be created by the skilled person with the aid of the above instructions.
  • the character recognition is perform- ed with the aid of neural network software, which is adapted in a suitable manner.
  • Neural network software is commercially available from, for example, MATLAB Neural Network Toolbox, The MathWorks Inc., 24 Prime Park Way, Natick, MA 01760, USA. Adjustment of the Device between the two Modes
  • the device operates as follows.
  • the user directs the window of the device at the object which is located at a distance and which he wishes to image.
  • the user can see the image which will be recorded.
  • a button 27 to activate the device which then records an image of the object and stores the image in image format in the memory 22.
  • the user can control the device to either show the recorded image on the display 25 or transfer the image to an external computer by the intermediary of the IR trans- ceiver 26.
  • the recorded image can then be supplemented with additional text information by the user setting the device to the first mode and recording text or other characters. Subsequently, the text and image information recorded can be shown either on the display 25 of the device or on an external computer.
  • step 401 the extent of the image is indicated on the display 25 of the device.
  • step 402 the image is then recorded.
  • the image is recorded in the current image area of the read/write memory with the aid of a plurality of pixels, which can have either grey scale values from white to black, or colour values.
  • the user can then choose whether or not he wishes to keep the current image. If the user decides to keep the image, the process continues along the solid line to step 403, in which the image is stored in the memory 23.
  • step 404 the device indicates, in step 404, that it is ready to scan a new image. If the user does not wish to keep the image, the process continues, from step 402, along the dashed line back to step 401 in order for a new image to be scanned.
  • the lens means may, for example, comprise a lens which is put on like a "cap" on the front of the device in one of the modes.
  • the device has a single light-sensitive sensor which is used in the first as well as the second mode.
  • the device can alternatively have a sensor for each mode.
  • Fig. 5 shows schematically how the embodiment in Fig. 1 could be modified to have two sensors.
  • the device has a second window 2' in the side of the casing, a second light-sensitive sensor 8' with a two-dimensional sensor surface, and a second lens means 7' which can have a variable focus.
  • the electronic circuitry part is the same as in the embodiment in Fig. 1. When adjusting from one mode to the other, an adjustment takes place of which sensor is activated for imaging and an adjustment takes place of from which sensor the electronic circuitry part collects images.

Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif d'enregistrement d'informations possédant au moins un détecteur (8) sensible à la lumière doté d'une surface de détecteur bidimensionnelle. Le dispositif peut être réglé entre un premier mode et un deuxième mode. Dans le premier mode, le dispositif est adapté pour toucher essentiellement une surface au-dessus de laquelle il passe afin de la représenter au moyen de plusieurs images. Dans le deuxième mode, le dispositif est adapté pour représenter un objet situé à distance.
PCT/SE1999/000715 1998-04-30 1999-04-30 Dispositif d'enregistrement d'informations dans des modes differents WO1999060515A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/673,786 US6715686B1 (en) 1998-04-30 1999-04-30 Device for recording information in different modes
AU43030/99A AU4303099A (en) 1998-04-30 1999-04-30 Device for recording information in different modes
EP99952126A EP1073990A1 (fr) 1998-04-30 1999-04-30 Dispositif d'enregistrement d'informations dans des modes differents

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE9801520A SE9801520L (sv) 1998-04-30 1998-04-30 Anordning för registrering av information I
SE9801520-9 1998-04-30
US9132098P 1998-06-30 1998-06-30
US60/091,320 1998-06-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1999060515A1 true WO1999060515A1 (fr) 1999-11-25

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PCT/SE1999/000715 WO1999060515A1 (fr) 1998-04-30 1999-04-30 Dispositif d'enregistrement d'informations dans des modes differents

Country Status (3)

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EP (1) EP1073990A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU4303099A (fr)
WO (1) WO1999060515A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002037405A1 (fr) * 2000-11-06 2002-05-10 C Technologies Ab Procede et dispositif de focalisation pour stylo de lecture
US6839453B1 (en) 2000-05-16 2005-01-04 The Upper Deck Company, Llc Method and apparatus for authenticating unique items such as sports memorabilia

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1993014470A1 (fr) * 1992-01-17 1993-07-22 Norand Corporation Systeme de lecteur optique portatif
WO1996032692A1 (fr) * 1995-04-10 1996-10-17 United Parcel Service Of America, Inc. Systeme bi-camera de detection et d'enregistrement de reperes figurant sur des articles transportes
WO1997037320A1 (fr) * 1996-03-29 1997-10-09 Metanetics Corporation Dispositif portatif de recueil de donnees muni d'un ensemble de visee

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1993014470A1 (fr) * 1992-01-17 1993-07-22 Norand Corporation Systeme de lecteur optique portatif
WO1996032692A1 (fr) * 1995-04-10 1996-10-17 United Parcel Service Of America, Inc. Systeme bi-camera de detection et d'enregistrement de reperes figurant sur des articles transportes
WO1997037320A1 (fr) * 1996-03-29 1997-10-09 Metanetics Corporation Dispositif portatif de recueil de donnees muni d'un ensemble de visee

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6839453B1 (en) 2000-05-16 2005-01-04 The Upper Deck Company, Llc Method and apparatus for authenticating unique items such as sports memorabilia
US7027623B2 (en) 2000-05-16 2006-04-11 The Upper Deck Company, Llc Apparatus for capturing an image
WO2002037405A1 (fr) * 2000-11-06 2002-05-10 C Technologies Ab Procede et dispositif de focalisation pour stylo de lecture

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Publication number Publication date
AU4303099A (en) 1999-12-06
EP1073990A1 (fr) 2001-02-07

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