Process for reading a chain of code characters from a transparent bottle
US5301238A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 26, 1991 |
| Grant date | Apr 5, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 26, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K7/1092
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
What is described is a process for reading a chain (34) of code characters which is arranged annularly on a transparent bottle (10) in the bottom area of the same, by photographing at least the bottom area of the bottle through the bottle neck by means of a camera (24) and simultaneously illuminating the bottom area of the bottle from below. With a zero relative speed of rotation between camera (24), bottle (10) and illumination source (32), a snapshot of the bottom area of the bottle with the complete code character chain (34) is taken from the inside of the bottle with the camera (24) and is stored as an image for the later decoding of the code character chain. The code-reading process is a very rapid process, because the fraction of a second in which the bottle (10) is in a line with the camera (24) and the illumination source (32) is adequate for reading the code. The evaluation of the image of the code character chain (34) which is photographed occurs using a histogram technique by comparison with a stored annular pattern which is divided into sectors.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.