Selective sampling and edge enhancement in bar code laser scanning

Stephen J. Shellhammer; David P. Goren; Theo Pavlidis

doi:10.1117/12.234716

Abstract

This paper describes the basic design principles for a new series of bar code scanners from Symbol Technologies. Traditional bar code scanners include an edge detector which has several innate limitations. We propose replacing this edge detector with a selective sampling circuit. While the superiority of decoding the analog signal has been demonstrated, its implementation is too costly because of the need for considerable additional memory. Selective sampling achieves most of the advantages of analog decoding at a cost comparable to that of conventional decoders. Instead of sampling the signal periodically, it is only sampled when a certain event (e.g. an edge) is detected. At each edge two data values are produced: the edge time and the sampled value, often referred to as the edge strength. This strength value gives a measure of the intensity of the edge. Using selective sampling the new scanners can read poorly printed and noisy bar codes that cannot be read by traditional scanners. Another innate limitation of bar code laser scanners is the density of bar code that can be read. This limitation is due to the blurring of the bar code when scanned by a laser beam with a finite spot size. We propose the addition of an edge enhancement filter to the scanner, which compensates for the finite width of the optical beam. The proposed filter is designed to enhance the edges of the bar code so that for a given optical focusing it is possible to read higher density bar codes.

Citation Download Citation

Stephen J. Shellhammer, Stephen J. Shellhammer, David P. Goren, David P. Goren, Theo Pavlidis, Theo Pavlidis, } "Selective sampling and edge enhancement in bar code laser scanning", Proc. SPIE 2660, Document Recognition III, (7 March 1996); doi: 10.1117/12.234716; https://doi.org/10.1117/12.234716

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