492 results about "Optical reader" patented technology

The invention is a method for omnidirectional recognition of recognizable characters in a captured two-dimensional image. An optical reader configured in accordance with the invention searches for pixel groupings in a starburst pattern, and subjects located pixel groupings to a preliminary edge crawling process which records the pixel position of the grouping's edge and records the count of edge pixels. If two similar-sized pixel groupings are located that are of sizes sufficient to potentially represent recognizable characters, then the reader launches “alignment rails” at pixel positions substantially parallel to a centerline connecting the center points of the two similarly sized groupings. A reader according to the invention searches for additional recognizable characters within the rail area, and subjects each located pixel grouping within the rail area to a shape-characterizing edge crawling process for developing data that characterizes the shape of a pixel grouping's edge. After adjusting the orientation representation of the shape-characterizing data the reader compares the developed shape-characterizing data to previously stored shape-characterizing data to determine the character represented by the grouping on the basis of the best fit data.

A system for effecting transactions, typically retail transactions, by using account information stored on a computing device, such as a cell phone, wherein the computing device is placed on an optical reader at the merchant's establishment. The computing device generates a pattern, such as a bar code, on a visual display, which can be read by the merchant's optical reader. The display encodes account number and other information for the transaction. The merchant's optical reader also includes a display, which can be read by the computing device by using the cell phone camera. The merchant's display includes transaction amount and other information allowing updating of account information in the computing device. The computing device may include security codes and / or a fingerprint reader to allow access to the account information. The use of the fingerprint reader can provide positive identification of the individual, which may be used for restricted items such as age restricted items such as beer, cigarettes, and senior discounts.

The linear object identification tag 10 can be attached to and detached from a linear object 40. This tag has a clip body having a pair of clip parts 1a, 1b openably joined to a base part 6, and a holding part 8, 9 which holds the linear object 40 inside the linear object identification tag and is formed on an inner face of at least one of the clip parts 1a, 1b. Installation is thus efficiently performed by simply inserting the linear object 40 through an aperture part. 7. An installation tool (FIGS. 12, 13) with guide parts (22c, 22d) for opening the clip parts (1a, 1b) as they are slid along the tool is disclosed. In another embodiment, labels (719, 720) may be applied to plugs (75) and receptacle (72) and an instrument (722) with optical readers (723, 724) used to read codes on the labels.

There is provided in one embodiment an optical reader having an image sensor array. In one embodiment, the image sensor array can include a first subset of pixels and a second subset of pixels. The first subset of pixels can be devoid of light polarizing filter elements, and the second subset of pixels can be light polarizing pixels including light polarizing filter elements. An optical reader can be configured to selectively read out image data from an image sensor array's light polarizing pixels. In one embodiment there is provided a portable apparatus having a first image sensor array and a second image sensor array.