Barcode Scanner Positioning via Teaching Pattern
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-laser bar code scanners lack a visible reading position, making precise manual adjustment difficult due to illumination that covers a larger area than the actual reading point, and are challenging to align, especially when scanning bar codes on vertical surfaces with small scanner heads.
Innovation Solution
A method for teaching the positioning of a bar code scanner involves moving it relative to a first bar code to detect orientation and position it accurately, using a control device to compensate for offsets, allowing for precise alignment with any type of bar code scanner, including non-laser models, by sweeping a light beam across the bar code and calculating offsets for all reading positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If non-laser bar code scanners are used to reduce cost, then device complexity is reduced, but positioning precision deteriorates because the illumination area is larger than the actual reading point making manual adjustment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A teaching bar code with specific geometric features (quiet zones, start/stop patterns) is introduced as an intermediary object. This teaching bar code serves as a mediator between the scanner and the actual sampling bar codes, enabling the system to learn and calculate the precise reading position through geometric analysis of the teaching pattern, thereby achieving accurate positioning with non-laser scanners.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary teaching action by scanning the teaching bar code before actual sampling operations. During this preliminary phase, the scanner learns the geometric relationship and calculates the reading position offset. This pre-learning process enables subsequent accurate scanning of sampling bar codes without requiring manual mechanical adjustment.
2Volume of moving object
If the bar code scanner head is made small to fit the instrument, then device compactness is improved, but alignment difficulty increases because the small scanner head is challenging to align precisely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical alignment adjustment with an optical/geometric teaching system. Instead of manually adjusting the small scanner head position mechanically, the system uses a teaching bar code with known geometric patterns. The scanner captures these patterns and computationally determines the reading position, substituting mechanical alignment operations with optical detection and computational geometry.
3Device complexity
If manual adjustment is used to position the scanner, then device complexity is reduced, but positioning precision deteriorates because it is difficult or impossible to adjust to the precise reading point with non-laser scanners
Solution Approach 1:
The teaching bar code acts as an intermediary that enables automatic positioning. By scanning this special bar code with known geometric features, the system automatically calculates the reading position without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms or manual intervention, achieving high precision through computational geometry rather than mechanical complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables precise positioning of bar code scanners on apparatuses for processing samples or reagents, allowing the use of any bar code scanner type, improving alignment accuracy and differentiating between closely spaced bar codes, even when consumables are not at the same z-position.
Implementation Method 1
sweeping a light beam across a bar code
Data Source
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Figure 2B
AI summary
A method for teaching positioning of a bar code scanner (106) is disclosed. The method comprises moving the bar code scanner (106) relative to a first bar code (114) so as to sweep a light beam (116) emitted from the bar code scanner (106) across the first bar code (114), detecting an orientation of the bar code scanner (106) relative to the first bar code (114) and positioning the bar code scanner (106) based on the orientation. Further, an apparatus (100) for processing a sample or reagent is disclosed.