Digital data reader of digital data recording sheet

Claim 1

In combination an identification code and reading system therefore, comprising: the identification code including, a display area defining a data field including, an X-axis basic line, a plurality of X-axis internal line position marks, a Y-axis basic line, intersecting said X-axis basic line, a plurality of Y-axis internal line position marks, a plurality of sub-areas in which encoded indicia are located, and an additional mark, located such that said display area is defined by an area enclosed by said X-axis basic line, Y-axis basic line and said additional mark; and the identification code reading system including display area deciding means for determining a location of said display area on said identification code by determining a location of an X-axis external line and a Y-axis external line disposed on the opposite side of the data field from said X-axis basic line and Y-axis basic lines, respectively, Y-axis internal line calculating means for determining a location of a plurality of Y-axis internal lines, each passing through one of the plurality of X-axis internal line position marks, said plurality of Y-axis internal lines being equispaced and disposed at angles with respect to the X-axis basic line, the angle of each of said plurality of Y-axis internal lines with respect to said X-axis basic line being: ##EQU10## where: Θ o =an angle formed by the intersection of said X-axis basic line and said Y-axis basic line, Θ x =an angle formed by the intersection of said X-axis basic line and said Y-axis external line, M BX =the number of X-axis internal line position marks plus one, and n=an index used to denote the specific Y-axis internal line being calculated; X-axis internal line calculating means for determining a location of a plurality of X-axis internal lines, each passing through one of the plurality of Y-axis internal line position marks and disposed at angles with respect to the Y-axis basic line, the plurality of X-axis internal lines being equispaced, said angle of each of said plurality of X-axis internal lines with respect to said Y-axis basic line being: ##EQU11## where: Θ Y =an angle formed by the intersection of said Y-axis basic line and said X-axis external line, M BY =the number of Y-axis internal line position marks plus one, and m=an index used to denote the specific X-axis internal line being calculated; mark area basic point detecting means for detecting intersections of the plurality of X-axis internal lines and Y-axis internal lines, each intersection forming a mark area basic point, reading means for reading the plurality of sub-areas in locations determined by the mark area basic points, and code converting means for converting the encoded indicia in each of the plurality of sub-areas into character information; whereby optical and physical distortions of the locations of the x and y axis basic lines, corner mark, and position marks are compensated for at the time of reading data in the data field in order to accurately locate positions of the sub-areas within the data field.

Claim 9

A method for reading and processing an identification code, comprising the steps of: (a) providing the identification code on an object within a data field including, an X-axis basic line, a plurality of X-axis internal line position marks, a Y-axis basic line, intersecting the X-axis basic line, a plurality of Y-axis internal line position marks, a plurality of sub-areas in which encoded indicia are located, and an additional mark, located such that the identification code is defined by an area enclosed by the X-axis basic line, the Y-axis basic line and the additional mark, respectively; (b) determining a location of the identification code by determining a location of an X-axis external line and a Y-axis external line disposed on the opposite side of the identification code from the X-axis basic line and the Y-axis basic line position marks, respectively; (c) determining a location of a plurality of Y-axis internal lines, each passing through one of the plurality of X-axis internal line position marks, said plurality of Y-axis internal lines being equispaced and disposed at angles with respect to the X-axis basic line, the angle of each of the plurality of Y-axis internal lines with respect to the X-axis basic line being: ##EQU12## where: Θ o =an angle formed by the intersection of said X-axis basic line and said Y-axis basic line, Θ x =an angle formed by the intersection of said X-axis basic line and said Y-axis external line, M BX =the number of X-axis internal line position marks plus one, and n=an index to denote the specific Y-axis internal line being calculated; (d) determining a location of a plurality of X-axis internal lines, each passing through one of the plurality of Y-axis internal line position marks, said plurality of X-axis internal lines being equispaced and disposed at angles with respect to the Y-axis basic line, the angle of each of said plurality of X-axis internal lines with respect to said Y-axis basic line being: ##EQU13## where: Θ y =an angle formed by the intersection of said Y-axis basic line and said X-axis external line, M BY =the number of Y-axis internal line position marks plus one, and m=an index to denote the specific X-axis internal line being calculated; (e) detecting intersections of the plurality of X-axis internal lines and Y-axis internal lines, each intersection forming a mark area basic point; (f) reading the plurality of sub-areas in locations determined by the mark area basic points; and (g) converting the encoded indicia in each of the plurality of sub-areas into character information, whereby optical and physical distortions of the locations of the X and Y axis basic lines, corner mark, and position marks are compensated for at the time of reading data in the data field in order to accurately locate positions of the sub-areas within the data field.

Claim 10

A method for reading and processing an identification code, comprising the steps of: (a) providing the identification code on an object within a data field including, an X-axis basic line, a plurality of X-axis internal line position marks, a Y-axis basic line, intersecting the X-axis basic line, a plurality of Y-axis internal line position marks, a plurality of sub-areas in which encoded indicia are located, and an additional mark, located such that the identification code is defined by an area enclosed by the X-axis basic line, the Y-axis basic line and the additional mark, respectively; (b) determining a location of the identification code by determining a location of an X-axis external line and a Y-axis external line disposed on the opposite side of the identification code from the X-axis basic line and the Y-axis basic line position marks, respectively; (c) determining a location of a plurality of Y-axis internal lines, each passing through one of the plurality of X-axis internal line position marks, said plurality of Y-axis internal lines being equispaced and disposed at angles with respect to the X-axis basic line, the angle of each of the plurality of Y-axis internal lines with respect to the X-axis basic line being: ##EQU12## where: Θ o =an angle formed by the intersection of said X-axis basic line and said Y-axis basic line, Θ x =an angle formed by the intersection of said X-axis basic line and said Y-axis external line, M BX =the number of X-axis internal line position marks plus one, and n=an index to denote the specific Y-axis internal line being calculated; (d) determining a location of a plurality of X-axis internal lines, each passing through one of the plurality of Y-axis internal line position marks, said plurality of X-axis internal lines being equispaced and disposed at angles with respect to the Y-axis basic line, the angle of each of said plurality of X-axis internal lines with respect to said Y-axis basic line being: ##EQU13## where: Θ y =an angle formed by the intersection of said Y-axis basic line and said X-axis external line, M BY =the number of Y-axis internal line position marks plus one, and m=an index to denote the specific X-axis internal line being calculated; (e) detecting intersections of the plurality of X-axis internal lines and Y-axis internal lines, each intersection forming a mark area basic point; (f) reading the plurality of sub-areas in locations determined by the mark area basic points; and (g) converting the encoded indicia in each of the plurality of sub-areas into character information, whereby optical and physical distortions of the locations of the X and Y axis basic lines, corner mark, and position marks are compensated for at the time of reading data in the data field in order to accurately locate positions of the sub-areas within the data field.

Claim 17

A system for locating and reading digital data in data regions within a data field on a surface and compensating for optical or physical distortions of the data field viewed by an optical reader comprising: means for defining the data field by providing x-axis and y-axis intersecting basic lines disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to each other and a corner mark on said surface, the corner mark together with the basic lines defining a data field therebetween; a plurality of position marks for marking predetermined distances between a plurality of imaginary x and y axis internal lines within said data field, said position marks being provided on said surface; means for defining the positions of a plurality of imaginary x-axis internal lines within said data field, said x-axis internal lines being spaced at predetermined distances from each other defined by the position marks, said x-axis internal lines being disposed at predetermined angles with respect to said y-axis basic line; means for defining the positions of a plurality of imaginary y-axis internal lines within said data field, said y-axis internal lines being spaced at predetermined distances from each other defined by said position marks, said y-axis internal lines being disposed at predetermined angles with respect to said x-axis basic line; means for calculating the location of the points of intersection of the imaginary x and y axis internal lines at the time of reading said data from the angle between the x and y axis basic lines, the angles of the x-axis internal lines with respect to the y-axis basic line, the angles of the y-axis internal lines with respect to the x-axis basic line and the location of the position marks; means for locating said data regions within said data field from the calculated locations of the points of intersection of the x and y axis internal lines at the time of reading; and means for reading the digital data within said data regions; whereby optical and physical distortions of the locations of the x and y axis basic lines, corner mark and position marks are compensated for at the time of reading the data in order to accurately locate positions of the data regions within the data field.

Claim 18

A system for locating and reading digital data in data regions within a data field on a surface and compensating for optical or physical distortions of the data field viewed by an optical reader comprising: means for defining the data field by providing x-axis and y-axis intersecting basic lines disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to each other and a corner mark on said surface, the corner mark together with the basic lines defining a data field therebetween; a plurality of position marks for marking predetermined distances between a plurality of imaginary x and y axis internal lines within said data field, said position marks being provided on said surface; means for defining the positions of a plurality of imaginary x-axis internal lines within said data field, said x-axis internal lines being spaced at predetermined distances from each other defined by the position marks, said x-axis internal lines being disposed at predetermined angles with respect to said y-axis basic line; means for defining the positions of a plurality of imaginary y-axis internal lines within said data field, said y-axis internal lines being spaced at predetermined distances from each other defined by said position marks, said y-axis internal lines being disposed at predetermined angles with respect to said x-axis basic line; means for calculating the location of the points of intersection of the imaginary x and y axis internal lines at the time of reading said data from the angle between the x and y axis basic lines, the angles of the x-axis internal lines with respect to the y-axis basic line, the angles of the y-axis internal lines with respect to the x-axis basic line and the location of the position marks; means for locating said data regions within said data field from the calculated locations of the points of intersection of the x and y axis internal lines at the time of reading; and means for reading the digital data within said data regions; whereby optical and physical distortions of the locations of the x and y axis basic lines, corner mark and position marks are compensated for at the time of reading the data in order to accurately locate positions of the data regions within the data field.

Claim 20

A method for locating and reading digital data in data regions within a data field on a surface and compensating for optical or physical distortions of the data field viewed by an optical reader, comprising the steps of: defining the data field by providing x-axis and y-axis intersecting basic lines disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to each other and a corner mark on said surface, the corner mark together with the basic lines defining a data field therebetween; marking predetermined distances between a plurality of imaginary x and y axis internal lines within said data field with position marks, said position marks being provided on said surface; defining the positions of a plurality of imaginary x-axis internal lines within said data field, said x-axis internal lines being spaced at predetermined distances from each other defined by the position marks, said x-axis internal lines being disposed at predetermined angles with respect to said y-axis basic line; defining the positions of a plurality of imaginary y-axis internal lines within said data field, said y-axis internal lines being spaced at predetermined distances from each other defined by said position marks, said y-axis internal lines being disposed at predetermined angles with respect to said x-axis basic line; calculating the location of the points of intersection of the imaginary x and y axis internal lines at the time of reading said data from the angle between the x and y axis basic lines, the angles of the x-axis internal lines with respect to the y-axis basic line, the angles of the y-axis internal lines with respect to the x-axis basic line and the location of the position marks; locating said data regions within said data field from the calculated locations of the points of intersection of the x and y axis internal lines at the time of reading; and reading the digital data within said data regions; whereby optical and physical distortions of the locations of the x and y axis basic lines, corner mark and position marks are compensated for at the time of reading the data in order to accurately locate positions of the data regions within the data field.

Claim 21

A method for locating and reading digital data in data regions within a data field on a surface and compensating for optical or physical distortions of the data field viewed by an optical reader, comprising the steps of: defining the data field by providing x-axis and y-axis intersecting basic lines disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to each other and a corner mark on said surface, the corner mark together with the basic lines defining a data field therebetween; marking predetermined distances between a plurality of imaginary x and y axis internal lines within said data field with position marks, said position marks being provided on said surface; defining the positions of a plurality of imaginary x-axis internal lines within said data field, said x-axis internal lines being spaced at predetermined distances from each other defined by the position marks, said x-axis internal lines being disposed at predetermined angles with respect to said y-axis basic line; defining the positions of a plurality of imaginary y-axis internal lines within said data field, said y-axis internal lines being spaced at predetermined distances from each other defined by said position marks, said y-axis internal lines being disposed at predetermined angles with respect to said x-axis basic line; calculating the location of the points of intersection of the imaginary x and y axis internal lines at the time of reading said data from the angle between the x and y axis basic lines, the angles of the x-axis internal lines with respect to the y-axis basic line, the angles of the y-axis internal lines with respect to the x-axis basic line and the location of the position marks; locating said data regions within said data field from the calculated locations of the points of intersection of the x and y axis internal lines at the time of reading; and reading the digital data within said data regions; whereby optical and physical distortions of the locations of the x and y axis basic lines, corner mark and position marks are compensated for at the time of reading the data in order to accurately locate positions of the data regions within the data field.