Barry M Mergenthaler

US Patent:

6347741, Feb 19, 2002

Filed:

Jul 10, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/613116

Inventors:

Denis M. Blanford - Duluth GA
Paul O. Detwiler - Lawrenceville GA
Barry M. Mergenthaler - Lawrenceville GA
Hong Tang - Suwanee GA

Assignee:

NCR Corporation - Dayton OH

International Classification:

G06K 710

US Classification:

23546202, 23546236

Abstract:

A system for synchronization of the angular position of a rotating optical assembly in a bar code scanner having a rotating optical assembly. The optical assembly is rotated by a motor which produces a fixed number of pulses per rotation, the pulses occurring at equal intervals such that each pulse indicates a degree of angular rotation of the motor. The pulses are continuously monitored and counted. Timing is simultaneously monitored. A synchronization label is placed in the scanner such that light directed through the rotating optical assembly will strike the synchronization label and be reflected back to the rotating optical assembly when the rotating optical assembly is at a particular angular position, thus establishing an initial angular position of the rotating optical assembly. Once the initial angular position is established, timing is continuously monitored and pulses are continuously monitored and counted. When an event of interest, such as bar code scan occurs, the pulse count is evaluated and processed to determine an angular position of the rotating optical assembly with respect to the initial position as established at synchronization.

US Patent:

6394351, May 28, 2002

Filed:

Dec 31, 1997

Appl. No.:

09/001369

Inventors:

John B. Keys - Duluth GA
Denis M. Blanford - Duluth GA
Kenneth J. Fabian - Grayson GA
Barry M. Mergenthaler - Lawrenceville GA

Assignee:

NCR Corporation - Dayton OH

International Classification:

G06K 710

US Classification:

23546201, 23546208

Abstract:

A timing and mirror position detector for use in a bar code scanner having a rotating optical assembly is rotated by a motor which produces a fixed number of pulses per rotation, at least one of the pulses occurring each time the motor passes through a reference position as it rotates. The pulses are continously monitored and counted. Elapsed time from the time a reference pulse occurs in accurately measured and correlated by a processor with events of interest. When an event of interest, such as a bar code scan, occurs, the timing and pulse count are evaluated and processed to determine the angle of rotation of the motor at the time the scan occurred.

US Patent:

6497366, Dec 24, 2002

Filed:

Dec 31, 1997

Appl. No.:

09/001368

Inventors:

John K. Burkey - Duluth GA
Barry M. Mergenthaler - Lawrenceville GA
Hong Tang - Suwanee GA

Assignee:

NCR Corporation - Dayton OH

International Classification:

G02B 2610

US Classification:

23546225, 23546229

Abstract:

A dual channel video data recovery system for use in a bar code scanner. A first and a second video signal are generated in parallel in response to light reflected from a bar code. The first and second video signals are received and filtered to limit their frequency ranges and produce filtered first and second video signals. The first and second filtered video signals are limited to different and preferably coverlapping frequency ranges. The first and second video signals have differing thresholds which may be dynamically varied. The first and second filtered video signals are converted to first and second digital data strings. If both strings contain useful data, the string containing the higher-quality data is decoded to recover bar code information. If only one string contains useful data, the string containing useful data is decoded.

US Patent:

6536668, Mar 25, 2003

Filed:

Feb 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/507321

Inventors:

Paul O. Detwiler - Lawrenceville GA
Barry M. Mergenthaler - Lawrenceville GA

Assignee:

NCR Corporation - Dayton OH

International Classification:

G06K 710

US Classification:

23546237, 235383

Abstract:

A dual aperture optical scanner which employs a single laser beam to produce horizontal and vertical scan patterns. The optical scanner includes a housing having first and second apertures, a laser beam source, a mirrored spinner having a plurality of facets with different elevation angles for reflecting the laser beam in a plurality of directions, and a plurality of pattern mirrors within the housing for reflecting the laser beam from the spinner through the first and second apertures to an article having a bar code label to be scanned. The optical scanner also includes an optical transceiver for passing the laser beam and for collecting reflected light from the scanned article and a photodetector for generating signals representing the intensity of the light reflected from the article.

US Patent:

6695211, Feb 24, 2004

Filed:

Apr 11, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/120916

Inventors:

John B. Keys - Duluth GA
Denis M. Blanford - Duluth GA
Kenneth J. Fabian - Grayson GA
Barry M. Mergenthaler - Lawrenceville GA

Assignee:

NCR Corporation - Dayton OH

International Classification:

G02B 2610

US Classification:

23546225, 23546208

Abstract:

A timing and mirror position detector for use in a bar code scanner having a rotating optical assembly. The optical assembly is rotated by a motor which produces a fixed number of pulses per rotation, at least one of the pulses occurring each time the motor passes through a reference position as it rotates. The pulses are continuously monitored and counted. Elapsed time from the time a reference pulse occurs is accurately measured and correlated by a processor with events of interest. When an event of interest, such as a bar code scan, occurs, the timing and pulse count are evaluated and processed to determine the angle of rotation of the motor at the time the scan occurred.

US Patent:

6827266, Dec 7, 2004

Filed:

Oct 4, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/264798

Inventors:

Barry M. Mergenthaler - Lawrenceville GA
Paul Oliver Detwiler - Lawrenceville GA
John Kenneth Burkey - Duluth GA
Yeming Gu - Suwanee GA

Assignee:

NCR Corporation - Dayton OH

International Classification:

G06K 710

US Classification:

23546214, 23546201, 23546208, 2354621, 23546216, 23546225

Abstract:

Techniques for using imaging information computed from examining a scanner signal are described. When one or more objects passes within a field of view of a scanner, scan patterns emerging from one or more scanner windows and reflected from the objects back into the scanner windows produce one or more scanner signals. The scanner signals are processed to obtain beam position and beam length information to improve the accuracy of bar code decoding and to compute imaging information for objects within the field of view of the scanner. The imaging information for the objects is compared with bar code information for the objects. The expected number, size and shapes of objects indicated by the bar code information is compared with the actual number, size and shapes of objects in order to determine if valid scans occurred or if missed, double or otherwise erroneous scans occurred.

US Patent:

6866197, Mar 15, 2005

Filed:

Oct 17, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/688113

Inventors:

Paul O. Detwiler - Lawrenceville GA, US
Steven W. Damron - Woodstock GA, US
Yeming Gu - Suwanee GA, US
Barry M. Mergenthaler - Lawrenceville GA, US

Assignee:

NCR Corporation - Dayton OH

International Classification:

G06K007/10

US Classification:

23546239, 23546236, 23546238, 23546243

Abstract:

An optical scanner having enhanced item side coverage which scans all six sides of an item and an intermediate side. The optical scanner includes a scanner housing, a first optics assembly within the scanner housing including a horizontal aperture, and a second optics assembly including a second housing within the scanner housing including a substantially vertical aperture. The first and second optics assemblies are capable of scanning six sides of an item. At least one of the first and second optics assemblies additionally generates third scan lines for scanning an intermediate side of the item.

US Patent:

7059527, Jun 13, 2006

Filed:

Dec 6, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/005272

Inventors:

Barry M. Mergenthaler - Lawrenceville GA, US
Paul Oliver Detwiler - Lawrenceville GA, US
John Kenneth Burkey - Duluth GA, US
Yeming Gu - Suwanee GA, US

Assignee:

NCR Corporation - Dayton OH

International Classification:

G02B 26/10

US Classification:

23546225, 23546201, 23546209, 235383

Abstract:

Techniques for using imaging information computed from examining a scanner signal are described. When one or more objects passes within a field of view of a scanner, scan patterns emerging from one or more scanner windows and reflected from the objects back into the scanner windows produce one or more scanner signals. The scanner signals are processed to obtain beam position and beam length information to improve the accuracy of bar code decoding and to compute imaging information for objects within the field of view of the scanner. The imaging information for the objects is compared with bar code information for the objects. The expected number, size and shapes of objects indicated by the bar code information is compared with the actual number, size and shapes of objects in order to determine if valid scans occurred or if missed, double or otherwise erroneous scans occurred.