Glenn Lee

US Patent:

6446868, Sep 10, 2002

Filed:

Nov 23, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/198125

Inventors:

Brent G. Robertson - Richardson TX
Glenn W. Lee - Plano TX
Roger J. Colburn - Plano TX

Assignee:

Informatics, Inc. - Plano TX

International Classification:

G06K 710

US Classification:

2354621, 23546216, 23546211

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for decoding two-dimensional barcode symbols from a data stream generated by scanning a two-dimensional barcode with a one-dimensional scanner. A decoding process according to one embodiment of the invention involves coupling the one-dimensional scanner to a serial or other port of a host computer in order to provide a data stream to a software decoder resident in the host computer. The software decoder performs a series of iterative steps in which the data stream is sampled at regular intervals to convert the data stream to a series of elements (e. g. , bars and spaces). Barcode symbol data characters are then derived from the elements. A symbol matrix is next constructed, the matrix being representative of the two-dimensional barcode symbol.