End user-customizable data capture terminal for and method of imaging and processing target data
View Patent ↗A data capture terminal for, and a method of, processing one or more target data, such as symbols, arranged at spaced-apart locations on a target, employ an electro-optical reader for electro-optically reading the data on the target, and a controller for processing at least one of the data, and for determining whether the at least one data has been successfully processed. An interpretation engine customizes the controller with user-selected logic. The interpretation engine is operative, preferably after the at least one data has been successfully processed, to instruct the controller with logical conditions under which the other data on the target is to be processed.
1. A data capture terminal for processing at least one of a plurality of data arranged at spaced-apart locations on a target, comprising:
an electro-optical reader for electro-optically reading the at least one data on the target;
a controller operatively connected to the reader, for processing the at least one data, and for determining whether the at least one data has been successfully processed; and
an interpretation engine for customizing the controller with user-selected logic, the user-selected logic being located into the interpretation engine after the data capture terminal is delivered from a manufacturer to an end user, the interpretation engine being operative to interpret blocks in the user-selected logic to execute each of the blocks directly, block by block, for instructing the controller with logical conditions under which the other data on the target is to be processed, wherein the user-selected logic includes specifying a set of logical steps that determine the outcome of a decision that includes at least one of (1) whether to proceed to decode more symbols based on decoded data available to the terminal at the moment that calls for the determination of the decision and (2) whether to terminate the decode process based on decoded data available to the terminal at the moment that calls for the determination of the decision.
2. The terminal of claim 1 , wherein the reader is a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from the plurality of data on the target over a field of view.
3. The terminal of claim 1 , wherein the at least one data is a symbol on the target; and wherein the controller is operative for processing and decoding the symbol; and wherein the interpretation engine instructs the controller with the logical conditions after the symbol has been decoded.
4. The terminal of claim 3 , wherein the interpretation engine is operative for instructing the controller to cease processing the other data after the symbol has been decoded.
5. The terminal of claim 3 , wherein the interpretation engine is operative for instructing the controller to continue processing the other data after the symbol has been decoded.
6. The terminal of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of data is a plurality of symbols with different symbologies, and wherein the interpretation engine is operative for instructing the controller to continue processing until a symbol with a known one of the symbologies has been processed.
7. The terminal of claim 1 , and an actuator for actuating the reader in a single manual action.
8. A method of processing at least one of a plurality of data arranged at spaced-apart locations on a target, comprising the steps of:
electro-optically reading, by an electro-optical reader, the at least one data on the target;
processing, by a controller, the at least one data, and the controller determining whether the at least one data has been successfully processed;
customizing, by an interpretation engine, the controller with user-selected logic, the user-selected logic being located into the interpretation engine after the electro-optical reader is delivered from a manufacturer to an end user, wherein the user-selected logic includes specifying a set of logical steps that determine the outcome of a decision that includes at least one of (1) whether to proceed to decode more symbols based on decoded data available to the terminal at the moment that calls for the determination of the decision and (2) whether to terminate the decode process based on decoded data available to the terminal at the moment that calls for the determination of the decision; and
interpreting blocks in the user-selected logic to execute each of the blocks directly, block by block, for instructing the controller with logical conditions under which the other data on the target is to be processed.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reading step is performed by a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from the plurality of data on the target over a field of view.
10. The method of claim 8 , and configuring the at least one data as a symbol on the target; and wherein the processing step is performed by decoding the symbol; and wherein the instructing step is performed after the symbol has been decoded.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the instructing step is performed by instructing the controller to cease processing the other data after the symbol has been decoded.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the instructing step is performed by instructing the controller to continue processing the other data after the symbol has been decoded.
13. The method of claim 8 , and configuring the plurality of data as a plurality of symbols with different symbologies, and wherein the instructing step is performed by instructing the controller to continue processing until a symbol with a known one of the symbologies has been processed.
14. The method of claim 8 , and actuating the reader in a single manual action.