Time-efficient method of analyzing imaged input data to locate two-dimensional machine-readable symbols or other linear images therein

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention solves problems of the prior art and provides additional benefits by locating at least one of the start/stop patterns 42 or 44 of the symbol 40, or other symbols or linear visual elements in a stored image by essentially performing seven sequential steps: (1) dividing the stored image into analysis regions and sampling each region using a 16-beam star pattern; (2) analyzing the beam patterns to detect for edges that may correspond to edges of the start or stop patterns of the symbol; (3) analyzing "coast lines" of the detected edges for parallelism and minimum length to filter out any spurious detected edges; (4) confirming and accepting a located start or stop pattern; (5) identifying pairs of start/stop patterns; (6) determining boundary points at a periphery of the symbol; and (7) analyzing the symbol for its geometric shape to confirm that the located bounding points, and corresponding boundary box, conform to an accepted geometry of the symbol.
After the symbol has been located in the stored image, it can be readily decoded.
In a broad sense, the present invention preferably embodies several methods of analyzing a stored image.
The present invention includes a computer implemented method for locating one or more predetermined elongated shapes in an image stored in a data storage device.
The stored image possibly includes additional elongated shapes.
The method includes the steps of: (a) dividing the stored image into a plurality of analysis regions; (b) sampling at least one region along a plurality of sampling paths; (c) locating a first elongated edge based on the sampled sampling paths; (d) determining if the located first elongated edge is an edge of the predetermined elongated shape; and (e) defining the location of the predetermined elongated shape based on the located first elongated edge.
The present invention also embodies a computer implemented method of analyzing an image stored in the data storage device for a predetermined shape