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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for collecting market survey data
and particularly to such methods for collecting such data from universal
product type coded market items.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Market survey, or market research data has traditionally been recorded for
analysis and business purposes by conventionally writing this data down by
hand including the units, price, quantity and description of the various
market items of interest. This information must then be mailed to the
market survey organization where the handwritten data is then keypunched
or encoded or optically scanned to be reduced to computer compatible data
for subsequent analysis. In recent years, universal product codes, which
are bar type codes, have been introduced to the market and appear on many
packages and containers with the primary purpose of such codes looking to
the future for electronic inventory control and pricing which has been
experimentally tried in selected supermarket chains in the United States.
This universal product code type information contains unique information
from which the manufacture, size, type, brand, and so forth, of a given
market item can be deduced. In addition, other kinds of bar codes and
descriptive markings are commonly applied to packages, containers, etc.
for the goods or market items.
Traditionally, the universal product type code, which shall be used
generically herein for all types of bar codes containing product or market
information, has been collected and recorded by optical scanning in which
a light sensitive probe is moved across the universal product type code to
produce an analog output signal which is subsequently acted upon, such as
by a microprocessor or computer, to produce the equivalent machine
information corresponding to the universal product type code. In addition,
laser beam scanners have also been employed to collect information from
such universal product type codes. However, in either event, such prior
art systems employ expensive and complex electronics. Nevertheless, these
prior art systems still can produce errors due to variations in the speed
of movement of the probe across the code when collecting the data. In
solving such problems, even more complex microcomputer based systems have
been required. While such complex systems have been successfully employed
in large retail establishments to obtain such data for these
establishments, they have not been successfully employed in the home by
the consumer so as to provide market survey data for purposes of market
research. One of the primary reasons for this is the complexity and cost
of providing such individual units to a market survey panel which may
typically consist of several hundred, or even thousands, of members.
Nevertheless, efforts have been and are being made to upgrade the manner
in which market survey information is collected so as to improve the speed
and reliability of such collection in as economical and efficient manner
as possible.
As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the present invention
attempts to overcome these problems of the prior art by employing a
lenseless data recorder for universal product type code encoded market
data in which the information is recorded on a photographic recording
medium by reflective photographic recording of the universal product type
code data on the medium for the market item in response to the reflection
of the image of the universal product type code on to the medium through
an exposure aperture when exposed to a light source, such as ambient
light, with the further provision of ancillary market survey data on the
photographic recording medium corresponding to the market item by direct
photographic recording of this ancillary data on to the photographic
recording medium. To applicant's knowledge, such lenseless type cameras
have not been used in connection with the recording of market survey data,
although lenseless cameras in general are known in the art, such as
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,323,364 in which the information is
photographically recorded by marking on a translucent writing surface
adjacent the piece of photographic film. Another prior art system for
recording information without a lens is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
2,724,310 although such a system is unsatisfactory for use in collecting
market survey type information. As will also be described in greater
detail hereinafter, the data recorder of the present invention is
preferably arranged in a hand held gun form for convenience and, in this
regard, it should be noted that there have been prior art gun cameras,
such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,144,267; 1,272,635 and 3,688,665, by
way of example. However, none of the prior art gun cameras known to
applicant, all of which have lenses, are in any way similar to the present
invention for collecting market survey data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method for collecting market survey data from universal product type code
bearing market items is provided in which a lenseless data recorder is
employed for collecting the universal product type code encoded market
data. The data recorder comprises a housing with the housing having an
exposure aperture therein for admitting a source of light therethrough,
such as ambient light or artificial light. A photographic recording
medium, such as a film having photographic emulsion on opposite sides
thereof to permit recording on both sides, is disposed in the housing
adjacent the exposure aperture. Means are provided for controllably
advancing the photographic recording medium past the exposure aperture for
optically aligning a different predetermined portion of the photographic
recording medium with the exposure aperture each time the medium is
advanced. The exposure aperture is optically alignable with a universal
product type code on a market item for which the survey data is to be
collected. Means are provided for enabling reflective photographic
recording of the universal product type code data on the medium for the
market item in response to the reflection of the image of the universal
product type code on to the medium through the exposure aperture when
exposed to the light source. This enabling means may comprise fiber
optics, such as a flexible bundle of fiber optics, and a shutter which is
operated in conjunction with the medium or film advance mechanism. The
data recorder is preferably provided in a hand holdable gun configuration
with a trigger being provided for simultaneously actuating film advance
and shutter movement.
The data recorder also preferably includes a keyboard, which is preferably
provided in the housing, for enabling insertion and photographic recording
of ancillary market survey data, such as quantity, price, and the type of
deal, on the photographic recording medium corresponding to the market
item for which the universal product type code information is to be
recorded, with this ancillary information preferably being recorded
adjacent the recorded universal product type code information, such as on
the opposite side of the recording medium. The keyboard preferably
contains a plurality of keys each capable of providing a unique
photographically recordable code designation image to the recording medium
for selectively inserting the ancillary data to be recorded thereon. The
ancillary data is preferably directly recorded on to the recording medium
by direct photographic recording of the selectively inserted code
designation images on to the medium when exposed to the light source. The
ancillary data recording portion of the data recorder may also include a
second bundle of fiber optics optically alignable between the ancillary
data code image producing keys and the photographic recording medium when
exposable to the light source through the exposure aperture for directly
photographically recording selectively inserted corresponding ancillary
data. In addition, means may be provided for enabling insertion of this
ancillary data corresponding to different market survey parameters at
different defined positions on the photographic recording medium. In such
an instance, the keyboard may include prompting indicator means for
alerting the user of the keyboard to a predetermined sequence of insertion
and recording of the market survey data on the photographic recording
medium.
After the data has been photographically recorded, the roll of film or
medium is removed from the data recorder and developed. The developed film
is preferably electronically scanned, such as by providing a video image
of the developed data or by the use of fiber optics, and converted either
into electronic signals which are subsequently stored electronically in
the static memory of a data processor, such as a microcomputer, where they
are subsequently analyzed and interpreted in accordance with a
pre-programmed control format.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the presently preferred embodiment of the
lenseless data recorder for use in the market survey data collection
system of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the frontal details of the fiber
optics and their relationship to the photographic recording medium in the
data recorder of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the internal operation of the data
recorder of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical ancillary data key and
its relationship to the photographic recording medium of the data recorder
of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the reflective photographic
recording method of the data recorder of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the use of the fiber optics of the
data recorder of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 7-9; 9a are diagrammatic illustrations of various shutter
arrangements which may used with the data recorder of FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of the use of an exposure gradient
in connection with the fiber optics of the data recorder of FIG. 1;
FIG. 10A is a graphic illustration of an example of a universal product
type code recording on the photographic medium employed in the data
recorder of FIG. 1;
FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the preferred method of the present
invention;
FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic illustration of a method of electronic analysis
of the collected market survey data for use with the method illustrated in
FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic illustration of another embodiment of the data
recorder of FIG. 1;
FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic illustration of the manner in which the fiber
optics of the data recorder of FIG. 1 can transmit bar coded information;
and
FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic illustration of the manner in which the fiber
optics in the data recorder of FIG. 1 may be arranged for increased
resolution.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the figures in detail and initially to FIG. 1, the market
survey data collection system of the present invention preferably includes
a market survey data recorder, generally referred to by reference numeral
20 in FIG. 1, which may be hand held as is the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 1, or wall-mounted as is the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13, and
the data reduction and analysis system, generally referred to by reference
numeral 22 in FIG. 11. The data reduction and analysis system 22 is
preferably used to develop the photographic storage media 24 (FIG. 3)
employed to record the market survey data, to scan it electronically and
to produce an output in a computer readable format which is then
conventionally stored. This general arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 11
with the film developing step being represented by the block having
reference numeral 26, the electronic scanning step being represented by
the block having reference numeral 28 and the data storage step being
represented by the block having reference numeral 30.
Preferably, the data recorder 20 includes a fiber optic ribbon or coherent
sheet of fiber optics 32, such as No. 41225 commercially available from
Edmund Scientific Co., Barrington, New Jersey, and illustrated on page 59
of Edmund's 1978 catalog. The fiber optics 32 preferably transmit light
from a bar code, such as preferably the conventional universal product
type code appearing on merchandise, including both the light and dark
areas, in parallel paths over to one face 24b of the photographic emulsion
24 which is located inside the recorder 20 housing. This arrangement is
graphically illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 in which FIG. 2 illustrates the
relationship between the fiber optics 32 and the photographic emulsion 24
to transmit or convey the image of the universal product type bar code 36
from the product 38 to the appropriate face or side 24b of the
photographic emulsion 24 located inside the data recorder 20 housing to
enable recording of the image of the bar code 36 on the photographic
emulsion 24 on the front side 24b thereof. In addition, as shown and
preferred in FIGS. 1 and 3, the data recorder 20 also preferably has a
keyboard 40 for preferably enabling insertion of ancillary market survey
data onto the back side 24a of the storage medium 24 with, as previously
mentioned, the universal product type code being recorded on the front
side 24b. Preferably, the same photographic emulsion is present on the
back side 24a as is present on the front side 24b so as to enable the same
type of photographic recording thereon, although the actual recording is
done reflectively on the front side 24b and directly on the back side 24a.
The keyboard 40 preferably includes keys 70 marked with the numerics 0
through 9, as well as with different market survey parameters, such as
quantity, price, type of deal, etc. As is described in greater detail
hereinafter with reference to FIG. 4, each of the keys 70 of the keyboard
40 preferably has a unique recordable image associated therewith so that
the type of information recorded can be appropriately deciphered and
interpreted after the photographic emulsion 24 is developed,
electronically scanned and analyzed.
As shown and preferred in FIG. 3, the data recorder 20 preferably includes
a handle portion 42 in which the keyboard 40 is preferably located, a
shutter mechanism 44 to be described in greater detail hereinafter, a film
advance mechanism 46 comprising a conventional dispensing magazine 48 for
the film, a conventional take-up magazine 50 for the film 24, a shutter
receiver 54 for the shutter 44, a trigger mechanism 54 which through
conventional gearing in a gear box 56 enables the trigger 54 to
simultaneously actuate both the shutter 44 and the film advance mechanism
46 and, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, a second
bundle of fiber optics 58 similar to the first bundle 32 for enabling
direct recording of the keyboard 40 input on the back side 24a of the
storage medium 24.
In order to operate the data recorder 20, which also preferably includes a
prompting display 60 which is mechanically advanced by a conventional
switch and gearing arrangement 62, the user merely presses the end of the
fiber optic ribbon 32 against the bar code 36 to be recorded and while
holding it against the bar code 36, pulls the trigger 54 of the recorder
20. This operates the shutter mechanism 44 to open the shutter allowing
light, such as ambient light, to travel through the fiber optics 32 and
impinge upon the front side 24b of film 24 thus reproducing the pattern of
the bar code as illustrated in FIG. 10A. The photographic recording of
this data is termed reflective photographic recording as illustrated in
FIG. 5 since the ambient light is picked up as reflected ambient light off
the bar code 36 and the image of the bar code 36 is reflected from the
surface of the market item 38 onto the front side 24b of the film 24 where
it is photographically reproduced.
Upon releasing the trigger 54, the storage medium 24 is advanced by the
conventional film advance mechanism 46 to provide a fresh emulsion portion
adjacent the fiber optics 32 for recording of the next image. It should be
noted that preferably shutter 44 is closed during this film advance. Prior
to such film advance, preferably the ancillary data is entered, via
keyboard 40, which corresponds to the item 38 whose universal product type
code has been recorded on front surface 24b with this ancillary data, as
previously mentioned, being recorded on the back surface 24a adjacent the
recorded universal product type code which corresponds thereto. As will
also be described in greater detail hereinafter, this ancillary data is
also preferably recorded using ambient light via the fiber optics 58
although the ancillary data images are preferably directly recorded via
the ambient light. Preferably, a complete cycle or transaction of market
survey data is comprised of a recording of the bar code or universal
product type code information as well as the ancillary data or other
relevant statistics associated with that market item 38.
The keyboard 40, as was previously mentioned, preferably provides the
ancillary data which is generally required in market research activity to
collect and record data about the number of units purchased or consumed,
the purchase price, date of purchase, etc. necessary for a complete
product history, whereas the universal product type code normally only
typically reveals brand and manufacturer. FIG. 4 illustrates the preferred
method of recording such ancillary data in which single strands of the
fiber optic bundle 58, one such strand 58a being illustrated in FIG. 4,
carry the ambient light which is switched by the individual keys 70, one
such typical key 70a being illustrated in FIG. 4, to the backside 24a of
the storage medium 24. As was previously mentioned, unique pattern images
are preferably associated with each key 70 in the keyboard 40 so as to
record a unique image on the storage medium 24 to enable determination of
which key 70 had been depressed. For example, when the key 70a
corresponding to the numeral 4 is depressed, an opening 72 in an otherwise
opaque plate 74 is interposed in a gap 76 between the light carrying fiber
optic strand 58a portion 59a which is exposed to the ambient light and the
portion 59b which extends between the opaque plate 74 and the back side
24a of the storage medium 24. Thus, ambient light will be transmitted to
the film with the aforementioned unique image being contained on a mask
interposed in the opening 72 or, alternatively, with the mask being
interposed between the end of the fiber optics strand 58a and the back
side 24a of the storage medium 24. By way of illustration, a typical
unique pattern image for each of the numerics 0 through 9 and for an
erase or delete function, which also may be provided on the keyboard 40,
is illustrated below:
1
2
3 .DELTA.
4 .quadrature.
5
6
7
8
9 .hoarfrost.
0 --
delete X
Preferably, as one key 70 after another is depressed on keyboard 40, the
fiber optic bundle 58 is mechanically displaced across the back side 24a
of the film 24 so that the spacing out of the images of the digits across
the back side 24a of the film 24 is a recording of the sequence in which
the keys 70 were activated. Alternatively, if desired, an electronic light
emitting diode display may be provided up against the back side 24a of the
film 24 and as the keys 70 are depressed, symbols representing these keys
70 would be displayed on the light emitting diode array with these digits
being stepped across the array as in any conventional calculator and thus
the images would be recorded on the film 24 and would be a recording of
the sequence in which the keys 70 were depressed as well as a recording of
which individual keys 70 were depressed. However, this alternative
approach requires the use of a battery or other power source or other
conventional electronics to decode and drive the light emitting diode
displays which is not presently preferred in the data collection system of
the present invention. The aforementioned delete or erase function which
may be provided on the keyboard 40 is preferably provided so that if the
user recording the data makes a mistake or feels that the transaction is
inaccurate, the delete key can be depressed which will record the image on
the back side 24a of the storage medium 24 which will be recognized during
interpretation of this data as an indication to disregard all information
in that transaction. Preferably, the film 24 is stepped forward in a
sufficient amount to enable one transaction after another to be recorded
sequentially on storage medium 24 with this forward stepping increment
preferably being less than 0.02 inches so that typically 50 transactions
could be recorded on an inch of film 24. However, if desired, more film
can be employed per transaction so as to insure that the transactions do
not overlap or interfere with each other in the decoding process.
As was previously described, light sensitive photographic emulsions are
present either on paper or film on both sides 24a and 24b of the storage
medium 24 which is used to record the collected data. For example, if
desired Kodabromide photographic paper number CAT 143 7508 F, commercially
available from Eastman Kodak, may be employed to photographically record a
universal product type code data such as illustrated in FIG. 10A. While
such a universal type product bar code can be recorded on the photographic
emulsion 24 by positioning the emulsion in intimate contact to the bar
code itself in the presence of light, as is illustrated in FIG. 5, the
interposing of the flexible fiber optics 32 between the image to be
recorded and the emulsion 24 is preferably preferred because it
facilitates exposure control and the recording of bar codes from round,
warped, or contaminated surfaces, such as illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein
the fiber optic arrangement 32 is illustrated as being used to record a
universal product type code 36 from a cylindrical object 38.
As was previously mentioned, a shutter type arrangement 44 is preferably
provided between the bar coding fiber optics 32 and the film surface 24b
and between the keyboard fiber optics 58 and the film surface 24a for the
purpose of admitting the proper amount of light to the respective film
surfaces 24b and 24a. Many different types of such shutter arrangements
may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. The presently preferred shutter arrangement employed with
respect to both the bar code fiber optics 32 and the keyboard optics 58 is
to interpose between the respective fiber optics 32 and 58, and the
associated photographic emulsion surface 24b, 24a, respectively, an opaque
substance, which can either be rotated or moved vertically, as presently
preferred, to reveal a translucent or transparent area so that the light,
such as ambient light, passing through the respective fiber optic bundles
32 and 58 can fall onto the appropriate film surface 24b or 24a,
respectively, as illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8, 8A, 8B and 8C. Referring to
FIG. 7, a shutter arrangement comparable to the shutter arrangement 44-52
illustrated in FIG. 3 is shown wherein a flexible light tight ribbon
guided by side slots is pushed out from or retracted from shutter housing
44 when the shutter 44-90 is operated. When the shutter 44-90 is closed,
this flexible light tight ribbon 90 is preferably nested in portion 54.
This is the presently preferred arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1 for use
with the bar code fiber optics 32.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, 8A, 8B and 8C, an alternative shutter arrangement
is illustrated in which a light transmitting medium 92 having a
translucent or transparent area 92a surrounded by an opaque area 92b is
rotated so as either to expose this translucent or transparent area 92a to
a light source, such as ambient light, or to close off this area 92a to
such light. FIG. 8A illustrates this shutter medium 92, with FIG. 8B
illustrating the shutter medium 92 disposed horizontally so as to admit
light to the film surface 24b and with FIG. 8C showing the shutter medium
92 disposed vertically so as to prevent light from striking the storage
medium surface 24b.
Still another alternative arrangement equivalent to the previously
described shutter arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 9. In the arrangement
of FIG. 9, the storage medium 24 is merely advanced into a safe dark area
just subsequent to exposure to light, thus leaving an unexposed portion of
film 24 next to the fiber optics 32. This arrangement eliminates the
requirement for a moving shutter and simply advances the storage medium 24
a sufficient amount past a window or aperture 96 so that the data being
recorded moves on past a light tight boundary 98 to provide exposed film
similar to that illustrated, by way of example, in FIG. 9A. In such an
arrangement, as the data recorder 20 was moved around in ambient light,
the fiber optics 32 would generate all kinds of random light and finally
would fully expose the film surface 24b at this space or window 96.
However, since in this arrangement the required information would have
just been moved on forward to the safe dark area and the next piece of
storage medium 24 to be used would not yet have been advanced, the portion
wasted would be an intermediate location on the film surface 24b between
the last transaction and the next transaction and, thus, no data would be
lost.
As was previously mentioned, in all situations where fiber optics are
employed, the source of light is preferably picked up as reflected ambient
light off the universal product type bar code 36 as described with
reference to FIG. 5 or directly as ambient light collected and sent down
the fiber optics 58 as they are switched by depressing the various keys 70
on the keyboard 40 as was described with reference to FIG. 4. However, if
desired, an auxiliary light source, such as a low voltage set of light
emitting diodes 100, may be provided to supply light against the universal
product type bar code 36 for enabling the aforementioned reflectance and
to supply light down the fiber optics 58 past the key pushbuttons 70 in
the event the data recorder 20 is employed where there are very low levels
of ambient light, such as in total darkness or moonlight. One advantage of
supplying such an auxiliary source of light 100 is that the exposure
conditions would be controlled and there would be a minimal latitude in
response to exposures of the film 24, although when the presently
preferred ambient light is used as the light source, the exposure time can
also be controlled.
The primary concern with exposure time is to provide enough light onto the
emulsion 24 to make an image without providing so much light that the
images are so over exposed that the entire emulsion is affected thereby
washing out or swamping the data to be collected. These requirements,
however, are not strict as in conventional commercial photography since in
the preferred invention the film media 24 need only be exposed completely
or not at all, providing an on/off type of situation in which the fine
gradation of the grey areas or colors traditionally used in photography
need not be considered. Therefore, in the presently preferred method and
apparatus of the present invention, the storage medium 24 is only over
exposed slightly since any of the data sought can be captured with
relatively low levels of light. Once the molecular structure of the
emulsion is changed by the impinging light, it is self-limiting in that it
is fully exposed and does not become exposed any greater since all of the
molecules have been activated to their maximum extent. However, this
self-limiting exposure may not sufficiently attenuate the activity for
extremely bright or long exposed amounts of light and, accordingly, other
alternative approaches may be employed. For example, the fiber optics
bundle 32 can have multiple layers with each subsequent layer transmitting
light less efficiently such as as a result of doping the fibers
themselves. Under such circumstances, multiple layers of the image will be
photographically recorded on the film 24, such as by recording six images,
one above the other. By successively attenuating the light going through
the fiber optics 32, each of these levels or multiple layers could be an
order of magnitude more attenuated than the one below it so that with six
orders of magnitude of latitude this would provide at least one of the
exposures made by the six individual levels which would be optimal with
the one on each side of it probably still being readable. Another
alternative method would be to provide gradients of exposure speed on the
film media 24 itself so that the fiber optics 32 would display the light
across all this gradient and at some point on the film media 24 the proper
exposure speed would be available. Still another alternative would be to
provide a photo-sensitive coating over the film media 24 so that after the
proper amount of light had been transmitted through the coating, the
coating itself would become opaque thus limiting any further exposure.
Another alternative would be to accelerate the film media 24 past the end
of the fiber optics 32 with a constant acceleration thereby providing a
constantly increasing velocity. By starting out slowly and finishing fast,
the proper amount of light per unit time would be falling for any light
level on some portion of the film at some point during that range of
velocities with that point giving the correct exposure. Still another
alternative is to provide a traditional shutter between the fiber optics
32 and the film 24 which is controlled by ambient light feedback such as a
conventional photocell and control system which closes the shutter in
accordance with the amount of ambient light present. However, this
approach has inherent complexity and would increase the cost of the system
for the present invention. A further method is to position the fiber
optics 32 so that when they put the light on their output end in a
geometric pattern such as illustrated in FIG. 10 which shows how the light
nearest the fiber optics 32 is brightest on the emulsion but that further
away this light decreases in accordance with the inverse square law of
light diffusion thereby providing some point on the emulsion 24 where the
exposure is optimum.
Preferably, in accordance with the presently preferred method of the
invention, once a roll of photographic film 24 has captured or recorded
relevant market survey data for typically 500 or 1000 items, with enough
recording space being provided therein for accomplishing this, it is then
removed from the data recorder 20. This film 24 is preferably contained in
its own mailable cartridge or, if it is self developing film, it may be
removed and mailed or delivered to a central office for analysis. In the
case of film which requires subsequent development, which is the presently
preferred commercial embodiment, the film storage cartridge in the
recorder 20 keeps the film 24 in a light tight environment while it is
removed and during shipments prior to development. The presently preferred
method of data reduction and analysis is illustrated in FIG. 11, which was
previously described. Thus, at the central office, conventional methods of
film developing may be employed such as by using Kodak Dektol developer
having a development time of about four minutes for the aforementioned
Kodabromide photographic paper. Thereafter, a water stop bath may be
employed and finally a fixer, such as Kodak Rapid Fix for four minutes
with the film 24 then being washed to produce the photographic recording
of the information, such as the bar code illustrated in FIG. 10A.
Preferably, prior to transmitting the film cartridge to the panel | | |
