US 12,264,912 B2
Digital linear measuring device
Christian Reed, Chelsea, MA (US); Konstantinos Oikonomopoulos, Boston, MA (US); Colton Black, Arlington, MA (US); and Matt Nestor, Norwell, MA (US)
Assigned to Reekon Tools Inc., Boston, MA (US)
Filed by Reekon Tools Inc., East Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/959,632.
Application 17/959,632 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/348,862, filed on Jun. 16, 2021, granted, now 11,460,284, issued on Oct. 4, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0140462 A1, May 4, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01B 3/10 (2020.01); G01B 3/1046 (2020.01); G01B 3/1069 (2020.01)
CPC G01B 3/1069 (2020.01) [G01B 3/1046 (2020.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A digital linear measuring device, comprising:
a housing;
a reel supporting a measuring tape wound on the reel, the housing having an opening through which the measuring tape is extendable as the reel is rotated;
an optical reader comprising a set of light sources and detectors arranged to read a preconfigured pattern associated with indicia printed on the measuring tape, the preconfigured pattern comprising an array composed of contiguous discrete rows, wherein a row is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the measuring tape, each row along the pattern including first elements which together representing an absolute position along the pattern, and one or more second elements representing interpolation from the absolute position;
a processor configured in response to linear extension of the measuring tape from the housing to receive first data from the optical reader identifying the absolute position along the pattern, and to receive second data identifying the interpolation from the absolute position, the first data and the second data being obtained from a single row in the array, and in response generating an output signal representing a measured distance; and
a display that receives the output signal and displays information reflecting the measured distance.