METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PREVENT REPORTING MULTIPLE READS OF OPTICAL CODED ITEMS

A scanner comprising a data reader integrated with a weigh scale includes a processor that recognizes specific types of optical codes. In a preferred embodiment, when a weighable item is read by the data reader, a fixed delay timer, which prevents multiple reporting of the same item data before the timer expires, is not allowed to expire until after the item is removed from the weigh scale. In an alternative embodiment, the timer is set for one of several possible delay times depending on the type of symbol being read. The timer is not allowed to expire until the most recently reported data is no longer observed by the reader. Thus, the likelihood that multiple reads of the same symbol will be reported is greatly reduced.