diff --git a/core/src/com/google/zxing/common/BitArray.java b/core/src/com/google/zxing/common/BitArray.java
index 91ad8b3dc..3bfc3c92b 100644
--- a/core/src/com/google/zxing/common/BitArray.java
+++ b/core/src/com/google/zxing/common/BitArray.java
@@ -73,6 +73,50 @@ public final class BitArray {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Efficient method to check if a range of bits is set, or not set.
+   *
+   * @param start start of range, inclusive.
+   * @param end end of range, exclusive
+   * @param value if true, checks that bits in range are set, otherwise checks that they are not set
+   * @return true iff all bits are set or not set in range, according to value argument
+   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if end is less than or equal to start
+   */
+  public boolean isRange(int start, int end, boolean value) {
+    if (end < start) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException();
+    }
+    if (end == start) {
+      return true; // empty range matches
+    }
+    end--; // will be easier to treat this as the last actually set bit -- inclusive    
+    int firstInt = start >> 5;
+    int lastInt = end >> 5;
+    for (int i = firstInt; i <= lastInt; i++) {
+      int firstBit = i > firstInt ? 0 : start & 0x1F;
+      int lastBit = i < lastInt ? 31 : end & 0x1F;
+      int mask;
+      if (firstBit == 0 && lastBit == 31) {
+        mask = -1;
+      } else {
+        mask = 0;
+        for (int j = firstBit; j <= lastBit; j++) {
+          mask |= 1 << j;
+        }
+      }
+      if (value) {
+        if ((bits[i] & mask) != mask) {
+          return false;
+        }
+      } else {
+        if ((bits[i] & mask) != 0) {
+          return false;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
+
   /**
    * @return underlying array of ints. The first element holds the first 32 bits, and the least
    *  significant bit is bit 0.
diff --git a/core/src/com/google/zxing/oned/AbstractUPCEANReader.java b/core/src/com/google/zxing/oned/AbstractUPCEANReader.java
index ac5f7e7ed..ea5f11e78 100644
--- a/core/src/com/google/zxing/oned/AbstractUPCEANReader.java
+++ b/core/src/com/google/zxing/oned/AbstractUPCEANReader.java
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractUPCEANReader extends AbstractOneDReader implements
       nextStart = startRange[1];
       // As a check, we want to see some white in front of this "start pattern",
       // maybe as wide as the start pattern itself?
-      foundStart = isWhiteRange(row, Math.max(0, start - 2 * (startRange[1] - start)), start);
+      foundStart = row.isRange(Math.max(0, start - 2 * (startRange[1] - start)), start, false);
     }
     return startRange;
   }
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractUPCEANReader extends AbstractOneDReader implements
 
     // Check for whitespace after the pattern
     int end = endRange[1];
-    if (!isWhiteRange(row, end, Math.min(row.getSize(), end + 2 * (end - endRange[0])))) {
+    if (!row.isRange(end, Math.min(row.getSize(), end + 2 * (end - endRange[0])), false)) {
       throw new ReaderException("Pattern not followed by whitespace");
     }
 
@@ -115,18 +115,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractUPCEANReader extends AbstractOneDReader implements
         new GenericResultPoint((float) (endRange[1] - endRange[0]) / 2.0f, (float) rowNumber)});
   }
 
-  /**
-   * @return true iff row consists of white values in the range [start,end)
-   */
-  protected static boolean isWhiteRange(BitArray row, int start, int end) {
-    for (int i = start; i < end; i++) {
-      if (row.get(i)) {
-        return false;
-      }
-    }
-    return true;
-  }
-
   /**
    * Computes the UPC/EAN checksum on a string of digits, and reports
    * whether the checksum is correct or not.
diff --git a/core/test/src/com/google/zxing/common/BitArrayTestCase.java b/core/test/src/com/google/zxing/common/BitArrayTestCase.java
index 6f203a68a..a47ae47ac 100644
--- a/core/test/src/com/google/zxing/common/BitArrayTestCase.java
+++ b/core/test/src/com/google/zxing/common/BitArrayTestCase.java
@@ -63,4 +63,25 @@ public final class BitArrayTestCase extends TestCase {
     assertEquals(Integer.MIN_VALUE, ints[1]);
   }
 
+  public void testIsRange() {
+    BitArray array = new BitArray(64);
+    assertTrue(array.isRange(0, 64, false));
+    assertFalse(array.isRange(0, 64, true));
+    array.set(32);
+    assertTrue(array.isRange(32, 33, true));
+    array.set(31);
+    assertTrue(array.isRange(31, 33, true));
+    array.set(34);
+    assertFalse(array.isRange(31, 35, true));
+    for (int i = 0; i < 31; i++) {
+      array.set(i);
+    }
+    assertTrue(array.isRange(0, 33, true));
+    for (int i = 33; i < 64; i++) {
+      array.set(i);
+    }
+    assertTrue(array.isRange(0, 64, true));
+    assertFalse(array.isRange(0, 64, false));
+  }
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file