Imaging bar code reader with moving beam simulation

• US 20040069855A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Mehul, Dvorkis, Paul, Preuss, Walter
• Granted Patent: US 6,866,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence

Abstract

The operating environment of a moving laser beam in a flying spot, electro-optical reader is simulated in a solid-state, sensor-based imaging reader by turning a visible line produced by a light emitting diode on and off prior to capturing a two-dimensional image of a target.

Claims

1. In a system for electro-optically reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity by imaging light reflected off the indicia over two mutually orthogonal directions, an arrangement for simulating a scanning laser beam, the arrangement comprising:

a) a light emitting diode (LED) component for emitting visible light;

b) an optical component for optically modifying the visible light to form a visible line across the indicia; and

c) means for turning the visible line on and off to simulate the scanning laser beam.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the LED component includes a single LED element.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the LED component includes a linear array of LED elements.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the optical component is a lens having a cylindrical surface.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the turning means is operative for energizing and alternately de-energizing the LED component.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the imaging is performed by a solid-state detector having an adjustable exposure time, and wherein the turning means turns the visible line off after the exposure time has been adjusted.

7. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the detector is a charge coupled device array.

8. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the detector is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor array.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, and a printed circuit board (PCB) on which the components are mounted to form a module.

10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the module is mounted in a handheld device having a trigger which, upon manual actuation, initiates the imaging and turns the visible line off.

11. In a method of electro-optically reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity by imaging light reflected off the indicia over two mutually orthogonal directions, a method of simulating a scanning laser beam, the method comprising the steps of:

a) emitting visible light from a light emitting diode (LED) component;

b) optically modifying the visible light to form a visible line across the indicia; and

c) turning the visible line on and off to simulate the scanning laser beam.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the emitting step is performed by a single LED element.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the emitting step is performed by a linear array of LED elements.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the optically modifying step is performed by a lens having a cylindrical surface.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the turning step is performed by energizing and alternately de-energizing the LED component.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the imaging is performed by a solid-state detector having an adjustable exposure time, and wherein the turning step is performed by turning the visible line off after the exposure time has been adjusted.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the detector is a charge coupled device array.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the detector is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor array.

19. The method of claim 11, and the step of mounting the component on a printed circuit board (PCB) to form a module.

20. The method of claim 19, and the step of mounting the module in a handheld device having a trigger which, upon manual actuation, initiates the imaging and turns the visible line off.