Automatic optical projection scanner with improved activation controlling mechanism
First Claim
1. An automatic code symbol reading device comprising:
- (a) a housing with an optically transmissive window through which optical energy can exit from, and enter into, the housing;
(b) an optical energy source which, when activated by a controlling mechanism, produces an optical beam projected through the optically transmissive window and into a scan field extending outwardly from the housing;
(c) a scanning mechanism which, when activated by the controlling mechanism, scans the optical beam across the scan field to form a scanning pattern;
(d) an optical detector for detecting optical energy reflected from a code symbol as the optical beam is scanned across the scan field and the code symbol therein, and, in response to the detected optical energy, generating scan data indicative of the scanned code symbol;
(e) an object detector for detecting the presence of an object within an object detection field extending outwardly from the housing, and producing in response thereto an activation signal;
(f) a processor for processing produced scan data so as to decode the code symbol on the detected object, and upon detecting the code symbol, automatically producing data representative of the decoded code symbol; and
(g) a controlling mechanism for providing at least one of (i) timed activation of the optical beam source and/or the scanning mechanism; and
(ii) selection of an operating range for the code symbol reading device.
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Abstract
An automatic bar code symbol reading system provides a hand-supportable laser bar code reading device which can be used in either an automatic hands-on mode of operation, or in an automatic hands-free mode of operation. The system includes a scanner support frame for supporting the hand-supportable device in a user-selected mounting position, and permits complete gripping of its handle portion for use in the hands-on mode of operation. In general, the hand-supportable bar code reading device has long-range and short-range modes of object detection, bar code presence detection and bar code symbol reading. Pursuant to one illustrative embodiment, the long-range mode is automatically selected when the hand-supportable bar code reading device is placed within the scanner support stand during the automatic hands-free mode of operation. When the hand-supportable bar code reading device is picked up from the support stand and used in its hands-on mode of operation, the short-range mode is automatically selected to provide CCD-like scanner emulation. When used in either mode of operation, the automatic bar code reading device is capable of reading, in a consecutive manner, one or more bar code symbols on an object, while preventing multiple reading of the same bar code symbol due to dwelling of the laser scanning beam upon the bar code symbol. The automatic bar code symbol reading system of the present invention is disclosed in several different mounting arrangements at a point-of-sale station, illustrating novel methods of reading bar code symbols using the automatic hand-supportable optical scanning device of the present invention.
51 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An automatic code symbol reading device comprising:
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(a) a housing with an optically transmissive window through which optical energy can exit from, and enter into, the housing;
(b) an optical energy source which, when activated by a controlling mechanism, produces an optical beam projected through the optically transmissive window and into a scan field extending outwardly from the housing;
(c) a scanning mechanism which, when activated by the controlling mechanism, scans the optical beam across the scan field to form a scanning pattern;
(d) an optical detector for detecting optical energy reflected from a code symbol as the optical beam is scanned across the scan field and the code symbol therein, and, in response to the detected optical energy, generating scan data indicative of the scanned code symbol;
(e) an object detector for detecting the presence of an object within an object detection field extending outwardly from the housing, and producing in response thereto an activation signal;
(f) a processor for processing produced scan data so as to decode the code symbol on the detected object, and upon detecting the code symbol, automatically producing data representative of the decoded code symbol; and
(g) a controlling mechanism for providing at least one of (i) timed activation of the optical beam source and/or the scanning mechanism; and
(ii) selection of an operating range for the code symbol reading device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An automatic code symbol reading system comprising:
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(A) an optical scanning device including (1) a housing having an optically transmissive window by which optical energy can exit from and enter into the housing;
(2) a data gathering mechanism for gathering data from a code symbol, the data comprising graphical indicia of differing light reflectivities;
the data gathering mechanism including;
(a) an optical energy source for producing an optical beam projected into a scan field defined as extending from the housing;
(b) a scanning mechanism for scanning the beam across the scan field in a manner so as to provide a scanning pattern;
(c) an optical detector for detecting optical energy reflected by a code symbol as the beam is scanned across the scan field and the code symbol situated therein, and for automatically gathering data indicative of the detected optical energy, and (3) an object detector for detecting the presence of an object within an object detection field defined as extending from to the housing, and producing in response thereto an activation signal;
(B) a processor for processing gathered data so as to decode the code symbol on the detected object, and upon decoding the code symbol, automatically producing symbol character data representative of the decoded code symbol; and
(C) a controlling mechanism for controlling the operation of the automatic code symbol reading system by providing at least one of;
(a) timed activation of the optical energy source and/or the scanning mechanism; and
(b) selection of an operating range for the code symbol reading system. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An automatic code symbol reading system comprising:
(A) an optical scanning device including (1) a housing having an optically transmissive window by which optical energy can exit from and enter into the housing;
(2) a data gathering mechanism for gathering data from a code symbol, the data comprising graphical indicia of differing light reflectivities;
the data gathering mechanism including;
(a) an optical energy source for producing an optical beam projected into a scan field defined as extending from the housing;
(b) a scanning mechanism for scanning the beam across the scan field in a manner so as to provide a scanning pattern;
(c) an optical detector for detecting optical energy reflected by a code symbol as the beam is scanned across the scan field and the code symbol situated therein, and for automatically gathering data indicative of the detected optical energy, and (3) an object detector for detecting the presence of an object within an object detection field defined as extending from the housing, and producing in response thereto an activation signal, the object detection field having a volumetric extent;
(B) a processor for processing gathered data so as to decode the code symbol on the detected object, and upon decoding the code symbol, automatically producing symbol character data representative of the decoded code symbol; and
(C) a controlling mechanism for controlling the operation of at least one of;
the data gathering mechanism, the optical energy source, the scanning mechanism, and the optical detector, in response to the object detector detecting the presence of an object.- View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
Specification