Long range optical reader

• US 20060255147A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Izzo, John, Havens, William H., Hennick, Robert J., Robinson, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.210
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10801 Multidistance reading
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09072 Hole or recess under component or special relationship between hole and component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09463 Partial lands, i.e. lands or conductive rings not completely surrounding the hole landless plated-through hole or via H05K2201/09545
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0949 Pad close to a hole, not surrounding the hole if used for surface mounting H05K1/114
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09645 Patterning on via walls; Plural lands around one hole
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09809 Coaxial layout reduction of cross-talk, noise or interference by printed shielding conductors for shielding around a single via or around a group of vias H05K1/0222
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10121 Optical component, e.g. opto-electronic component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/244 Finish plating of conductors, especially of copper conductors, e.g. for pads or lands selective plating methods H05K3/243; finish plating of conductors made by printing techniques H05K3/246; solder as finish H05K3/3457, e.g. by plating H05K3/3473

Abstract

An indicia decoding device can have an image sensor and a laser diode assembly configured to project laser light onto a substrate. When a trigger signal is received by the indicia decoding device, the device can calculate a delay and enable the laser diode assembly if a delay threshold is satisfied. The indicia decoding device, in one embodiment, can include a hand held housing and an imaging module carrying the image sensor.

Claims

1. An optical reader comprising:

an imaging assembly having a plural photodetector image sensor and an imaging axis;

an illumination assembly comprising at least one illumination LED and at least one laser diode assembly, wherein said laser diode assembly is adapted to project a long range aiming pattern onto a target substrate; and

a control circuit in communication with both of said imaging assembly and said illumination assembly, wherein said reader has an adaptive laser aimer operating mode wherein said control circuit, in response to receipt of a trigger signal;

calculates a reader-to-target distance; and

enables said laser diode assembly if said calculated reader-to-target distance is equal to or greater than a threshold reader-to-target distance.

2. The reader of claim 1, wherein said control circuit in calculating said reader-to-target distance generates a degree of focus signal.

3. The reader of claim 1, wherein said control circuit in calculating a reader-to-target distance, measures a distance between aiming spots in a captured image.

4. The reader of claim 1, wherein said control circuit, further in response to receipt of a trigger signal disables said laser diode assembly if said calculated reader-to-target distance is less than said threshold reader to target distance.

5. The reader of claim 1, wherein said control circuit, further in response to receipt a trigger signal, disables said illumination LED if said calculated reader-to-target distance is greater than a threshold reader-to-target distance.

6. The reader of claim 1, wherein said adaptive laser aimer operating mode is a user selected operating mode available as an option out of a plurality of operating modes selected by actuation of a menu interface.

7. The reader of claim 1, wherein said plural photodetector image sensor is a 1D image sensor.

8. The reader of claim 1, wherein said plural photodetector image sensor is a 2D image sensor.

9. The reader of claim 1, wherein said laser diode assembly is pivotally mounted about a pivoting axis within said reader, said pivoting axis being substantially perpendicular to said imaging axis.

10. The reader of claim 1, further including a prism fold redirecting an optical path of a beam emitted by said laser diode assembly.

11. The reader of claim 1, wherein said imaging assembly includes a best focus distance of at least five feet.

12. The reader of claim 1, wherein said reader includes an optical assembly which split a beam emitted by said laser diode assembly to project a plurality of spots on a target substrate, said spots being projected substantially along a horizontal axis of a target.