Hybrid laser scanning and imaging reader

• US 20090001171A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Barkan, Edward, Brock, Christopher Warren, Carlson, Bradley, Gurevich, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 7,798,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.410
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10712 Fixed beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1096 the scanner having more than one scanning window, e.g. two substantially orthogonally placed scanning windows for integration into a check-out counter of a super-market

Abstract

An imaging module is supported by a housing of a reader for electro-optically reading indicia. The imaging module includes a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from the indicia during reading. A laser scanning module is also supported by the housing and includes a scanner for scanning at least one of a laser beam from a laser and a field of view of a light detector in a scan pattern across the indicia during reading. A controller is operatively connected to the modules, and is operative for preventing reading interference between the modules during reading.

Claims

1. A reader for electro-optically reading indicia, comprising:

a housing;

an imaging module supported by the housing and including a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from the indicia during reading;

a laser scanning module supported by the housing and including a scanner for scanning at least one of a laser beam from a laser and a field of view of a light detector in a scan pattern across the indicia during reading; and

a controller operatively connected to the modules, for preventing reading interference between the modules during reading.

2. The reader of claim 1, wherein the housing has a handle to be held by an operator in a handheld mode of operation, and a base for supporting the housing on a support surface during a hands-free mode of operation.

3. The reader of claim 2, and a mode sensor for detecting the mode of operation;

and wherein the controller enables the laser scanning module to read the indicia when F the mode sensor detects the handheld mode, and enables the imaging module to read the indicia when the mode sensor detects the hands-free mode.

4. The reader of claim 3, wherein the mode sensor is operative for detecting the mode of operation by sensing one of motion, position and orientation of the housing.

5. The reader of claim 1, wherein the housing has a presentation area, and wherein the laser directs the laser beam through the presentation area to the indicia for reflection therefrom, and wherein the imager captures the return light from the indicia through the presentation area.

6. The reader of claim 2, wherein the base is connected to the housing in both the handheld and hands-free modes.

7. The reader of claim 6, wherein the base is pivotably connected to the handle.

8. The reader of claim 2, and a manually actuatable trigger on the housing at a location underlying an operator'"'"'s forefinger when the operator holds the handle in the operator'"'"'s hand.

9. The reader of claim 1, wherein the housing has a gun-shaped configuration.

10. The reader of claim 1, wherein the housing has dual presentation areas, and wherein the laser directs the laser beam through one of the presentation areas to the indicia for reflection therefrom, and wherein the imager captures the return light from the indicia through one of the presentation areas.

11. The reader of claim 1, wherein the controller enables the imaging module to capture the return light during an exposure time of a frame, and downloads data generated by the imager during a read-out time of the frame;

and wherein the controller enables the laser scanning module to scan the indicia during the read-out time to prevent reading interference with the imaging module.

12. The reader of claim 11, wherein the imaging module includes an illuminator for illuminating the indicia during reading with illumination light directed from an illuminating light source during the exposure time, and wherein the controller disables the illuminating light source during the read-out time to prevent reading interference between the modules.

13. The reader of claim 12, wherein the illumination light and the laser beam have different frequencies to prevent reading interference between the modules.

14. The reader of claim 1, wherein the controller turns the laser beam off during scanning;

and wherein the controller enables the imaging module to capture the return light when the laser beam is turned off to prevent reading interference with the laser scanning module.

15. The reader of claim 1, wherein the housing blocks the laser beam during scanning;

and wherein the controller enables the imaging module to capture the return light when the laser beam is blocked to prevent reading interference with the laser scanning module.

16. The reader of claim 1, wherein the scanner sweeps through a scan angle larger than a field of view of the imager, and wherein the controller enables the imaging module to capture the return light when the laser beam is outside the field of view of the imager to prevent reading interference between the modules.

17. A reader for electro-optically reading indicia, comprising:

a housing having a handle to be held by an operator in a handheld mode of operation, and a base for supporting the housing on a support surface during a hands-free mode of operation;

an imaging module supported by the housing and including a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from the indicia during reading;

a laser scanning module supported by the housing and including a scanner for scanning at least one of a laser beam from a laser and a field of view of a light detector in a scan pattern across the indicia during reading;

a mode sensor for detecting the mode of operation; and

a controller operatively connected to the modules, for enabling the laser scanning module to read the indicia when the mode sensor detects the handheld mode, and for enabling the imaging module to read the indicia when the mode sensor detects the hands-free mode.

18. The reader of claim 17, wherein the mode sensor is operative for detecting the mode of operation by sensing one of motion, position and orientation of the housing.

19. The reader of claim 17, wherein the housing has a presentation area, and wherein the laser directs the laser beam through the presentation area to the indicia for reflection therefrom, and wherein the imager captures the return light from the indicia through the presentation area.

20. The reader of claim 17, wherein the base is connected to the housing in both the handheld and hands-free modes.

21. The reader of claim 17, wherein the base is pivotably connected to the handle.

22. The reader of claim 17, and a manually actuatable trigger on the housing at a location underlying an operator'"'"'s forefinger when the operator holds the handle in the operator'"'"'s hand.

23. A reader for electro-optically reading indicia, comprising:

a housing;

an imaging module supported by the housing and including a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from the indicia during reading;

a laser scanning module supported by the housing and including a scanner for scanning at least one of a laser beam from a laser and a field of view of a light detector in a scan pattern across the indicia during reading; and

a controller operatively connected to the modules, for distinguishing between types of the indicia, and for enabling one of the modules to read the indicia of one determined type, and for enabling another of the modules to read the indicia of another determined type.

24. A reader for electro-optically reading indicia located in a range of working distances from the reader, comprising:

a housing;

an imaging module supported by the housing and including a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from the indicia during reading;

a laser scanning module supported by the housing and including a scanner for scanning at least one of a laser beam from a laser and a field of view of a light detector in a scan pattern across the indicia during reading; and

a controller operatively connected to the modules, for distinguishing between the working distances of the indicia, and for enabling one of the modules to read the indicia at working distances close to the reader, and for enabling another of the modules to read the indicia at working distances further from the reader.

25. A reader for electro-optically reading indicia, comprising:

a housing;

an imaging module supported by the housing and including a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from the indicia;

a laser scanning module supported by the housing and including a scanner for scanning a laser beam in a visible scan pattern across the indicia; and

a controller operatively connected to the modules, for enabling the laser scanning module to scan the laser beam over the indicia prior to reading to facilitate aiming of the reader at the indicia, and for enabling one of the modules to read the indicia after aiming.

26. A method of electro-optically reading indicia, comprising the steps of:

supporting an imaging module by a housing, and capturing return light from the indicia by the imaging module during reading with a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors;

supporting a laser scanning module by the housing, and scanning at least one of a laser beam from a laser and a field of view of a light detector in a scan pattern across the indicia by the laser scanning module during reading; and

preventing reading interference between the modules during reading.

27. The method of claim 26, and holding the housing with a handle held by an operator in a handheld mode of operation, and supporting the housing with a base on a support surface during a hands-free mode of operation.

28. The method of claim 27, and detecting the mode of operation;

and enabling the laser scanning module to read the indicia when the handheld mode is detected, and enabling the imaging module to read the indicia when the hands-free mode is detected.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the mode detecting step is performed by sensing one of motion, position and orientation of the housing.

30. The method of claim 26, and configuring the housing with a presentation area, and directing the laser beam through the presentation area to the indicia for reflection therefrom, and capturing the return light from the indicia through the presentation area.

31. The method of claim 27, and connecting the base to the housing in both the handheld and hands-free modes.

32. The method of claim 31, and pivotably connecting the base to the handle.

33. The method of claim 27, and providing a manually actuatable trigger on the housing at a location underlying an operator'"'"'s forefinger when the operator holds the handle in the operator'"'"'s hand.

34. The method of claim 26, and configuring the housing with a gun-shaped configuration.

35. The method of claim 26, and configuring the housing with dual presentation areas, and directing the laser beam through one of the presentation areas to the indicia for reflection therefrom, and ca6turing the return light from the indicia through one of the presentation areas.

36. The method of claim 26, and enabling the imaging module to capture the return light during an exposure time of a frame, and downloading data generated by the imager during a read-out time of the frame;

and enabling the laser scanning module to scan the indicia during the read-out time to prevent reading interference with the imaging module.

37. The method of claim 26, and enabling the imaging module to illuminate the indicia during reading with illumination light during the exposure time, and disabling the illuminating light during the read-out time to prevent reading interference between the modules.

38. The method of claim 37, and selecting the illumination light and the laser beam to have different frequencies to prevent reading interference between the modules.

39. The method of claim 26, and turning the laser beam off during scanning;

and capturing the return light when the laser beam is turned off to prevent reading interference with the laser scanning module.

40. The method of claim 26, and blocking the laser beam during scanning;

and capturing the return light when the laser beam is blocked to prevent reading interference with the laser scanning module.

41. The method of claim 26, and sweeping the laser beam through a scan angle larger than a field of view of the imager, and capturing the return light when the laser beam is outside the field of view of the imager to prevent reading interference between the modules.

42. A method of electro-optically reading indicia, comprising the steps of:

holding a housing by a handle held by an operator in a handheld mode of operation, and supporting the housing by a base on a support surface during a hands-free mode of operation;

supporting an imaging module by the housing, and capturing return light from the indicia during reading with a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors;

supporting a laser scanning module by the housing, and scanning at least one of a laser beam from a laser and a field of view of a light detector in a scan pattern across the indicia during reading;

detecting the mode of operation; and

enabling the laser scanning module to read the indicia when the handheld mode is detected, and enabling the imaging module to read the indicia when the hands-free mode is detected.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the detecting step is performed by sensing one of motion, position and orientation of the housing.

44. The method of claim 42, and configuring the housing with a presentation area, and directing the laser beam through the presentation area to the indicia for reflection therefrom, and capturing the return light from the indicia through the presentation area.

45. The method of claim 42, and connecting the base to the housing in both the handheld and hands-free modes.

46. The method of claim 42, and pivotably connecting to the handle.

47. The method of claim 42, and providing a manually actuatable trigger on the housing at a location underlying an operator'"'"'s forefinger when the operator holds the handle in the operator'"'"'s hand.

48. A method of electro-optically reading indicia, comprising the steps of:

supporting an imaging module by a housing, and capturing return light from the indicia during reading with a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors;

supporting a laser scanning module by the housing, and scanning at least one of a laser beam from a laser and a field of view of a light detector in a scan pattern across the indicia during reading; and

distinguishing between types of the indicia, and enabling one of the modules to read the indicia of one determined type, and enabling another of the modules to read the indicia of another determined type.

49. A method of electro-optically reading indicia located in a range of working distances from the reader, comprising the steps of:

supporting an imaging module by a housing, and capturing return light from the indicia during reading with a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors;

supporting a laser scanning module by the housing, and scanning at least one of a laser beam from a laser and a field of view of a light detector in a scan pattern across the indicia during reading; and

distinguishing between the working distances of the indicia, and enabling one of the modules to read the indicia at working distances close to the reader, and enabling another of the modules to read the indicia at working distances further from the reader.

50. A method of electro-optically reading indicia, comprising the steps of:

supporting an imaging module by a housing, and capturing return light from the indicia with a solid-state imager having an array of image sensor;

supporting a laser scanning module by the housing, and scanning a laser beam in a visible scan pattern across the indicia; and

enabling the laser scanning module to scan the laser beam over the indicia prior to reading to facilitate aiming of the reader at the indicia, and enabling one of the modules to read the indicia after aiming.

51. The method of claim 50, and projecting an aiming pattern on the symbol which visibly indicates an entire extent of a field of view of the imager.