Instant portable bar code reader

• US 5,187,356 A
• Filed: 03/26/1990
• Issued: 02/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Laser, Vadim, Chadima, George E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): PITTS, HAROLD I
• Application Number:
  US07/500,030
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/472, 235/467, 235/455, 250/566
• US Class Current: 235/462.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

In an exemplary embodiment, a hand-hald bar code reader has an elongated relatively narrow hand grip portion and an enlarged reader head portion with an extended window of greater width that the hand grip portion. Light energy is outwardly through the extended window so as to flood a bar code sensing region in front of the window having a depth dimension of at least about ten millimeters, and an optical system focuses bar code patterns in the sensing region onto an image plane in the reader unit with a resolution so as to read bars/spaces with a minimum width of about 0.0075 inch, or even less. Preferably the lens system provides a depth of focus for such bar code patterns of at least ten millimeters, so that a bar code pattern of marked curvature can be read in its entirety by means of an instant reading operation.

Claims

1. A portable instant reader for reading complete lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier, said reader comprising

a hand-held bar code reader unit having window means providing a bar code sensing region spaced from said hand-held bar code reader unit in front of said window means for receiving a bar code data carrier, said window means for simultaneously receiving reflections of light from a complete line of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements disposed in the bar code sensing region,

a photodetector positioned within said hand-held bar code reader unit in the path of said reflections through said window means, said photodetector having a light sensitive region for simultaneously receiving an image of the complete line of bar code information from said bar code sensing region, said reader unit being supported without any contact between the reader unit and the bar code data carrier,

an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader unit positioned between said window means and said photodetector for simultaneously receiving a light pattern from said window means in accordance with the complete line of bar code information and focusing the same onto said sensitive region of said photodetector, and

said optical system providing a resolution and depth of focus such that the complete line of bar code information having a curvature can be simultaneously read by said hand-held bar code reader unit.

2. A portable instant reader according to claim 1, said window means providing a bar code sensing region having a width of at least about fifty millimeters.

3. A portable instant reader according to claim 2, with said optical system providing a depth of focus of at least ten millimeters in said bar code sensing region.

4. A portable instant reader according to claim 1, with said optical system providing a depth of focus of about ten millimeters in said bar code sensing region.

5. A portable instant reader according to claim 1, with said optical system providing a resolution such that a complete line of bar code information having a minimum bar/space width of about 0.0075 inch can be read by said hand-held bar code reader unit.

6. A portable instant reader according to claim 1, with said optical system providing a depth of focus of at least about three millimeters in said bar code sensing region.

7. A portable instant reader according to claim 1, with said optical system having a reading capability for a complete line of bar code information at a distance in front of said window means such that the hand-held bar code reader unit is clear of contact with a bar code data carrier and with the bar code information carried thereby.

8. A portable instant reader according to claim 7, with said optical system having a reading capability for a complete line of bar code information disposed at a distance in front of said window means of at least about twenty millimeters.

9. A portable instant reader according to claim 8, with said optical system having an optimum focal plane at about six millimeters in front of said window means.

10. A portable instant reader according to claim 1, with said optical system having a narrow optical aperture with a width dimension in the high resolution direction of the optical image being transmitted which is substantially less than the height dimension corresponding to the direction of low resolution.

11. A portable instant reader according to claim 10, with said optical system having a depth of focus of at least about three millimeter in said bar code sensing region.

12. A portable instant reader according to claim 11, with said narrow optical aperture having a width dimension of not substantially greater than two millimeters.

13. A portable instant reader according to claim 10, with said narrow optical aperture having a width dimension of not substantially greater than two millimeters.

14. A portable instant reader according to claim 10, with said optical system having an optical axis extending through said window means and having effective marginal rays extending from said window means to the bar code sensing region and diverging at angles of about plus and minus fifteen degrees to the optical axis, said optical system converging the effective marginal rays so as to pass through the narrow optical aperture and then come to a focus at the light sensitive region of the photodetector.

15. A portable instant reader according to claim 14, with said narrow optical aperture having a width dimension of not substantially greater than two millimeters.

16. A portable instant reader according to claim 1, with said optical system having a narrow non-circular optical aperture with its narrow dimension in the high resolution direction of the optical image being transmitted.

17. A portable instant reader according to claim 16, with said narrow non-circular optical aperture having a narrow dimension of not substantially greater than two millimeters.

18. An optical pattern recognition reader capable of reading complete lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier, said reader comprising:

a hand-held optical reader unit including an illuminator, means for triggering the illuminator to simultaneously illuminate a complete line of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements, optoelectronic spacial sensor means, and an optical system comprising a lens system having an optical axis and producing an optical image of the complete line of bar code information from the illumination thereof by said illuminator and focusing the same onto said optoelectronic spacial sensor means,

said reader unit being supported without any contact between the reader unit and the bar code data carrier, and

said optical system providing a resolution such that the complete line of bar code information can be simultaneously read at any depth over a distance of at least about three millimeters along the optical axis of the lens system and external to the hand-held optical reader unit.

19. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 18, with said lens system having effective marginal rays directed at angles of about plus and minus fifteen degrees to the

20. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 18, said optical system focusing a complete line of bar code information having a length of at least about fifty millimeters onto said optoelectronic spacial sensor means.

21. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 18, said optical system providing a resolution such that a complete line of bar code information having a minimum bar/space width of about 0.0075 inch can be read by said hand-held optical reader unit.

22. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 18, with said optical system providing a depth of focus of at least about ten millimeters along the optical axis of the lens system and external to the hand-held optical reader unit.

23. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 18, with said optical system having a reading capability for a complete line of bar code information while the hand-held optical reader unit is entirely clear of contact with and substantially spaced from a bar code data carrier carrying the bar code information.

24. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 23, with said optical system having a reading capability for a complete line of bar code information on a bar code data carrier which is spaced from the hand-held optical reader unit by a distance along the optical axis of about ten millimeters.

25. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 23, with said optical system having a reading capability for a complete line of bar code information on a bar code data carrier which is spaced from the hand-held optical reader unit by a distance along the optical with axis of about twenty millimeters.

26. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 18, with said optical system having a narrow optical aperture with a width dimension in the high resolution direction of the optical image being transmitted which is substantially less than the height dimension corresponding to the direction of low resolution.

27. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 26, with said narrow optical aperture having a width dimension of not substantially greater than two millimeters.

28. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 18, with said optical system having a narrow optical aperture with a width dimension in the high resolution direction of the optical image being transmitted which is substantially less than the height dimension corresponding to the direction of low resolution, said lens system having effective marginal rays extending out of the hand-held optical reader unit and diverging at angles of about plus and minus fifteen degrees relative to the optical axis, said optical system converging the effective marginal rays so as to pass through the narrow optical aperture and then come to a focus at the optoelectronic spacial sensor means.

29. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 28, with said narrow optical aperture having a width dimension of not substantially greater than two millimeters.

30. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 18, with said optical system having a narrow non-circular optical aperture with its narrow dimension in the high resolution direction of the optical image being transmitted.

31. An optical pattern recognition reader according to claim 30, with said narrow non-circular optical aperture having a narrow dimension of not substantially greater than two millimeters.

32. In a portable instant reader capable of reading complete lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier,

(a) a hand-held bar code reader unit having an elongated relatively narrow hand grip portion for grasping in the hand of a user and having an enlarged reader head portion of greater width than said hand grip portion,

(b) said elongated hand grip portion having a length and cross sectional configuration so as to be grasped by the hand,

(c) said reader head portion having extended window means with a width dimension greater than the width of said hand grip portion which is to be gripped by the fingers of a hand, said window means having a bar code sensing region in front thereof for receiving a complete line of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier,

(d) a light source arrangement in said reader head portion for directing a sheet of light energy outwardly from the reader head portion through said window means so as to simultaneously illuminate the complete line of bar code information in said bar code sensing region such that the light reflecting from the complete line of bar code information is directly observable by a user,

(e) an optical system within said reader head portion for simultaneously collecting light reflected from the complete line of bar code information in said bar code sensing region without requiring any movement of said reader head portion and for generating a bar code signal in accordance with the light reflected from a complete line of bar code information,

(f) said optical system having a reading capability for bar code information which is at a distance in front of said window means such that the hand-held bar code reader unit is clear of contact with a bar code data carrier carrying the bar code information and is substantially spaced from the bar code data carrier, and

(g) said optical system comprising image photosensor means for reading an image of the complete line of bar code information at any of a substantial range of distances spacing the bar code information from the hand-held bar code reader unit.

33. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said optical system being capable of reading a standard Universal Product Code bar code with a depth of field of about ten millimeters.

34. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said optical system means being capable of reading a complete line of bar code information with substantial curvature.

35. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said optical system being capable of reading a complete line of bar code information with a curvature corresponding to a bar code carrier radius approaching 1.25 inches.

36. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said optical system having an optical axis extending through the window means and having marginal rays diverging from the optical axis by plus and minus fifteen degrees to define a relatively wide bar code sensing region in which complete lines of bar code information can be read.

37. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 36, said optical system reading bar codes with minimum bar/space width of about 0.0075 inch over a depth of focus of at least about three millimeters.

38. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said optical system reading bar codes with minimum bar/space width of about 0.0075 inch over a depth of focus of at least about three millimeters.

39. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said optical system focusing a complete line of bar code information having a length of at least about fifty millimeters onto said image photosensor means over a depth of field of at least about three millimeters.

40. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said optical system reading bar codes with minimum bar/space width of about 0.0075 inch over a depth of focus of about ten millimeters.

41. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said hand-held bar code reader unit having a reading capability for bar code information having a minimum bar size of about 0.0075 inch over a substantial range of distances of a bar code data carrier from the hand-held bar code reader unit.

42. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said light source arrangement supplying pulses of light energy to said bar code sensing region.

43. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said optical system having a reading capability for a complete line of bar code information spaced from the window means by a distance of about twenty-five millimeters.

44. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said optical system having a narrow optical aperture with a width dimension in the high resolution direction of the optical image being transmitted which is substantially less than the height dimension corresponding to the direction of low resolution.

45. In a portable bar code reader according to claim 32, said optical system having a narrow optical aperture with a width dimension in the high resolution direction of the optical image being transmitted which is substantially less than the height dimension corresponding to the direction of low resolution, said optical system having an optical axis extending through said window means, and having effective marginal rays extending out of the hand-held optical reader unit and diverging at angles of about plus and minus fifteen degrees relative to the optical axis, said optical system converging the effective marginal rays so as to pass through the narrow optical aperture and then come to a focus at the image photosensor means.

46. In a portable bar code reader system capable of reading complete lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier,

(a) a hand-held bar code reader unit having an elongated hand grip portion with a length and cross sectional configuration so as to be grasped with one hand,

(b) said hand-held bar code reader unit having window means providing optical transmission between the interior and exterior of the hand-held bar code reader unit, said window means having a bar code sensing region externally thereof for receiving a bar code data carrier having a complete line of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier,

(c) said hand-held bar code reader unit having an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader unit for directing light energy toward said bar code sensing region to illuminate the complete line of bar code information carried by the data carrier which is spaced from the hand-held bar code reader unit, and for simultaneously receiving reflected light energy from the complete line of bar code information and operating electronically for generating a complete bar code signal in accordance with the complete line of bar code information without requiring any mechanical scan generating movement of any part of the hand-held bar code reader unit and without requiring movement of the bar code reader unit as a whole relative to the bar code data carrier,

(d) said hand-held bar code reader unit having actuating means for initiating a bar code reading operation while the hand-held bar code reader unit is manually held spaced from the bar code data carrier in said bar code sensing region, and said hand-held bar code reader unit being supported essentially only by one hand in grasping relation to said elongated hand grip portion without any contact between the hand-held bar code reader unit and the bar code data carrier throughout a bar code reading operation,

(e) said optical system comprising a visible light source for supplying a visible sheet of light to the bar code sensing region in response to operation of said actuating means, such that the sheet of light from the visible light source simultaneously impinging on the complete line of bar code information in the bar code sensing region during a bar code reading operation is reflected to the eye of the user manually holding the bar code reader unit in spaced relation to the bar code data carrier and such that the illumination of the complete line of bar code information by the visible light source is directly observable by the user during a bar code reading operation.

47. In a portable bar code reader system according to claim 46, said visible light source including an electronically triggerable instant response light source means for generating a sheet of light energy.

48. In a portable bar code reader system according to claim 46, said hand-held bar code reader unit including said visible light source having a weight not greater than about eight ounces.

49. In a portable bar code reader system according to claim 47, said actuating means being manually operated by the hand which holds said elongated hand grip portion.

50. A portable instant reader for reading lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier, and said reader comprising

a hand-held bar code reader unit having window means providing a bar code sensing region spaced from said hand-held bar code reader unit in front of said window means for receiving at least one of the more-reflective elements and at least one of the less-reflective elements, said window means for simultaneously receiving reflections from the more-reflective and less-reflective elements disposed in the bar code sensing region,

a photodetector positioned within said hand-held bar code reader unit in the path of said reflections through said window means, said photodetector having a sensitive region for receiving an image of the more-reflective and less-reflective elements disposed in the bar code sensing region, said reader unit being supported without any contact between the reader unit and the bar code data carrier,

an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader unit positioned between said window means and said photodetector for simultaneously receiving a light pattern from said window means in accordance with the more-reflective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region and focusing the same onto said sensitive region of said photodetector, and

said optical system providing a resolution and depth of focus such that the code information having curvature can be read by said hand-held bar code reader unit.

51. A portable instant reader according to claim 50, wherein said window means providing a bar code sensing region having a width of a least about fifty millimeters.

52. A portable instant reader according to claim 51, wherein said optical system providing a depth of focus of at least ten millimeters in said bar code sensing region.

53. A portable instant reader according to claim 50, wherein said optical system providing a depth of focus of at least about three millimeters in said bar code sensing region.

54. A portable instant reader according to claim 50, wherein said optical system having an optimum focal plane at about six millimeters in front of said window means.

55. A portable instant reader according to claim 50, wherein said optical system having a narrow optical aperture with a width dimension in the high resolution direction of the optical image being transmitted which is substantially less than the height dimension corresponding to the direction of low resolution.

56. A portable instant reader according to claim 55, wherein said optical system providing a depth of focus of at least about three millimeters in said bar code sensing region.

57. A portable instant reader according to claim 55, wherein said narrow optical aperture having a width dimension of not substantially greater than two millimeters.

58. A portable instant reader according to claim 55, wherein said optical system having an optical axis extending through said window means and having effective marginal rays extending from said window means to the bar code sensing region and diverging at angles of about plus and minus fifteen degrees to the optical axis, said optical system converging the effective marginal rays so as to pass through the narrow optical aperture and then come to a focus at the light sensitive region of the photodetector.

59. A portable instant reader according to claim 58, wherein said narrow optical aperture having a width dimension of not substantially greater than two millimeters.

60. A portable instant reader according to claim 50, wherein said optical system having a narrow non-circular optical aperture with its narrow dimension in the high resolution direction of the optical image being transmitted.

61. A portable instant reader according to claim 60, wherein said narrow non-circular optical aperture having a narrow dimension of not substantially greater than two millimeters.

62. A portable instant reader for reading bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier, said reader comprising

a hand-held bar code reader unit having an elongated relatively narrow hand grip portion for grasping in the hand of a user and having an enlarged reader head portion of greater width than said hand grip portion,

said elongated hand grip portion having a length and cross sectional configuration so as to be grasped by the hand,

said reader head portion having extended window means with a width dimension greater than the width of said hand grip portion which is to be gripped by the fingers of a hand, said window means providing a bar code sensing region spaced from said hand-held bar code reader unit in front of said window means, said bar code sensing region containing at least one of said more-reflective elements and at least one of said less-reflective elements, said window means for simultaneously receiving reflections from the more-reflective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region,

a light source arrangement in said reader head portion for directing a sheet of light energy outwardly from the reader head portion through said window means so as to simultaneously illuminate the more-reflective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region such that the light reflecting from the more-reflective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region is directly observable by a user,

an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader for simultaneously collecting the reflections from the more-flective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region without requiring any movement of said reader head portion and for generating a bar code signal in accordance with the reflections from said bar code sensing region,

said optical system having a reading capability for bar code information which is at a distance in front of said window means such that the hand-held bar code reader unit is clear of contact with a bar code data carrier carrying the more-reflective and less-reflective elements and is substantially spaced from the bar code data carrier, and

said optical system comprising image photosensor means for reading an image of the more-reflective and less-reflective elements at any of a substantial range of distances spacing the bar code information from the hand-held bar code reader unit.

63. A portable bar code reader according to claim 62, wherein said optical system being capable of reading a standard Universal Product Code bar code with a depth of field of about ten millimeters.

64. A portable bar code reader according to claim 62, wherein said optical system being capable of reading bar code information with curvature.

65. A portable bar code reader according to claim 62, wherein said optical system being capable of reading bar code information with a curvature corresponding to a bar code carrier radius approaching 1.25 inches.

66. A portable bar code reader according to claim 62, wherein said optical system being capable of reading bar code information with a minimum spacing between said reflective elements of about 0.0075 inches over a depth of focus of at least about three millimeters.

67. A portable bar code reader according to claim 62, wherein said optical system being capable of reading bar code information having a minimum spacing between said reflective elements of about 0.0075 inches over a substantial range of distances of a bar code data carrier from the hand-held bar code reader unit.

68. A portable bar code reader according to claim 62, wherein said light source supplying pulses of sheet of light energy to said bar code sensing region.

69. A portable instant reader according to claim 62, wherein said optical system having a narrow optical aperture with a width dimension in the high resolution direction of the optical image being transmitted which is substantially less than the height dimension corresponding to the direction of low resolution.

70. A portable instant reader according to claim 69, wherein said optical system having an optical axis extending through said window means, and having effective marginal rays extending out of the hand-held optical reader unit and diverging at angles of about plus and minus fifteen degrees relative to the optical axis, said optical system converging the effective marginal rays so as to pass through the narrow optical aperture and then come to a focus at the image photosensor means.

71. A portable bar code reader for reading bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier, said reader comprising

(a) a hand-held bar code reader unit having an elongated hand grip portion with a length and cross sectional configuration so as to be grasped with one hand,

(b) said hand-held bar code reader unit having window means providing optical transmission between the interior and exterior of the hand-held bar code reader unit, said window means having a bar code sensing region externally thereof for receiving at least one more-reflective element and at least one less-reflective element of the bar code information on the bar code carrier,

(c) said hand-held bar code reader unit having an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader unit for directing light energy toward said bar code sensing region to illuminate the more-reflective and less-reflective elements therein, and for receiving reflected light energy from the more-reflective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region,

(d) said hand-held bar code reader unit having actuating means for initiating a bar code reading operation while the hand-held bar code reader unit is manually held spaced from the more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by the bar code data carrier in said bar code sensing region, and said hand-held bar code reader unit being supported essentially only by one hand in grasping relation to said elongated hand grip portion without any contact between the hand-held bar code reader unit and the bar code data carrier throughout a bar code reading operation,

(e) said optical system comprising a visible light source for supplying a visible sheet of light to the bar code sensing region in response to operation of said actuating means, such that the sheet of light from the visible light source simultaneously impinging on the more-reflective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region during a bar code reading operation is reflected to the eye of the user manually holding the bar code reader unit in spaced relation to the bar code data carrier and such that the illumination of the more-reflective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region by the visible light source is directly observable by the user during a bar code reading operation.

72. In a portable bar code reader system according to claim 71, said hand-held bar code reader unit including said light source.

73. In a portable bar code reader system according to claim 72, said light source including an electronically triggerable instant response light source means for generating a sheet of light energy.