Code sensor with multi-faceted reflector for sensing plural image distances
First Claim
1. A bar code scanner comprising:
- a lens arranged to focus an image of a bar code to be scanned along an image path;
a reflector in the image path and angled obliquely to the image path so as to reflect images at an angle to the image path, said reflector having a reflector surface shaped so as to provide a plurality of reflected images of the scanned bar code, with one of said reflected images being an in-focus image and a remainder of said reflected images being out-of-focus images;
a single linear array sensor in the image path onto which said images are reflected and which simultaneously senses the plurality of reflected images and provides a sensor output signal corresponding to the sensed images; and
a detection unit coupled to the sensor which decodes the sensor output signal and provides a bar code output signal that corresponds to the scanned bar code.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bar code scanner having a lens, a reflector, a sensor, and a detection unit. The lens is arranged to focus an image of a bar code to be scanned along an image path. The reflector is angled obliquely to the image path so as to reflect images at an angle to the image path. The reflector has reflector surface shaped so as to provide a plurality of reflected images of the scanned bar code, with one of the reflected image being an in-focus image and a remainder of the reflected images being out-of-focus images. The sensor is in the image path and simultaneously senses the plurality of reflected images and provides a sensor output signal corresponding to the sensed images. The detection unit is coupled to the sensor and decodes the sensor output signal and provides a bar code output signal that corresponds to the scanned bar code.
71 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A bar code scanner comprising:
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a lens arranged to focus an image of a bar code to be scanned along an image path; a reflector in the image path and angled obliquely to the image path so as to reflect images at an angle to the image path, said reflector having a reflector surface shaped so as to provide a plurality of reflected images of the scanned bar code, with one of said reflected images being an in-focus image and a remainder of said reflected images being out-of-focus images; a single linear array sensor in the image path onto which said images are reflected and which simultaneously senses the plurality of reflected images and provides a sensor output signal corresponding to the sensed images; and a detection unit coupled to the sensor which decodes the sensor output signal and provides a bar code output signal that corresponds to the scanned bar code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of scanning a code comprising:
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simultaneously focusing a plurality of images of the code onto a single linear array sensor, said plurality of images containing an in-focus image of the code and a plurality of out-of-focus images; producing a single linear array sensor output signal corresponding to the plurality of images focused onto said sensor; determining the in-focus image from the sensor output signal; and decoding the in-focus image to extract information. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification