Instant portable bar code reader
First Claim
1. In a portable bar code reader system for reading complete lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code data carrier, said reader system 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 spaced from said reader unit in front of said window means, said sensing region 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 thereon;
(c) said hand-held bar code reader unit having an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader unit for directing a sheet of light energy toward said bar code sensing region to simultaneously illuminate the complete line of bar code information on 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 for generating a complete bar code signal in accordance with the reflected light energy without requiring any bodily movement of the hand-held 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 of the hand-held bar code reader unit with the bar code information and 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 visible light source for supplying a sheet of visible light to the bar code sensing region such that light from the light source as it impinges 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 a user manually holding the bar code reader unit and such that the simultaneous 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; and
(f) microprocessor means coupled with said actuating means and controlling activating of said visible light source.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an exemplary embodiment, a hand held bar code reader has a handle portion and a reader head portion which may be held spaced from a bar code data carrier during a reading operation. Light energy is directed outwardly through a window so as to illuminate 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 photosensor in the reader unit with a resolution so as to read e.g. bar code formats with a minimum bar or space width of about 0.0075 inch or less. Preferably, the light source is of an electronically triggered instant response type. The bar code image is converged through a generally rectangular optical aperture and is reflected onto the image photosensor by a reflecting mirror positioned relative to the image photosensor by virtue of their common association with a printed circuit board. A total bar code reader system may be conveniently carried by the user during bar code reading operations.
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Citations
74 Claims
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1. In a portable bar code reader system for reading complete lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code data carrier, said reader system comprising:
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(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 spaced from said reader unit in front of said window means, said sensing region 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 thereon; (c) said hand-held bar code reader unit having an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader unit for directing a sheet of light energy toward said bar code sensing region to simultaneously illuminate the complete line of bar code information on 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 for generating a complete bar code signal in accordance with the reflected light energy without requiring any bodily movement of the hand-held 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 of the hand-held bar code reader unit with the bar code information and 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 visible light source for supplying a sheet of visible light to the bar code sensing region such that light from the light source as it impinges 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 a user manually holding the bar code reader unit and such that the simultaneous 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; and (f) microprocessor means coupled with said actuating means and controlling activating of said visible light source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A portable instant bar code reader system for reading complete lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code data carrier, said reader comprising:
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(a) a hand-held bar code reader unit having window means providing a bar code sensing region in front of said window means, said window means being arranged for 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, said reader unit being supported without any contact between the reader unit and the bar code data carrier; (b) photodetector means positioned within said hand-held bar code reader unit for simultaneously sensing light rays reflected through said window means to simultaneously generate a bar code image signal in accordance with the complete line of bar code information in said bar code sensing region; (c) an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader unit comprising a light source for illuminating the complete line of bar code information in said bar code sensing region so as to produce the simultaneously reflected light rays sensed by said photodetector means; (d) microprocessor means for decoding said bar code image signal, said microprocessor means including activating means for activating said light source in response to an actuating signal; and (e) said optical system providing a resolution and depth of focus such that a complete line of bar code information having a curvature can be read by said hand-held bar code reader unit. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A portable instant bar code reader system for reading complete lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code data carrier, said reader system comprising:
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(a) a portable reader unit comprising an optoelectronic system for simultaneously reading a complete line of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code data carrier without relative movement between the portable reader unit as a whole and the bar code information, said reader unit being supported without any contact between the reader unit and the bar code data carrier; (b) said optoelectronic system comprising an illuminator; (c) means for triggering the illuminator at the start of each reading operation; (d) said portable reader unit being positionable in a reading relation to a bar code data carrier having the complete line of bar code information such that said optoelectronic system causes the bar code information to be simultaneously illuminated by a sheet of light from said illuminator when triggered, and responds to light simultaneously reflected from the complete line of bar code information to generate a complete bar code signal; and (e) microprocessor means for decoding said complete bar code signal, said microprocessor means including activating means for activating said illuminator in response to said means for triggering. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A portable bar code reader system for reading complete lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code data carrier, said reader system comprising:
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(a) a hand-held reader unit having window means for transmitting light between the interior and exterior thereof, and having a bar code sensing region external to the window means; (b) a visible light illuminator which directs a sheet of visible light energy through the window means to the bar code sensing region, and which develops a reflected light signal in accordance with the visible light energy from the illuminator which is reflected from a complete line of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code data carrier in said bar code sensing region, said reader unit being supported without any contact between the reader unit and the bar code data carrier; (c) an optoelectronic system for effecting a simultaneous reading of the complete line of bar code information in said bar code sensing region in the assistance of visible light energy from the illuminator, and without requiring any movement of the hand-held reader unit as a whole relative to a bar code carrier carrying said complete line of bar code information, during a reading operation; and (d) microprocessor means for decoding the reflected light signal, said microprocessor means including activating means for triggering said illuminator in response to a manually generated signal. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. In a portable bar code reader system for reading lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier, said reader system comprising:
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(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 spaced from said reader unit in front of said window means, said sensing region simultaneously receiving at least one more-reflective element and at least one less-reflective element, said window means for simultaneously receiving reflections from the more-reflective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region; (c) said hand-held bar code reader unit having an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader for directing a sheet of light energy toward said bar code sensing region to simultaneously illuminate the more-reflective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region, for simultaneously receiving reflected light energy from the more-reflective and less-reflective elements in the bar code sensing region and for generating a bar code signal in accordance with the received reflected light energy without requiring any bodily movement of the hand-held 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 a 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 of the hand-held bar code reader unit with the bar code information and 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 sheet of visible light to the bar code sensing region such that light from the light source as it impinges 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 and such that the illumination of the more-reflective and less-reflective elements by the visible light source is directly observable by the user during a bar code reading operation; and (f) microprocessor means coupled with said actuating means and controlling activating of said visible light source. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A portable instant bar code reader system for reading lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements, said reader system comprising:
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(a) a hand-held bar code reader unit having window means providing a bar code sensing region spaced from said reader unit in front of said window means, said window means being arranged for receiving reflections of light from at least one more-reflective element and at least one less-reflective element disposed in the bar code sensing region; (b) photodetector means positioned within said hand-held bar code reader unit for sensing light rays reflected through said window means, to generate a bar code image signal in accordance with the bar code information in said bar code sensing region; (c) an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader unit comprising a light source providing a sheet of light for simultaneously illuminating the bar code information in said bar code sensing region so as to produce the reflected light rays sensed by said photodetector means; (d) microprocessor means for decoding said bar code image signal, said microprocessor means including activating means for activating said light source in response to an actuating signal; (e) said optical system providing a resolution and depth of focus such that bar code information having a curvature can be read by said hand-held bar code reader unit; and (f) said optical system having a reading capability 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. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A portable non-contact bar code reader system capable of reading bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code data carrier, said system comprising:
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(a) a non-contact hand-held reader unit having window means for transmitting light between the interior and exterior thereof, and having a bar code sensing region external to the window means; (b) a visible light illuminator simultaneously directing a sheet of visible light energy through the window means to the bar code sensing region, and for developing a reflected light signal in accordance with visible light energy from the illuminator which is reflected from at least one more-reflective element and at least one less-reflective element of bar code information disposed in said bar code sensing region; (c) an optoelectronic system for effecting a reading of a complete line of bar code information in said bar code sensing region without contact with the assistance of the sheet of visible light energy from the illuminator, and without requiring any movement of the hand-held reader unit as a whole relative to a bar code carrier carrying said bar code information, during a reading operation; and (d) microprocessor means for decoding the reflected light signal, said microprocessor means including activating means for triggering said visible light illuminator in reponse to a manually generated signal. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. In portable bar code reader system for reading lines of bar code information comprising a plurality of alternating more-reflective and less-reflective elements carried by a bar code carrier, said reader system comprising:
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(a) a hand-held bar code reader unit having a hand grip portion of 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 simultaneously receiving at least one more-reflective element and at least one less-reflective element of bar code information on a bar code data carrier; (c) said hand-held bar code reader unit having an optical system within said hand-held bar code reader unit for directing a sheet of light energy toward said bar code sensing region to simultaneously illuminate the bar code information in the bar code sensing region, for simultaneously receiving reflected light energy from the bar code information in the sensing region and for generating a bar code signal in accordance therewith without requiring any bodily scanning movement of the hand-held bar code reader unit relative to the bar code data carrier or without requiring contact of the reader unit with the 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 free from contact with and in operative relation to the bar code data carrier in said bar code sensing region; (e) said optical system means comprising a visible light source essentially instantaneously responsive to an abrupt current pulse for supplying a sheet of visible light to the bar code sensing region and being constructed such that light from the light source impinging on the bar code information in the bar code sensing region during a bar code reading operation is reflected to the eye of a user manually holding the bar code reader unit in spaced relation to the bar code data carrier, and such that the simultaneous illumination of the bar code information by the visible light source is directly observable by the user during a bar code reader operation; and (f) microprocessor means coupled with said actuating means for receiving an actuating signal initiated by said actuating means and for activating said visible light source. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74)
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Specification