Hand-held instant bar code reader having automatic focus control for operation over a range of distances
First Claim
1. In a bar code reader system, a hand-held bar code reader positionable by hand at varying distances from a bar code to be read and operable for reading bar codes at distances from said reader within a certain operative range, said reader comprising:
- (a) bar code sensor means for generating an output signal in accordance with a bar code image incident thereon;
(b) distance measurement means for automated reading of distances of a bar code from the hand-held bar code reader over a certain measurement range which exceeds said certain operative range for reading of bar codes;
(c) reading distance adaptation means for automatically adapting the reader to the reading of a bar code at varying distances therefrom with the said operative range by causing an image of the bar code to be substantially focused at the image sensor means;
(d) enabling means for enabling a bar code reading operation, and control means coupled with said enabling means and said distance measuring means and operative in response to enabling of a bar code reading operation by said enabling means and in response to reading by said distance measurement means of distances within said operative range for automatically controlling the reading distance adaptation means during movement of the reader relative to a bar code within said operative range to tend to establish and maintain a focused bar code image at the image sensor means; and
(e) said reading distance adaptation means including optical path means providing a plurality of selectable paths to said image sensor means of different effective focal lengths.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hand-held bar code reader includes one or more photosensor arrays which provide a plurality of image sensor portions arranged for receiving images of a bar code through a plurality of selectively usable paths of 5 different focal lengths which are defined by a passive optical system. A distance measuring system controls the sensor portion which is used to control the focal length. In one embodiment, the bar code image is projected to a plurality of receiving mirror surfaces, thence to a plurality of additional mirror surfaces and thence through lens barrels to mirrors which project the 10 images to photosensor arrays. In another, the bar code image is projected to a plurality of receiving mirror surfaces, thence to an additional mirror surface, and thence through a single lens barrel to a mirror which projects the images to a photosensor array.
-
Citations
45 Claims
-
1. In a bar code reader system, a hand-held bar code reader positionable by hand at varying distances from a bar code to be read and operable for reading bar codes at distances from said reader within a certain operative range, said reader comprising:
-
(a) bar code sensor means for generating an output signal in accordance with a bar code image incident thereon; (b) distance measurement means for automated reading of distances of a bar code from the hand-held bar code reader over a certain measurement range which exceeds said certain operative range for reading of bar codes; (c) reading distance adaptation means for automatically adapting the reader to the reading of a bar code at varying distances therefrom with the said operative range by causing an image of the bar code to be substantially focused at the image sensor means; (d) enabling means for enabling a bar code reading operation, and control means coupled with said enabling means and said distance measuring means and operative in response to enabling of a bar code reading operation by said enabling means and in response to reading by said distance measurement means of distances within said operative range for automatically controlling the reading distance adaptation means during movement of the reader relative to a bar code within said operative range to tend to establish and maintain a focused bar code image at the image sensor means; and (e) said reading distance adaptation means including optical path means providing a plurality of selectable paths to said image sensor means of different effective focal lengths. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. In an optically readable information set reader system, a hand-held bar code reader positionable by hand at varying distances from an information set to be read and operable in a stationary position relative to an information set positioned at a distance from said reader within a certain operative range, said reader comprising:
-
(a) a plurality of optically readable information set sensors for generating at least one output signal in accordance with an information set image incident thereon, and a reading distance adapter for adapting the reader to reading an information set at varying distances therefrom by causing an image of the information set to be substantially focused at the image sensor, said reading distance adapter including an optical path generator for providing a plurality of selectively usable paths; and (b) a path use controller for selecting the corresponding one of said selectively usable paths which provides the focal length most closely approximating the effective optical distance to an information set to be read. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. In an optically readable information set reader system, a user supported information set reader positionable by a user at varying distances from an information set to be read and operable in a stationary position relative to an information set positioned at a distance from said reader within a certain operative range, said reader comprising:
-
(a) an optically readable information set sensor for generating an output signal in accordance with an information set image incident thereon, and a reading distance adapter for automatically adapting the reader to the reading of an information set at varying distances therefrom by causing an image of the information set to be substantially focused at the image sensor, said image sensor including a plurality of portions and said reading distance adapter including a passive optical path generator providing a plurality of selectively usable paths to said plurality of portions of said image sensor of different effective focal lengths; and (b) path use control means for effecting use of the portion of said image sensor and the corresponding one of said selectively usable paths which provides the focal length most closely approximating the effective optical distance to an information set to be read. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
-
-
29. In an optically readable information set reader system, a user supported information set reader positionable by a user at varying distances from an information set to be read and operable for reading information sets at distances from said reader within a certain operative range, said reader comprising:
-
(a) a plurality of optically readable information set sensors for generating an output signal in accordance with an information set image incident thereon; (b) a reading distance adapter for automatically adapting the reader to the reading of an information set at varying distances therefrom; (c) a computer for enabling an information set reading operation; (d) a controller operable by said computer for controlling the operation of said reading distance adapter such that optically readable information sets may be read by said reader over a range of distances from said reader; and (e) said controller being automatically operable to repeatedly actuate said reading distance adaption means as the reader is moved toward an optically readable information set. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. In an optically readable information set reader system, a user supported information set reader positionable by a user at varying distances from an information set to be read and operable for reading information sets at distances from said reader within a certain operative range, said reader comprising:
-
(a) a plurality of optically readable information set sensors for generating an output signal in accordance with an information set image incident thereon; (b) a computer for enabling an information set reading operation; and (c) a memory associated with said computer for storing at least a portion of the output signal generated by said sensor during a reading operation and said memory in association with said computer for assembling a first portion of an output signal generated by said sensor during a reading operation with a second portion of the output signal generated by said sensor during a reading operation. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
-
Specification