Hand-held optically readable character set reader having automatic focus control for operating over a range of distances

• US 5,837,987 A
• Filed: 11/19/1996
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Norand Technology Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Danielson, Arvin D., Hanson, George E., Miller, Phillip, Koenck, Steven E., Durbin, Dennis A., White, Jonathan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US08/751,382
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/472, 235/469, 235/470, 235/454, 250/568
• US Class Current: 235/462.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1013 Multi-focal
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1018 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10574 Multiple sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10613 by rotation, e.g. polygon
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10633 by oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/062 for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/245 in the focal plane of a focussing device

Abstract

A hand-held optically readable information set reader having one or more photosensor arrays, at least one information set illuminator, and an information set image transfer system for projecting a readable image of an information set onto the one or more photosensor arrays.

Claims

1. A hand-held optical indicia reader operational at a plurality of distances from optical indicia to be read, said reader comprising:

(a) an indicia sensor capable of outputting a signal in response to sensed optical indicia;

(b) a distance measurement device to determine the distance of the optical indicia from said reader; and

(c) an adjustment system to configure said reader to read the optical indicia at the distance determined by said distance measurement device.

2. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 1, wherein said indicia sensor includes at least one photosensitive array.

3. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 2, wherein said at least one photosensitive array comprises a Charged Coupled Device ("CCD").

4. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 1, wherein said distance measurement device comprises pulse emitting and receiving apparatus adapted to emit a pulse along an axis substantially aligned with a central plane of said optical indicia reader and wherein the time of arrival of said pulse reflected from said optical indicia provides a measure of reading distance.

5. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 4, wherein said pulse emitting and receiving apparatus comprises an ultrasonic transducer adapted to emit an ultrasonic pulse.

6. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 4, wherein said pulse emitting and receiving apparatus comprises an infrared distance measurement sensor.

7. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 1, wherein said adjustment system comprises an adjustable lens system responsive to said distance measurement device.

8. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 1, further comprising a marker beam projection apparatus adapted to project a marker beam to facilitate aiming of said optical indicia reader.

9. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 1 further comprising a flashable illuminator for producing a reflected image of the optical indicia for reading by said indicia sensor.

10. A hand-held optical indicia reader operational at a plurality of distances from optical indicia to be read, said reader comprising:

(a) an indicia sensor capable of outputting a signal in response to sensed optical indicia;

(b) a distance measurement device to determine the distance of the optical indicia from said reader;

(c) an adjustment system to adjust said reader so that it is capable of reading optical indicia located at any of a plurality of distances from said reader; and

(d) a controller to configure said adjustment system to read optical indicia located at the distance determined by said distance measurement device.

11. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 10, wherein said indicia sensor includes at least one photosensitive array.

12. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 11, wherein said at least one photosensitive array comprises a Charged Coupled Device ("CCD").

13. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 10, wherein said distance measurement device comprises pulse emitting and receiving apparatus adapted to emit a pulse along an axis aligned with a central plane of said optical indicia reader and wherein a time of arrival of said pulse reflected from said optical indicia provides a measure of reading distance.

14. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 13, wherein said pulse emitting and receiving apparatus comprises an ultrasonic transducer adapted to emit an ultrasonic pulse.

15. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 13, wherein said pulse emitting and receiving apparatus comprises an infrared distance measurement sensor.

16. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 10, wherein said adjustment system comprises an adjustable lens system responsive to said distance measurement device.

17. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 10, further comprising a marker beam projection apparatus adapted to project a marker beam to facilitate aiming of said optical indicia reader.

18. The hand-held optical indicia reader of claim 10 further comprising a flashable illuminator for producing a reflected image of the optical indicia for reading by said indicia sensor.

19. A method for reading optical indicia located at any of a plurality of distances from a hand-held optical indicia reader having an indicia sensor, a distance measurement device and a reading system, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) measuring the distance between the reader and the optical indicia to be read;

(b) communicating the distance to a controller;

(c) determining the appropriate operation of the reading system based on the distance communicated; and

(d) operating the reading system to read the optical indicia located at the distance measured.