×

Method and apparatus for automatically reading bar code symbols

  • US 5,886,337 A
  • Filed: 06/07/1996
  • Issued: 03/23/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An automatic bar code symbol reading system, comprising:

  • a hand-supportable housing having a light transmission aperture through which visible light can exit and enter into said hand-supportable housing;

    object detection means in said hand-supportable housing, for detecting an object located in a scan field defined external to said hand-supportable housing, and automatically generating an activation signal in response to the detection of said object;

    activatable scan data producing means in said hand-supportable housing, for producing scan data from a detected object located in said scan field, said scan data producing means including,laser beam producing means for producing a visible laser beam, and directing said visible laser beam through said light transmission aperture and into said scan field,laser beam scanning means for scanning said visible laser beam across said scan field and a bar code symbol on said detected object, andlaser light detecting means for detecting an intensity of laser light reflected off said bar code symbol as said visible laser beam is scanned across said scan field and said bar code symbol, and automatically producing scan data indicative of said detected intensity;

    activatable scan data processing means for processing produced scan data so as to decode said scanned bar code symbol on said detected object, and automatically producing symbol character data representative of said decoded bar code symbol; and

    control means for controlling the operation of said automatic bar code symbol reading system, said control means includingmeans for automatically activating said activatable scan data producing means and said activatable scan data processing means for up to a predetermined time period in response to the generation of said activation signal, andmeans for automatically deactivating said activatable scan data producing means and said activatable scan data processing means in response to the failure of said scan data processing means to decode said scanned bar code symbol on said detected object within said predetermined time period.

View all claims
  • 6 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×