Automatic hand-supportable laser bar code symbol scanning device and method of scanning bar codes using same
DCFirst Claim
1. A bar code symbol reading system having a bar code symbol detection mode of operation and a bar code symbol reading mode of operation, said bar code symbol reading system comprising:
- a housing having a light transmission aperture through which visible light can exit and enter said housing;
system activation means disposed in said housing for producing an activation signal indicative of an object located within at least a portion of a scan field definable external to said housing;
a laser beam source in said housing for producing a visible laser beam within said housing;
laser beam directing means in said housing, for directing said visible laser beam through said light transmission aperture and into said housing;
a scanning mechanism in said housing for scanning said visible laser beam across said scan field and a bar code symbol on said object in response to production of said activation signal, said scanned visible laser beam flickering in said scan field at a rate in the range from about 0.5 Hz to about 16 Hz so as to improve the visual conspicuousness of said visible laser beam in said scan field during the bar code symbol detection mode of operation;
light detection means in said housing, for detecting the intensity of laser light reflected off said bar code symbol, and for automatically producing scan data indicative of the detected intensity of said reflected laser light;
scan data processing means for processing produced scan data so as to detect and decode said scanned bar code symbol, and upon detecting and decoding said scanned bar code symbol, automatically producing symbol character data representative of said detected and decoded bar code symbol; and
control means for controlling the operation of said bar code symbol reading system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bar code symbol reading system includes an apertured housing through which visible light produced by a laser beam in the housing can exit and enter. A scanning mechanism in the housing scans the laser beam across a scan field and a bar code symbol on an object located in the scan field in response to an activation symbol. Laser light reflected from the bar code symbol is directed in the housing to produce scan data representative of the reflected laser light. That data is processed to detect and decode the scanned bar code signal and to produce symbol character data that is representative of the detected and decoded bar code symbol.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A bar code symbol reading system having a bar code symbol detection mode of operation and a bar code symbol reading mode of operation, said bar code symbol reading system comprising:
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a housing having a light transmission aperture through which visible light can exit and enter said housing; system activation means disposed in said housing for producing an activation signal indicative of an object located within at least a portion of a scan field definable external to said housing; a laser beam source in said housing for producing a visible laser beam within said housing; laser beam directing means in said housing, for directing said visible laser beam through said light transmission aperture and into said housing; a scanning mechanism in said housing for scanning said visible laser beam across said scan field and a bar code symbol on said object in response to production of said activation signal, said scanned visible laser beam flickering in said scan field at a rate in the range from about 0.5 Hz to about 16 Hz so as to improve the visual conspicuousness of said visible laser beam in said scan field during the bar code symbol detection mode of operation; light detection means in said housing, for detecting the intensity of laser light reflected off said bar code symbol, and for automatically producing scan data indicative of the detected intensity of said reflected laser light; scan data processing means for processing produced scan data so as to detect and decode said scanned bar code symbol, and upon detecting and decoding said scanned bar code symbol, automatically producing symbol character data representative of said detected and decoded bar code symbol; and control means for controlling the operation of said bar code symbol reading system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of reading bar code symbols using a laser scanning unit having a bar code detection mode of operation and a bar code symbol reading mode of operation said method comprising the steps;
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(a) bringing an object in a non-contacting relationship with said laser scanning unit so that said object is located within at least a portion of a scan field definable external to said laser scanning unit; (b) generating an activation signal indicative of the presence of said object located in at least a portion of said scan field; (c) in response to the generation of said activation signal during step (b) and automatically entering said bar code symbol detection mode of operation; (1) automatically producing from said laser scanning unit, a visible laser beam which (i) is scanned across said scan field and a bar code symbol on said object, and (ii) flickers in said scan field at a rate in the range from about 0.5 Hz to about 16 Hz so as to improve the visual conspicuousness of said visible laser beam in said scan field during said bar code symbol detection mode; (2) at said laser scanning unit, automatically detecting at said laser scanning unit, the intensity of laser light reflected off said scanned bar code symbol, and automatically producing scan data indicative of the detected intensity of said reflected laser light, and (3) automatically processing produced scan data in order to detect said scanned bar code symbol on said object; (d) upon detecting said scanned bar code symbol, automatically entering said bar code symbol reading mode of operation, and continuing to produce scan data indicative of the detected intensity of laser light reflected of said detected bar code symbol, and automatically processing produced scan data in order to decode said detected bar code symbol on said object, and (e) upon decoding said detected bar code symbol, automatically producing symbol character data representative of said detected and decoded bar code symbol. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A bar code symbol reading system for use by a user endowed with a human vision system having a critical flicker frequency, said bar code symbol reading system having a bar code symbol detection mode of operation and a bar code symbol reading mode of operation, said bar code symbol reading system comprising:
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a housing having a light transmission aperture through which visible light can exit and enter said housing; system activation means in said housing for producing an activation signal indicative of the presence of an object within at least a portion of a scan field definable external to said housing; laser beam source in said housing for producing a visible laser beam within said housing; laser beam directing means in said housing, for directing said visible laser beam through said light transmission aperture and into said scan field; a scanning mechanism in said housing for scanning said visible laser beam across said scan field and a bar code symbol on said object, during said bar code symbol detection mode and said bar code symbol reading mode, said scanned visible laser beam flickering in said scan field during said bar code symbol detection mode, at a rate below the critical flicker frequency of the user'"'"'s human visual system so as to improve the visual conspicuousness of said visible laser beam in said scan field during said bar code symbol detection mode of operation; light detection means in said housing, for detecting the intensity of laser light reflected off said scanned bar code symbol, and for automatically producing scan data indicative of the detected intensity of said reflected laser light; scan data processing means for processing produced scan data during said bar code symbol detection mode and said bar code symbol reading mode, so as to detect and decode said scanned bar code symbol on said detected object, and upon detecting and decoding said scanned bar code symbol, automatically producing symbol character data representative of said detected and decoded bar code symbol; and control means for controlling the operation of said bar code symbol reading system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of reading bar code symbols using a laser scanning unit having a bar code symbol detection mode, said method comprising the steps:
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(a) bringing an object in a non-contacting relationship with said laser scanning unit so that said object is located within at least a portion of a scan field definable external to said laser scanning unit; (b) generating an activation signal indicative of the presence of said object in at least a portion of said scan field and inducing said laser scanning unit into said bar code symbol detection mode; (c) in response to the generation of said activation signal during step (b), (1) automatically producing from said laser scanning unit, a visible laser beam which is scanned across said scan field and a bar code symbol on said object, and said scanned visible laser beam flickers in said scan field at a rate less than the critical flicker frequency of a user'"'"'s human visual system, so as to improve the visual conspicuousness of said visible laser beam in said scan field; (2) at said laser scanning unit automatically detecting the intensity of laser light reflected off said bar code symbol, and automatically producing scan data indicative of the detected intensity of said reflected laser light, and (3) automatically processing produced scan data in order to detect and decode said scanned bar code symbol; and (d) upon detecting and decoding said bar code symbol, automatically producing symbol character data representative of said detected and decoded bar code symbol.
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Specification