Countertop projection laser scanning system for omnidirectional scanning volume projected above a countertop surface of code symbols within a narrowly-confined scanning

• US 6,098,885 A
• Filed: 10/03/1997
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Naylor, Charles A., Knowles, Carl Harry, Bubnoski, David Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRECH, KARL D
• Application Number:
  US08/943,267
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/467, 235/462.4, 235/462.36, 250/236, 359/226
• US Class Current: 235/462.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/046 Arrangement of recording means in or on check-out counters record carriers or readers per se G06K
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/047 for recording self-service articles without cashier or assistant
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/106 having diffraction gratings as scanning elements, e.g. holographic scanners holographic optical elements G02B5/32, holography G03H
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious 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 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10564 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10603 Basic scanning using moving elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10663 using hologram
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10673 Parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10792 Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10801 Multidistance reading
• 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 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 : constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 : the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 : adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 : with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader

Abstract

A bar code scanner for stationary disposition at a counter to projecting a scanning pattern comprising first, second, third, fourth and fifth groups of parallel scan lines within a relatively narrow, yet diverging, volume, e.g., pyramid, cone, etc., centered about a projection axis. The scanner includes a compact housing mounted on an adjustible base. The housing includes a window, five stationary mirrors, a laser diode, a rotating reflective polygon for sweeping the laser beam from the diode across the mirrors and out a window so that the projection axis is substantially but not precisely perpendicular to the window. The scanner also includes a fixed curved collecting mirror and a concentrating lens to focus light which is reflected off of a bar code to a photodetector. One mirror extends along an axis parallel to the transverse axis to produce the first group of scan lines. The second and third mirrors are disposed opposite each other close to and laterally of the polygon and extending along respective axes at a small acute angle, e.g., 8 degrees, to the longitudinal axis to produce respective ones of the second and third group of scan lines. The fourth and fifth mirrors are disposed between the second and third reflecting mirrors, respectively, and each extends along a respective axis at a substantial acute angle, e.g., 48 degrees, to the longitudinal axis to produce respective ones of the fourth and fifth group of scan lines.

Claims

1. A counter-top projection laser scanner for producing a scanning volume for scanning code symbols presented therein, said counter-top projection laser scanner comprising:

a housing of compact construction having a light transmission window through which laser light can exit said compact housing, travel towards an object bearing a code symbol and reflect therefrom, and at least a portion of said reflected laser light travel back through said light transmission window and enter said housing;

an optical bench mounted in said housing and extending along a central reference axis; and

scan data producing means in said compact housing and having subcomponents arranged about said central reference axis, for producing scan data from said code symbol on said object located in at least a portion of a narrowly-confined scanning volume, said scan data producing means including;

laser beam generating means for generating a visible laser beam,

means mounted to said optical bench for directing said visible laser beam through said light transmission aperture and into said narrowly confined scanning volume,

laser beam scanning means for scanning said visible laser beam through said narrowly-confined scanning volume and across said code symbol on said object,

laser light detecting means for detecting the intensity of laser light reflected off said code symbol and passing through said light transmission aperture as said visible laser beam is scanned across said narrowly-confined scanning volume and said code symbol on said object,

means for automatically producing scan data indicative of said detected intensity,

signal processing means disposed within said housing for processing an electrical signal and producing scan data representative of a scanned code symbol, and

control means within said housing for controlling the operation of said counter-top projection laser scanner so that, during scanner operation, the laser beam produced from said laser beam producing means is swept across said narrowly-confined scanning volume so as to produce a highly collimated, projected omnidirectional scanning pattern confined within said narrowly-confined scanning volume, and disposed about a projection axis extending from adjacent said light transmission window to at least about six inches therefrom, while preventing unintentional scanning of code symbols on objects located outside of said narrowly confined scanning volume,

said housing being supportable relative to a counter-top surface so that during scanner operation said highly collimated omnidirectional scanning pattern is projected above said counter-top surface within said narrowly-confined scanning volume, and

when a code symbol is presented within said narrowly-confined scanning volume,

(i) the code symbol is scanned omnidirectionally by said highly collimated omnidirectional scanning pattern, and

(ii) at least a portion of the laser light reflected from said scanned code symbols is directed through said laser light transmission window and received by said light detecting means for detection, and said electrical signal is produced for processing by said signal processing means.

2. The counter-top projection laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said signal processing mean further comprises data processing means for decode processing said scan data and producing data representative of said scanned code symbol.

3. The counter-top projection laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said laser beam producing means comprises a laser diode.

4. The counter-top projection laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said scan data producing means comprises first, second, third and fourth stationary light reflective surfaces for directing said visible laser beam through said light transmission aperture and into said scanning volume.

5. The counter-top projection laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said optical bench comprises a planar support structure upon which said first, second, third, and fourth stationary light reflective surfaces are mounted.

6. The counter-top projection laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said housing has a height dimension of less than about 6.5 inches, a width dimension of less than about 6.5 inches, and a thickness dimension of less than about 3.0 inches.

7. The counter-top projection laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said omnidirectional scanning pattern is oriented laterally outward above said countertop surface at a point of sale station.

8. The counter-top projection laser scanner of claim 1, which further comprises support means for selectively supporting said optical bench in any on of a plurality of positions above said countertop surface so that said omnidirectional scanning pattern is projected about said projection axis above said countertop surface in any one of a plurality of orientations corresponding to said plurality of positions.

9. The counter-top projection laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said light receiving means comprises a photodetector.

10. The counter-top projection laser scanner of claim 9, wherein said photodetector is disposed at a height above said laser beam scanning means.

11. The counter-top projection laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said code symbol is a bar code symbol.