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

• US 6,138,915 A
• Filed: 11/13/1998
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Danielson, Arvin D., Durbin, Dennis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/192,033
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.2, 235/462.21, 235/462.22, 235/462.23, 235/462.24, 235/462.25, 235/462.45, 235/472.01, 235/472.02
• US Class Current: 235/472.02
• 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

An indicia reader operable over a broad range of distances and a method for reading indicia therewith. The indicia reader having a sensor and a distance determining device. The indicia reader being capable of configuring itself to read indicia at the determined distance. The indicia reader can have an aiming aid, communications capability, a keyboard, a motor, an actuator, an intensity sensor as well as audio and visual signaling components. The method of using involves the steps of determining distance and configuring the device to read. Other steps can include aiming, reading, decoding, automatic termination, communicating, signaling and automatic reinitiation.

Claims

1. A hand-held indicia reader, comprising;

A) an indicia sensor;

B) a distance measurement component; and

C) a reader adjustment system;

wherein said reader adjustment system configures the reader to read indicia at the distance determined by said distance measurement component.

2. The hand-held indicia reader according to claim 1, further comprising a keyboard.

3. A hand-held imaging device operable over a range of distances, comprising:

a) an image capture system capable of capturing and digitizing an image;

b) a first distance determiner determining distance from the hand-held imaging device to an item to be imaged; and

c) an adjuster system;

wherein said adjuster system automatically adapts the hand-held imaging device to capture an image based on determined distance.

4. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, wherein said adjuster system adjusts a lens system of the hand-held indicia imaging device based on distance determined by said first distance determiner.

6. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising a user interface.

7. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the hand-held imaging device comprises a second distance determiner.

8. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising an actuator.

9. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, wherein said image capture system comprises a charge coupled device.

10. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, wherein said first distance determiner comprises an ultrasonic transducer.

11. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, wherein said first distance determiner comprises an infrared distance determiner.

12. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, wherein said adjuster system comprises an adjustment motor.

13. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising an audible status indicator.

14. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising a visual status indicator.

15. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising a status indicator indicating whether an image to be captured is outside the hand-held imaging device'"'"'s operative range.

16. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, wherein said adjuster system is disabled when an image to be captured is determined to be outside the hand-held imaging device'"'"'s operative range.

17. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising an indicia decoder component.

18. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising a display providing information on image capture operations.

19. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising a field of view marking system.

20. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 19, wherein said field of view marking system directs visible light to indicate a boundary of the field of view.

21. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, wherein said adjuster system adapts the hand-held imaging device to read at various distances without manipulating movable components.

22. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 21, wherein said adjuster system comprises multiple optical image paths.

23. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, wherein said image capture system comprises a photosensitive array.

24. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 23, further comprising an intensity sensor.

25. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising a communication component.

26. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 25, wherein said communication component comprises a radio frequency transceiver.

27. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 25, wherein the hand-held imaging device communicates with a remotely located device via said communication component.

28. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 3, further comprising an electromagnetic energy generator directing electromagnetic energy toward an image to be captured.

29. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 28, wherein the hand-held imaging device comprises more than one electromagnetic generator.

30. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 29, wherein said electromagnetic energy generator comprises a light energy generator.

31. The hand-held imaging device according to claim 30, wherein said light energy generator comprises a flashable illuminator.

5. A method of capturing an image located at a distance from a hand-held imaging device, the hand-held imaging device comprising a distance determiner, said method comprising the steps of:

a) determining distance between the hand-held imaging device and an image to be captured; and

b) automatically configuring the hand-held imaging device to capture an image located at the determined distance.

32. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of automatically configuring is not performed if the determined distance is not within the hand-held imaging device'"'"'s operation range.

33. The method according to claim 5, wherein the hand-held imaging device comprises an image capture system capable of digitizing a captured image.

34. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of aiming the hand-held imaging device toward an image to be captured prior to the step of determining distance.

35. The method according to claim 34, further comprising the step of activating an aiming aid prior to the step of aiming.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein said aiming aid also provides field of view information.

37. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of directing electromagnetic energy toward an image to be captured after the step of automatically configuring.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein light is directed toward an image to be captured.

39. The method according to claim 37, further comprising the step of automatically terminating the step of directing electromagnetic energy toward an image to be captured after determining that a sufficient representation of the image has been captured.

40. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of capturing and digitizing a first image located at the determined distance after the step of automatically configuring.

41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of automatically terminating the capturing step after determining that a sufficient representation has been obtained.

42. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of indicating a successful image capture to a user after the step of capturing.

43. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of indicating an unsuccessful image capture to a user after the step of capturing.

44. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of automatically reinitiating the method of capturing an image.

45. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of transmitting a captured image to a remote device.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the step of transmitting is accomplished by radio frequency transmission.

47. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of decoding a captured image after the step of capturing.

48. The method according to claim 47, further comprising the step of transmitting a decoded captured image to a remote device after the step of decoding.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the step of transmitting is accomplished by radio frequency transmission.

50. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of automatically capturing a second image after said step of capturing.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein said step of automatically capturing automatically captures a different area than was captured for the first image.

52. The method according to claim 50, wherein said step of automatically capturing is accompanied by an automatic illumination of the second image to be captured.

53. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of automatically successively capturing a plurality of images after said step of capturing.

54. The method according to claim 50, further comprising the step of automatically successively illuminating, at time of capture, each image to be captured.

55. The method according to claim 53, wherein said step of automatically successively capturing is manually initiated by an operator of the hand-held imaging device.