Integrated code reading systems including tunnel scanners

• US 6,330,973 B1
• Filed: 05/06/1999
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Boriotti, Joseph, Bridgelall, Raj, Barkan, Edward, Gurevich, Vladimir, Sanders, Robert, Dvorkis, Paul, Shepard, Howard, Krichever, Mark, Breytman, Alexander, Maiman, Mitch
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US09/305,463
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/472.01, 235/462.01, 235/375, 235/470, 235/462.45, 235/462.43
• US Class Current: 235/462.45
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10534 Scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1013 Multi-focal
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1016 Motor control or optical moving unit control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1018 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10564 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10633 by oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10643 Activating means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10653 using flexible or piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10673 Parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• 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 7/1096 the scanner having more than one scanning window, e.g. two substantially orthogonally placed scanning windows for integration into a check-out counter of a super-market
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 : the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 : using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1465 : using several successive scans of the optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1478 : adapting the threshold for pixels in a CMOS or CCD pixel sensor for black and white recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1491 : the method including a reconstruction step, e.g. stitching two pieces of bar code together to derive the full bar code

Abstract

The invention relates to systems and techniques for reading optical codes, and more particularly to code reading systems with plural imaging or scanning modules pointed in various directions toward a target volume, which increase the likelihood that a code symbol on an arbitrarily oriented object in the target volume will be read. Other aspects of the invention relate to use and configuration of hand held readers, docking devices, operator side rails, arched tunnels and mirrors for increasing the coverage of the system, Additional aspects of the invention relate to components associated with point of sale installations or code reading terminals including integrated scales, input pads, system controls and displays.

Claims

1. An optical scanning station for use by an operator in reading optical code symbols on target objects comprising a horizontal surface for supporting target objects;

a housing including a portion on a side of the horizontal surface nearest to the operator and extending above the plane of the horizontal surface, the portion of the housing containing at least a first optical code reading module for reading optical codes on sides of the target objects including a side generally facing the operator;

a horizontal window in said horizontal surface;

at least a second optical code reading module located underneath the horizontal window for reading optical code on at least the underside of target objects located on the horizontal window; and

wherein the raised portion of the housing is a side rail which rises no more than about two inches above the plane of the horizontal surface and wherein the first optical code reading module is positioned a distance away from the edge of the horizontal window nearest the side rail, said distance being selected to permit the field of view of the first module to project upwardly to a sufficient degree to include symbols on the sides of target objects facing the operator and located above the edge of the horizontal window nearest the operator.

2. The optical scanning station of claim 1, further comprising a third optical code reading module located in said housing portion, which third module together with the first module have fields of view which include, respectively, upper and lower areas on the sides of target objects facing the operator and located above the edge of the horizontal window nearest the operator.

3. The optical scanning station of claim 2, further comprising

a fourth code reading module with a field of view angled in a direction toward a leading edge of the target object; and

a fifth code reading module with a field of view angled in a direction toward a trailing edge of the target object.

4. An optical scanning station for use by an operator in reading optical code symbols on target objects comprising a horizontal surface for supporting target objects;

and

a housing including a portion on a side of the horizontal surface nearest to the operator and extending above the plane of the horizontal surface, the portion of the housing containing at least a first optical code reading module for reading optical codes on sides of the target objects including a side generally facing the operator, and the housing includes a data input device and display.

5. An optical scanning station for use by an operator in reading optical code symbols on target objects comprising a horizontal surface for supporting target objects;

a housing including a portion on a side of the horizontal surface nearest to the operator and extending above the plane of the horizontal surface, the portion of the housing containing at least a first optical code reading module for reading optical codes on sides of the target objects including a side generally facing the operator; and

a movable optical code reading module capable of hand-guided aiming and operation and a holding member for selectively holding the movable optical code reading module in a position to read optical codes on target objects located on the horizontal surface.