Method of and system for automatically identifying packages during package transport operations carried out by a human operator walking through the doorway of a storage container

• US 6,422,466 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Dickson, LeRoy, Amundsen, Thomas, Knowles, Carl Harry, Groot, John
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/479,435
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462-1-4, 382/50, 382/68, 382/69
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• 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 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 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• 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 2207/1017 Programmable
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1018 Source control
• 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: G07F 9/002 : Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 : with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles

Abstract

A method of and system for automatically identifying packages during package transport operations carried out by a human operator walking through the doorway of a storage container parked up to a loading dock, wherein a laser scanning system is supported above the doorway defining a passageway of 3-D spatial extent, through which a human operator may walk while manually transporting packages bearing bar code symbols. In the illustrative embodiment, the laser scanning system includes a housing having a light transmission aperture, and a laser scanning pattern generator disposed within the housing. During operation of the system, the laser scanning pattern generator employs a holographic scanning disc to project through the light transmission aperture, an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern which is substantially confined within the spatial extent of a predefined 3-D scanning volume that spatially encompasses a substantial portion of the passageway. As each package bearing a bar code symbol is transported through the doorway as the human operator walks through the doorway, the package is automatically identified by the laser scanning system supported above the doorway. By virtue of the present invention, a bar coded package can now be automatically identified as a human operator holding the package walks through the doorway of a storage container, thus improving inventory control accuracy and worker productivity.

Claims

1. A method of automatically identifying packages during package transport operations carried out through a doorway of a storage container, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) supporting a holographic laser scanning system above a doorway of a storage container, said doorway defining a passageway of 3-D spatial extent through which a human operator may walk while manually transporting packages bearing bar code symbols through said doorway,

said holographic laser scanning system including a housing having a light transmission aperture, and a laser scanning pattern generator disposed within said housing,

said laser scanning pattern generator including

(i) a plurality of laser beam sources for producing a plurality of laser beams,

(ii) a holographic scanning disc, rotatable about an axis of rotation, and supporting a plurality of holographic optical elements for scanning and focusing said plurality of laser beams so as to produce a plurality of laser scanning planes,

(iii) a plurality of beam folding mirrors disposed about said holographic scanning disc, for folding said plurality of laser scanning planes so as to project an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern through said light transmission aperture and substantially confined within a predefined 3-D scanning volume external to said housing,

(iv) a plurality of light focusing elements disposed beneath said holographic scanning disc, each said light focusing element focusing towards a focal point above said holographic scanning disc, light rays reflected off said scanned bar code symbol and collected by said holographic optical elements, and

(v) a plurality of photodetectors, each said photodetector being proximately disposed at one said focal point above said holographic scanning disc, and being radially aligned with the optical axis of one said light focusing element, for directly detecting the intensity of focused light rays retransmitted through said holographic optical elements as said holographic scanning disc rotates, and generating a scan data signal for subsequent processing and conversion into symbol character data;

(b) arranging said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern so that said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern spatially encompasses a substantial portion of said passageway of 3-D spatial extent; and

(c) transporting a package bearing a bar code symbol through said doorway as said human operator walks through said doorway so that said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern automatically reads the bar code symbol on said package, and said holographic laser scanning system automatically produces symbol character data representative of said read bar code symbol and the identity of said package.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises projecting said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern from said laser scanning pattern generator,

wherein said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern further comprises a plurality of focal planes definable relative to said housing, and said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern consists of a plurality of laser scanning planes intersecting each said focal plane for repeatedly scanning the bar code symbol on said package as said package is transported through said predefined 3-D scanning volume.

3. The method of claim 1, where in step (a), said light focusing element is realized as a parabolic mirror element.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said plurality of laser beam sources comprises a plurality of visible laser diodes.

5. A system for automatically identifying packages during package operations carried out through a doorway of a storage container, said system comprising:

a holographic laser scanning system; and

a support device for supporting said holographic laser scanning system above a doorway of a storage container, said doorway defining a passageway of 3-D spatial extent through which a human operator may walk while manually transporting packages bearing bar code symbols,

said holographic laser scanning system including a housing having a light transmission aperture, and a laser scanning pattern generator disposed within said housing,

said laser scanning pattern generator including

(i) a plurality of lasers beam sources for producing a plurality of laser beams,

(ii) a holographic scanning disc, rotatable about an axis of rotation, and supporting a plurality of holographic optical elements for scanning and focusing said plurality of laser beams so as to produce a plurality of laser scanning planes,

(iii) a plurality of beam folding mirrors disposed about said holographic scanning disc, for folding said plurality of laser scanning planes so as to protect an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern through said light transmission aperture and substantially confined within the spatial extent of a predefined 3-D scanning volume,

(iv) a plurality of light focusing elements disposed beneath said holographic scanning disc, each said light focusing element focusing towards a focal point above said holographic scanning disc, light rays reflected off said scanned bar code symbol and collected by said holographic optical elements, and

(v) a plurality of photodetectors, each said photodetector being proximately disposed at one said focal point above said holographic scanning disc, and being radially aligned with the optical axis of one said light focusing element, for directly detecting the intensity of focused light rays retransmitted through said holographic optical elements as said holographic scanning disc rotates, and generating a scan data signal for subsequent processing and conversion into symbol character data;

wherein said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern spatially encompasses a substantial portion of said passageway, so that when a package bearing a bar code symbol is transported through said passageway, said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern automatically reads the bar code symbol on said package, and said holographic laser scanning system automatically produces symbol character data representative of said read bar code symbol and the identity of said package.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern further comprises a plurality of focal planes definable relative to said housing, and said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern consists of a plurality of laser scanning planes intersecting each said focal plane for repeatedly scanning the bar code symbol on said package as said package is transported through said predefined 3-D scanning volume.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein each said light focusing element is realized as a parabolic mirror element.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said plurality of laser beam sources comprises a plurality of visible laser diodes.

9. A method of automatically identifying packages during package transport operations carried out through a doorway of a storage container, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) supporting a holographic laser scanning system above a doorway of a storage container, said doorway defining a passageway of 3-D spatial extent through which a human operator may walk while manually transporting packages bearing bar code symbols through said doorway,

said holographic laser scanning system including

(i) a housing having a light transmission aperture,

(ii) a laser scanning mechanism disposed within said housing, and including a holographic scanning disc for producing an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern substantially confined within a predefined 3-D scanning volume external to said housing, for optically scanning a bar code symbol on a package transported through said doorway, and collecting laser light reflected off said scanned bar code symbol, and one or more photodetectors for detecting the intensity of collected laser light reflected off said scanned bar code symbol and producing a scan data signal representative of said detected intensity; and

(iii) a scan data signal processor for processing said scan data signal and generating symbol character data representative of the scanned bar code symbol;

(b) arranging said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern so that said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern spatially encompasses a substantial portion of said passageway of 3-D spatial extent; and

(c) transporting a package bearing a bar code symbol through said doorway as said human operator walks through said doorway so that said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern automatically reads the bar code symbol on said package, and said holographic laser scanning system automatically produces symbol character data representative of said read bar code symbol and the identity of said package.

10. The method of claim 9, where in step (b), said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern comprises a plurality of focal planes definable relative to said housing, and said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern consists of a plurality of laser scanning planes intersecting each said focal plane for repeatedly scanning the bar code symbol on said package as said package is transported through said predefined 3-D scanning volume.

11. The method of claim 9, where in step (a), each said light focusing element is realized as a parabolic mirror element.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said plurality of laser beam sources comprises a plurality of visible laser diodes.

13. A system for automatically identifying packages during package operations carried out through a doorway of a storage container, said system comprising:

a holographic laser scanning system; and

a support device for supporting said holographic laser scanning system above a doorway of a storage container, said doorway defining a passageway of 3-D spatial extent through which a human operator may walk manually transporting packages bearing bar code symbols,

said holographic laser scanning system including

(i) a housing having a light transmission aperture,

(ii) a laser scanning mechanism disposed within said housing, and including a holographic scanning disc for producing an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern substantially confined within a predefined 3-D scanning volume external to said housing, for optically scanning a bar code symbol on a package transported through said doorway, and collecting laser light reflected off said scanned bar code symbol, and one or more photodetectors for detecting the intensity of collected laser light reflected off said scanned bar code symbol and producing a scan data signal representative of said detected intensity; and

(iii) a scan data signal processor for processing said scan data signal and generating symbol character data representative of the scanned bar code symbol;

wherein said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern spatially encompasses a substantial portion of said passageway, so that when a package bearing a bar code symbol is transported through said passageway, said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern automatically reads the bar code symbol on said package, and said holographic laser scanning system automatically produces symbol character data representative of said read bar code symbol and the identity of said package.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern further comprises a plurality of focal planes definable relative to said housing, and said omnidirectional laser scanning pattern consists of a plurality of laser scanning planes intersecting each said focal plane for repeatedly scanning the bar code symbol on said package as said package is transported through said predefined 3-D scanning volume.

15. They system of claim 13, wherein each said light focusing element is realized as a parabolic mirror element.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said plurality of laser beam sources comprises a plurality of visible laser diodes.