Optical reader controlling operation between multi-scanning and single-scanning modes

• US 6,435,413 B1
• Filed: 01/08/1999
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Frontech Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Katoh, Hiroaki, Takashima, Yuichirou, Ishii, Mitsuharu, Aoki, Toshitaka, Kumagai, Toshimitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US09/227,528
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.43, 235/462.44, 235/462.45, 235/472.01, 235/472.03, 235/484, 235/486
• US Class Current: 235/462.45
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10831 Arrangement of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms optical elements per se G02B
• 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 7/1096 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

Abstract

An optical reader capable of reading a bar code in a mounted state when an article carrying the bar code passes and of reading bar codes set in array on a menu sheet in a hand-held state has been disclosed. The optical reader includes a light source, a scanner that is driven by a drive and scans light emanating from the light source, a plurality of reflection mirrors that reflect scanning light scanned by the scanner and create a scanning pattern composed of a plurality of scan trajectories, a read window through which scanning light reflected from the reflection mirrors is emitted, and a light receiver for receiving light reflected from a mark. The optical reader further includes a control unit to control a change from a multi-scanning mode to a single-scanning mode, wherein a plurality of scan trajectories in different fixed directions intersect at a center of the scan trajectories is validated in the multi-scanning mode, and wherein a scan trajectory in a single direction is validated in the single-scanning mode with invalidation of the plurality of scan trajectories of the multi-scanning mode.

Claims

1. A hand-held optical reader for scanning a mark carried by an article using scanning light, detecting light reflected from said mark, and thus reading information represented by said mark comprising:

a light source;

a scanning means that is driven by a driving means and scans light emanating from said light source;

a plurality of reflection mirrors for reflecting scanning light scanned by said scanning means in different scan trajectories for reading said mark;

first and second read windows through which said scanning light reflected from said reflection mirrors is emitted;

a light receiving means for receiving light reflected from said mark; and

a control unit to control change from a multi-scanning mode to a single-scanning model wherein a plurality of scan trajectories in different fixed directions intersecting at a center of said scan trajectories is validated in said multi-scanning mode using said first read window of said hand-held optical reader, and wherein a scan trajectory in a single direction is validated in said single-scanning mode using said second read window of said hand-held optical reader, with invalidation of said plurality of scan trajectories of said multi-scanning mode.

2. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein:

said read window comprises a first area and a second area;

scanning rays of said scanning light tracing said plurality of scan trajectories of said multi-scanning mode are output through said first area; and

a scanning ray of said scanning light tracing said scan trajectory of said single-scanning mode is output through said second area.

3. An optical reader according to claim 2, wherein said first area is a first read window, and said second area is a second read window independent of said first read window.

4. An optical reader according to claim 3, wherein said light source, scanning means, plurality of reflection mirrors, read window, and light receiving means are stowed in a head, further comprising a grip that communicates with said head and enables a user to grasp said optical reader.

5. An optical reader according to claim 4, further comprising a stand on which an optical reader is mounted, said stand comprising:

a holder section in which said grip is mounted so that said grip can be dismounted freely; and

a base for supporting said holder section so that said holder section can pivot;

said holder section having a slit, through which a cable coupled with said optical reader can pass, on the same side thereof as the side of said optical reader having said read window.

6. An optical reader according to claim 4, further comprising a stand on which said optical reader is mounted, in such a manner that said grip of said optical reader will face laterally.

7. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein:

said scanning means is a rotary polygon mirror that has a plurality of reflection surfaces and that is driven to rotate by means of said driving means; and

at least one of said plurality of reflection surfaces is placed at an angle, which is different from an angle at which the other reflection surfaces are placed, with respect to an axis of rotation of said rotary polygon mirror.

8. An optical read according to claim 2, wherein said reflection mirrors include a first group of reflection mirrors for determining said plurality of scan trajectories of said multi-scanning mode and a second group of reflection mirrors for determining said scan trajectory of said single-scanning mode.

9. An optical reader according to claim 8, wherein said second group of reflection mirrors comprises a single reflection mirror.

10. An optical reader according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of scan trajectories of said multi-scanning mode is traced by a plurality of intersecting scanning rays of said scanning light, and said scan trajectory of said single-scanning mode is traced by a scanning ray of said scanning light scanned in said single direction.

11. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein the focal position of scanning rays of said scanning light tracing said plurality of scan trajectories of said multi-scanning mode is set to a position separated by a first distance from said first area, and the focal position of a scanning ray of said scanning light tracing said scan trajectory of said single-scanning mode is set to a second position that is closer to said read window than said first position.

12. An optical reader according to claim 11, wherein:

said read window comprises a first area and a second area;

scanning rays of said scanning light tracing said plurality of scan trajectories of said multi-scanning mode are output through said first area;

a scanning ray of said scanning light tracing said scan trajectory of said single-scanning mode is output through said second area; and

said second position lies on the face of said second area of said read window.

13. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein a scan width on said rad window permitted by a scanning ray of said scanning light tracing said scan trajectory of said single-scanning mode is larger than a scan width on said read window permitted by scanning rays of said scanning light tracing said plurality of scan trajectories of said multi-scanning mode.

14. An optical reader according to claim 1, further comprising emission position indicating means for indicating positions between which a scanning ray of said scanning light tracing said scan trajectory of said single-scanning mode is emitted through said read window.

15. An optical reader according to claim 14, wherein said emission position indicating means are marks inscribed on the sides of said read window.

16. An optical reader according to claim 14, wherein said emission position indicating means are indicating means for indicating the start point and end point of scanning light emitted through said read window and notifying a user of the fact that reading said mark is completed.

17. An optical reader according to claim 14, wherein said emission position indicating means are projections projecting from positions coincident with said start point and end point of said scanning light emitted through said read window.

18. An optical reader according to claim 17, wherein said projections are extending to said focal position of a scanning ray of said scanning light that is emitted through said read window and that traces said scan trajectory of said single scanning mode.

19. An optical reader according to claim 1, further comprising a mode selection instructing means for instructing which of said plurality of operation modes should be selected, wherein said mode changing means selects an operation mode instructed by said mode selection instructing means.

20. An optical reader according to claim 19, wherein said mode selection instructing means is a switch to be manipulated by a user.

21. An optical reader according to claim 19, wherein said switch has a switch plate that is placed on the top of said switch and that pressurizes said switch.

22. An optical reader according to claim 19, wherein:

said mode selection instructing means comprises a plurality of manipulable parts; and

the contents of instruction made by said instructing means are changed into the contents of instruction other than selection of any of said plurality of operation modes according to whether one of said plurality of manipulable parts is manipulated or said plurality of manipulable parts are manipulated simultaneously.

23. An optical reader according to claim 19, further comprising a second instructing means for use in designating one of the scanning modes according to a combination of the state of said first instructing means and the state of said second instructing means.

24. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein said control unit controls said light source to be lit only for a period during which a scanning ray of said scanning light tracing said scan trajectory of said single-scanning mode is being output.

25. An optical reader according to claim 24, wherein said control unit controls said light source for emission for a period during which scanning rays of said scanning light tracing said plurality of scan trajectories of said multi-scanning mode are being output when said single-scanning mode is not selected.

26. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein said control unit controls said light receiving means to be validated only for a period during which a scanning ray of said scanning light tracing said scan trajectory of said single-scanning mode is being output.

27. An optical reader according to claim 1 further comprising a notifying means for notifying a user of the selected one of said scanning modes.

28. An optical reader according to claim 27, wherein said notifying means is an indicating means, and the indication form of said indicating means is varied depending on a selected mode.

29. An optical reader according to claim 28, wherein said indicating means selects continual indication of intermittent indication according to the selected one of said scanning modes.

30. An optical reader according to claim 27, wherein said notifying means is a speaker for generating a notification sound, and the notification sound is varied depending on the selected one of said scanning modes.

31. An optical reader according to claim 27, wherein said notifying means is a means for reporting the result of reading of said mark, and the notification form for the result of reading to be notified by said notifying means is varied depending on a selected mode.

32. An optical reader according to claim 1,

wherein said scanning means is a rotary scanning means that has a plurality of reflection surfaces for reflecting laser light reflected from said plane mirror, that is driven to rotate by means of a driving means, and that thus scans said laser light;

and

wherein said optical reader further comprises;

a condenser mirror that has a plane mirror, which reflects laser light emanating from said laser light source to said scanning means, around the center thereof and that gathers incident light to said light reception sensor; and

a frame which is molded as a united body and in which said reflection mirrors, said laser light source, said light reception sensor, said condenser mirror, and said rotary scanning means are locked.

33. An optical reader according to claim 32, wherein said rotary scanning means is mounted on said frame via a cushioning member.

34. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of parallel scanning rays of said scanning light traces each of said different directions of said plurality of scan trajectories of said multi-scanning mode.

35. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of parallel scanning rays of said scanning light traces said single direction of said scan trajectory of said single-scanning mode.

36. An optical reader according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of scan trajectories are in at least three different fixed directions.