Reader apparatus

• US 6,581,826 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2000
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Uehara, Motoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M
• Application Number:
  US09/576,420
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380,462.01,494,454,482 250/569
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10564 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence

Abstract

A reader apparatus includes a card slot unit receiving a card on which a pattern code is attached; a LED array having a light emitting plane for emitting light of a light path width smaller than the diameter of the light emitting plane; a reflective mirror having a portion facing the card received through the card slot unit, the facing portion having a length smaller than the diameter of the light emitting plane of the LED array for reflecting light emitted from the LED array to direct the light to the pattern code of the card received through the card slot unit; and a reader device receiving light reflected from the pattern code of the card. Since the card slot depth can be made smaller than the conventional one so that the card can be inserted into the reader apparatus without hiding the information attached at the predetermined position, the user can view the information. The insert position of the card can be optimized.

Claims

1. A reader apparatus comprising:

reception means for receiving a card having a pattern code,

light emitting means having a light emitting plane for emitting light of a first light path width smaller than a width of said light emitting plane,

guide means having a portion facing said card received through said reception means for guiding light emitted from said light emitting means to the pattern code of said card received through said reception means, said facing portion having a length smaller than the width of the light emitting plane of said light emitting means, and

reader means for receiving light reflected from the pattern code of said card out of the light guided by said guide means.

2. The reader apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said guide means functions to guide light reflected from the pattern code of said card to said reader means.

3. The reader apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said guide means comprises a reflective mirror reflecting light emitted from said light emitting means to guide the light to the pattern code of said card received through said reception means, and reflecting light reflected from the pattern code of said card to said reader means.

4. The reader apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said reflective mirror includes a plane facing the pattern code of said card received through said reception means, said reader means and said light emitting plane of said light emitting means.

5. The reader apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said guide means comprises a semi-transparent mirror passing light emitted from said light emitting means, and reflecting light reflected from the pattern code of said card towards said reader means.

6. The reader apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said guide means comprises a reflective mirror reflecting light emitted from said light emitting means to guide the light towards the pattern code of said card received through said reception means.

7. The reader apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said reflective mirror includes a plane facing the card received through said reception means and the light emitting plane of said light emitting means.

8. The reader apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said reflective mirror includes a curved plane reflecting light emitted from said light emitting means, said curved plane having a concave facing said card received through said reception means.

9. The reader apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said guide means guides light emitted from said light emitting means to the pattern code of said card received through said reception means by converting direction of the light.

10. The reader apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

further guide means for guiding light reflected from the pattern code of said card to said reader means.

11. The reader apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said another guide means comprises a reflective mirror reflecting light reflected from the pattern code of said card to guide the reflected light to said reader means.

12. The reader apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said another guide means guides light reflected from the pattern code of said card to said reader means by converting direction of the light.

13. The reader apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting means comprises a light emitting diode.

14. The reader apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reader means comprises a solid state image sensing device.

15. A reader apparatus comprising:

reception means for receiving a card on which a pattern code is attached,

light emitting means having a light emitting plane for emitting light of a first light path width smaller than a width of said light emitting plane,

guide means having a portion facing said card received through said reception means, wherein said guide means functions to convert light of a first light path width emitted from said light emitting means into light of a second light path width smaller than said first light path width for guiding light emitted from said light emitting means to the pattern code of said card received through said reception means, said facing portion having a length smaller than the width of the light emitting plane of said light emitting means, and

reader means for receiving light reflected from the pattern code of said card out of the light guided by said guide means.

16. A reader for reading an optical code comprising:

a light source having a light-emitting surface, said light-emitting surface having an emitting-surface width, said light-emitting surface being adapted to emit light having a first light path width, said first light path width being smaller than said emitting-surface width;

an optical device disposed within said first light path, said optical device adapted to redirect at least a portion of said light along a second light path;

a mechanical receiver for receiving a substrate bearing an optical code, said receiver being adapted to position said substrate such that said optical code is disposed within said second light path and optically couples with and modulates at least a portion of said light to produce a modulated light; and

an optical receiver for receiving at least a portion of said modulated light, and for producing a signal responsive to a modulation pattern of said modulated light.

17. A method of reading an optical code comprising:

emitting a beam of light in a first orientation from a surface of a light source, said surface having a first width, said beam of light having a second width, said first width being wider than said second width;

changing a direction of said beam of light from said first orientation to a second orientation;

impinging said beam of light on an optical pattern thereby modulating said beam of light to form a modulated beam;

detecting said modulated beam; and

producing an output signal corresponding to said modulated beam.