System for reading optical indicia
First Claim
1. In a portable optical reader system,(a) a hand-held optical reader unit having an optical system for focusing at an interior region of the unit an optical image of information comprising discernible indicia disposed within a predetermined area of information external of the reader unit;
- (b) an area array of photosensor elements disposed at said interior region of said unit where the optical image of information is to be focused for receiving the optical image of information from the predetermined area;
(c) a decoder remote from said hand-held optical reader unit for decoding discernible indicia disposed within said optical image of information from said predetermined area; and
(c) a communication link between said hand-held optical reader and said decoder for communicating optical image information received by said area array of photosensor elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable hand-held reader unit includes a photosensor array, optics for focusing optical indicia on the array, a decoder for remotely decoding optical indicia, and a communication link between the hand-held reader and the decoder for communication between the reader and the decoder. In an additional embodiment, the portable hand-held reader unit includes a marker source disposed adjacent the optical reader unit for projecting marker onto a surface region exterior of the predetermined area so as to delineate the predetermined area and the information contained therein.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a portable optical reader system,
(a) a hand-held optical reader unit having an optical system for focusing at an interior region of the unit an optical image of information comprising discernible indicia disposed within a predetermined area of information external of the reader unit; -
(b) an area array of photosensor elements disposed at said interior region of said unit where the optical image of information is to be focused for receiving the optical image of information from the predetermined area;
(c) a decoder remote from said hand-held optical reader unit for decoding discernible indicia disposed within said optical image of information from said predetermined area; and
(c) a communication link between said hand-held optical reader and said decoder for communicating optical image information received by said area array of photosensor elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A portable optical reader system comprising:
- a hand-held optical reader unit including an area array of photosensor elements disposed interior of the reader unit, means for focusing an image of an area of information on the area array of photosensor elements, the area of information being disposed externally of the reader unit on a surface and within a field of view of the focusing means; and
means disposed adjacent the optical reader unit for projecting marker beams away from the reader unit and substantially along the periphery of the field of view of the focusing means to impinge upon visually discernible indicia for delineating an area disposed within the field of view of the focusing means, such that when the reader unit is oriented to locate the information within the delineated area, the image of the information is focusable on said area array of photosensor elements. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
- a hand-held optical reader unit including an area array of photosensor elements disposed interior of the reader unit, means for focusing an image of an area of information on the area array of photosensor elements, the area of information being disposed externally of the reader unit on a surface and within a field of view of the focusing means; and
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19. A method of reading optical indicia, comprising:
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(a) focusing the image of optical indicia to be read on an area array of photosensor elements housed within a hand-held reader;
(b) imaging said focused optical indicia with said area array of photosensor elements and converting said focused image of said optical indicia into an indicia signal;
(c) communicating said indicia signal from said hand-held reader via electromagnetic radiation to an indicia decoder remote from said hand-held reader; and
(d) decoding said indicia signal. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification