Method of extending the working distance of a planar laser illumination and imaging system without increasing the output power of the visible laser diode (VLD) sources employed there

• US 6,742,711 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Naylor, Charles A., Schnee, Michael D., Dobbs, Russell Joseph, Zhu, Xiaoxun, Amundsen, Thomas, Knowles, Carl Harry, Tsikos, Constantine J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/059,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20020185535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462-1-4, 235/462-6-4, 235/472-1-4, 235/420, 235/454, 235/455
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• 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 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/48 Laser speckle optics
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10574 Multiple sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10633 by oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10683 Arrangement of fixed elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• 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: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches

Abstract

A method of extending the working distance of a planar laser illumination and imaging system without increasing the output power of the visible laser diode (VLD) sources employed therein. The method comprises the steps of: providing a planar laser illumination and imaging system having (1) a plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs) for producing a planar laser illumination beam, and (2) an image formation and detection (IFD) subsystem having a field of view along which the planar laser illumination beam extends, wherein each PLIM has a visible laser diode (VLD) source and beam focusing optics and beam planarizing optics, and the IFD subsystem has image formation optics for determining the maximum working distance of the system; adjusting the imaging optics of the IFD subsystem from an original working distance of the system to an extended working distance thereof; and adjusting the beam focusing optics so that the planar laser illumination beam is focused at the extended working distance.

Claims

1. A method of extending the working distance of a planar laser illumination and imaging system without increasing the output power of the visible laser diode (VLD) sources employed therein, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a planar laser illumination and imaging system having (1) a plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs) for producing a planar laser illumination beam, and (2) an image formation and detection (IFD) subsystem having a field of view along which said planar laser illumination beam extends, wherein each said PLIM has a visible laser diode (VLD) source and beam focusing optics and beam planarizing optics, and said IFD subsystem has image formation optics for determining the maximum working distance of the system;

(b) adjusting the imaging optics of said IFD subsystem from an original working distance of the system to an extended working distance thereof; and

(c) adjusting the beam focusing optics so that said planar laser illumination beam is focused at said extended working distance.