Multiple plane scanning system for data reading applications

• US 6,991,169 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Datalogic Scanning Incorporated (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: PSC Scanning, Inc. (Datalogic ADC Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ring, James W., Eusterman, Timothy Joseph, Bobba, Mohan LeeLaRama, McQueen, Alexander, Acosta, Jorge Luis
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US10/858,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20040217175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.14, 235/462.3, 235/462.31, 235/462.32, 235/462.36, 235/462.37, 235/462.38, 235/462.39, 235/462.4, 235/462.43
• US Class Current: 235/462.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10574 Multiple sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10623 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10673 Parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• 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 system and method for data reading. The preferred system is directed to a scanner which includes a laser diode and a beam splitter for generating first optical beam and a second optical beam, the first optical beam being directed toward one side of a scanning optical element such as a rotating polygon mirror and to a first mirror array, the second optical beam is being simultaneously directed toward a second optical element such as another side of the rotating polygon mirror and then to a second and a third mirror array. The first mirror array is configured to generate a scan pattern through a vertical window and the second and third mirror arrays are configured to generate scan patterns passing through a horizontal window. In combination, the three mirror arrays generate three sets of scan lines so as to scan the bottom and all lateral sides of an object being passed through the scan volume.

Claims

1. A data reading system comprising:

a housing having a generally L-shaped structure with an upper section containing a first window and a lower section containing a second window, one of the windows being oriented generally vertically and the other being oriented generally horizontally and defining a scan volume therebetween;

one or more laser light sources for producing laser light, wherein the laser light is scanned to project a first scan pattern out through the first window and a second scan pattern out through the second window, wherein the system is constructed and arranged to be capable of producing a plurality of pairs of intersecting scan lines onto each of at least five sides of a six-sided rectangular box-shaped item being passed through the scan volume with one side facing the first window and another side facing the second window.

2. A data reading system according to claim 1 wherein the one or more light sources comprise a plurality of laser diodes, each producing a laser beam.

3. A data reading system according to claim 1 wherein the one or more light sources comprise a single laser diode producing a laser beam.

4. A data reading system according to claim 3 further comprising a polygon mirror and a beam splitter for splitting the laser beam into two reading beams, wherein the reading beams are directed onto the polygon mirror, the polygon mirror scanning the reading beams to produce the first and second scan patterns.

5. A data reading system according to claim 1 further comprising a scan mechanism disposed in the housing, wherein the laser light is scanned by the scan mechanism.

6. A data reading system according to claim 5 wherein the scan mechanism is selected from the group consisting at a single polygon mirror, a plurality of polygon mirrors, a single holographic disk, a plurality of holographic disks.

7. A data reading system according to claim 1 wherein the at least five sides comprises a bottom side and all lateral sides of the item being passed through the scan volume.

8. A data reading system according to claim 1 wherein said one or more laser light sources is selected from the group consisting of:

a single laser source, a plurality of laser sources, a single laser diode generating a laser beam, a single laser diode and a beam splitter generating a plurality of laser beams, a pair of laser diodes generating first and second laser beams.

9. A data reading system according to claim 1 wherein said laser light comprises a first beam and a second beam, and further comprising

a first detector adapted to receive return light of said first beam reflected from an optical code on the item and a second detector adapted to receive return light of said second beam reflected from an optical code on the item.

10. A data reading system according to claim 1 wherein the laser light comprises a first beam for producing the first scan pattern and a second beam for producing the second scan pattern,

wherein the system further comprises

a first detector adapted to receive return light of the first beam reflected from an optical code on the item and a second detector adapted to receive return light of the second beam reflected from the optical code on the item,

wherein the first detector is adapted to receive return light of a first portion of the optical code less than an entirety of the optical code and generates a first signal corresponding to the return light of the first portion, and the second detector is adapted receive a second portion of the optical code which is less than an entirety of the optical code and generates a second signal corresponding to the return light of the second portion,

wherein the first and second signals are combined to fully decode information contained in the optical code.

11. An optical code scanner according to claim 10 further comprising

a microprocessor disposed in the housing for processing the first and second signals.

12. A data reading system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one light source comprises a first light source disposed in the upper section and a second light source disposed in the lower section, the system further comprising

a first scan head disposed in the upper section, the first scan head including the first tight source, a first facet wheel and a first set of pattern mirrors for generating the first scan pattern,

a second scan head disposed in the lower section, the second scan head including the second light source, a second facet wheel and a second set of pattern mirrors for generating the second scan pattern.

13. A data reading system comprising:

a housing having a generally L-shaped structure with an upper section containing a first window and a lower section containing a second window, one of the windows being oriented generally vertically and the other being oriented generally horizontally and defining a scan volume therebetween;

one or more laser light sources for producing laser light, wherein the laser light is scanned to project a first scan pattern out through the first window and a second scan pattern out through the second window, for producing a plurality of pairs of intersecting scan lines onto each of at least five sides of an item being passed through the scan volume, wherein said laser light comprises a first beam for producing the first scan pattern and a second beam for producing the second scan pattern;

a first detector adapted to receive return light of said first beam reflected from an optical code on the item and a second detector adapted to receive return light of said second beam reflected from the optical code on the item,

wherein the first detector is adapted to receive return light of a first portion of the optical code less than an entirety of the optical code and generates a first signal corresponding to said return light of said first portion, and the second detector is adapted receive a second portion of the optical code which is less than an entirety of the optical code and generates a second signal corresponding to said return light of said second portion, wherein said first and second signals are combined to fully decode information contained in the optical code.

14. A method of data reading comprising the steps of:

providing a housing with a lower housing section and an upper housing section joined at proximate ends thereof and forming a generally L-shaped structure;

generating laser light;

scanning the laser light to produce first and second scan patterns;

passing the first scan pattern out from the lower housing section and passing the second scan pattern out from the upper housing section;

projecting the scan patterns into a scan volume formed between the lower and upper housing sections to produce a dense coverage of scan lines onto each of at least five sides of a six-sided rectangular box-shaped object being passed through the scan volume with one side facing the first lower housing section and another side facing the upper housing section.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the step of projecting scan patterns comprises projecting a plurality of pairs of intersecting scan lines onto a bottom and all lateral sides of an object being passed through the scan volume.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein the step of scanning the laser light comprises reflecting the laser light with a single polygon mirror across a plurality of pattern mirrors.

17. A method according to claim 14 wherein said steps of generating laser light and scanning the laser light comprise the steps of

producing a first light beam from a first laser and directing said first light beam onto a polygon mirror,

scanning said first light beam with said polygon mirror across a first set of pattern mirrors,

producing a second light beam from a second laser and directing said second light beam onto said polygon mirror,

scanning said second light beam with said polygon across a second set of pattern mirrors.

18. A method according to claim 14 wherein said steps of generating laser light and scanning the laser light comprise the steps of

generating a laser beam from a laser and directing said laser beam toward a beam splitter,

splitting the laser beam into a first light beam and a second light beam and directing said light beams onto a polygon mirror,

scanning said first light beam with the first polygon mirror across a first set of pattern mirrors,

scanning said second light beam with the second polygon across a second set of pattern mirrors.

19. A method of data reading according to claim 14 further comprising

scanning an optical code on an item being passed through a scan volume formed in front of the lower and upper housing sections by

detecting return light from the first scan pattern of a first partial optical code less than an entirety of the optical code and generating a first signal corresponding thereto,

detecting return light from the second scan pattern of a second partial optical code which is less than the entirety of the optical code and generating a second signal corresponding thereto,

combining the first and second signals together to achieve a complete scan of the optical code.

20. A method of data reading according to claim 14 wherein the steps of generating laser light and scanning the laser light comprise the steps of

producing a first light beam from a first laser and directing the first light beam onto a first polygon mirror,

scanning the first light beam with the first polygon mirror across a first set of pattern mirrors,

producing a second light beam from a second laser and directing the second light beam onto a second polygon mirror,

scanning the second light beam with the second polygon across a second set of pattern mirrors.

21. A method of data reading comprising the steps of:

providing a housing with a lower housing section and an upper housing section joined at proximate ends thereof and forming a generally L-shaped structure;

generating laser light;

scanning the laser light to produce first and second scan patterns;

passing the first scan pattern out from the lower housing section and passing the second scan pattern out from the upper housing section;

projecting the scan patterns into a scan volume formed between the lower and upper housing sections to produce a dense coverage of scan lines onto each of at least five sides of an object being passed through the scan volume,

wherein said steps of generating laser light and scanning the laser light comprise the steps of

producing a first light beam from a first laser and directing the first light beam onto a first polygon mirror,

scanning the first light beam with the first polygon mirror across a first set of pattern mirrors,

producing a second light beam from a second laser and directing the second light beam onto a second polygon mirror,

scanning the second light beam with the second polygon mirror across a second set of pattern mirrors.

22. A method of data reading comprising the steps of:

providing a data reader with a lower section having a horizontal window and an upper section having a vertical window, wherein the windows form a generally L-shaped configuration;

passing a first scan pattern Out from the lower housing section and passing the second scan pattern out from the upper housing section;

projecting the scan patterns into a scan volume formed between the lower and upper housing sections to produce a dense coverage of scan lines of a plurality of scan line intersections onto each of at least five sides of a six-sided rectangular box-shaped object being passed through the scan volume with one side facing the horizontal window and another side facing the vertical window.

23. A method of data reading according to claim 22 further comprising

scanning an optical code on an item being passed through a scan volume formed in front of the first and second windows by

detecting return light from the first scan pattern of a first partial optical code less than an entirety of the optical code and generating a first signal corresponding thereto,

detecting return light from the second scan pattern of a second partial optical code which is less than the entirety of the optical code and generating a second signal corresponding thereto,

combining the first and second signals together to achieve a complete scan of the optical code.

24. An optical code scanner for reading an optical code on an object being passed through a scan volume, comprising

a first section with a first window and a second section with a second window, the first and second sections arranged at an angle to one another such that the first and second windows are arranged in different planes facing the scan volume from different directions;

a first scan head disposed in the first section and having a first light source, a first scanning mechanism and a first detector, the first scan head generating a first scan pattern and directing the first scan pattern out from the first section and into the scan volume;

a second scan head disposed in the second section and having a second light source, a second scanning mechanism and a second detector, the second scan head generating a second scan pattern and directing the second scan pattern out from the second section and into the scan volume;

wherein the first detector is adapted to receive return light from the first light source of a first partial optical code less than an entirety of the optical code and generate a first signal corresponding thereto, and the second detector is adapted receive a second partial optical code which is less than the entirety of the optical code and generate a second signal corresponding thereto, wherein the first and second signals are combined together to achieve a complete scan of the optical code.

25. An optical code scanner according to claim 24 wherein the first window is oriented generally orthogonally to the second window is oriented generally vertically.

26. An optical code scanner according to claim 24 wherein the first window is oriented generally horizontally and the second window is oriented generally vertically.

27. An optical code scanner according to claim 24 further comprising

a housing comprising the first section and the second section;

a microprocessor disposed in the housing for processing the first and second signals.

28. A method of data reading comprising the steps of:

providing a data reader with a lower section having a horizontal window and an upper section having a vertical window, wherein the windows form a generally L-shaped configuration;

passing a first scan pattern out from the lower housing section and passing the second scan pattern out from the upper housing section;

projecting the scan patterns into a scan volume formed between the lower and upper housing sections to produce a dense coverage of scan lines of a plurality of scan line intersections onto each of at least five sides of an object being passed through the scan volume;

scanning an optical code on an item being passed through a scan volume formed In front of the first and second windows by

detecting return light from the first scan pattern of a first partial optical code less than an entirety of the optical code and generating a first signal corresponding thereto,

detecting return light from the second scan pattern of a second partial optical code which is less than the entirety of the optical code and generating a second signal corresponding thereto,

combining the first and second signals together to achieve a complete scan of the optical code.