System for reading bar code symbols using bar code readers having RF signal transmission links with base stations

• US 7,077,327 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1999
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilz, David M. Sr., Germaine, Gennady, Colavito, Stephen J., Rockstein, George B., Knowles, Carl H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US09/346,859
• Time in Patent Office: 2,573 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.01, 235/375, 235/462.15, 235/462.46, 235/462.45, 235/472.02, 235/462.01
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/106 having diffraction gratings as scanning elements, e.g. holographic scanners holographic optical elements G02B5/32, holography G03H
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10534 Scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1016 Motor control or optical moving unit control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1017 Programmable
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1018 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10564 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10603 Basic scanning using moving elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10663 using hologram
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10673 Parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10792 Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10801 Multidistance reading
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• 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 7/10861 : sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 : randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 : constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 : the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 : adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 : locating of the code in an image

Abstract

Disclosed is a fully automatic bar code symbol reading system having an hand-supportable laser bar code reading device which can be used in either an automatic hands-on mode of operation, or in an automatic hands-free mode of operation. The system includes a scanner support frame for supporting the hand-supportable device in a user-selected mounting position, and permits complete gripping of its handle portion prior to its use in the hands-on mode of operation. In general, the hand-supportable bar code reading device has long-range and short-range modes of object detection, bar code presence detection and bar code symbol reading. In the illustrative embodiment, the long-range mode is automatically selected when the hand-supportable bar code reading device is placed within the scanner support stand during the automatic hands-free mode of operation. Whenever the hand-supportable bar code reading device is picked up from the support stand and used in its hands-on mode of operation, the short-range mode is automatically selected to provide CCD-like scanner emulation. When used in either mode of operation, the automatic bar code reading device is capable of reading, in a consecutive manner, one or more bar code symbols on an object, while preventing multiple reading of the same bar code symbol due to dwelling of the laser scanning beam upon the bar code symbol. The automatic bar code symbol reading system of the present invention is disclosed in several different mounting arrangements at a point-of-sale station, illustrating novel methods of reading bar code symbols using the automatic hand-supportable laser scanning device of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for reading code symbols comprising:

(A) a plurality of code symbol reading devices, each said code symbol reading device including

a scanning mechanism for automatically scanning a code symbol on an object,

a processing mechanism for producing symbol character data in a form representative of the scanned code symbol,

a synthesizing mechanism for synthesizing a group of data packets, each having a plurality of data fields containing codes for identifying the code symbol reading device synthesizing the data packet in the group thereof, a data packet number for identifying each said data packet, a data packet group number for identifying the group to which each said data packet belongs, and a sequence of digital data bits representative of the symbol character data, and

an RF signal generator for generating an electromagnetic signal having its frequency modulated by the digital data bits representative of said group of data packets, and transmitting said modulated signal over a predetermined data transmission range in free space,

wherein a frequency deviation of the signal produced by each said code symbol reading device is substantially the same and equal to a preselected frequency deviation value; and

(B) a plurality of base units, each said base unit being assigned to one said code symbol reading device, and positionable within the predetermined transmitting range thereof, and including

a receiver for receiving a modulated carrier signal transmitted from said any one of the code symbol reading devices,

a demodulator for demodulating any one of the received modulated carrier signals so as to recover at least one data packet therefrom,

a processing mechanism for analyzing the recovered data packet to determine whether the received data packet was synthesized by its assigned code symbol reading device, and if so, then recovering the symbol character data therefrom,

a buffer for buffering the symbol character data recovered from the data packet synthesized by the preassigned code symbol reading device, and

a notification mechanism for automatically producing, in response to the recovery and buffering of the symbol character data, an acknowledgement signal perceptible to a user of the assigned code symbol reading device when the user is situated within the predetermined data transmission range, so as to inform the user of the code symbol reading device that the symbol character data produced thereby has been received and recovered at the assigned base unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each said code symbol reading device comprises a laser diode for producing a visible laser that is repeatedly scanned across the code symbol.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the acknowledgment signal comprises an acoustic signal audible to the user of the code symbol reading device when the user is situated within the predetermined data transmission range.

4. The system of claim 6, wherein the acknowledgement signal further comprises a light signal visible to the user of code symbol reading device when the user is situated within the predetermined data transmission range.

5. The system of claim 6, wherein the acoustic signal produced by each said base unit has at least one uniquely identifiable pitch characteristic assigned to the preassigned code symbol reading device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each said base unit comprises

a circuit tuned to the preselected frequency, and

a receiving element operably associated with the circuit, for receiving the modulated carrier signal transmitted from any one or more of said code symbol reading devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each said base unit further comprises data interface circuitry for interfacing the data output port of a computer keyboard with the data input port of a computer system, and

a data conversion mechanism for converting the data format of the symbol character data recovered at the base unit into a data format which is substantially identical to the data format of data produced from the output of the computer keyboard.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each said base unit further comprises a data processing unit selected from the group consisting of:

a slot-type bar code symbol reader, a projection-type bar code symbol reader, a cash register, a host computer system, and a portable collection device.