Imaging module for optical reader

• US 7,500,614 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hahn, Bruce L., Hunter, Vivian L., Barber, Charles P., Gerst, Carl W. III, McCall, Melvin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech; Karl D
• Application Number:
  US11/600,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20070152055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/462.2, 235/462.21, 235/462.24, 235/462.41, 235/462.42, 235/462.43, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 235/462.43
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10742 including a diffuser for diffusing the light from the light source to create substantially uniform illumination of the target record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus packaging components of an optical reading device which may include illumination optical elements, receive optical elements, and signal processing elements. In one embodiment a single circuit board can carry multiple elements such as an image sensor together with illumination elements. In one embodiment, a control circuit can be provided that is coupled to a light source and an image sensor.

Claims

1. An optical reader comprising:

a mounting frame, said mounting frame defining an interior volume;

a printed circuit board coupled to said mounting frame;

an image sensor mounted on said printed circuit board, said image sensor disposed such that the field of view of said image sensor faces said interior volume, wherein said image sensor is a two dimensional image sensor;

imaging optics coupled to said image sensor, said imaging optics at least partially disposed within said interior volume;

at least one illumination light emitting diode coupled to said printed circuit board wherein said at least one illumination light emitting diode is disposed within said interior volume;

at least one aiming light emitting diode coupled to said printed circuit board wherein said at least one aiming light emitting diode is disposed within said interior volume;

an aperture plate disposed proximate to said at least one illumination light emitting diode and said at least one aiming light emitting diode;

a diffuser plate coupled to said mounting frame, wherein said aperture plate is disposed between said aperture plate and said mounting frame, wherein said diffuser plate applies a clamping force to said aperture plate thereby holding said aperture plate in a predetermined position;

a control circuit for controlling the operation of said image sensor, said control circuit disposed on said printed circuit board, said control circuit coupled to said image sensor;

a signal processing circuit disposed to receive an electrical signal from said image sensor, said signal processing circuit mounted on said printed circuit board;

an image capture circuit adapted to receive the electrical signal from said signal processing circuit and store said electrical signal, said image capture circuit mounted on said printed circuit board; and

an image decoding and/or recognition circuit coupled to said image capture circuit, said image decoding and/or recognition circuit mounted on said printed circuit board;

wherein the receive axis of said image sensor is substantially perpendicular to said printed circuit board;

wherein said aperture plate defines at least one opening for allowing light generated by said at least one illumination light emitting diode to pass through; and

wherein said aperture plate defines at least one opening for allowing light generated by said at least one aiming light emitting diode to pass through.

2. The optical reader of claim 1, wherein said mounting frame has a back plate.

3. The optical reader of claim 1, wherein said mounting frame includes a back plate and a plurality of sidewalls extending from said back plate.

4. The optical reader of claim 1, where said mounting frame include a back plate, said back plate having a plurality of openings.

5. An optical reader comprising:

a mounting frame defining an interior volume and partially defining a cubic rectangular form;

a printed circuit board coupled to said mounting frame;

an image sensor mounted on said printed circuit board, said image sensor disposed such that the field of view of said image sensor faces said interior volume;

imaging optics coupled to said image sensor, said imaging optics at least partially disposed within said interior volume;

at least one illumination light emitting diode coupled to said printed circuit board wherein said at least one illumination light emitting diode is disposed within said interior volume;

at least one aiming light emitting diode coupled to said printed circuit board wherein said at least one aiming light emitting diode is disposed within said interior volume;

an aperture plate disposed proximate to said at least one illumination light emitting diode and said at least one aiming light emitting diode;

a diffuser plate coupled to said mounting frame, wherein said aperture plate is disposed between said aperture plate and said mounting frame, wherein said diffuser plate applies a clamping force to said aperture plate thereby holding said aperture plate in a predetermined position;

a control circuit for controlling the operation of said image sensor, said control circuit disposed on said printed circuit board, said control circuit coupled to said image sensor;

a signal processing circuit disposed to receive an electrical signal from said image sensor, said signal processing circuit mounted on said printed circuit board;

an image capture circuit adapted to receive the electrical signal from said signal processing circuit and store said electrical signal, said image capture circuit mounted on said printed circuit board; and

an image decoding and/or recognition circuit coupled to said image capture circuit, said image decoding and/or recognition circuit mounted on said printed circuit board;

wherein the receive axis of said image sensor is substantially perpendicular to said printed circuit board; and

wherein said aperture plate defines at least one opening for allowing light generated by said at least one aiming light emitting diode to pass through.

6. The optical reader of claim 5, wherein said mounting frame has a back plate.

7. The optical reader of claim 5, wherein said mounting frame includes a back plate and a plurality of sidewalls extending from said back plate.

8. The optical reader of claim 5, where said mounting frame include a back plate, said back plate having a plurality of openings.

9. An optical reader comprising:

a mounting frame, said mounting frame defining an interior volume;

a printed circuit board coupled to said mounting frame;

an image sensor mounted on said printed circuit board, said image sensor disposed such that the field of view of said image sensor faces said interior volume;

imaging optics coupled to said image sensor, said imaging optics at least partially disposed within said interior volume, wherein said image sensor is a two dimensional image sensor;

at least one illumination light emitting diode coupled to said printed circuit board wherein said at least one illumination light emitting diode is disposed within said interior volume;

at least one aiming light emitting diode coupled to said printed circuit board wherein said at least one aiming light emitting diode is disposed within said interior volume;

an aperture plate disposed proximate to said at least one illumination light emitting diode and said at least one aiming light emitting diode;

a diffuser plate wherein said aperture plate is disposed between said aperture plate and said mounting frame and, wherein said optical reader is configured so that said diffuser plate applies a clamping force to said aperture plate thereby holding said aperture plate in a predetermined position;

a control circuit for controlling the operation of said image sensor, said control circuit disposed on said printed circuit board, said control circuit coupled to said image sensor;

a signal processing circuit disposed to receive an electrical signal from said image sensor, said signal processing circuit mounted on said printed circuit board;

an image capture circuit adapted to receive the electrical signal from said signal processing circuit and store said electrical signal, said image capture circuit mounted on said printed circuit board; and

an image decoding and/or recognition circuit coupled to said image capture circuit, said image decoding and/or recognition circuit mounted on said printed circuit board;

wherein the receive axis of said image sensor is substantially perpendicular to said printed circuit board; and

wherein said aperture plate defines at least one opening for allowing light generated by said at least one aiming light emitting diode to pass through.

10. The optical reader of claim 9, wherein said mounting frame has a back plate.

11. The optical reader of claim 9, wherein said mounting frame includes a back plate and a plurality of sidewalls extending from said back plate.

12. The optical reader of claim 9, where said mounting frame include a back plate, said back plate having a plurality of openings.

13. An optical reader comprising:

a mounting frame;

a printed circuit board;

an image sensor mounted on said printed circuit board;

imaging optics coupled to said image sensor, said imaging optics being supported by said mounting frame, the imaging optics and the image sensor forming an imaging assembly for receiving an in image of a target;

an aiming illumination light source provided by a laser diode for directing light toward said target;

a random access memory for storing image data;

a signal processing circuit disposed to receive an electrical signal from said image sensor, said signal processing circuit mounted on said printed circuit board;

an analog to digital converter in communication with said signal processing circuit for receiving electrical signals output from said signal processing circuit and converting such signals into digital image data;

wherein said image sensor, said signal processing circuit and said analog to digital converter are commonly incorporated into a common integrated circuit;

direct memory access circuitry coupled to said analog to digital converter for capturing said digital image data output by said analog to digital converter into said random access memory;

a processor in communication with said random access memory for processing image data stored in said random access memory, said processing being selected from the group consisting of decoding processing for decoding decodable indicia represented in said image data stored in said random access memory and recognizing processing for recognizing recognizable indicia represented in said image data stored in said random access memory;

wherein said direct memory access circuitry and said processor are commonly incorporated into a common integrated circuit.

14. The optical reader of claim 13, wherein said image sensor, said signal processing circuit, said analog to digital converter, said direct memory access circuitry and said processor are commonly incorporated into a common integrated circuit.

15. The optical reader of claim 13, wherein said printed circuit board is received onto said mounting frame.

16. The optical reader of claim 13, wherein said mounting frame defines an interior volume.

17. The optical reader of claim 13, wherein said aiming illumination light source is mounted to said printed circuit board.

18. The optical reader of claim 13, wherein said optical reader further includes an illumination light source.

19. The optical reader of claim 13, wherein said optical reader further includes an illumination light source, the illumination light source being mounted to said printed circuit board.

20. The optical reader of claim 13, wherein said optical reader further includes an illumination light source, wherein said aiming light source and said illumination light source are mounted to said printed circuit board.