Optical reader

• US 7,699,227 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Havens, William H., Wang, Ynjiun P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US11/545,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20070164111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/462.24, 235/462.4, 235/462.2, 235/462.01, 235/462.09, 235/462.11, 235/462.14, 235/462.23, 235/462.45, 235/462.49, 23547201-47203
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10544 by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10792 Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned

Abstract

An optical reader comprising: an image sensor array for converting light from a target into output signals representative thereof, the image sensor array having a centerline; a processor for decoding a machine readable symbology within the target derived from the output signals; receive optics for directing light from the target to the image sensor, the optics having a receive optics optical axis, wherein the image sensor array and receive optics are configured such that the centerline is not coincident with the optical axis.

Claims

1. An optical reader comprising:

an image sensor array for converting light from a target into output signals representative thereof, the image sensor array having a centerline;

a processor for decoding a machine readable symbology within the target derived from the output signals; and

,

receive optics for directing light from the target to the image sensor, the optics having a receive optics optical axis,

wherein the image sensor array and receive optics are configured such that the centerline is not coincident with the optical axis at the time that the receive optic is directing light from the target to the image senor.

2. An optical reader in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an illumination source for illuminating the target, and wherein the configuration of the image sensor array and receive optics reduce specular reflection from the illumination source into the image sensor array.

3. An optical reader in accordance with claim 1, wherein the image sensor is operated in the global shutter mode.

4. An optical reader in accordance with claim 1, wherein the image sensor array is a complementary metal oxide (CMOS) image sensor.

5. An optical reader in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an aiming pattern generator for directing an aimer light beam onto the target, the aimer light beam being misaligned from the receive optics optical axis.

6. An optical reader in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an illumination source for illuminating the target and an aiming pattern generator for directing an aimer light beam onto the target in a manner such that when the aiming pattern is directed onto the target the receive optics optical axis is misaligned with specular reflection from the illumination source off of the target.

7. An optical reader comprising:

an image sensor array for converting light from a target into output signals representative thereof, the image sensor array having a centerline;

a processor for decoding a machine readable symbology within the target derived from the output signals;

receive optics for directing light from the target to the image sensor, the receive optics having a receive optics optical axis;

an aiming light source for producing aiming light for projecting an aiming pattern onto the target;

aiming optics for directing the aiming light onto the target, the aiming optics having an aiming optical axis;

wherein the receive optics optical axis and aiming optical axis are not equi-angled to a normal of the plane of the target.

8. An optical reader in accordance with claim 7, further comprising an illumination source for illuminating the target, and wherein the configuration of the image sensor array and receive optics reduce specular reflection from the illumination source into the image sensor array when the aiming pattern is projected on the target.

9. An optical reader in accordance with claim 7, wherein the image sensor is operated in the global shutter mode.

10. An optical reader in accordance with claim 7, wherein the image sensor array is a complementary metal oxide (CMOS) image sensor.

11. An optical reader in accordance with claim 7, further comprising an illumination source for illuminating the target and illumination optics for directing the illumination light onto the target misaligned with the receive optics optical axis.

12. A method of operating an optical reader comprising the steps of:

converting light from a target into output signals representative thereof with an image sensor, the image sensor array having a centerline;

decoding a machine readable symbology within the target derived from the output signals;

directing light from the target to the image sensor with receive optics, the receive optics having a receive optics optical axis,

configuring the image sensor array and receive optics such that the centerline is not coincident with any part of the receive optics optical axis at the time that light is directed to the image sensor by the receive optics.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the configuring reduces specular reflection from the illumination source into the image sensor array.

14. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the image sensor is operated in the global shutter mode.

15. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the image sensor array is a complementary metal oxide (CMOS) image sensor.

16. A method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising directing an aimer light beam onto the target and misaligning the aimer light beam from the receive optics optical axis.

17. A method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising illuminating the target and directing an aimer light beam onto the target and misaligning the aimer light beam from the receive optics optical axis and specular reflection from the illumination source off of the target.

18. An optical reader for imaging a target disposed in a plane comprising:

an image sensor array for converting light from a target into output signals representative thereof, the image sensor array having a centerline;

a processor for decoding a machine readable symbology within the target derived from the output signals;

receive optics for directing light from the target to the image sensor, the optics having a receive optics optical axis;

the image sensor array and receive optics being disposed within a head portion of the optical reader, the head portion defining a medial plane wherein an operator holds the head portion such that the medial plane of the head portion is approximately normal to the target plane,

wherein the image sensor array and receive optics are configured such that the centerline is not coincident with any part of the optical axis at the time that the receive optic is directing light from the target to the image senor to thereby reduce specular reflection into the image sensor when the operator holds the medial plane approximately normal to the target plane.

19. An optical reader comprising:

an image sensor array for converting light from a target into output signals representative thereof, the image sensor array having a centerline;

a processor for decoding a machine readable symbology within the target derived from the output signals;

receive optics for directing light from the target to the image sensor, the receive optics having a receive optics optical axis;

an aiming light source for producing aiming light for projecting an aiming pattern onto the target;

aiming optics for directing the aiming light onto the target, the aiming optics having an aiming optical axis;

the image sensor array, aiming optics and receive optics being disposed within a head portion of the optical reader, the head portion defining a medial plane wherein an operator holds the head portion such that the medial plane of the head portion is approximately normal to the target plane,

wherein the receive optics optical axis and aiming optical axis are not equi-angled to the target plane to thereby reduce specular reflection into the imager sensor when the operator holds the medial plane approximately normal to the target plane.