Scanner for scanning items marked with tags

• US 8,284,461 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Rusman, Jan, Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US12/756,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20100238521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 358/473, 358/475, 358/509, 358/510, 358/513, 358/480, 358/482, 358/474, 382/313, 382/321, 382/312, 235/462.01, 235/462.14, 235/462.24, 235/462.25, 235/462.38, 235/462.32, 235/462.39, 235/462.33, 235/472.01, 235/472.02
• US Class Current: 358/475
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10623 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/59 by controlling the amount of charge storable in the pixel, e.g. modification of the charge conversion ratio of the floating node capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 : for non-uniformity detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 : Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/767 : Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/77 : Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/778 : comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/7795 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/78 : Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1568 : for disturbance correction or prevention within the image-sensor, e.g. biasing, blooming, smearing correction circuits H04N25/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 : Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A scanner for scanning items marked with tags is disclosed. The scanner has a laser for producing a beam, a mirror assembly to re-direct the beam, a deflecting arrangement to receive the re-directed beam, the deflecting arrangement including a horizontal deflector, a vertical deflector and a pair of synchronized drivers to drive the deflectors, a steering mirror to steer the deflected beam, a scanning mirror to direct the beam onto the tag to be scanned, and a light collection system to collect light reflected by the tags.

Claims

1. A scanner for scanning items marked with tags, the scanner comprising:

a laser configured to produce a beam;

a mirror assembly to re-direct the beam;

a deflecting arrangement to receive the re-directed beam, the deflecting arrangement including a horizontal deflector, a vertical deflector and a pair of synchronised drivers to drive the deflectors;

a steering mirror to steer the deflected beam;

a scanning mirror to direct the beam onto the tag to be scanned; and

a light collection system to collect light reflected by the tags.

2. A scanner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an amplitude modulator interposed between the laser and the mirror assembly to modulate the amplitude of the beam for ranging purposes.

3. A scanner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a beam expander interposed between the laser and the mirror assembly to produce a desired beam spot size.

4. A scanner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a focussing lens interposed between the mirror assembly and the steering mirror to focus the beam prior to steering the beam.

5. A scanner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a piezo-electric tip-tilt platform on which the steering mirror is mounted, and a tip-tilt steering driver to control operation of the platform.

6. A scanner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a focussing and field-flattening lens interposed between the scanning and steering mirrors to focus the beam and to flatten a focal plane of the beam.

7. A scanner as claimed in claim 1, in which the light collection system is retroreflective.

8. A scanner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beam has a wavelength matched to a peak wavelength of near-infrared ink used to print the tags.