Bar code symbol reading system employing EAS-enabling faceplate bezel

• US 8,381,979 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Franz, Dwight L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US13/017,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20120193422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 235/435, 235/439, 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/462.1, 235/462.13, 23546243-46245, 235/472.01, 3405721-5729
• US Class Current: 235/435
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2411 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/246 Check out systems combined with EAS, e.g. price information stored on EAS tag anti-theft systems in point of sale systems G07G3/003
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for incorporating primary components of an EAS system into hand-supportable and countertop-supportable bar code symbol reading systems having a housing with a light transmission window covered by an optically transparent faceplate having outer dimensions closely matched to the light transmission window. About the optically transparent faceplate, a faceplate bezel is mounted embodying a coil of electrically conductive wire having terminals connected to an electrical interface circuit, which is connected to a flexible EAS cable extending from the electrical interface circuit. The flexible EAS cable extends towards electrical drive circuitry associated with the EAS subsystem, for powering the coil during EAS tag deactivation operations controlled by the host computer system.

Claims

1. A bar code symbol reading system for use in conjunction with an electronic article surveillance (EAS) subsystem interfaced with a host computer system, said bar code symbol reading system comprising:

a housing having a light transmission window covered by an optically transparent faceplate having outer dimensions closely matched to said light transmission window;

a bar code symbol reading subsystem, disposed in said housing, for optically reading bar code symbols on bar-coded products that are passed in front of said optically transparent faceplate, and generating symbol character data for each bar code symbol read by said bar code symbol reading subsystem;

a faceplate bezel having a front surface, a rear surface, and a rectangular shaped aperture having dimensions closely matched to the outer dimensions of said optically transparent faceplate, and a base portion which extends from a bottom portion of said faceplate bezel and has a front surface and a rear surface as well, and a recessed cavity formed in said rear surface of said base portion; and

a groove formed in the rear surface of said faceplate bezel, extending all around said rectangular shaped aperture, and at a depth sufficient to recess at least a first coil of electrically conductive wire embedded in said groove, and having terminals that terminate at said recessed cavity and which are connected to an electrical interface circuit mounted within said recessed cavity;

wherein said electrical interface circuit is connected to a flexible EAS cable extending from said electrical interface circuit towards electrical drive circuitry associated with said EAS subsystem, for powering said first coil during EAS tag deactivation operations controlled by said host computer system; and

wherein said first coil generates an electromagnetic EAS field in the vicinity of said optically transparent faceplate, for deactivating an EAS tag on a purchased product presented within a 3D code reading volume, during EAS tag deactivation operations.

2. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said EAS subsystem further comprises a second coil of electrically conductive wire embedded in said groove, and having terminals that terminate at said recessed cavity and which are connected to said electrical interface circuit;

wherein said flexible EAS cable also conducts signals from said second coil to EAS tag detection circuitry operably connected to said host computer system; and

wherein said second coil generates a second electromagnetic EAS field in the vicinity of said optically transparent faceplate, to detect said EAS tag on a product presented within said 3D code reading volume, during EAS tag detection operations.

3. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein, said bar code symbol is realized using a 1D or 2D bar code symbology.

4. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said EAS subsystem further comprises a power generation circuit for generating a first electrical signal supplied to said first coil EAS tag deactivation operations.

5. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said EAS subsystem is based on physics selected from the group consisting of magneto-harmonic;

magneto-strictive; and

radio-frequency.

6. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said bar code symbol reading subsystem comprises one or more of a laser scanning bar code symbol reader and a digital-imaging bar code symbol reader.

7. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said housing is supportable within a hand of an operator and/or supportable on a countertop surface.

8. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said housing is supportable within a hand of an operator and/or supportable on a countertop surface.

9. A bar code symbol reading system for use in conjunction with an electronic article surveillance (EAS) subsystem interfaced with a host computer system, said bar code symbol reading system comprising:

a housing having a light transmission window covered by an optically transparent faceplate having outer dimensions closely matched to said light transmission window;

a bar code symbol reading subsystem, disposed in said housing, for optically reading bar code symbols on bar-coded products that are passed in front of said optically transparent faceplate, and generating symbol character data for each bar code symbol read by said bar code symbol reading subsystem;

a faceplate bezel structure, realized as a printed, circuit (PC) on a flexible substrate, having a front surface, a rear surface, a bottom portion, and a rectangular shaped aperture having dimensions closely matched to the outer dimensions of said optically transparent faceplate, and a base portion which extends from said bottom portion of said faceplate bezel structure and has a front surface and a rear surface as well;

a first coil of electrically conductive wire provided on said rear surface of said faceplate bezel structure about said rectangular shaped aperture, and having terminals that are connected to an electrical, interface circuit provided on the rear surface of said base portion;

wherein said electrical interface circuit is connected to a flexible EAS cable extending from said electrical interface circuit towards electrical drive circuitry associated with said EAS subsystem, for powering said first coil during EAS tag deactivation operations controlled by said host computer system; and

wherein said first coil generates an electromagnetic EAS field in the vicinity of said optically transparent faceplate, for deactivating an EAS tag on a purchased product presented within a 3D code reading volume, during EAS tag deactivation operations.

10. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 9, wherein said EAS subsystem further comprises a second coil of electrically conductive wire also provided on said rear surface of said faceplate bezel structure about said rectangular shaped aperture, and having terminals that are connected to said electrical interface circuit provided on the rear surface of said base portion;

wherein said flexible EAS cable also conducts signals from said second coil to EAS tag detection circuitry operably connected to said host computer system, and wherein said second coil generates a second electromagnetic EAS field in the vicinity of said optically transparent faceplate, to detect said EAS tag on a product presented within said optically transparent faceplate, during EAS tag detection operations.

11. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 9, wherein said bar code symbol is realized using a 1D or 2D bar code symbology.

12. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 9, wherein said EAS subsystem further comprises a power generation circuit for generating a first electrical signal supplied to said first coil EAS tag deactivation operations.

13. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 9, wherein said EAS subsystem is based on physics selected from the group consisting of magneto-harmonic;

magneto-strictive; and

radio-frequency.

14. The bar code symbol reading system of claim 9, wherein said bar code symbol reading subsystem comprises one or more of a laser scanning bar code symbol reading subsystem and a digital-imaging bar code symbol reading subsystem.