Laser scanning bar code symbol reading system having intelligent scan sweep angle adjustment capabilities over the working range of the system for optimized bar code symbol reading performance
First Claim
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1. A method of reading symbols using a laser scanning beam comprising the steps of:
- generating a laser scanning beam having a scan sweep angle over a laser scanning field, the scan sweep angle defining a scan line'"'"'s length during each scanning cycle;
collecting a line of scan data from said laser scanning field during each scanning cycle, and buffering said line of scan data in a scan data buffer;
processing said line of scan data in said scan data buffer during each scanning cycle to identify any symbols represented in said line of scan data;
automatically adjusting the scan sweep angle of said laser scanning beam in response to said processing of said line of scan data; and
if two or more symbols are represented in said processed line of scan data buffered in said scan data buffer, reducing the scan sweep angle of said laser scanning beam.
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Abstract
Method of and system for reading bar code symbols a laser scanning bar code symbol reading system having the capacity to intelligently control the scan sweep angle of a laser scanning beam in a user-transparent and intuitive manner. In the event that two or more bar code symbol indications are represented in a buffered line of scan data, then the scan sweep angle of the laser scanning beam is automatically reduced so that the resulting laser scanning beam will be shortened and only a single bar code symbol will be scanned, most likely with the center portion of the laser scanning beam.
508 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of reading symbols using a laser scanning beam comprising the steps of:
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generating a laser scanning beam having a scan sweep angle over a laser scanning field, the scan sweep angle defining a scan line'"'"'s length during each scanning cycle; collecting a line of scan data from said laser scanning field during each scanning cycle, and buffering said line of scan data in a scan data buffer; processing said line of scan data in said scan data buffer during each scanning cycle to identify any symbols represented in said line of scan data; automatically adjusting the scan sweep angle of said laser scanning beam in response to said processing of said line of scan data; and if two or more symbols are represented in said processed line of scan data buffered in said scan data buffer, reducing the scan sweep angle of said laser scanning beam. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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2. A method of intelligently reducing or expanding the scan line length of a laser scanning beam across a laser scanning field, said method comprising the steps of:
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generating a laser scanning beam having a scan sweep angle over a laser scanning field, the scan sweep angle defining a scan line'"'"'s length during each scanning cycle; automatically scanning objects in said laser scanning field using said laser scanning beam; collecting a line of scan data from said laser scanning field during each scanning cycle, and buffering said line of scan data in a scan data buffer; processing said line of scan data in said scan data buffer during each scanning cycle to identify any symbols represented in said line of scan data; automatically reducing or expanding the scan sweep angle of said laser scanning beam in response to said processing of said line of scan data; and if two or more symbols are represented in said processed line of scan data buffered in said scan data buffer, reducing the scan sweep angle of said laser scanning beam. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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14. A method of reading symbols, comprising:
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generating a scanning beam having a sweep angle over a scanning field, the sweep angle defining a scan line'"'"'s length during each scanning cycle; collecting a line of scan data from the scanning field during each scanning cycle; processing the line of scan data during each scanning cycle to identify any symbols represented in the line of scan data; automatically adjusting the sweep angle of the scanning beam in response to the processing of the line of scan data; and if the step of processing the line of scan data identifies two or more symbols in the processed line of scan data, reducing the scanning beam'"'"'s sweep angle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification