Multiple plane scanning system for data reading applications

• US 6,568,598 B1
• Filed: 05/13/1998
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Datalogic Scanning Incorporated (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: PSC Scanning, Inc. (Datalogic ADC Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ring, James W., Eusterman, Timothy Joseph, Bobba, Mohan LeeLaRama, McQueen, Alexander, Acosta, Jorge Luis
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US09/078,196
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.39, 235/467.38, 235/462.37, 235/462.36, 235/462.4
• US Class Current: 235/462.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10574 Multiple sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10623 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10673 Parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1096 the scanner having more than one scanning window, e.g. two substantially orthogonally placed scanning windows for integration into a check-out counter of a super-market

Abstract

An optical system and method for data reading. The preferred system is directed to a scanner which includes a multiple beam source such as a laser diode and a beam splitter which generates first optical beam and a second optical beam, the first optical beam being directed toward one side of a scanning optical element such as a rotating polygon mirror and to a first mirror array, the second optical beam is being simultaneously directed toward a second optical element such as another side of the rotating polygon mirror and then to a second and a third mirror array. The first mirror array is configured to generate a scan pattern through a vertical window and the second and third arrays are configured to generate scan patterns passing through a horizontal window. In combination, the three mirror arrays generate three sets of scan lines so as to scan the bottom and all lateral sides of an object being passed through the scan volume.

Claims

1. A method of scanning an item having a bar code from multiple directions, comprising the steps of

generating laser light;

providing a single polygon mirror in a path of said laser light;

generating a first set of scanning beams, a second set of scanning beams, and a third set of scanning beams by reflecting said laser light off said polygon mirror;

directing said first set of scanning beams through a first window oriented in a first plane to scan the item from one orthogonal direction;

directing said second set of scanning beams through a second window oriented in a second plane orthogonal to said first plane to scan the item from another orthogonal direction;

directing said third set of scanning beams through a third window oriented in third plane to scan the item from a diagonal direction.

2. A method of scanning according to claim 1 further comprising providing a housing having a first housing section within which the first window is disposed, a second housing section within which the second window is disposed and third housing section housing section within which the third window is disposed.

3. A method of scanning an item having a bar code from multiple directions, comprising the steps of

generating laser light;

providing a polygon mirror in a path of said laser light;

generating a first set of scanning beams, a second set of scanning beams, and a third set of scanning beams by reflecting said laser light off said polygon mirror;

directing said first set of scanning beams through a first window oriented in a first plane to scan the item from one orthogonal direction;

directing said second set of scanning beams through the first window to scan the item from a diagonal direction; and

directing said third set of scanning beams through a second window oriented in a second plane generally orthogonal to said first plane to scan the item from another orthogonal direction.

4. A method according to claim 3 further comprising generating said laser light from a single laser.

5. A method according to claim 3 further comprising

generating said laser light from a single laser, the single laser generating a laser beam;

splitting the laser beam into first and second reading beams;

directing the first and second reading beams onto the mirror polygon from different directions for generating the scanning beams.

6. A method according to claim 3 further comprising

generating said laser light from first and second lasers;

directing laser light from the first laser onto a first side of the polygon mirror;

directing laser light from the second laser onto a second side of the polygon mirror.

7. A method according to claim 3 wherein the first window is oriented in a generally horizontal plane and the second window is oriented in a generally vertical plane.

8. A scanning system comprising:

a housing having a first surface containing a first aperture and a second surface containing a second aperture, wherein one of said first surface and said second surface is arranged substantially vertically and the other of said first surface and said second surface is arranged substantially horizontally;

a single laser source which produces laser light within the housing;

a polygon mirror for reflecting the laser light in a plurality of directions to produce a plurality of scanning beams including a first group of scanning beams, a second group of scanning beams, and a third group of scanning beams; and

a plurality of pattern mirrors for reflecting the first group of scanning beams through the first aperture to produce a first scan pattern, for reflecting the second group of scanning beams through the second aperture to produce a second scan pattern, and for reflecting the third group of scanning beams diagonally through the second aperture to produce a third scan pattern.

9. A scanning system according to claim 8 wherein the first surface comprises a substantially vertical window containing the first aperture and the second surface comprises a substantially horizontal window containing the second aperture.

10. A scanning system according to claim 9 wherein the first, second and third scan patterns project scan lines onto a bottom side and all lateral sides of an object positioned in a scan volume in front of the first and second windows.

11. A scanning system according to claim 8 further comprising a beam splitter, wherein the laser source produces a laser beam and the beam splitter splits the laser beam into a first reading beam and a second reading beam wherein the first reading beam is directed onto a first side of the polygon mirror and the second reading beam is directed onto a second side of the polygon mirror.

12. A scanning system according to claim 8 wherein the scanning system scans an object being passed through a scan volume formed in front of the first surface and the second surface, wherein the third group of scan beams scans a side of the object opposite to the first surface.

13. A scanning system according to claim 8 wherein the laser light comprises a laser beam.

14. A scanning system according to claim 8 wherein the first scan pattern, the second scan pattern, and the third scan pattern each comprise a plurality of intersecting scan lines.

15. A method of scanning an item from multiple directions, comprising the steps of

providing a housing with a lower housing section and an upper housing section joined at proximate ends thereof;

scanning laser light with a polygon mirror to generate a first set of scanning beams, a second set of scanning beams, and a third set of scanning beams;

directing said first set of scanning beams out from the lower housing section to scan the item from one orthogonal direction;

directing said second set of scanning beams out from the upper housing section to scan the item from another orthogonal direction;

directing said third set of scanning beams out from the upper housing to scan the item from a diagonal direction.

16. A method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of

generating the laser light by generating a first laser beam with a first laser diode and generating a second laser beam with a second laser diode.

17. A method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of

generating the laser light by generating a laser beam with a laser diode, the laser light comprising the laser beam.

18. A method according to claim 17 further comprising the step of

splitting the laser beam with a beam splitter to generate a first reading beam and a second reading beam.

19. A method according to claim 15 further comprising directing said third set of scanning beams out from the upper housing in a diagonally downward direction.

20. A method according to claim 15 wherein the lower housing section comprises a first transparent member oriented in a generally horizontal plane, and the upper housing section comprises (1) a second transparent member oriented in a generally vertical plane and (2) a third transparent member disposed above the second transparent member and oriented generally obliquely thereto.

21. A method according to claim 20 further comprising

passing the first set of scanning beams through the first transparent member;

passing the second set of scanning beams through the second transparent member;

passing the third set of scanning beams through the third transparent member.

22. A method according to claim 15 wherein the first scan pattern comprises a plurality of intersecting scan lines, the second comprises a plurality of intersecting scan lines, and the first third scan pattern comprises a plurality of intersecting scan lines.

23. A method of scanning an item from multiple directions, comprising the steps of

forming a housing having a first housing section and a second housing section connected at proximate ends forming a generally L-shaped structure;

generating laser light in the housing;

scanning the laser light off a polygon mirror to generate a first set of scanning beams, a second set of scanning beams, and a third set of scanning beams;

directing said first set of scanning beams out the first housing section to scan the item from one orthogonal direction;

directing said second set of scanning beams out the first housing section to scan the item from a diagonal direction; and

directing said third set of scanning beams out the second housing section to scan the item from another orthogonal direction.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the lower housing section comprises a first transparent member oriented in a generally horizontal plane, and the upper housing section comprises (1) a second transparent member oriented in a generally vertical plane and (2) a third transparent member disposed above the second transparent member and oriented in a generally obliquely thereto.

25. A method according to claim 24 further comprising

passing the first set of scanning beams through the first transparent member;

passing the second set of scanning beams through the second transparent member;

passing the third set of scanning beams through the third transparent member.

26. A scanning system comprising

a scanner housing having an upper housing section including a generally vertical surface containing a first aperture and a lower housing section including a generally horizontal surface containing a second aperture, the lower housing section and the upper housing section joined at proximate ends thereof in a generally L-shaped housing structure;

means for producing laser light within the scanner housing;

pattern mirrors arranged in the upper housing section and the lower housing section;

a polygon mirror for scanning the laser light across the pattern mirrors to produce scan beams out through the first aperture and scan beams out through the second aperture;

wherein the pattern mirrors include (a) first group primary routing mirrors disposed at a distal end of the lower housing section opposite the upper section and (b) a lower array mirror disposed in the lower housing section facing the second aperture;

wherein the laser light includes at least a first laser beam directed in a forward direction onto a first side of the polygon mirror, the polygon mirror scanning the laser beam in a rearward direction toward the distal end of the lower housing section across the first group primary routing mirrors, the first group primary routing mirrors reflecting the scanning laser beam downward onto the lower array mirror, and the lower array mirror reflecting the scanning laser beam out the second aperture to produce a plurality of scan lines.

27. A scanning system according to claim 26

wherein the pattern mirrors include second group primary routing mirrors disposed in the housing, first group secondary routing mirrors in the housing, and a plurality of upper array mirrors disposed in the upper housing section, wherein the polygon mirror scans laser light across the second group primary routing mirrors, whereby laser light is routed from a second group primary routing mirror to a first group secondary routing mirror, then reflected off an upper array mirror and out the second aperture.

28. A scanning system according to claim 26 wherein the polygon mirror comprises three mirror facets.

29. A scanning system according to claim 26 wherein the polygon mirror comprises three mirror facets, the mirror facet being positioned at different angles, wherein each of the first group of primary routing mirrors generates three scan lines per revolution of the polygon mirror.

30. A scanning system according to claim 26 wherein the optical polygon comprises four mirror facets.

31. A scanning system according to claim 26 wherein the first group primary routing mirrors comprise four pattern mirrors.

32. A scanning system according to claim 26 wherein the lower array mirror consists of a single planar mirror arranged generally horizontally.

33. A scanning system according to claim 26 wherein said means for generating said laser light is selected from the group consisting of:

a single laser diode;

a single beam source;

a multiple beam source;

a laser source.

34. A scanning system according to claim 26 further comprising a beam splitter, wherein the means for producing laser light comprises a single laser source which produces a primary beam, wherein the beam splitter splits the primary beam into a first reading beam comprising said first laser beam and a second reading beam wherein the second reading beam is directed onto a second side of the polygon mirror.

35. A scanning system according to claim 26 wherein the means for producing laser light comprises a multiple laser source comprising a first laser diode producing the first laser beam and a second laser diode producing a second laser beam, wherein the laser light comprises said first laser beam and said second laser beam.

36. A scanning system according to claim 26 further comprising a checkout stand, wherein the scanner housing is positioned in the checkout stand with the distal end of the lower housing section adjacent a checker position and the upper housing section located away from the checker position.

37. A scanning system according to claim 26 further comprising a scale integrated into the lower housing section, the scale including a weigh platter.

38. A scanning system according to claim 37 wherein the first aperture is disposed at a center of the weigh platter.

39. An optical scanner, comprising

a scanner housing having a lower housing section including a generally horizontal surface containing a first aperture and an upper housing section including a generally vertical surface containing a second aperture, the lower housing section and the upper housing section joined at proximate ends thereof in a generally L-shaped housing structure;

pattern mirrors arranged in the upper housing section and the lower housing section;

a polygon mirror for scanning laser light across certain of the pattern mirrors to produce lower scan beams for being directed out through the first aperture and upper scan beams for being directed out through the second aperture;

wherein the pattern mirrors include a first group of primary routing mirrors disposed at a distal end of the lower housing section and a lower array mirror disposed in the lower housing section facing the first aperture;

wherein the polygon mirror scans laser light toward the distal end of the lower housing section across the first group of primary routing mirrors, the first group of primary routing mirrors adapted to reflect the laser light from the polygon mirror downward onto the lower array mirror, the lower array mirror adapted to reflect the laser light from the first group of primary routing mirrors upward and out the first aperture to produce a plurality of scan lines.

40. An optical scanner according to claim 39 wherein said laser light is generated by a single laser diode generating a laser beam, said laser light comprising the laser beam.

41. An optical scanner according to claim 40 further comprising a beam splitter for splitting said laser beam into a first reading beam and a second reading beam.

42. A method of scanning an item from multiple directions, comprising the steps of

forming a housing having an upper housing section and a lower housing section connected at proximate ends forming a generally L-shaped structure, the upper housing section having a first transparent member oriented generally vertically and the lower housing section having a second transparent member oriented generally horizontally;

generating laser light including at least one laser beam;

arranging pattern mirrors in the upper housing section and the lower housing section;

using a polygon mirror to scan the laser light across the pattern mirrors to produce lower scan beams out through the first transparent member and upper scan beams out through the second transparent member;

directing a laser beam onto the polygon mirror;

reflecting the laser beam off the polygon mirror back toward a distal end of the lower housing section across a first group of primary routing mirrors, the first group of primary routing mirrors reflecting the laser beam from the polygon mirror downward onto a lower array mirror, the lower mirror array reflecting the laser beam from the first group of primary routing mirrors upward and out the second transparent member to produce a plurality of scan lines.

43. A method according to claim 42 further comprising

passing a first set of scanning beams out of the upper housing section to scan a surface of the item from a first orthogonal direction;

passing a second set of scanning beams out the lower housing section to scan a surface of the item from another orthogonal direction;

passing a third set of scanning beams through one of the upper housing section and the lower housing section to scan a surface of the item from a diagonal direction.

44. An optical scanner, comprising

a scanner housing having a lower housing section including a generally horizontal surface containing a first aperture and an upper housing section including a generally vertical surface containing a second aperture, the lower housing section and the upper housing section joined at proximate ends thereof in a generally L-shaped housing structure;

laser source which produces laser light within the scanner housing;

a polygon mirror disposed in the scanner housing for scanning the laser light;

pattern mirrors arranged in the upper housing section and the lower housing section;

wherein the pattern mirrors include;

a first group of primary routing mirrors disposed in the lower housing section, a second group of primary routing mirrors disposed in the lower housing section, at least one lower array mirror disposed in the lower housing section, a first group of secondary routing mirrors, and a first group of upper array mirrors disposed in the upper housing section;

wherein laser light is directed onto the polygon mirror, the polygon mirror scanning laser light

(1) across the first group of primary routing mirrors, the first group of primary routing mirrors adapted to reflect the laser light from the polygon mirror onto the lower array mirror, the lower array mirror adapted to reflect the laser light from the first group of primary routing mirrors out the first aperture, and

(2) across the second group of primary routing mirrors, each of the second group of primary routing mirrors adapted to reflect laser light from the polygon mirror onto at least one mirror of the first group of secondary routing mirrors, each of the first group of secondary routing mirrors adapted to reflect laser light from the second group of primary routing mirrors onto at least one mirror of the first group of upper array mirrors, each of the first group of upper array mirrors adapted to reflect the laser light from the first group of secondary routing mirrors out the second aperture.

45. An optical scanner according to claim 44 wherein the polygon mirror scanning laser light

(3) across the first group secondary routing mirrors, each of the first group of secondary routing mirrors adapted to reflect the laser light from the polygon mirror onto at least one mirror of the first group of upper array mirrors, the lower array mirror adapted to reflect the laser light from the first group of secondary routing mirrors out the second aperture.