摘要:
A multi-mode laser-based bar code symbol reading device having a hand-supportable housing with a light transmission aperture, wherethrough visible light can exit and enter the hand-supportable housing. A laser scanning engine, disposed within the hand-supportable housing, is controlled to selectively operate in either an omni-directional scanning mode or a single line scanning mode. In the omni-directional scanning mode, the laser scanning engine projects an omni-directional scanning pattern through the light transmission aperture, detects and decodes bar code symbols on objects passing through the omni-directional scanning pattern, and produces symbol character data representative of decoded bar code symbols. In the rastered scanning mode, the laser scanning engine projects rastered scanning pattern through the light transmission aperture and detects and decodes bar code symbols on objects passing through the single line scanning pattern, and produces symbol character data representative of decoded bar code symbols. In the single-line scanning mode, the laser scanning engine projects a single line scanning pattern through the light transmission aperture and detects and decodes bar code symbols on objects passing through the single line scanning pattern, and produces symbol character data representative of decoded bar code symbols. A manually-actuatable data transmission switch, integrated with said hand-supportable housing, produces an activation signal in response to the manual-actuation of the data transmission switch. A data transmission subsystem, disposed in the hand-supportable housing, operates under control of control circuitry to communicate the symbol character data produced by the laser scanning engine to a host device operably coupled to the bar code symbol reading device. The control circuitry enables communication of symbol character data produced by the laser scanning engine in the single line or rastered scanning mode of operation to the host device in response to the activation signal produced by the data transmission switch, and the control circuitry enables communication of symbol character data produced by the laser scanning engine in the omni-directional scanning mode of operation to the host device irrespective of the activation signal produced by the data transmission switch.
摘要:
An automatically-activated bar code reading system including: a visible laser light source, scanning element and a plurality of stationary mirrors. When arranged in a first configuration, the visible laser light source, scanning element and plurality of stationary mirrors cooperate to produce a visible omni-directional laser scanning pattern with multiple laser scanning lines having substantially uniform spatial and temporal intensity characteristics at a given scanning plane parallel to a scanning window within a working distance of the system. When the visible laser light source, the scanning element and the plurality of stationary mirrors are arranged in a second configuration, these components cooperate to produce a visible omni-directional laser scanning pattern having temporally varying intensity characteristics, against a single visible laser scanning line having substantially uniform spatial and temporal intensity characteristics, at a given scanning plane parallel to the scanning window within the working distance of the system.
摘要:
A multi-mode laser-based bar code symbol reading device having a hand-supportable housing with a light transmission aperture, wherethrough visible light can exit and enter the hand-supportable housing. A laser scanning engine, disposed within the hand-supportable housing, is controlled to selectively operate in either an omni-directional reading mode or a uni-directional bar code reading mode. In the omni-directional bar code reading mode, the laser scanning engine projects pattern through the light transmission aperture, an omni-directional laser scanning pattern producing multiple laser scanning lines with substantially uniform spatial and temporal intensity characteristics at any given scanning plane parallel to the light transmission aperture within the working distance of the system, and detects and decodes bar code symbols on objects passing through the omni-directional scanning pattern, and produces symbol character data representative of decoded bar code symbols. In the uni-directional bar code reading mode, the laser scanning engine projects through the light transmission aperture, a visible stroboscopically-pulsed omni-directional laser scanning pattern, against a single laser scanning line having substantially uniform spatial and temporal intensity characteristics at any given scanning plane parallel to the light transmission aperture within the working distance of the system, and detects and decodes bar code symbols on objects passing through the single laser scanning line, and produces symbol character data representative of decoded bar code symbols. A manually-actuatable data transmission switch, integrated with said hand-supportable housing, produces an activation signal in response to the manual-actuation of the data transmission switch. A data transmission subsystem, disposed in the hand-supportable housing, operates under control of control circuitry to communicate the symbol character data produced by the laser scanning engine to a host device operably coupled to the bar code symbol reading device. The control circuitry enables communication of symbol character data produced by the laser scanning engine in the uni-directional bar code reading mode of operation to the host device in response to the activation signal produced by the data transmission switch, and the control circuitry enables communication of symbol character data produced by the laser scanning engine in the omni-directional reading mode of operation to the host device irrespective of the activation signal produced by the data transmission switch.
摘要:
A multi-mode laser-based bar code symbol reading device having a hand-supportable housing with a light transmission aperture, wherethrough visible light can exit and enter the hand-supportable housing. A laser scanning engine, disposed within the hand-supportable housing, is controlled to selectively operate in either an omni-directional reading mode or a uni-directional bar code reading mode. In the omni-directional bar code reading mode, the laser scanning engine projects pattern through the light transmission aperture, an omni-directional laser scanning pattern producing multiple laser scanning lines with substantially uniform spatial and temporal intensity characteristics at any given scanning plane parallel to the light transmission aperture within the working distance of the system, and detects and decodes bar code symbols on objects passing through the omni-directional scanning pattern, and produces symbol character data representative of decoded bar code symbols. In the uni-directional bar code reading mode, the laser scanning engine projects through the light transmission aperture, a visible stroboscopically-pulsed omni-directional laser scanning pattern, against a single laser scanning line having substantially uniform spatial and temporal intensity characteristics at any given scanning plane parallel to the light transmission aperture within the working distance of the system, and detects and decodes bar code symbols on objects passing through the single laser scanning line, and produces symbol character data representative of decoded bar code symbols. A manually-actuatable data transmission switch, integrated with said hand-supportable housing, produces an activation signal in response to the manual-actuation of the data transmission switch. A data transmission subsystem, disposed in the hand-supportable housing, operates under control of control circuitry to communicate the symbol character data produced by the laser scanning engine to a host device operably coupled to the bar code symbol reading device. The control circuitry enables communication of symbol character data produced by the laser scanning engine in the uni-directional bar code reading mode of operation to the host device in response to the activation signal produced by the data transmission switch, and the control circuitry enables communication of symbol character data produced by the laser scanning engine in the omni-directional reading mode of operation to the host device irrespective of the activation signal produced by the data transmission switch.
摘要:
Methods of and systems for illuminating objects using planar laser illumination beams having substantially-planar spatial distribution characteristics that extend through the field of view (FOV) of image formation and detection modules employed in such systems. Each planar laser illumination beam is produced from a planar laser illumination beam array (PLIA) comprising an plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs). Each PLIM comprises a visible laser diode (VLD, a focusing lens, and a cylindrical optical element arranged therewith. The individual planar laser illumination beam components produced from each PLIM are optically combined to produce a composite substantially planar laser illumination beam having substantially uniform power density characteristics over the entire spatial extend thereof and thus the working range of the system. Preferably, each planar laser illumination beam component is focused so that the minimum beam width thereof occurs at a point or plane which is the farthest or maximum object distance at which the system is designed to acquire images, thereby compensating for decreases in the power density of the incident planar laser illumination beam due to the fact that the width of the planar laser illumination beam increases in length for increasing object distances away from the imaging optics. By virtue of the present invention, it is now possible to use both VLDs and high-speed CCD-type image detectors in conveyor, hand-held and hold-under type scanning applications alike, enjoying the advantages and benefits that each such technology has to offer, while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks hitherto associated therewith.
摘要:
A laser scanning bar code symbol reading system for scanning and reading poor quality or damaged bar code symbols. The system includes a housing having a light transmission window; an extremely-elongated laser beam production module for producing an extremely-elongated laser beam having (i) a direction of propagation extending along a z reference direction, (ii) a height dimension being indicated by the y reference direction, and (iii) a width dimension being indicated by the x reference direction, where x, y and z directions are orthogonal to each other. Each extremely-elongated laser beam is characterized by an elongation ratio (ER) that is defined as Y/X>4.5 for any point within the working range of the laser scanning bar code symbol reading system, extending along the z direction; where (i) Y indicates the beam height of the extremely-elongated laser beam measured in the Y reference direction, and X indicates the beam width of the extremely-elongated laser beam measured in the X reference direction, and (iii) the beam height (Y) and the laser beam width (X) are measured at 1/e2 intensity clip level. A laser scanning mechanism is provided for scanning the extremely-elongated laser beam out the light transmission window and across a scanning field defined external to the housing, in which a bar code symbol is present for scanning by the extremely-elongated laser scanning beam.
摘要:
The system includes a housing having a light transmission window and produces an extremely-elongated laser beam having an elongation ratio (ER) that is defined as greater than 4.5 for any point within the working range of the laser scanning bar code symbol reading system. A laser scanning mechanism is provided for scanning the extremely-elongated laser beam out the light transmission window and across a scanning field defined external to the housing, in which a bar code symbol is present for scanning by the extremely-elongated laser scanning beam.
摘要:
An imaging device including at least one imaging array and image formation optics that provide a field of view corresponding to the imaging array. At least one illumination module (which includes at least one source of coherent illumination) produces planar light illumination that substantially overlaps the field of view corresponding to the imaging array. Illumination control circuitry modulates the power level of illumination produced by the source of coherent illumination during each photo-integration time period of the imaging array to thereby reduce speckle noise in images captured by the imaging array. The illumination control circuitry preferably modulates the power level of illumination by controlling the number and/or duration of time periods corresponding to different power levels of illumination produced by the source of coherent illumination during each photo-integration time period of the imaging array.
摘要:
A device including at least one image detection array and image formation optics that provide a field of view corresponding to the image detection array. At least one illumination module (which includes at least one source of coherent illumination) produces planar light illumination that substantially overlaps the field of view corresponding to the image detection array. Illumination control circuitry modulates the power level of illumination produced by the source of coherent illumination during each photo-integration time period of the image detection array to thereby reduce speckle noise in images captured by the image detection array. The illumination control circuitry preferably modulates the power level of illumination by controlling the number and/or duration of time periods corresponding to different power levels of illumination produced by the source of coherent illumination during each photo-integration time period of the image detection array.
摘要:
Disclosed is laser beam scanning apparatus in the form of an electronically-controlled mechanically-damped off-resonant laser beam scanning mechanism. The scanning mechanism comprises an etched scanning element having a small flexible gap region of closely-controlled dimensions disposed between an anchored base portion and a laser beam deflecting portion The light beam deflecting portion supports a permanent magnet and a light beam deflecting element (e.g., mirror or hologram). A reversible magnetic force field producing device (e.g., an electromagnet) is placed in close proximity with the permanent magnet so that it may be forcibly driven into oscillation in response to electrical current flowing through the electromagnet. The resonant frequency of oscillation of the laser beam deflecting portion relative to the anchored base portion is determined by the closely controlled dimensions of the flexible gap region set during manufacture. The steady-state frequency of oscillation of the laser beam deflecting portion is determined by the frequency of polarity reversal of the electromagnet, which is electronically controlled by the polarity of electrical current supplied thereto. In the illustrative embodiments, the forcing frequency of the electromagnet is selected to be at least ten percent off (i.e., greater or less than) the natural resonant frequency of the laser beam deflecting portion of the scanning element. The steady-state frequency of oscillation can be set at the time of manufacture to be any one of a very large range of values (e.g., 25-127 Hz) for use in both low-speed and high-speed laser scanning systems.