Registers – Coded record sensors – Particular sensor structure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-04
2004-12-21
Lee, Diane I. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Particular sensor structure
C359S201100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06832724
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electro-optical assembly for image projection, especially in a portable instrument for projecting an image by controlling a light beam using components employed by readers for electro-optically reading indicia, such as a bar code symbol, a signature, or an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various optical scanning systems and readers have been developed heretofore for reading indicia such as bar code symbols appearing on a label or on the surface of an article. The bar code symbol itself is a pattern of graphic indicia comprised of a series of bars of various widths spaced apart from one another to bound spaces of various widths, the bars and spaces having different light reflecting characteristics. The readers function by electro-optically transforming the spatial pattern represented by the graphic indicia into a time-varying electrical signal which is, in turn, decoded into data which represent the information or characters encoded in the indicia that are intended to be descriptive of the article or some characteristic thereof. Such data is typically represented in digital form and utilized as an input to a data processing system for applications in point-of-sale processing, inventory control, distribution, transportation and logistics, and the like.
A variety of scanning systems and readers is known. The scanner could be a wand type reader, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,504, herein incorporated by reference, including an emitter and a detector fixedly mounted in a wand, in which case a user holds and manually moves the wand across the symbol. As the wand passes over the bar code symbol, the emitter and associated optics produce a light spot on the symbol, and the detector senses the light reflected back from the symbol as the light spot passes over the bars and spaces of the symbol.
As illustrated in
FIG. 1
, a bar code symbol
2
consists of a series of light and dark regions
4
,
6
typically in the form of rectangles. The widths of the dark regions
6
, the bars, and/or the widths of the light regions
4
, the spaces, between the bars indicate the encoded information. A specified number and arrangement of these regions represent a character. Standardized encoding schemes specify the arrangements for each character, the acceptable widths and spacings of the regions, the number of characters a symbol may contain or whether symbol length is variable, etc. The known symbologies include, for example, UPC/EAN, Code 128, Codabar, and Interleaved 2 of 5.
To decode a bar code symbol and extract a legitimate message, a bar code reader illuminates the symbol and senses the light reflected therefrom to detect the widths of the bars and the spaces and produces an electrical signal corresponding to the scanned symbol. This electrical signal is decoded to provide multiple alphanumerical characters which are descriptive of the article to which the symbol is attached or to some characteristic thereof.
The known wand-type reader
8
of
FIG. 1
contains an emitter
12
and a detector
14
, and the user manually moves the wand across the bar code symbol. The detector
14
senses the light reflected from a spot scanned by the wand
8
across the bar code symbol
2
, and produces an electrical signal representing the encoded information to a processor
16
. Wands have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,654,482, 4,907,264 and 4,937,853.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,218 discloses a data wand and a data well, and is incorporated herein by reference. According to this patent, a wand-type data entry terminal is entirely self-contained and cordless, and includes reading and storage circuitry. The terminal further allows downloading of data using an optically coupled link. Preferably, the stored data is output using a pulsed beam from the reading beam light source. The output beam is detected by an optical detector and decoded appropriately.
The disclosures of the above mentioned patents are incorporated herein by reference. The general features of construction and operation of a wand-type reader will be apparent to the skilled reader.
According to another system described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/691,263, filed Aug. 2, 1996, commonly assigned herewith, a hand-held optical reader terminal is provided having an ergonomic design. According to that system, there is provided, inter alia, a hand-held optical reader arranged to fit in the hand of a user and including a reader component and a downloading component. The device can include a display screen for displaying control messages or video images, a keypad for inputting control or other data, and a wireless communication link for downloading data read by the reader component to an external device. The system can further include a plurality of interchangeable data collection modules connectable to the main body of the device, each module fulfilling a different function such as image/video capture, audio capture and so forth. As a result, a simple multi-media module is provided.
It is desired, however, to arrive at a lightweight hand-held data reader having a yet wider range of capabilities. In view of the relative simplicity, availability and adaptability of information systems including bar code symbol data storage capability, it is desirable to develop systems particularly suitable for consumer applications.
Alternatively, an optical moving spot scanner sweeps a light beam, such as a laser beam, across the symbol; and a detector senses reflected light from the beam spot swept across the symbol. In each case, the detector produces an analog scan signal representing the encoded information.
Moving spot scanners of this general type have been disclosed for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,387,297; 4,409,470; 4,760,248; 4,896,026; 5,015,833; 5,262,627; 5,504,316 and 5,625,483, all of which have been assigned to the same assignee as the instant application and each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Also incorporated by reference herein are U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/065,867, filed Apr. 24, 1998 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/353,682, filed Dec. 9, 1994, both of which have been assigned to the same assignee as the instant application. As disclosed in some of the above patents, one embodiment of such a scanning system resides, inter alia, in a hand-held, portable laser scanning device supported by a user, which is configured to allow the user to aim the scanning head of the device, and more particularly, a light beam, at a targeted symbol to be read, as described below in connection with FIG.
1
A.
The light source in a laser scanner bar code reader is typically a semiconductor laser. The use of semiconductor devices as the light source is especially desirable because of their small size, low cost and low voltage requirements. The laser beam is optically modified, typically by an optical assembly, to form a beam spot of a certain size at a target distance. It is often preferred that the cross section of the beam spot measured in the scanning direction at the target distance be approximately the same as the minimum width in the scanning direction between regions of different light reflectivity, i.e., the bars and spaces of the symbol. Although typical readers utilize a single laser source, other bar code readers have been proposed with two or more light sources of different characteristics, e.g., different frequencies.
In the laser beam scanning systems known in the art, a single laser light beam is directed by a lens or other optical components along a light path toward a bar code symbol on a surface. The moving-beam scanner operates by repetitively scanning the light beam in a line or series of lines across the symbol by means of motion of a scanning component, such as the light source itself or a mirror disposed in the path of the light beam. The scanning component may either sweep the beam spot across the symbol and trace a scan line across the pattern of the symbol, or scan a field of view of
Barkan Edward
Katz Joseph
MacGregor Shane
Stern Miklos
Tan Chinh
Kirschstein et al.
Lee Diane I.
Symbol Technologies Inc.
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