Patent ID: 8469272
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. A hybrid-type bi-optical symbol reading system supporting a hybrid laser scanning and digital imaging mode of operation, said hybrid-type bi-optical symbol reading system comprising: a system housing comprising a vertical housing section having a vertical scanning window and a horizontal housing section having a horizontal scanning window; a laser scanning subsystem disposed in said system housing, for generating and projecting a plurality of laser scanning planes through said vertical and horizontal scanning windows, which intersect within a 3D scanning volume defined between said vertical and horizontal scanning windows and provide a laser scanning pattern within said 3D scanning volume, for scanning one or more objects within said 3D scanning volume and producing scan data for decode processing; a scan data processor for processing said scan data produced by said laser scanning subsystem in effort to read a symbol on each object passed through said 3D scanning volume; a digital imaging subsystem, disposed within said vertical section of said system housing, for automatically projecting a field of view (FOV) in close proximity to said vertical scanning window, and capturing and processing one or more digital images of an object present in said FOV; a digital image processor for processing said one or more digital images produced by said digital imaging subsystem in effort to read a symbol on each object passed through said FOV; an automatic object detector for automatically detecting the presence of an object in said FOV when brought in close proximity to said vertical scanning window, and generating a trigger signal in response to the detection of said object in close proximity to said vertical scanning window; and a system controller for controlling the operation of said laser scanning subsystem and said digital imaging subsystem during said hybrid laser scanning and digital imaging mode of operation; wherein upon generation of said trigger signal, said system controller activates said digital imaging subsystem to illuminate said object in said FOV and capture and process one or more digital images of said object in effort to read a symbol on said object; wherein said digital imaging subsystem and said digital image processor are realized as a digital imaging module having a hand-supportable module housing; wherein said system housing comprises a docking portal for receiving said digital imaging module; wherein said digital imaging module supports a mobile digital imaging mode of operation when said digital imaging module is removed said docking portal; and wherein when said digital imaging module is removed from said docking portal and held in the hand of an operator, said FOV is focused as to be capable of reading symbols located along a working range of said mobile imaging module.