Patent ID: 6189793
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: G02B,G06K

Abstract:
An automatic code symbol reading system comprising:(A) a laser projection scanning device including(1) a compact housing with a light-transmissive window through which visible light can exit from, and enter into, the housing,(2) an activatable laser beam source in the compact housing which, when activated by a controlling mechanism, produces a laser beam projected through the light transmissive window and into a scan field extending outwardly from the compact housing,(3) an activatable scanning mechanism in the compact housing which, when activated by the controlling mechanism, scans the laser beam across the scan field to form a laser scanning pattern characterized by at least one scanning plane of essentially planar extent,(4) a light detector in the compact housing for detecting the intensity of laser light reflected from a code symbol as the visible laser beam is scanned across the scan field and the code symbol therein, and, in response to the detected intensity, generating scan data indicative of the scanned code symbol, and(5) an object detector in the compact housing for detecting the presence of an object within an object detection field extending outwardly from the compact housing, and producing in response thereto an activation signal, the object detection field being characterized by a volumetric extent, the laser projection scanning device having an operative scanning range measured from a distance in front of the light transmissive window out towards a region within the scan field, and the object detection field spatially encompassing at least a portion of the scan field within the operative scanning range;(6) a processor for processing produced scan data so as to decode the code symbol on the detected object, and upon decoding the code symbol on the detected object, automatically producing symbol character data representative of the decoded code symbol; and(7) a controlling mechanism for providing at least one of(A) timed activation of the laser beam source and/or the scanning mechanism, and(B) selection of an operating range for the code symbol reading system.