Patent ID: 6863217
Filing Date: 2005-03-08
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. A bar code scanner, comprising a scanning mechanism equipped to generate and control a scanning beam; an object detection mechanism equipped to perfom a long range mode of object detection and a short range mode of object detection, the short range mode of operation corresponding to a mode of operation where the scanning mechanism is activated when the presence of a background object is detected by the object detection mechanism in a first range and the long range mode of operation corresponding to a mode of operation where the scanning mechanism is activated when the presence of an object is detected by the object detection mechanism in a second range with the second range being more distant from the object detection mechanism than the first range, wherein when the object detection mechanism repeatedly detects a presence of a background object, the object detection mechanism is automatically placed in the short range mode of operation so that the bar code scanner will detect presence of new objects while the background object is still present.