Scan pattern generator for bar code symbol readers

Abstract: Multiple scan line pattern generators includ­ ing bidirectional scan patterns of mutually parallel scan lines, and scan patterns composed of intersecting lines, are superimposed over bar code symbols to be read. At least one of the scan lines is automatically moved closer to and further away from a reader to perform a zooming function to read far-out and close-in symbols.

Description: This invention generally relates to light-scanning systems for reading symbols. Laser scanning systems and components have generally been designed to read bar code symbols, particularly of the Universal Product Code (UPC)type, at a certain working or reading distance from a hand-held or stationary scanner, and with a reading spot of a certain size, the spot being scanned over each symbol to trace a scan line. It has previously been proposed to generate scan patterns of mutually parallel scan lines extending along one or two directions, as well as omni-directional scan patters of intersecting scan lines, and even curvilinear scan patterns, for superposition over the symbol to be read to insure that, no matter what the angular orientation of a respective symbol might be within predetermined limits, at least one of the scan lines or part of the pattern will be scanned over the entire length of the respective symbol. Yet, the known patterns are generated by highly complex and expensive systems. Also, quite apart from the angular orientation of the symbols to be read, one symbol might be located close-in to the scanner, whereas another symbol might be located far-out from the scanner and, in short, successive symbols may be located at different working distances from the scanner. In the case of a scanner which has been designed to read symbols within a certain range of working distances, should it occur that a particular symbol falls outside this range, then the distance between the scanner and the symbol must be adjusted, and usually within a short time interval, for, otherwise, the symbol will not be read. In the case of a hand-held scanner, the scanner is usually manually moved toward or away from the symbol to adjust the distance between the scanner and the symbol. This can be a tiring procedure and require multiple reading attempts. It would be desirable, therefore, if the scan pattern generators also incorporated a so-called "zoom" characteristic in which the working distance is automatically changed during scanning. US-A-4251798 shows one prior art light-scanning system. Such a system is relatively complex and expensive since it requires not only a rotating mirror arrangement to effect sweeping of the beam in one direction but also an oscillating element to effect movement of the beam in a perpendicular direction. US-A-4369361 shows a further prior art light-scanning system which has those features set out in the pre-characterising portion of claim 1. Such a system, while dispensing with the need for an oscillating element, does require the use of a rotating polygon which in itself is relatively costly to manufacture. It is a general object of this invention to advance the state of the art of scanning systems, eg for reading bar code symbols. It is another object of this invention to generate scan patterns of mutually parallel lines over the symbol with a relatively simple pattern generator system, with the option of simultaneously changing the working distance of the outgoing laser beam. It is a further specific object to provide both X and Y movement of the beam without the necessity of providing separate rotating mirrors and/or oscillators for each direction. According to the present invention there is provided a light-scanning system having the features set out in the characterising portion of Claim 1. One embodiment desirably includes a laser scanning system for reading symbols, particularly bar code symbols having alternate bars and spaces arranged in a pattern which, when decoded, identify an object on which the symbol is affixed. The preferred scanning system comprises a housing having an exit port, a laser source, eg a gas laser tube or a semi-conductor laser diode, for generating a laser beam, and scanning means in the housing for scanning the laser beam in scans across successive symbols located exteriorly of the housing. The preferred optical arrangement comprises optical means in the housing for directing the scanning beam along an optical path through the exit port, and for optically forming the scanning beam with a cross-sectional beam spot of a predetermined waist size and at a predetermined distance from the exit port of the housing. The invention is embodied in pattern means for generating a scan pattern of mutually parallel scan lines extending linearly across each symbol. The scan lines are arranged over the height of the symbol. At least one of the scan lines may sweep across each symbol along one sweep direction, whereas at least another of the scan lines may sweep across each symbol along an opposite sweep direction countercurrent to the said one sweep direction, thereby forming a bidirectional scan in which a respective symbol can be read by the first available scan line no matter what its sweep direction. This improves reading speed. In the preferred embodiment the pattern generating means includes a planar rotary mirror constituted of a light-refractive material having an index of refraction and having opposite major mirror surfaces spaced apart by a mirror thickness. The mirror surfaces extend generally parallel to a shaft axis of an output shaft of a scanning drive. One of the mirror surfaces has a light-reflecting coating thereon. The mirror is impinged at an angle of incidence by the laser beam, and a pair of folding mirrors are arranged for reflecting the light reflected off the mirror through the exit port of the housing. The scan lines are spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to the shaft axis due to the index of refraction, the thickness of the rotary mirror, and the angle of incidence of the impinging laser beam on the rotary mirror. The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, one specific embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a scan pattern generator for generating multiple scan lines in a laster scanning system in accordance with an embodiment of this invention; Figure 2A is a top plan, diagrammatic view of the scan pattern generator of Figure 1 during one stage of scanning; Figure 2B is a view analogous to Figure 2A, but at another stage of scanning; Figure 2C is a view analogous to Figure 2B, but at still another stage of scanning; Figure 2D is a view analogous to Figure 2C, but at yet another stage of scanning; Figure 2E is a view analogous to Figure 2D, but at an additional stage of scanning; Figure 2F is a view analogous to Figure 2E, but at a further stage of scanning; Figure 3A is a diagrammatic view of another scan pattern generator during one stage of scanning; and Figure 3B is a diagrammatic view of the scan pattern generator of Figure 3A during another stage of scanning. Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral 10 in Figure 1 generally identifies an arrangement in a laser scanning system of the type generally described in the above-identified patents for reading symbols, particularly UPC bar code symbols. As used in this specification and the following claims, the term "symbol" is intended to be broadly construed and to cover not only symbol patterns composed of alternating bars and spaces, but also other patterns, as well as alpha-numeric characters. The arrangement 10 includes a housing 12, shown in dashed lines, and intended to represent either hand-held, desk-top workstation, or stationary scanner, housing having an exit port 14 through which an outgoing laser light beam is directed to impinge on, and to be scanned across, symbols located exteriorly of the housing, each symbol to be scanned and read in its respective turn. A laser source, eg a gas laser tube 16 or a semi-conductor laser diode, is mounted in the housing and, when energized, the source 16 generates a laser beam. A multiple line scan pattern generator 120 is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2A-F, and is operative for generating not only multiple scan lines or traces across a symbol to be read, but also for positioning at least some of the scan lines at different working distances from the housing 12 in which the generator 120 is housed. Another feature of generator 120 resides in the bidirectional nature of the resulting scan pattern. Laser source 16 directs a laser beam through optical lens 122 for directing the beam onto rotary main mirror 124 which is mounted on a vertical shaft 126 which is rotated by a motor drive 128 about a vertical axis. As shown in enlarged view of FIG. 3B, mirror 124 has opposite major planar surfaces 130 and 132 which are separated by a mirror thickness dimension T 3 . A light-reflecting coating 134 is applied over one of the surfaces, e.g. 132. The generator 120 also includes a pair of stationary first surface side mirrors 136, 138 inclined at angles relative to the vertical axis of the shaft 126, and also including an angle with each other. Side mirrors 136, 138 have front surfaces on which light-reflecting coatings 140, 142 are respectively applied. Inclined side mirrors 136, 138 are so positioned relative to main mirror 124 that, during rotation of mirror 124, laser light impinging on mirror 124 will, at certain times, during each revolution of mirror 124, be directed toward one of the side mirrors for reflection therefrom forwardly to an exterior symbol. The bidirectional multiple scan line pattern 144 depicted in FIG. 1 is generated as follows: Assume that mirror 124 is initially positioned as shown in FIG. 2A with its coated surface 134 directly facing laser source 16. The laser beam emitted by source 16 is returned along the same optical path (shown slightly separated for ease of illustration) for impingement on a symbol located at distance Z9. During rotation of mirror 124 about the FIG. 2A position, scan line 150 is generated. Eventually, after movement of mirror 124 in the circumferential direction of arrow 146, the mirror 124 will be oriented as shown in FIG. 2B, wherein the mirror 124 directs the laser beam incident thereon to side mirror 136 for reflection by coated surface 140 forwardly for impingement on a symbol located at distance Z10. Z10 is shorter than Z9 due to the diversion of the beam to side mirror 136. During rotation of mirror 124 about the FIG. 2B position, scan line 152 is generated. Scan line 152 is swept in the opposite direction to that of scan line 150. Eventually, the mirror 124, during further rotation in direction of arrow 146, is oriented in the FIG. 2C position, wherein the coated surface 134 faces away from the laser source 16 so that the laser beam must initially pass through non-coated surface 130 of mirror 124 prior to reaching the rear coated surface 134. As shown in enlarged view in FIG. 3B, this incident beam impinges at an angle of incidence , whereupon the beam is refracted at an angle ' to the extent determined by the index of refraction n' of mirror 124. The refracted beam reflects off coated surface 134 until it is again refracted at the mirror/air surface 130. A comparison of FIGs. 3A and 3B reveals that the positional shift ΔD between the beam reflected solely off coated surface 134 in the FIG. 2B situation and the beam leaving the mirror 124 after having been refracted therein is: Returning to FIG. 2C, the refracted beam exiting mirror 124 is directed to coated surface 142 of the side mirror 138 for reflection forwardly to a symbol located at working distance Z10. Rotation of mirror 124 about the FIG. 2C position generates scan line 154 which is swept in the same direction as scan line 152. In analogous manner to that described earlier in connection with FIG. 2A, further rotation of the mirror 124 eventually orients the mirror 124 to the FIG. 2D position, wherein the coated surface 134 converts the mirror 124 into a second surface mirror. In this case, the incoming beam must pass through the mirror thickness T 3 before being forwardly reflected by coated surface 134 to working distance Z9. Scan line 156 generated by rotation of mirror 124 about the FIG. 2D position is swept in the same direction as scan line 150. Scan line 158 is generated by rotation of mirror 124 about the FIG. 2E position in a manner analogous to that described earlier in connection with FIG. 2C, except that the beam exiting mirror 124 is directed instead to the other side mirror 136 prior to forward reflection to a symbol located at working distance Z10. Scan line 160 is generated by rotation of mirror 124 about the FIG. 2F position in a manner analogous to that described earlier in connection with FIG. 2B, except that the beam leaving mirror 124 is directed to the other side mirror 138 prior to reflection forwardly to a symbol located at working distance Z10. Scan line 160, as well as scan line 158, are swept in the same direction as scan line 152. As best shown in FIG. 1, it will be noted that the scan pattern 144 comprises a plurality of scan lines in mutual parallelism, with scan lines 150, 156 swept from left to right, and with the remaining scan lines 152, 154, 158 and 160 swept from right to left. All the scan lines are spread apart over the height of the symbol. This spread can be controlled by, and is a function of, the thickness T3 of mirror 124, the angle  of incidence of the laser beam on mirror 124, and the index of refraction n' of mirror 124, the latter being preferably constituted of glass. Also, as shown in FIGs. 2A through 2F, the beam spot is focused and alternately located at either working distance Z9 or Z10, thereby obtaining a zooming function. Although the preceding description has been rendered in terms of laser scanning systems and arrangements for optically modifying laser beams, it will be expressly understood that this invention is not intended to be so limited and, in fact, is intended to include non-laser light sources and beams, including non-coherent and coherent light sources such as light-emitting diode sources, incandescent light sources, gas discharge sources etc. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the scope of the present invention as set out in the attached claims.

Claims: A light-scanning system (10) for reading symbols comprising: a housing (12) having an exit port (14), light means (16) in the housing for generating a light beam; optical means (122) in the housing for directing the light beam along an optical path through the exit port; scanning means (120) in the housing for scanning the light beam in scans across successive symbols located exteriorly of the housing (12), the scanning means including a mirror element (124) rotatable about an axis (126) and having first (130) and second (132) surfaces, the scanning means creating a scan pattern (144) of mutually parallel scan lines (150,152,154,156,160) extending linearly across each symbol to be read; characterised in that the mirror element is planar and of a certain thickness and is made of a light-refractive material coated on its first surface (132) with a light-reflective coating (134), light incident on the second surface being refracted through the light-refrative material and thereby deflected differently by the mirror element from light incident on the first surface, whereby a scan line produced as a result of light incident on the first surface is spaced apart in a direction parallel to the axis (126) from a scan line produced as a result of light incident on the second surface. A light scanning system as claimed in Claim 1 in which the mirror surfaces (130,132) extend parallel to the said axis (126). A light scanning system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the optical means (122) comprises means for focusing each scan line at a predetermined distance from the exit port (14) of the housing (12); and wherein the scanning means comprises means for changing the predetermined distance of at least one of the scan lines during scanning. A light scanning system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including first and second light-reflecting stationary folding mirrors (136,138) arranged to receive the light beam after reflection from the mirror element (124) and to reflect it through the exit port (14). A light scanning system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the housing (12) defines a hand-held scanner. A light scanning system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 in which the housing (12) defines a stationary scanner. A light scanning system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the light means (16) comprises a laser. A light scanning system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which one of the scan lines (150) extends in a first sweep direction, and another (152) of the scan lines extends in a second opposite sweep direction.

Inventors: KRICHEVER MARK J, METLITSKY BORIS, KRICHEVER, MARK J., METLITSKY, BORIS
Applicants: SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES INC, SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: G06K7
IPC codes: G06K7, G02B26