A method of operating a hybrid-type bi-optical bar code symbol reading system, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a hybrid-type bi-optical bar code symbol reading system at a point of sale station, wherein said hybrid-type bi-optical bar code symbol reading system includes: (i) system housing having a vertical housing section with a vertical scanning window, and a horizontal housing section with a horizontal scanning window adjacent said vertical scanning window; (ii) a laser scanning subsystem disposed in said system housing, for generating and projecting a plurality of laser scanning planes through at least one of said vertical and horizontal scanning windows (3A, 3B), and into a 3D scanning volume defined between said vertical and horizontal scanning windows (3A and 3B), so as to produce a laser scanning pattern within said 3D scanning volume; and (iii) a digital imaging subsystem, disposed within said vertical section of said system housing, for automatically projecting a field of view into said 3D scanning volume, and capturing and processing one or more digital images of an object present in said FOV; (iv) an automatic operator proximity detector disposed in said system housing for detecting an operator in proximity with said system housing characterized by (a) using an automatic object edge-motion detection subsystem to automatically detect objects entering into said 3D scanning volume and exiting from said 3D scanning volume during system operation, and generating control signals indicative of said detected object motions; (b) automatically activating said digital imaging subsystem in response to the generation of said control signals and timing conditions attained in said system, and forming one or more digital images of said one or more objects within the FOV of said digital imaging subsystem, for decode processing. (c) processing said one or more digital images produced by said digital imaging subsystem in effort to read a bar code symbol on each object passed through said FOV, and generate symbol character data representative of each said read bar code symbol. (a) providing a hybrid-type bi-optical bar code symbol reading system at a point of sale station, wherein said hybrid-type bi-optical bar code symbol reading system includes: (i) system housing having a vertical housing section with a vertical scanning window, and a horizontal housing section with a horizontal scanning window adjacent said vertical scanning window; (ii) a laser scanning subsystem disposed in said system housing, for generating and projecting a plurality of laser scanning planes through at least one of said vertical and horizontal scanning windows (3A, 3B), and into a 3D scanning volume defined between said vertical and horizontal scanning windows (3A and 3B), so as to produce a laser scanning pattern within said 3D scanning volume; and (iii) a digital imaging subsystem, disposed within said vertical section of said system housing, for automatically projecting a field of view into said 3D scanning volume, and capturing and processing one or more digital images of an object present in said FOV; (iv) an automatic operator proximity detector disposed in said system housing for detecting an operator in proximity with said system housing (i) system housing having a vertical housing section with a vertical scanning window, and a horizontal housing section with a horizontal scanning window adjacent said vertical scanning window; (ii) a laser scanning subsystem disposed in said system housing, for generating and projecting a plurality of laser scanning planes through at least one of said vertical and horizontal scanning windows (3A, 3B), and into a 3D scanning volume defined between said vertical and horizontal scanning windows (3A and 3B), so as to produce a laser scanning pattern within said 3D scanning volume; and (iii) a digital imaging subsystem, disposed within said vertical section of said system housing, for automatically projecting a field of view into said 3D scanning volume, and capturing and processing one or more digital images of an object present in said FOV; (iv) an automatic operator proximity detector disposed in said system housing for detecting an operator in proximity with said system housing (a) using an automatic object edge-motion detection subsystem to automatically detect objects entering into said 3D scanning volume and exiting from said 3D scanning volume during system operation, and generating control signals indicative of said detected object motions; (b) automatically activating said digital imaging subsystem in response to the generation of said control signals and timing conditions attained in said system, and forming one or more digital images of said one or more objects within the FOV of said digital imaging subsystem, for decode processing. (c) processing said one or more digital images produced by said digital imaging subsystem in effort to read a bar code symbol on each object passed through said FOV, and generate symbol character data representative of each said read bar code symbol.