Patent ID: 8042740

Claim:
A method of automatically reading one or more bar code symbols on objects presented at a point of sale (POS) station, comprising the steps of (a) providing a digital image capturing and processing system installed at a point of sale (POS) station having a countertop surface, wherein said digital image capturing and processing system includes a system housing supported in or on said countertop surface, and having an imaging window, and containing a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations, and a digital image processor; (b) said plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations generating and projecting a complex of stationary coplanar illumination and imaging planes through said imaging window, and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said imaging window and said countertop surface; (c) said plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations generating digital linear images of said object as said object is passed through said 3D imaging volume in a pass-through manner, and intersects one or more of said complex of stationary coplanar illumination and imaging planes within said 3D imaging volume as said object is passed through said 3D imaging volume; and (d) said digital image processor processing said digital linear images and automatically reading one or more bar code symbols graphically represented in said digital linear images of said object being presented at said POS station.