Patent ID: 6976632

Claim:
An automatic hand-holdable bar code symbol scanning device, which comprises: a hand-holdable housing; object detection means, disposed within said housing, for automatically detecting the presence of an object within an object detection field defined external to said housing, said object detection means including means for detecting object sensing energy produced by an object sensing energy source and reflected off said object; bar code presence detection means, disposed within said housing, for detecting in automatic response to the detection of said object within said object detection field, the presence of a bar code on said object within a scan field defined external to said housing, said bar code presence detection means including light scanning means for scanning at least a portion of said object with a light beam produced from a light beam source, and for receiving at least a portion of said laser beam reflected off said object; and bar code scan data generating means, disposed within said housing, for producing and collecting bar code scan data from said bar code on said object within said scan field, in automatic response to the detection of said bar code by said bar code presence detection means, said bar code data generating means including said light scanning means.