Patent ID: 8028918

Claim:
A laser power monitoring arrangement in an electro-optical reader for reading indicia, comprising: a laser for generating a laser beam having an output power; an optical assembly spaced from the laser along an optical axis wherein the optical assembly includes a focusing lens for focusing the laser beam; a light detector spaced transversely of the optical axis between the laser and the optical assembly, for detecting the output power of the laser beam, the light detector being operative for directly receiving a portion of the laser beam reflected from the focusing lens in the optical assembly; wherein the laser is a laser diode, and wherein the light detector is an auxiliary photodiode; a printed circuit board on which the auxiliary photodiode is mounted at a location between the laser and the optical assembly; and an enclosure surrounding the auxiliary photodiode to prevent stray light from entering the auxiliary photodiode but to allow the auxiliary photodiode to receive the portion of the laser beam reflected from the optical assembly positioned outside the enclosure.