Patent ID: 7743989

Claim:
A laser power control arrangement in an electro-optical reader for reading indicia, comprising: a) a laser for generating a laser beam having an output power, and wherein the laser is a laser diode; b) a pair of monitors for independently monitoring an operating condition of the reader, each monitor being operative for independently detecting reader malfunction when the operating condition differs from a preestablished condition, and wherein one of the monitors is a monitor photodiode and the other of the monitors is an auxiliary photodiode; c) an enclosure surrounding the auxiliary photodiode to prevent stray light from entering the auxiliary photodiode; d) a focusing lens for focusing the laser beam, and wherein the laser diode and the focusing lens are mounted adjacent each other to enable a fraction of the laser beam reflected by the focusing lens to enter a hole on the enclosure surrounding the auxiliary photodiode; and e) a controller for controlling the output power of the laser beam upon detection of the reader malfunction.