Patent ID: 7055747

Claim:
An optical reader for reading a decodable indicia disposed on a substrate, said optical reader comprising: an imaging assembly including an image sensor having a plurality of photodetectors, said imaging assembly further including optics focusing an image onto said image sensor, said image sensor being selected from the group consisting of a 1D image sensor and a 2D image sensor, said imaging assembly further having an imaging axis; a hand held housing encapsulating said image sensor; a manual trigger disposed proximate a periphery of said hand held housing; a targeting system including at least one laser diode assembly, said targeting system being configured to direct laser light toward said substrate; and a control circuit communicatively coupled to said imaging assembly, said manual trigger and said targeting system, said control circuit being configured so that in response to said manual trigger being actuated said control circuit (a) repetitively captures frames of image data and attempts to decode decodable indicia represented therein, (b) counts a delay, wherein said control circuit further in response to said manual trigger being actuated (c) maintains said laser diode assembly in an OFF state if said control circuit successfully decodes an indicia prior to a time at which said delay is equal to or exceeds a threshold delay, and (d) drives said laser diode assembly into an ON state if said delay becomes equal to or greater than said threshold delay prior to a time at which said control circuit successfully decodes a decodable indicia.