Patent ID: 7422156

Claim:
A method of scanning bar code symbols on objects using a bioptical laser scanning system providing six-sided 360-degree omnidirectional bar code symbol scanning coverage at a point of sale (POS) station, said method comprising the steps of: (a) supporting at a POS station, said bioptical laser scanning system including (i) a horizontal section integrally connected to a vertical section, (ii) a horizontal-scanning window formed in said horizontal section, (iii) a vertical-scanning window formed in said vertical section, and being substantially orthogonal to said horizontal-scanning window, (iv) a first laser scanning plane generation mechanism disposed within said horizontal section, and (v) a second laser scanning plane generation mechanism disposed within said vertical section; (b) generating a first plurality of laser scanning planes from said first laser scanning plane generation mechanism, and projecting said first plurality of laser scanning planes through said horizontal-scanning window, and also generating a second plurality of laser scanning planes from said second laser scanning plane generation mechanism, and projecting said second plurality of laser scanning planes through said vertical-scanning window; (c) said first and second pluralities of laser scanning planes (i) intersecting within predetermined scan regions contained within a 3-D scanning volume defined between said horizontal-scanning and vertical-scanning windows, and (ii) generating a plurality of groups of intersecting laser scanning planes within said 3-D scanning volume, and (d) said plurality of groups of intersecting laser scanning planes forming a complex omni-directional 3-D laser scanning pattern within said 3-D scanning volume capable of scanning a bar code symbol located on the surface of any object, including a six-sided rectangular box-shaped object, presented within said 3-D scanning volume at any orientation and from any direction at said POS station so as to provide six-sided 360-degree omni-directional bar code symbol scanning coverage at said POS station; and wherein at least one of said plurality of groups of intersecting laser scanning planes are projected onto each of the six sides of a six-sided rectangular box-shaped object as said six-sided rectangular box-shaped object is passed through said 3-D scanning volume while one side of said box-shaped object is facing said horizontal-scanning window and another side of said six-sided rectangular box-shaped object is facing said vertical-scanning window.