Method and system for facilitating aiming of a machine-readable symbol reader, such as barcode reader
AssigneeIntermec IP Corp.
InventorMichael Dant
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Electromagnetic energy comprising a visible component and non-visible component is emitted from a reader, wherein the emitted visible component that is emitted forms a pattern indicative of a position of the reader with respect to a target. A portion of the emitted electromagnetic energy is returned from the target and received by the reader. A visible portion or component of the received electromagnetic energy is optically, computationally and/or electrically filtered and a non-visible portion or component is processed to resolve and/or decode the symbol. Additionally, or alternatively, a detector substantially detects only the non-visible portion or component of the electromagnetic energy returned from the symbol.
Claims30
A machine-readable symbol reader operable to read machine-readable symbols, the machine-readable symbol reader comprising:
- an illumination beam subsystem operable to emit electromagnetic energy outwards along a line-of-sight from the machine-readable symbol reader, the electromagnetic energy comprising a non-visible component and a visible component, the visible component capable of forming a visual pattern on a surface indicative of a position of the machine-readable symbol reader with respect to a target;
- and
- a detector subsystem operable produce a signal indicative of a non-visible component of electromagnetic energy returned from the surface.
A machine-readable symbol reader operable to read machine-readable symbols, the machine-readable symbol reader comprising:
- an illumination beam subsystem operable to emit electromagnetic energy outwards along a line-of-sight from the machine-readable symbol reader, the electromagnetic energy comprising a non-visible component and a visible component, the visible component capable of forming a visual pattern on a surface indicative of a position of the machine-readable symbol reader with respect to a target;
- and
- a detector subsystem comprising an optical filter that passes a non-visible component of electromagnetic energy returned from the surface while filtering a visible component of the electromagnetic energy returned from the surface.
A machine-readable symbol reader operable to read machine-readable symbols, the machine-readable symbol reader comprising:
- an illumination beam subsystem operable to emit electromagnetic energy outwards along a line-of-sight from the machine-readable symbol reader, the electromagnetic energy comprising a non-visible component and a visible component, the visible component capable of forming a visual pattern on a surface indicative of a position of the machine-readable symbol reader with respect to a target;
- and
- a detector subsystem comprising a detector responsive to a non-visible component of electromagnetic energy returned from the surface and substantially unresponsive to a visible component of the electromagnetic energy returned from the surface.
A machine-readable symbol reader operable to read machine-readable symbols, the machine-readable symbol reader comprising:
- an illumination beam subsystem operable to emit electromagnetic energy outwards along a line-of-sight from the machine-readable symbol reader, the electromagnetic energy comprising a non-visible component and a visible component, the visible component capable of forming a visual pattern on a surface indicative of a position of the machine-readable symbol reader with respect to a target;
- and
- a detector subsystem comprising a filter operable pass a signal indicative of a non-visible component of electromagnetic energy returned from the surface while substantially filtering a signal indicative of a visible component of the electromagnetic energy returned from the surface.
A method of operating a machine-readable symbol reader to read machine-readable symbols, the method comprising:
- emitting electromagnetic energy comprising a visible component and a non-visible component from the machine-readable symbol reader, wherein the emitted visible component forms a pattern indicative of a position of the machine-readable symbol reader with respect to a target;
- receiving a portion of the emitted electromagnetic energy returned from the target, wherein the received portion of the electromagnetic energy comprises a visible portion and a non-visible portion of electromagnetic energy;
- and
- detecting only the received non-visible portion of electromagnetic energy.
A method for determining machine-readable encoded information in machine-readable symbols, the method comprising:
- generating a signal based upon a detected portion of electromagnetic energy that is returned from a machine-readable symbol, the electromagnetic energy comprising to a visible component and a non-visible component;
- preprocessing the signal to substantially remove the visible component of electromagnetic energy;
- and
- processing substantially only the information corresponding to the non-visible component of electromagnetic energy in the signal to resolve the machine-readable symbol.
A system for determining encoded information in a plurality of machine-readable symbols, comprising:
- means for concurrently emitting visible and non-visible electromagnetic energy onto a machine-readable symbol;
- means for concurrently receiving a visible component and a non-visible component of electromagnetic energy that is returned back from the machine-readable symbol;
- and
- means for detecting substantially only the returned non-visible component of electromagnetic energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.