US 2013/0256418 A1Published application

Laser scanning system using laser beam sources for producing long and short wavelengths in combination with beam-waist extending optics to extend the depth of field thereof while resolving high resolution bar code symbols having minimum code element widths

AssigneeMetrologic Instruments, Inc.

InventorsWilliam Havens, Sean Philip Kearney

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

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Abstract

A laser scanning bar code symbol reading system having a scanning window, from which blue/red beam-waist-extended laser scanning planes are projected and intersect within an extended depth of field (DOF) defined adjacent the scanning window. In the illustrative embodiment, the laser scanning bar code symbol reading system includes a laser scanning subsystem having: a dual laser sources for producing a laser beams having blue and red spectral components; a collimating lens for collimating the laser beams; an aperture stop for shaping the cross-sectional dimensions of the collimated the laser beams; and beam-waist extending optics (e.g. axicon-lens) for extending the waist of the laser beam having a red characteristic wavelength.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A bar code symbol reading system comprising:

a system housing having a scanning window;
a laser scanning subsystem disposed in said system housing, for generating and projecting a laser scanning plane through said scanning window and into a scanning field, for scanning one or more objects within said scanning field, and producing scan data signals for decode processing;
wherein said laser scanning plane has a full-field region within said scanning field, and a limited-field region within said scanning field;
and
wherein said laser scanning system includes
(i) a beam scanning mechanism for scanning first and second laser scanning beams across said laser scanning field to produce said laser scanning plane;
(ii) a first laser source for generating said first laser beam having a beam waist extending over the full-field region of said laser scanning plane generated using said first laser source and said beam scanning mechanism, and beam-waist extending optics for extending the beam waist of said first laser beam over the full-field region of said laser scanning plane during scanning operations;
and
(iii) a second laser source for generating said second laser beam having a beam waist extending over the limited-field region of said laser scanning plane generated using said second laser source and said beam scanning mechanism;
and
a scan data processor for processing said scan data signals produced by said laser scanning subsystem in effort to read a bar code symbol on said object passed through said scanning field and scanned by said laser scanning field, and generate symbol character data representative of said read bar code symbol;
and
a system controller for controlling the operation of said laser scanning subsystem during said system operation.

10 more elements

A method of operating a bar code symbol reading system comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a bar code symbol reading system, including:
a system housing having a scanning window, and a laser scanning subsystem disposed in said system housing, for generating and projecting a laser scanning plane through said scanning window and into a scanning field,
wherein said laser scanning plane has a full-field region within said scanning field, and a limited-field region within said scanning field;
and
wherein said laser scanning system includes
(i) a beam scanning mechanism for scanning one or more laser scanning beams across said laser scanning field to produce said laser scanning plane;
(ii) a first laser source for generating a first laser beam having a beam waist extending over the full-field region of said laser scanning plane generated using said first laser source and said beam scanning mechanism, and beam-waist extending optics for extending the beam waist of said first laser beam over the full-field region of said laser scanning plane during scanning operations;
(iii) a second laser source for generating a second laser beam having a beam waist extending over the limited-field region of said laser scanning plane generated using said second laser source and said beam scanning mechanism;
(iv) a scanning element for scanning said first and second laser beams so as to generate said laser scanning plane within said scanning field;
and
(v) a scan data processor for processing said scan data signals produced by said laser scanning subsystem in effort to read a bar code symbol on each object passed through said scanning field, and generate symbol character data representative of each said read bar code symbol;
(b) generating and projecting said laser scanning planes through said scanning window, and into said scanning field, for scanning one or more objects within said scanning field and producing scan data for decode processing;
and
(c) processing said scan data produced by said laser scanning subsystem in effort to read a bar code symbol on said object passed through said scanning field, and generating symbol character data representative of said read bar code symbol.

11 more elements

A bar code symbol reading system comprising:

a system housing having a scanning window;
a laser scanning subsystem disposed in said system housing, for generating and projecting a plurality of laser scanning planes through said scanning window, which intersect within a 3D scanning volume defined adjacent said scanning window and provide a laser scanning pattern within said 3D scanning volume, for scanning one or more objects within said 3D scanning volume and producing scan data for decode processing;
wherein said each said laser scanning plane has a full-field region within said 3D scanning volume, and a limited-field region within said 3D scanning volume;
and
wherein said laser scanning system includes
(i) a first laser source for generating a first laser beam having a first wavelength and a beam waist extending over the full-field region of each laser scanning plane generated from said first laser beam, and beam-waist extending optics for extending the beam waist of said first laser beam over the full-field region of the laser scanning plane generated from said first laser beam;
and
(ii) a second laser source for generating a second laser beam having a second wavelength and a beam waist extending over the limited-field region of each laser scanning plane generated from said second laser beam;
a scan data processor for processing said scan data produced by said laser scanning subsystem in effort to read a bar code symbol on said object passed through said 3D scanning volume, and generate symbol character data representative of said read bar code symbol;
and
a system controller for controlling the operation of said laser scanning subsystem during said system operation.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/432,197Filed 28 Mar 2012
Published: 3 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

G06K 7/10831
Further details of bar or optical code scanning devices: arrangement of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms
G06K 7/1096
Further details of bar or optical code scanning devices: the scanner having more than one scanning window, e.g. two substantially orthogonally…
G06K
Graphical data reading

Family

US 9,064,165 B2Related patent
US 2013/0256418 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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