Automatic hand-supportable laser bar code symbol scanner and method of reading bar code symbols using the same

A method of selectively reading a bar code symbol one or more times using an automatic hand-supportable unit, comprising the sequence of steps:

• (a) manually supporting said automatic hand-supportable unit adjacent an object bearing a bar code symbol so that said object is located within at least a portion of a scan field defined external to said automatic hand-supportable unit, and said automatic hand-supportable unit is disposed in a substantially non-contacting relationship with said object;
• (b) producing a visible laser beam from a laser beam producing source disposed in said automatic hand-supportable unit, in repeatedly scanning said visible laser beam through a light transmission aperture in said automatic hand-supportable unit and across said bar code symbol while said bar code symbol is present in said scan field;
• (c) automatically detecting at said automatic hand-supportable unit, the intensity of visible laser light reflected off said bar code symbol, and automatically producing scan data indicative of said detected intensity of visible laser light reflected off said bar code symbol;
• (d) automatically processing scan data produced in step (c) in order to detect and decode said bar code symbol present in said scan field, and upon detecting and decoding said bar code symbol, automatically producing symbol character data in a form representative of said decoded bar code symbol and suitable for transmission to a symbol character data storage means operatively associated with said hand-supportable unit;
• (e) moving said automatic hand-supportable unit relative to said object so as to cause said decoded bar code symbol to be absent from said scan field;
• (f) producing said visible laser beam from said laser beam producing source, and repeatedly scanning said visible laser beam through said light transmission aperture and across said object while said bar code symbol is absent from said scan field;
• (g) automatically detecting at said automatic hand-supportable unit, the intensity of visible laser light reflected off said object, and automatically producing scan data indicative of said detected intensity of visible laser light reflected off said object;
• (h) automatically processing scan data produced in step (g) in order to detect the absence of said bar code symbol from said scan field;
• (i) moving said automatic hand-supportable unit relative to said object so as to cause said decoded bar code symbol to be present once again in said scan field;
• (j) projecting said visible laser beam from said laser beam producing source, and repeatedly scanning said visible laser beam through said light transmission aperture and across said bar code symbol present once again in said scan field;
• (k) automatically detecting at said automatic hand-supportable unit, the intensity of visible laser light reflected off said decoded bar code symbol, and automatically producing scan data indicative of said detected intensity of visible laser light of the decoded bar code symbol;
• (1) automatically processing scan data produced in step (k) in order to detect and decode once again said decoded bar code symbol, and upon detecting and decoding said decoded bar code symbol, automatically producing once again symbol character data in a form representative of said decoded bar code symbol and suitable for transmission to said symbol character data storage means.