Cordless desktop bar code symbol reader having integrated viewing aperture for sighting of bar code symbols to be scanned

A portable bar code symbol reading system for desktop use, comprising

• a hand-graspable housing having physical dimensions which permit said hand-graspable housing to be grasped substantially within the palm of a user's hand and moved on the surface of a desktop, said hand-graspable housing further including
• a bottom surface for contact with said desktop during bar code symbol reading operations,
• a viewing aperture formed in said bottom surface, and
• a light transmission aperture through which visible light can exit and enter said hand-graspable housing,
• wherein a bar code symbol, on an object supported on said desktop surface, is viewable by the user along a line of sight extending from said viewing aperture the viewer's eye;
• bar code symbol reading means disposed in said hand-graspable housing for reading said viewable bar code symbol, and producing symbol character data representative of the read bar code symbol, scan data producing means in said hand-graspable housing, for producing scan data from an object located in a scan field defined external to said light transmission aperture, said scan data producing means including
• a laser beam source disposed in said hand-supportable housing for producing a visible laser beam,
• laser beam scanning means for projecting said visible laser beam through said light transmission aperture and for repeatedly scanning said visible laser beam across said scan field and a bar code symbol on said detected object, and
• laser light detecting means for detecting the intensity of laser light reflected off said bar code symbol and passing through said light transmission aperture, and for automatically producing scan data indicative of said detected intensity;
• a bar code symbol detection circuit disposed in said hand-graspable housing, for processing produced scan data so as to detect said bar code symbol on said detected object, and automatically generating an activation signal in response to the detection of said bar code symbol;
• and
• a programmed microprocessor disposed in said hand-graspable housing and responsive to said activation signal, for processing produced scan data so as to decode said detected bar code symbol, and automatically producing symbol character data representative of said decoded bar code symbol in response to the decoding of said detected bar code symbol.