Multiple aperture data reader for multi-mode operation

A method for data reading comprising the steps of

• providing a housing having at least one opening;
• providing a rotating facet wheel within the housing;
• generating a reading beam and directing the reading beam onto the facet wheel;
• reflecting the reading beam off facets of the facet wheel to scan the reading beam across a plurality of pattern mirrors for producing a first scan pattern for a first mode of operation and a second scan pattern for a second mode of operation;
• detecting return signals from both the first and second scan patterns being reflected off an item being read and sending the return signals to a decoder;
• wherein in the first mode of operation, selectively decoding only return signal from the first scan pattern and wherein in the second mode of operation, selectively decoding only return signals from the second scan pattern.

A method for data reading comprising the steps of

• providing a housing having at least one opening;
• providing a rotating facet wheel within the housing;
• generating a reading beam and directing the reading beam onto the facet wheel;
• reflecting the reading beam off facets of the facet wheel to scan the reading beam across a plurality of pattern mirrors for producing a first scan pattern for a first mode of operation and a second scan pattern for a second mode of operation;
• optimizing the first scan pattern and mode of operation for a first type of scanning;
• optimizing the second scan pattern and mode of operation for a second type of scanning;
• switching between the first and second modes of operation, the first mode of operation comprising a fixed mode and the second mode of operation comprising a handheld mode;
• optimizing the first scan pattern produced during the fixed mode of operation by generating a complex scan pattern for reading symbols passed in various orientations in a scan volume;
• and
• optimizing the second scan pattern produced during the handheld mode of operation by generating a generally single line scan pattern to be aimed onto a symbol.

A method for data reading comprising the steps of

• providing a housing having at least one opening;
• providing a rotating facet wheel within the housing;
• generating a reading beam and directing the reading beam onto the facet wheel;
• reflecting the reading beam off facets of the facet wheel- to scan the reading beam across a plurality of pattern mirrors for producing a first scan pattern for a first mode of operation and a second scan pattern for a second mode of operation;
• optimizing the first scan pattern and mode of operation for a first type of scanning;
• optimizing the second scan pattern and mode of operation for a second type of scanning;
• providing the housing with first and second openings;
• directing the first scan pattern out the first opening;
• directing the second scan pattern out the second opening.

A method for controlling a data reading system, the data reading system including a housing, comprising the steps of

• generating a first scan pattern optimized for a first mode of scanning;
• generating a second scan pattern optimized for a second mode of scanning;
• detecting return signals from both the first-and second scan patterns being reflected off an item being read;
• operating in the first mode of scanning by selectively decoding only scan lines of the first scan pattern.

A data reading system, comprising

• a housing;
• means for generating a first scan pattern optimized for a first mode of scanning and directing the first scan pattern out from the housing;
• means for generating a second scan pattern optimized for a second mode of scanning and directing the second scan pattern out from the housing;
• means for operating in the first mode of scanning by selectively decoding only scan lines of the first scan pattern.

A data reading system, comprising a housing;

• means for generating a first scan pattern optimized for a first mode of scanning and directing the first scan pattern out from the housing;
• means for generating a second scan pattern optimized for a second mode of scanning and directing the second scan pattern out from the housing;
• means for operating in the first mode of scanning by decoding only scan lines of the first scan pattern,
• wherein the housing includes a first window and a second window, wherein the first scan pattern is directed out the first window and the second scan pattern is directed out the second window.