Patent · US Expired

Bar code reader with enhanced sensitivity

US4882476A · kind A · utility

42Cited by
2References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 10, 1986
Grant dateNov 21, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 10, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B2001/3894
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In laser bar code scanners bright sunlight tends to overpower the reflected laser light, drastically reducing the difference between bar code and background signals. In the present bar code reader, a plurality of light detectors are utilized with different spectral response characteristics at the wavelength of the incident laser beam, such that the differential response of the detectors tends to minimize the effect of background illumination. Narrowband optical filters with offset passbands may be used with conventional light sensors. As another example, filters with long wavelength transmission characteristics and offset cutoff wavelengths may be employed if necessary with a neutral density filter to provide balanced responses under broadband illumination.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.