Patent · US Expired

Optical scanner for reading and decoding one- and two-dimensional symbologies at variable depths of field

US5786582A · kind A · utility

426Cited by
37References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 8, 1995
Grant dateJul 28, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 8, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06K7/1092
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An optical device for reading one- and two-dimensional symbologies at variable depths of field, the device including a light source for projecting an emitted light towards the two-dimensional image and an optical assembly, or zoom lens, with dual field of view capability for focusing light reflected from the framed symbology onto a CCD detector for detecting the focussed light and generating a signal therefrom. The dual field of view capability enables scanning of both wide and narrow fields of view. An apodizing filter is provided within the optical assembly to increase depth of field. Aiming of the sensor to read the symbology is facilitated by a frame locator including a laser diode which emits a beam that is modified by optics, including diffractive optics, to divide the beam into beamlets having a spacing therebetween that expands to match the dimensions of the field of view of the sensor, forming points of light at the target to define the edges of the field of view. One or two sets of diffractive optics may be provided, with one set corresponding to each position, for each of the dual field of view positions of the zoom lens.

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