Abstract: An optical information reading apparatus applies light to an object to be read such as a bar code symbol, photoelectrically converts by a photodetector element a light image formed by the reflection light, and processes the obtained electric signal to output code data. Among the portions performing the signal processing, at least a data converter (13) for converting a photoelectrically converted electric signal into a digital signal, a digital signal calculation unit (17) for calculating the digital signal and generating code data indicating information of an object to be read, an input accumulation unit (20) for accumulating the code data, and a timing control unit (12) for controlling operation timings of these components are arranged on a single substrate as a multipurpose processing circuit block (10).

Abstract: Optical characteristic measuring systems and methods such as for determining the color or other optical characteristics of teeth are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics preferably are spaced apart from a source fiber optic and receive light from the surface of the object/tooth being measured. Light from the perimeter fiber optics pass to a variety of filters. The system utilizes the perimeter receiver fiber optics to determine information regarding the height and angle of the probe with respect to the object/tooth being measured. Under processor control, the optical characteristics measurement may be made at a predetermined height and angle. Various color spectral photometer arrangements are disclosed. Translucency, fluorescence, gloss and/or surface texture data also may be obtained. Audio feedback may be provided to guide operator use of the system. The probe may have a removable or shielded tip for contamination prevention.

Abstract: A bar code reader missing link detection system for detection of missing, defective or misaligned chain links in assembled or in-process chains includes a light source for illuminating one or more chain links of a chain, a light sensitive diode array for detecting an image of a fixed scan line, produced by the light source, and a lens system for focusing incoming light produced by the light source onto the diode array, wherein the system is arranged such that the bar code reader reflects light from one or more of the chain links onto the diode array, and the diode array is continuously scanned, digitized, and the data obtained thereby interpreted to detect missing chain links.

Abstract: An optical symbol scanner assembly has an illumination attachment to facilitate detection and decoding bar code symbols that are printed or formed on mirror-finish surfaces. A hand-held scanner has an array of LEDs or laser diodes on its distal face that produces light to illuminate the symbol. The illumination attachment is mounted on the distal face of the scanner device. At a distal end of the illumination attachment is a diffusion-treated surface such that the illumination leaving the attachment appears as a bar or zone of diffuse light. This is reflected off the bar code, so that the mirror-finish areas appear as the bright or high portions of the symbol and the diffuse areas thereof appear as the dark or low portions. The attachment may be in the form of a block or plate of a clear plastic, or may be formed as a prism.

Abstract: A presentation imaging system used for imaging machine readable information on an object is provided. The system includes an imaging device coupled to a processor. The imaging device senses the presence of an object within a field of view. A light source projects a structured beam at a first intensity to define an imaging area generally co-extensive with the field of view. Upon detection of the object, the processor signals the light source to project the beam at a second, higher intensity for imaging.

Abstract: A print medium is encoded with information bearing indicia. A transparent layer or substrate which receives the printed information during printing has a first surface, a second surface and a leading edge. A strip of tape is applied to the first surface. A machine readable information bearing indicia is applied to at least one surface of the tape strip. The indicia is formed by a pattern of fluorescent material which upon excitation by radiation of a given spectral excitation range emits radiation in a fluorescent spectral range. The tape reflects radiation in the given excitation spectral range and in the fluorescent spectral range. One type of indicia is a bar code pattern, although other types can also be employed.

Abstract: An improved detector assembly restricting light striking a detector within the assembly to a relatively narrow bandwidth and techniques for fabricating the same. A pliable material is impregnated with a coloring agent selected so that the material provides a filtering effect admitting light within a range including a predetermined wavelength, with the wavelength having a value based on a wavelength of a laser to be employed with the detector assembly. The pliable material is shaped so as form a capsule enclosing a detector, with the capsule including a hemispherical lens element as an integral part of the capsule. The hemispherical lens element is coated with a filter coating selected to provide a filtering effect complementary to that provided by the coloring agent, such that the combined filtering effects provided by the filter coating and the coloring agent provide a bandpass filtering effect.

Abstract: A planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based system employing wavefront control methods for reducing the power of speckle-pattern noise within digital images acquired by the system. The system comprises a housing having a first light transmission aperture, a second light transmission aperture, and a third light transmission aperture, wherein the first and second light transmission apertures are optically isolated from said third light transmission aperture spatially aligned on opposite sides thereof. A pair of planar laser illumination arrays (PLIAs) are mounted within the housing, for producing and projecting a first and second planar laser illumination beams (PLIBS) through the first and second light transmission apertures respectively, thereby producing a composite planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) outside of the housing, and illuminating an object therewith as the object is transported past the first, second and third light transmission apertures.

Abstract: A radius of curvature of a projection lens for projecting illumination light on bar codes varies in the arranging direction of the line sensor to collimate the illumination light at each point along the extending direction of the projection lends such that a focal distance at each point agrees with a distance between the point and the position of the LED.

Abstract: A portable hand-held reader unit includes a photosensor array, optics for focusing optical indicia on the array, a decoder for remotely decoding optical indicia, and a communication link between the hand-held reader and the decoder for communication between the reader and the decoder. In an additional embodiment, the portable hand-held reader unit includes a marker source disposed adjacent the optical reader unit for projecting marker onto a surface region exterior of the predetermined area so as to delineate the predetermined area and the information contained therein.

Abstract: A presentation imaging system used for imaging machine readable information on an object is provided. The system includes a proximity sensor and an imaging device coupled to a processor. The sensor senses the presence of an object within a field of view. A light source projects a structured beam at a first intensity to define an imaging area generally co-extensive with the field of view. Upon detection of the object, the processor signals the light source to project the beam at a second, higher intensity for imaging.

Abstract: A method and apparatus use light sources, such as LEDs, to illuminate target areas. At least one embodiment of the invention provides a system for illuminating target areas using multiple light sources, wherein the system comprises a first light source configured to illuminate a first target area. The system further comprises a second light source configured to illuminate a second target area, wherein the second target area is located more distant from the second light source compared to the distance from the second light source to the first target area. According to at least one embodiment, the illumination from the first light source and the illumination from the second light source overlaps on the first target area, and the intensities of the first and second light source are adjusted to provide a relatively balanced illumination of the first target area.

Abstract: Authenticating an object includes marking the object with a mark containing at least two markers wherein each marker fluoresces when illuminated with one of UV and IR, but does not fluoresce when illuminated with visible light. The marking may be in the form of a bar code containing a number or alphanumeric codes uniquely identifying the object to be marked with the particular mixture of markers used. A spectral analysis of the marking ink or the code is used to define spectral peaks for use as part of the authentication signature. The authentication signature may be defined using the identified peaks and logical conditions imposed upon them such as minimum threshold amplitude values and ratio values among peaks.

Abstract: An ambient light sensing apparatus and method for a produce data collector which minimize false triggering of produce data collection. The apparatus includes an image capture device which has a first receiving angle for incident light through an aperture in the produce data collector which is larger than a second receiving angle of a collector within the produce data collector which collects produce data.

Abstract: An encoded binder strip having an adhesive matrix and an encoded pattern formed on a surface of the matrix to identify the type of binder strip. The encoded pattern includes relatively high reflectivity regions and relatively low reflectivity regions. Preferably, the encoded pattern is read as the binder strip is fed into a binding machine, with the encoded pattern controlling operation of the machine.

Abstract: A laser diode control board (9), a scanning deflection member control board (12), and an electric signal processing board (11) composing a bar code scanner are formed of individual boards, the laser diode control board (9) is vertically disposed on the side opposite to a collimate lens (5) with respect to the laser diode (2) such that the board face thereof closely faces the laser diode, the electric signal processing board (11) is disposed below the collimate lens (5) along the irradiation direction of a laser beam in a vertical position, the scanning deflection member control board (12) is disposed at the rear in the irradiation direction of the laser beam with respect to the scanning deflection member (8), and the boards are attached to a holding member (4) with the laser diode (2), the collimate lens (5), a mirror (6), the scanning deflection member (8), and a light receiving element (3).

Abstract: An optical scanner for scanning various optical indicia uses one or more tunable optical components for noise reduction purposes. The scanner may include a narrow band-pass tunable optical filter for passing selected wavelengths of incoming light. The scanner may also have a tunable light source, such as a tunable laser source, whereby the wavelength of the generated laser light is sensed and controlled by the scanner's electronic sub-system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that allows the adjustment of the intensity of the illumination source in a barcode reader, using the barcode reader as the measuring device, to give a predetermined amount of light from a known target. The adjustment of the intensity of the illumination source in the barcode reader compensates for the manufacturing tolerances of the barcode reader.

Abstract: A hand-held produce data collector which captures wavelength information from a produce item. The produce data collector includes a light emitter for illuminating a produce item, collecting optics for collecting light reflected from the produce item and separating the reflected light into a plurality of wavelength portions of light, a photosensor for capturing wavelength information from the wavelength portions of light, control circuitry, and a hand-held housing containing the light emitter, the collecting optics, the photosensor, and the control circuitry. The control circuitry may store reference wavelength information and compare the captured wavelength information to the reference wavelength information to identify the produce item.

Abstract: An ambient light blocking apparatus which minimizes contamination of produce data collector readings by ambient light. The apparatus preferably includes a tunnel member which may be located around a produce illumination window in the top surface of a scale weigh plate of an item checkout device containing the produce data collector, or around a produce illumination window in the produce data collector itself.

Abstract: An optical information reader which can promptly eliminate mirror reflection regions with high accuracy without the need for a plurality of expensive CCDS. When it is discriminated that mirror reflection regions exist in an image of a two-dimensional code obtained by a CCD under illumination condition 1, the condition is changed to illumination condition 2 and an image is obtained. If there is a mirror reflection region also in the new image, the previously obtained image and the new image are synthesized by calculating the OR. When no mirror reflection regions exist in the synthesized image, a decoding is executed. Since it is sufficient to use only one CCD in the optical information reader, system cost is minimized. As images are obtained by the same CCD, even if images are synthesized, a positional deviation does not occur, the mirror reflection regions can be promptly eliminated with high accuracy, and an obtained image is accordingly very accurate.

Abstract: An image reading device is provided in which a number of degrees of freedom in control at a time of reading is increased. A plurality of light emitting elements, which emit light of different wavelengths, are provided in an array, and the array illuminates a photographic film. A plurality of light sensors, which receive light of plural different wavelengths, are provided and receive light transmitted through the photographic film. A controller controls each light sensor, by using a predetermined minimum charging time as a unit, such that, during a charge accumulating time which is an integer multiple of the minimum charge accumulating time, the light sensors receive the light transmitted through the photographic film. The controller controls each light emitting element such that the light emitting elements are pulse width modulated synchronously with the minimum charge accumulating time and such that one period thereof equals the minimum charge accumulating time, and emit light.

Abstract: A produce data collector and produce recognition system which illuminates a produce item with substantially uniform light to enhance the accuracy of collected produce data and subsequent identification of the produce item as part of a transaction in a transaction establishment. The produce data collector includes a light source for illuminating the produce item with substantially uniform light during the transaction, a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths, a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals, and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining its unit price.

Abstract: An apparatus that permits high resolution imaging of low contrast one and two-dimensional symbols includes a housing having a window and an electro-optical element disposed within the housing behind the window. At least two laser diodes are mounted externally to the housing adjacent to the window. The laser diodes respectively provide beams that intersect at a point within a field of view of the electro-optical element, and the beams provide light to the electro-optical element through the window that has reflected off a symbol positioned at the intersection point. The laser diodes may be selectively or automatically triggered upon the symbol being positioned at the intersection point.

Abstract: An optical or symbol reader including CMOS circuitry preferably integrated on a single chip. A CMOS optical reader chip comprises a CMOS imaging array having a plurality of pixels each with a dedicated pixel-site circuit. Charge is accumulated at each pixel location transferred upon demand to a common bus. In a preferred embodiment, exposure time of the imaging array is controlled using a feedback loop. One or more exposure control pixels are positioned adjacent to or within the imaging array and receive light along with the imaging array. The charge of the exposure control pixel or pixels is measured against a threshold level, and the amount of time taken to reach the threshold level determines the time exposure of the pixels of the imaging array. CMOS signal processing circuitry is employed which, in combination with the exposure control circuitry, minimizes time-to-read over a large range of light levels, while performing spatially optimal filtering.

Abstract: A method of reading an indicia, for example a bar code, comprising areas of differing light reflectivity comprises producing an electrical signal representative of light reflected from the indicia and selectively sampling the signal at a rate well below the Nyquist rate. The sample points are not uniform, and are chosen to represent key features in the signal. An attempt is then made to decode the indicia, using the samples. If the decode is unsuccessful, the samples which have been collected are analyzed to provide information on the extent to which they represent true data corresponding to the indicia, and the extent to which they present noise. Signal collection and/or processing and/or sampling is then adjusted and the process is repeated. The continual feed-back of information related to the scanning environment allows more aggressive decoding techniques to be used.