Abstract: An indicia reading terminal can comprise an image sensor integrated circuit having a two-dimensional image sensor, a hand held housing encapsulating the two-dimensional image sensor, and an imaging lens configured to focus an image of a target decodable indicia onto the two-dimensional image sensor. The two-dimensional image sensor can include a plurality of pixels arranged in repetitive patterns. Each pattern can include at least one pixel sensitive in a first spectrum region, at least one pixel sensitive in a second spectrum region, and at least one pixel sensitive in a third spectrum region. The image sensor integrated circuit can be configured to capture a frame of image data by reading out a plurality of analog signals. Each read out analog signal can be representative of light incident on a group of two or more pixels of the plurality of pixels.

Abstract: An improved laser scanning system is provided employing multiple off-center lasers and an irregular multi-sided scanning polygon, producing a laser scanning raster over a total sweep of approximately 180 degrees of polygon rotation (i.e. sweep), wherein the scanning region includes (i) a center scanning region with a first plurality of scanning lines, (ii) two mid scanning regions with a second plurality of scanning lines, and (iii) far left and right scanning regions each having a third plurality of scanning lines, to supports high (full) density, mid (?) density, and low (?) density scanning over the 180 degrees scanning region, for robust omni-directional scanning performance.

Abstract: An optical code symbol reading system including a hand-supportable housing having a light transmission aperture. A manually-actuated trigger switch is integrated within the housing. An optical code symbol reading subsystem is disposed in the housing for optically reading a code symbol in the field external to the light transmission aperture, and generating symbol character data representative of the read code symbol. One or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) are disposed in the housing, for producing a visible illumination. Also, an optical-waveguide structure is disposed in the housing for coupling visible illumination produced from the one or more LEDs, so as to illuminate the region about the manually-actuated trigger switch, thereby causing the optically-translucent region about the manually-actuated trigger switch to glow and visually indicate where it is located on the hand-supportable housing.

Abstract: A trigger mechanism includes soft stops and an associated method activates a switch in a device or apparatus. The trigger mechanism includes a trigger receptacle, a trigger disposed in the trigger receptacle and movable between an un-actuated and an actuated position by a user depressing the trigger, and a soft stop comprised of at least one projection positioned to engage a resilient elastomeric insert. Moving the trigger from the un-actuated to actuated position compresses the elastomeric insert with the projection and activates the switch to provide a tactile sensation of the switch activation to the user. The switch may be an electric switch disposed in a hand held device, such as a barcode scanner in some embodiments.

Abstract: An image capture and processing system supports a multi-tier modular software, and plug-in extendable, architecture. The image capture and processing system can be realized as an image-capturing cell phone, a digital camera, a video camera, mobile computing terminal and portable data terminal (PDT), provided with suitable hardware platform, communication protocols and user interfaces. A third-party customer can write and install a software plug-in into the application layer so as to enhance or modify the behavior of the image capture and processing system without any required knowledge of the hardware platform, communication protocols and/or user interfaces.

Abstract: A strobe illumination control process for use in a digital image capture and processing system includes illuminating an object in the field of view with different pulses of illumination over a pair of consecutive video image frames, detecting digital images of the illuminated object over these consecutive image frames, and decode processing the digital images. In a first illustrative embodiment, upon failure to read a symbol in one of the first and second images, these digital images are analyzed in real-time, and based on the results of this real-time image analysis, the exposure time is adjusted during subsequent image frames. In a second illustrative embodiment, upon failure to read a symbol in one of the first and second images, these digital images are analyzed in real-time, and based on the results of this real-time image analysis, the energy level of the illumination is adjusted during subsequent image frames.

Abstract: A digital imaging based symbol reading system has the capacity to automatically read both visible and invisible symbols in the same application environment. Typically, the system reads the symbols in a user-transparent manner. The system may employ visible/invisible illumination switching during operation. The system may include LED illumination sources. A method for reading both visible and invisible symbols using a single device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A digital-imaging based system for and method of reading graphical indicia, including code symbols, on objects such as, but not limited to, code symbol menus by the user simply pointing his or her finger at the particular code symbol on the code symbol menu to be read, while digital images of the code symbol menu and the pointing finger are automatically captured, buffered and processed.

Abstract: A method of operating a reader system includes: providing a reader for reading information data carriers; an operator loading a configuration overlay onto the configuration settings of the reader upon successful logging, wherein the configuration overlay is specific to the operator; and reading information data carriers utilizing the configuration overlay.

Abstract: An optical code symbol reading system including a housing having a light transmission aperture, and at least one sound port formed in the housing. The system includes an optical code symbol reading subsystem for optically reading a code symbol in the field external to the light transmission aperture, and generating symbol character data representative of the read code symbol. An electro-acoustic transducer is disposed in the housing for producing sonic energy. Also, an acoustic-waveguide structure is disposed in the housing, for coupling the sonic energy produced from the electro-acoustic transducer, to the at least sound wave port formed the housing, to audibly signal the reading of a code symbol to the operator of the optical code symbol reading system.

Abstract: A bi-optical code symbol reading system including a system housing having a vertical housing section with a vertical window and a horizontal housing section with a horizontal window adjacent the vertical scanning window; and a digital video display subsystem, disposed within the vertical section of the system housing, and supporting the display of digital images in substantially the same plane as the vertical window during system operation. The digital images displayed by digital video display subsystem can be video images captured by an integrated digital imaging code symbol reading subsystem, to assist the operator in aligning code symbols during scanning operations. The digital images can also be product and price information captured during product scanning operations.

Abstract: A hybrid-type bi-optical bar code symbol reading system having a vertical housing section having a vertical scanning window and a horizontal housing section having a horizontal scanning window, from which laser scanning planes are projected and intersect within a 3D scanning volume defined between the vertical and horizontal scanning windows. A digital imaging module is supported within the vertical section of the system housing and automatically projects a field of view (FOV) within the 3D scanning volume when an object is detected in close proximity to the vertical scanning window of the system, providing an automatically-triggered digital imaging region in close proximity to the vertical scanning window.

Abstract: An apparatus includes the primary components of an EAS system and a hand-supportable and countertop-supportable bar code symbol reading system having a housing with a light transmission window covered by an optically transparent faceplate having outer dimensions closely matched to the light transmission window. About the optically transparent faceplate, a faceplate bezel is mounted embodying a coil of electrically conductive wire having terminals connected to an electrical interface circuit, which is connected to a flexible EAS cable extending from the electrical interface circuit. The flexible EAS cable extends towards electrical drive circuitry associated with the EAS subsystem, for powering the coil during EAS tag deactivation operations controlled by the host computer system.

Abstract: Method of and system for reading code symbols a dual-laser scanning bar code symbol reading system having the capacity to automatically select in a user-transparent manner, and activate either a near-field source of laser illumination, or a far-field source of laser illumination, using an automatic object presence detection subsystem in the near-field portion of the laser scanning field.

Abstract: Various wireless network components that offer increased flexibility, ease of use, functionality and performance in many demanding applications in diverse fields of use, namely: a wireless multi-function network device for use on a wireless communication network, that can serve multiple functions and dynamically switch and reconfigure from a network router into a network coordinator in the event that the originally designated network coordinator is permanently or temporally disabled; a wireless mesh-type communication network, including a plurality of wireless network router devices, each capable of performing the functions of a network controller/coordinator; a wireless network router device for use on a wireless communication network, and employing an integrated phased-array antenna structure, supporting the spatial isolation of multi-regions, and utilizing beam steering principles of operation, for illuminating multiple wireless network end-devices over separate regions; a network gateway device that suppo

Abstract: A POS-based bar code symbol reading system that reads bar code symbols on objects being passed through the 3D imaging or scanning volume supported by the system, and employs one or more object motion sensors (e.g. imaging based, IR Pulse-Doppler LIDAR-based, ultra-sonic energy based, etc.) to (i) measure or estimate the speed of objects being manually passed through the 3D imaging or scanning volume by the system operator, and (ii) visually and/or audibly display object scanning speed measures or estimates to provide the system operator with feedback for optimizing system throughput. The POS-based bar code symbol reading system has a performance advantage that leads to quicker customer checkout times and productivity gain that cannot be matched by the conventional bar code symbol scanning technology.

Abstract: A trigger mechanism with soft stops and associated method for activating a switch in a device or apparatus. The trigger mechanism includes a trigger receptacle, a trigger disposed in the trigger receptacle and movable between an un-actuated and an actuated position by a user depressing the trigger, and a soft stop comprised of at least one projection positioned to engage a resilient elastomeric insert. Moving the trigger from the un-actuated to actuated position compresses the elastomeric insert with the projection and activates the switch to provide a tactile sensation of the switch activation to the user. The switch may be an electric switch disposed in a hand held device, such as a barcode scanner in some embodiments.

Abstract: An indicia reader is adapted for hand held operation to read information bearing indicia (IBI) at a point of transaction (POT) and is operated by: configuring the indicia reader in a store to provide at least one store specific indicia read notice; reading an IBI at a POT with the indicia reader and providing the at least one store specific indicia read notice to a customer when each IBI is read.

Abstract: A laser scanning system for generating a laser scanning pattern in a scanning field, while amplifying the scan-angle multiplication factor of rotating mirrors employed therein. The laser scanning system employs rotatable laser scanning assembly having an axis of rotation and first and second rotating mirrors with normal vectors that are coplanar with each other and said rotational axis, and which form an acute angle substantially less than 90 degrees so as to provide a laser scanning assembly with a scan angle multiplication factor that is greater than 2.0. A cluster of stationary mirrors mounted about the first and second rotating mirrors, for sweeping a laser beam off the cluster of stationary mirrors after a laser beam has been reflected off the first rotating mirror, then reflected off the second rotating mirror, and then directed outwardly towards an array of pattern mirrors, so as to generate a resultant laser scanning pattern within the scanning field.

Abstract: An adaptive strobe illumination control process for use in a digital image capture and processing system. In general, the process involves: (i) illuminating an object in the field of view (FOV) with several different pulses of strobe (i.e. stroboscopic) illumination over a pair of consecutive video image frames; (ii) detecting digital images of the illuminated object over these consecutive image frames; and (iii) decode processing the digital images in an effort to read a code symbol graphically encoded therein. In a first illustrative embodiment, upon failure to read a code symbol graphically encoded in one of the first and second images, these digital images are analyzed in real-time, and based on the results of this real-time image analysis, the exposure time (i.e. photonic integration time interval) is automatically adjusted during subsequent image frames (i.e. image acquisition cycles) according to the principles of the present disclosure.