Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system including a housing having an imaging window; and an image formation and detection subsystem supporting a snap-shot mode of the operation and a video mode of operation. The system includes image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through said imaging window and upon an object within the FOV, and forming an image of the object on an area-type image detection array having a plurality of rows of image detection elements, and detecting 2D digital images of the object while object illumination and imaging operations. The system also includes an illumination subsystem, with an illumination array, for producing a field of illumination within the FOV, and illuminating the object detected in the FOV, so that the illumination reflects off the object and is transmitted back through the light transmission aperture and onto the image detection array to form the 2D digital image of the object.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system including a housing having an imaging window, and an image formation and detection subsystem, disposed in the housing, having an area-type image detection array supporting a single snap-shot mode of image acquisition and a periodic snap-shot mode of image acquisition during object illumination and imaging operations. The system also includes an illumination subsystem, with an illumination array, for producing a field of illumination within the FOV, and illuminating the object detected in the FOV, so that the illumination reflects off the object and is transmitted back through the light transmission aperture and onto the image detection array to form the 2D digital image of the object.

Abstract: A countertop-mounted digital image capture and processing system that includes a housing having an imaging window with an illumination-focusing lens component integrated therewithin. The area-type image formation and detection subsystem, also disposed in the housing, has image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through the imaging window and onto an area-type image detection array, for forming and detecting 2D digital images of an object in the FOV, during object illumination and imaging operations. The single array of LEDs is disposed immediately behind the illumination-focusing lens structure, for generating a field of visible illumination that reflects off an object within said FOV and is transmitted back through said imaging window and onto said area-type image detection array.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system capable of illuminating the entire field of view (FOV) of the system using a linear LED-based illumination array. The system includes a housing having an imaging window with a refractive-type illumination-focusing lens component integrated therewithin. The area-type image formation and detection subsystem, also disposed in the housing, has image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through the imaging window and onto an area-type image detection array, for forming and detecting 2D digital images of an object in the FOV, during object illumination and imaging operations. The linear LED-based illumination array is disposed immediately behind the refractive-type illumination-focusing lens component, for producing a field of wide-area illumination illuminating substantially the entire FOV over the working distance of the system.

Abstract: An automatically-activated bar code reading system including: a visible laser light source, scanning element and a plurality of stationary mirrors. When arranged in a first configuration, the visible laser light source, scanning element and plurality of stationary mirrors cooperate to produce a visible omni-directional laser scanning pattern with multiple laser scanning lines having substantially uniform spatial and temporal intensity characteristics at a given scanning plane parallel to a scanning window within a working distance of the system.

Abstract: A fully automated package identification and measuring system, in which an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel. Mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon. The mathematical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.

Abstract: A novel transaction-enabling method and system are disclosed, wherein a transaction-enabling Java-Applet is embedded within an HTML-encoded document stored in an HTTP server at predetermined URL. When a code symbol (e.g., magstripe or bar code) encoded with the URL is read using a code symbol reader interfaced with a Java-enabled Internet terminal, the corresponding HTTP document is automatically accessed and displayed at the terminal, and the transaction-enabling Java-Applet initiated for execution so that the customer, consumer or client desiring the transaction can simply and conveniently conduct the information-related transaction over the Internet. The transaction-enabling Internet terminal can be in the form of an Internet kiosk installed in a public location, in the manner as conventional ATMs. By virtue of the present invention, universal transaction machine (UTMs) can be easily deployed for use by the mass population so that they can easily conduct various types of transaction over the Internet.

Abstract: A bar code symbol driven system for accessing information resources from information servers connected to communication networks, including the Internet. The system includes a bar code symbol reader (7a) for reading bar code symbols encoded with information representative of information resources stored in information servers connected to the Internet and supporting the TCP/IP standard. A computing platform (6) is provided for supporting an Internet browser. A telecommunication modem is operably connected to the computing platform in order to establish a two way telecommunication link between the Internet browser and an Internet service provider (ISP) connected to the Internet. In response to reading bar code symbols (8), the Internet browser automatically accesses information resources from Internet information servers (2) using the information encoded in bar code symbols read by the bar code symbol reader (7a).

Abstract: An automatically-activated laser scanning 2-D bar code symbol reading system employing a visible linear-type laser scanning pattern and an audible feedback signal during scan data capturing and buffering operations. The system includes a laser scanning 2-D bar code symbol reading mechanism that automatically produces a visible linear-type laser scanning pattern for scanning a 2-D bar code symbol structure on an object as its hand-supportable housing is manually transported past a 2-D bar code symbol along a height-wise direction by an operator, automatically capturing lines of scan data from the scanned 2-D bar code symbol structure, decode processing the scan data, and generating a symbol character data string representative of the read 2-D bar code symbol.

Abstract: A wireless automatically-activated bar code symbol reading system having a wireless hand-supportable bar code symbol reader in two-way RF communication with a base station, by way of an RF-based wireless data communication link having a predetermined RF communication range. A manually-operated data transmission activation switch is integrated with the hand-supportable housing, for generating a data transmission control activation signal in response to the activation of the data transmission switch within a first predetermined time period. A device controller is programmed to automatically detect when the wireless reader is located inside of the predetermined RF communication range, and thereuponautomatically transmit to a first RF-based transceiver, the symbol character data string produced at substantially the same time when the data transmission control activation signal is generated while the wireless reader is located inside of the predetermined RF communication range.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated wireless code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a hand-supportable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.

Abstract: A fully automated package identification and measuring system, in which an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel. Mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon. The mathematical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a hand-supportable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated wireless code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a hand-supportable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.

Abstract: An automatically-activated bar code symbol reading system for carrying out bar code symbol reading operations, comprising a hand-supportable housing; a manually-actuatable data transmission activation switch integrated with the hand-supportable housing; and an automatically-activated laser scanning bar code symbol reading engine, disposed within the hand-supportable housing, and having (i) a preprogrammed set of operational states wherethrough the system automatically passes during each bar code symbol reading operation, and (ii) a preprogrammed symbol character data transmission state of operation into which the system is automatically induced in response to the manually-actuation of the symbol character data transmission activation switch.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated wireless code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a hand-supportable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.

Abstract: An automatically-activated wireless code symbol reading system comprising a hand-supportable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch under automatic communication range dependent control. When a bar code symbol is read, the bar code reader is located inside the predetermined RF data communication range of the system, then the symbol character data string, produced at substantially the same time as the manual activation of the data transmission switch, is transmitted to the base station over the wireless RF communication link. If the device is outside the range, then an audible and/or visual indication is automatically generated, and the packaged symbol character data string is packaged and transmitted to a data storage buffer aboard the bar code reader. Then when the bar code symbol reader is moved within the communication range of the system, the buffered/packaged symbol character data is automatically transmitted to the base station by the RF-based data communication link.

Abstract: A fully automated package identification and measuring system (300), in which an onmidirectional holographic scanning tunnel (100) is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem (500, 600) is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel. Mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon. The mathematical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identificaton data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.

Abstract: A fully automated package identification and measuring system, in which an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel. Mathamatical models are created on a real-time basis for the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon. The mathamatical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.

Abstract: A multi-mode laser-based bar code symbol reading device having a hand-supportable housing with a light transmission aperture, wherethrough visible light can exit and enter the hand-supportable housing. A laser scanning engine, disposed within the hand-supportable housing, is controlled to selectively operate in either an omni-directional reading mode or a uni-directional bar code reading mode. In the omni-directional bar code reading mode, the laser scanning engine projects pattern through the light transmission aperture, an omni-directional laser scanning pattern producing multiple laser scanning lines with substantially uniform spatial and temporal intensity characteristics at any given scanning plane parallel to the light transmission aperture within the working distance of the system, and detects and decodes bar code symbols on objects passing through the omni-directional scanning pattern, and produces symbol character data representative of decoded bar code symbols.