Abstract: A light scanning type confocal optical device comprises a light source section, a light transmitting section, a light scanning section, and a processing section. The scanning section includes a movable mirror, a fixed mirror and a converging lens. The movable mirror has an opening at the center, and is supported to be swingable about at least one axis. The fixed mirror is fixedly supported by an optically transparent plate. Reflection surfaces of the movable and fixed mirrors are located opposed to each other. The transmitting section includes an optical fiber having a core, whose end face substantially functions as a confocal pinhole. The light from the end face of the core is, upon passing through the opening, reflected by the fixed mirror toward the movable mirror. The light from the fixed mirror is then reflected by the movable mirror, and is converged by the converging lens onto an object surface.

Abstract: A bar code symbol picked-up by a two-dimensional image pickup device is stored in a frame memory. A data processing unit automatically recognizes whether the bar code symbol is present or not, based on the information stored in the frame memory, that is, the image pickup data. If the bar code symbol is present, the information of the bar code symbol projected on a photoelectric conversion surface of the two-dimensional image pickup device is read and decoded to the original information.

Abstract: A bar code symbol imaged by a two-dimensional imaging apparatus is stored in a frame memory. Based on the stored information, a position sensing section of a data processing apparatus senses position information units of at least two points from among position information units of four corners of the bar code image symbol projected on a photoelectric conversion surface of the two-dimensional imaging apparatus. On the basis of the sensed position information units, a slope sensing section estimates position information of the bar code symbol. Based on this position information, a reading section successively reads information of the bar code symbol from the frame memory. A decoding section decodes the read information to the original information.

Abstract: A bar code symbol imaged by a two-dimensional imaging apparatus is stored in a frame memory. A data processing apparatus estimates the position of each code in the bar code symbol projected onto the photoelectric conversion plane of the two-dimensional imaging apparatus and checks to see if the position of each code word is within the screen. Whether or not decoding is possible is determined by judging whether or not the number of code words estimated to be outside the screen has exceeded the number of codes restorable. Only when it is judged that decoding is possible, pieces of information on the bar code symbol are read in sequence from the frame memory to restore the original information.

Abstract: A stop sensing section senses movements by comparing data on two lines separated by a time interval in the same place (line) of the digital image information on the bar codes from a signal processing section and, when there is no movement, outputs a decode start trigger signal to a decoder section. A CPU in the decoder section, receiving the decode start trigger signal, judges that the bar codes have stopped in the proper position, and reads the bar code image information stored in a frame memory at that time for decoding.