Abstract: A method and apparatus for illuminating and imaging two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects located at various distances. The apparatus includes a non-monochromatic light source, a diffractive optical element having a strong chromatic aberration that focuses the light beam generated from the source at various focal distances at where the various objects are located. The light beams are then reflected by the various objects and are received through the diffractive optical element onto an imager.

Abstract: A system for reading two dimensional codes as well as regular bar codes. A laser scanner generates a narrow horizontal beam which scans a code by means of a scanning mirror in the vertical direction. This mirror receives the reflected beam and passes it on to a lens array to yield high quality imaging characteristics all across a large field of view angle. The lens array and an auto focusing system produce images of the scanning lines in the sensor plane--a CCD linear array. In the sensor's plane, sub aperture diaphragms generate partially overlapping fields of view from each of the elements of the lens array. The system Electronics, converts the CCD linear array electrical signals, into digital data. A module, synthesizes in real-time, the partially overlapping line sections of the image signal, into an integrated continuous line signal and stores them consecutively in the image memory. A system processor operates an autofocus, as well as code classification and decoding algorithms.

Abstract: A device for reading and interpreting bar codes, which illuminates the bar code with a fixed elliptical beam and images the reflected beam onto a CCD array. The black and white bar information is detected by the electronically scanned elements of a linear CCD array. The limited operational range, determined by the optical system depth of focus, is enhanced significantly to a useful operational range by automatically focusing the image of the bar code on the CCD array.

Abstract: A heterodyne interferometer system utilizes a single stabilized frequency linearly polarized laser input beam (18) from a light source (10) which is provided to an acousto-optic device (20) along with a frequency stabilized electrical reference signal (32) from an oscillator (30) for transforming the input beam (18) into a pair of orthogonally polarized beams (40,50) differing in frequency by the reference signal frequency prior to providing these beams (40,50) to a polarization type interferometer (70). A mixing polarizer (60) mixes the beams (46,56) after they traverse the interferometer (70) and provides the mixed beams (62,64) to a photoelectric detector (65) where they are utilized to produce an electrical measurement signal (66).