Patents by Inventor Scott R. Grodevant

Scott R. Grodevant has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5440111
    Abstract: A unitary hand-held bar code scanner and reader produces an elliptical beam, oriented with its major axis along the direction of the bars, utilizing optics employing far field diffraction effects to shape the beam and maintain its elliptical aspect (length to width ratio) constant over a distance in front of the scanner were bar codes may be located. The optics eliminates parallax even though the photodetector and light source (preferably a laser diode) are located offset from each other on a board on which the optics are mounted. A housing assembly has channels which mount the board therein without shock absorbing devices. A digital microcomputer controller and peripheral devices regulate the optical power output from the laser diode and prevents catastrophic failure, if the electrical current through the laser diode exceeds safe limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: PSC, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay M. Eastman, Anna M. Quinn, Scott R. Grodevant, John A. Boles
  • Patent number: 5260554
    Abstract: A bar code label is read by automatically initiated scanning of the bar code symbol by a beam of light, as from a laser in a bar code scanner. Initially, the scanner is operated in a pulsed mode with low duty cycle (5%) pulses. These pulses are reflected from a reflective tape on one side of a detection zone or from an object carrying the label in the beam path. Then (because the beam is not scanning across the code) the reflected pulses (which are detected much like the bars and spaces of the code) are not detected. The ratio of the number of generated pulses to the reflected pulses is computed for a succession of pulses (ten pulses for example). If this ratio exceeds two (i.e., that the number of effective bars is less than the number of generated pulses during the succession), then the presence of the object is detected and the system, implemented in an application program in the microprocessor controller of the bar code scanner, initiates scanning of the bar code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: PSC, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott R. Grodevant
  • Patent number: 5258699
    Abstract: A reflective deflector of a light beam which scans in opposite directions across a bar code is controlled in scan angle by monitoring the AC component of a current passing through a winding of a scanning motor which oscillates the deflector to scan the beam across the code over a scan angle. The inductance of the winding corresponds to the length of the scan angle and is measured in terms of the peak to peak value of the AC component during a scan period or frame which occurs over an interval corresponding to the reciprocal of the scan rate. During successive periods, successive trains of pulses are generated. The number of pulses or their duty cycle during each period is changed in accordance with an error signal corresponding to the difference between the desired scan angle and the peak to peak value of the AC component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: PSC, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott R. Grodevant
  • Patent number: 5237161
    Abstract: A bar code label is ready by automatically initiated scanning of the bar code symbol by a scanner on a stand. Light is reflected back to the scanner as from the bars of a code being scanned. Initially, the scanner is operated in a pulsed mode with low duty cycle (5%) pulses. These pulses are reflected from a reflective area unless an object is inserted and blocks the beam path. Then (because the beam is not scanning across the code) the reflected pulses (which are detected much like the bars and spaces of the code) are not detected. The ratio of the number of generated pulses to the reflected pulses is computed for a succession of pulses. If this ratio exceeds two (i.e., that the number of effective bars is less than the number of generated pulses during the succession), then the presence of the object is detected. The system, implemented in an application program in the microprocessor controller of the bar code scanner, initiates scanning of the bar code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: PSC, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott R. Grodevant
  • Patent number: 5200597
    Abstract: A unitary hand-held bar code scanner and reader produces an elliptical beam, oriented with its major axis along the direction of the bars, utilizing optics employing far field diffraction effects to shape the beam and maintain its elliptical aspect (length to width ratio) constant over a distance in front of the scanner were bar codes may be located. The optics eliminates parallax even though the photodetector and light source (preferably a laser diode) are located offset from each other on a board on which the optics are mounted. A housing assembly has channels which mount the board therein without shock absorbing devices. A digital microcomputer controller and peripheral devices regulate the optical power output from the laser diode and prevents catastrophic failure, if the electrical current through the laser diode exceeds safe limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: PSC, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay M. Eastman, Anna M. Quinn, Scott R. Grodevant, John A. Boles