Abstract: A portable digital image capturing and processing system comprising: an image formation and detection subsystem; a narrow-band illumination subsystem; a narrow-band transmission-type optical filter subsystem; an automatic light exposure measurement subsystem; and an automatic illumination control subsystem. The image formation and detection subsystem has an area-type image sensing array for detecting digital images of objects formed thereon by image formation optics providing a field of view (FOV) for the system. Within the FOV of the image formation and detection subsystem, the narrow-band illumination subsystem produces a field of narrow-band illumination consisting essentially of a narrow band of wavelengths of visible illumination.

Abstract: Digital-imaging based code symbol reading system employing an event-driven multi-tier modular software architecture and supporting automatic operating system login and loading of a bar code symbol reading application.

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 hand-supportable automatic digital imaging-based bar code symbol reading device comprises: an automatic object presence detection subsystem; an area-type image formation and detection subsystem having a narrow-area image-capture mode of operation; a LED-based illumination subsystem having narrow-area illumination mode of operation; an image capturing and buffering subsystem; and an image-processing bar code symbol reading subsystem. The automatic object presence detection subsystem automatically detects an object, and the LED-based illumination subsystem automatically illuminates the detected object in a field of narrow-area narrow-band illumination, while the area-type image formation and detection subsystem captures a narrow-area image thereof.

Abstract: Methods of and systems for illuminating objects using planar laser illumination beams having substantially-planar spatial distribution characteristics that extend through the field of view (FOV) of image formation and detection modules employed in such systems. Each planar laser illumination beam is produced from a planar laser illumination beam array (PLIA) comprising an plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs). Each PLIM comprises a visible laser diode (VLD, a focusing lens, and a cylindrical optical element arranged therewith. The individual planar laser illumination beam components produced from each PLIM are optically combined to produce a composite substantially planar laser illumination beam having substantially uniform power density characteristics over the entire spatial extend thereof and thus the working range of the system.

Abstract: A method of reading bar code symbols using a digital-imaging based code symbol reading system employing an event-driven multi-tier modular software architecture and supporting automatic operating system login and loading of a bar code symbol reading application.

Abstract: A method of reading bar code symbols comprising the steps of: (a) projecting an image cropping zone (ICZ) framing pattern within the FOV of an image sensing array during wide-area illumination and image capturing operation; (b) visually aligning an object to be imaged within the ICZ framing pattern; (c) forming and capturing an wide-area image of the entire FOV, which spatially encompasses the ICZ framing pattern aligned about the object to be imaged; (d) using automatic software-based image cropping algorithm to automatically crop the pixels within the spatial boundaries defined by the ICZ framing pattern, from those pixels contained in the entire wide-area image frame captured during step (c); and (e) automatically decode processing the image represented by the cropped image pixels in the ICZ framing pattern so as to read a 1D or 2D bar code symbol graphically represented therein.

Abstract: A hand-supportable planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based code symbol reader includes: a hand-supportable housing having light transmission aperture; a linear image formation and detection module having a linear image detection array; and a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) producing device having at least one visible laser diode (VLD) for producing a planar light illumination beam (PLIB). The code symbol reader further includes image grabber for grabbing digital linear images formed and detected by the image formation and detection module, an image data buffer for buffering the digital linear images grabbed by the image grabber and constructing a two-dimensional image from a series of buffered linear digital images, and an image processing computer for processing the buffered two-dimensional digital image so as to read code symbols graphically represented in the two-dimensional digital linear image.

Abstract: A tunnel-type digital imaging system for use within retail shopping environments such as supermarkets. The system includes a tunnel configuration arranged about a conveyor structure for transporting objects therethrough, and an image capturing and processing subsystem embodied within the tunnel configuration, for generating a 3D digital imaging volume above the conveyor structure and within the tunnel configuration, for capturing digital images of objects transported through the 3D imaging volume. The image capturing and processing subsystem includes a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations.

Abstract: A hand-supportable planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based code symbol reader includes: a hand-supportable housing having light transmission aperture; a linear image formation and detection module having a linear image detection array; and a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) producing device having at least one visible laser diode (VLD) for producing a planar light illumination beam (PLIB). The code symbol reader further includes image grabber for grabbing digital linear images formed and detected by the image formation and detection module, an image data buffer for buffering the digital linear images grabbed by the image grabber and constructing a two-dimensional image from a series of buffered linear digital images, and an image processing computer for processing the buffered two-dimensional digital image so as to read code symbols graphically represented in the two-dimensional digital linear image.

Abstract: A tunnel-type digital imaging system for use within retail shopping environments such as supermarkets. The system includes a tunnel configuration arranged about a conveyor structure for transporting objects therethrough, and an image capturing and processing subsystem embodied within the tunnel configuration, for generating a 3D digital imaging volume above the conveyor structure and within the tunnel configuration, for capturing digital images of objects transported through the 3D imaging volume. The image capturing and processing subsystem includes a plurality of illumination and imaging stations. Each station includes a 2D imaging array having optics providing a 3D field of view (FOV) on the 2D imaging array that is projected and extends into the 3D imaging volume, and one or more light emitting devices configured together to produce a illumination beam that extends into the 3D FOV of the 2D imaging array.

Abstract: An automated tunnel-type scanning system arranged about a conveyor belt structure, including: a tunnel structure arranged about a conveyor belt structure for transporting packages; an omni-directional bar code symbol scanning subsystem; a package detection and dimensioning subsystem; and a data management subsystem. The package detection and dimensioning subsystem captures package measurement information about each detected package prior to the package being scanned by the omni-directional bar code symbol reading subsystem, and producing package measurement data representative of the captured package measurement information.

Abstract: A hand-supportable planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based code symbol reader includES: a hand-supportable housing having light transmission aperture; a linear image formation and detection module having a linear image detection array; and a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) producing device having at least one visible laser diode (VLD) for producing a planar light illumination beam (PLIB). The code symbol reader further includes image grabber for grabbing digital linear images formed and detected by the image formation and detection module, an image data buffer for buffering the digital linear images grabbed by the image grabber and constructing a two-dimensional image from a series of buffered linear digital images, and an image processing computer for processing the buffered two-dimensional digital image so as to read code symbols graphically represented in the two-dimensional digital linear image.

Abstract: A hand-supportable coplanar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based code symbol reader includes: a hand-supportable housing having light transmission aperture; a linear image formation and detection module having a linear image detection array; and a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) producing a coplanar laser illumination and imaging based device having at least one visible laser diode (VLD) for producing a planar light illumination beam (PLIB). The code symbol reader further includes an image grabber for grabbing digital linear images formed and detected by the image formation and detection module, an image data buffer for buffering the digital linear images grabbed by the image grabber, and an image processing computer for processing the buffered digital linear images so as to read code symbols graphically represented in the digital linear images.

Abstract: A hand-supportable digital imaging-based bar code symbol reading device comprises: an IR-based object presence and range detection subsystem; a multi-mode area-type image formation and detection subsystem having narrow-area and wide area image capture modes of operation; a multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem having narrow-area and wide area illumination modes of operation; an automatic light exposure measurement and illumination control subsystem; an image capturing and buffering subsystem; a multi-mode image-processing bar code symbol reading subsystem; an input/output subsystem; a manually-activatable trigger switch; and a system control subsystem integrated with each of the above-described subsystems. The digital imaging-based bar code reading device employs a multi-mode bar code symbol reading image processor that is dynamically reconfigurable in response to real-time image analysis carried out upon captured narrow and wide area images.

Abstract: A hand-supportable digital imaging-based bar code symbol reading device comprises: an automatic object presence and range detection subsystem; an area-type image formation and detection subsystem having a CMOS area-type image detection array, and narrow-area and wide area image capture modes of operation; an LED-based illumination subsystem having LED arrays, and narrow-area and wide area illumination modes of operation; an automatic light exposure measurement and illumination control subsystem; an image capturing and buffering subsystem; and an image-processing bar code symbol reading subsystem.

Abstract: A hand-supportable digital imaging-based bar code symbol reader employing an event-driven system control subsystem, automatic IR-based object detection, and a trigger-switch activated image capture and processing subsystem.

Abstract: A hand-supportable planar linear illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based code symbol reading system comprising: a hand-supportable housing having a light transmission aperture; and a planar laser illumination and imaging module (PLIIM), disposed in the hand-supportable housing. The PLIIM includes (i) a linear image detection array having optics providing a field of view (FOV) on said linear image detection array that projects through the light transmission aperture, and (ii) at least one planar laser illumination module (PLIM) for producing a substantially planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) that extends substantially along the same plane as the FOV of the linear image detection array. This arrangement provides a coplanar illumination and imaging plane that projects through the light transmission aperture, for capturing a series of linear (1-D) digital images of an object intersecting therewith during object illumination and imaging operations.

Abstract: A method of determining the lower limit of decoding resolution in a digital imaging-based bar code symbol reader. A software-based optical design program is used to generate the composite DOF chart of image formation optics employed in the digital imaging-based bar code symbol reader. The modulation transfer function (MTF) of the object image is used to determine the smallest mil size code that can be decoded, at a given object distance, to produce an optical performance curve. The program calculates the size of the field of view (FOV) of a single sensor pixel, when projected through the image formation optics and out into object space. For both the 1.4 and 1.6 sampling limit pixel rules, the calculated FOV values are plotted on the same axes as the optical performance curve. Using graphical solution techniques, the sampling limit line of choice determines the lower limit of the decoding resolution in the imaging-based bar code symbol reader.

Abstract: A digital imaging-based bar code symbol reading system which comprises: an automatic object presence and range detection subsystem; an image formation and detection subsystem having an area-type image sensing array with a field of view (FOV); a multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem having LED illumination arrays for producing fields of narrow-band illumination in near and far portions of the FOV; an automatic light exposure measurement and illumination control subsystem; an image capturing and buffering subsystem; an image-processing bar code symbol reading subsystem; an input/output subsystem; and a system control subsystem for controlling the subsystems. The LED illumination arrays are automatically driven by the automatic light exposure measurement and illumination control subsystem in response to the generation of control activation signals by the automatic object presence and range detection subsystem.