Abstract: Digital image capturing and processing network for use in a retail POS environment, comprising a plurality of digital image capturing systems, and a remote image processing server. Each digital image capturing system is installed at a POS station and includes a system housing having an imaging window and containing a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations, for generating and projecting a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes through the imaging window, and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to the imaging window, and producing digital images of objects passed through the 3D imaging volume.

Abstract: A method of and system for returning a consumer product in a retail environment and preventing or reducing employee theft of returned merchandise in retail store environments and providing greater accountability for returned merchandise in retail store environments. The method comprises providing an image capturing and processing system at the retail environment, including a system housing having an imaging window and generating and projecting a field of view through the imaging window, and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to the imaging window. The digital image capturing and processing system produces one or more digital images of consumer goods (i.e. products) passing within the 3D imaging volume. Identification (ID) data for the consumer returning the purchased goods is entered into a host system connected to the digital image capturing and processing system, as well as identification data for the employee to whom the goods are being returned.

Abstract: A laser scanner for reading symbology, such as barcodes. The laser scanner includes a housing, a laser source or generator disposed in the housing and operative to generate a laser beam, and an output window supported by housing and being positioned to receive the laser beam incident thereon. The window is operative to transmit the laser beam therethrough at a symbology target. In one embodiment, the window includes a vertical wedge angle between front and rear surfaces of the window that is oriented substantially in alignment with a vertical axis defined by the window. The vertical wedge angle is preferably oriented perpendicular to a horizontally-extending scanning line of the laser beam on the window. In one embodiment, the vertical wedge angle is substantially the same along the entire length or width of the window.

Abstract: A laser scanning system and method for scanning symbology targets such as barcodes. The scanning system in one embodiment includes at least one laser source and a pair of wobbling mirrors generally disposed towards opposite ends of a centrally-positioned rotatable mirrored spinner. In one embodiment, the central spinner is double-sided having reflecting surfaces on opposites sides thereof. Laser beams projected onto each wobbling mirrors are in turn redirected onto each reflecting surface of the double-sided rotating spinner which produces a pair of rotating scanning beams for reading a symbology target.

Abstract: A digital image capturing and processing system for automatically recognizing objects in a POS environment. The system includes a system housing having an imaging window; illumination and imaging stations for generating and projecting illumination and imaging planes or zones through the imaging window, and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to the imaging window, for digital imaging an object passing through the 3D imaging volume, and generating digital linear images of the object as the object intersects the illumination and imaging planes or zones during system operation. A digital image processor processes the digital images and automatically recognizes the object, such as produce and fruit, graphically represented by the digital images.

Abstract: A laser beam generation system having an integrated coherence reduction mechanism. The system includes: a flexible circuit having a first end portion and a second end portion; a laser diode mounted on the first end portion of the flexible circuit, for producing a laser beam having a central characteristic wavelength; diode current drive circuitry for producing a diode drive current to drive the laser diode and produce said laser beam; and high frequency modulation (HFM) circuitry also mounted on the first end portion of the flexible circuit, for modulating the diode drive current at a sufficiently high frequency to cause the laser diode to produce a laser beam having a spectral side-band components about the central characteristic wavelength, and thereby reducing the coherence as well as coherence length of the laser beam.

Abstract: A laser illumination beam generation system including a laser diode (LD) for producing a laser beam in response to a diode current supplied thereto, wherein the laser beam has a central characteristic wavelength. Diode current drive circuitry generates the diode current and supplies the same to the VLD. A high frequency modulation (HFM) circuitry modulates the diode current supplied to the laser diode, so as to produce a spectral side-band components about the central characteristic wavelength, and thereby reduces the coherence of the laser illumination beam as well as its coherence length. An optical multiplexing (OMUX) device receives the laser beam as an input beam and generates multiple laser beams therefrom and recombines the multiple laser beams so as to produce a composite output laser illumination beam having reduce coherence.

Abstract: An automatic digital video-imaging based code symbol reading system for use in point of sale (POS) environments, employing automatic object motion detection and illumination control, and digital video-imaging based code symbol reading techniques, which ensures the reliable reading of code symbols graphically represented in digital images, in high-throughput point-of-sale and other environments, while providing the versatility required to accommodate the different ways in which operators present objects for code symbol reading at POS environments.

Abstract: A digital image capturing and processing system including a system housing having an imaging window; illumination and imaging stations for generating and projecting illumination and imaging planes or zones through the imaging window, and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to the imaging window, for digital imaging an object passing through the 3D imaging volume, and generating digital linear images of the object as the object intersects the illumination and imaging planes or zones during system operation. A digital image processor processes the digital images and automatically recognizes graphical intelligence (e.g. bar code symbols, alphanumeric characters etc) graphically represented in the digital images.

Abstract: A planar laser illumination module (PLIM) including: (i) a laser illumination source driven preferably by high frequency modulated (HFM) diode current drive circuitry; (ii) a beam collimating optics disposed beyond the laser illumination source; (ii) an optical beam multiplexer (OMUX) device disposed beyond the collimating optics; and (iv) a planarizing-type illumination lens array disposed beyond the OMUX device, and arranged for generating a plurality of substantially planar coherence-reduced laser illumination beams (PLIBs) that form a composite substantially planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) having substantially reduced spatial/temporal coherence.

Abstract: A method of driving a plurality of visible and invisible laser diodes so as to produce an illumination beam having a dynamically managed ratio of visible to invisible (IR) spectral energy/power during object illumination and imaging operations. The method involves supplying a plurality of visible laser and invisible laser diodes with a predetermined/default values of diode drive currents so as to illuminate the object with a spectral mixture of illumination during object illumination and imaging operations. One or more digital images of the illuminated object are captured and the image contrast quality thereof is measured, in real-time, so as to generate feedback or control data.

Abstract: A laser beam despeckling device including a laser diode for producing a laser beam having a central characteristic wavelength. The device includes diode current drive circuitry for producing a diode drive current to drive said laser diode and produce said laser beam. High frequency modulation (HFM) circuitry modulates the diode drive current at a sufficiently high frequency to cause said laser diode to produce spectral side-band components about the central characteristic wavelength, and reducing the coherence as well as coherence length of the laser beam. An optical beam multiplexing (OMUX) module is provided for receiving the laser beam as input beam, a generating as output, a plurality of laser beam components that are recombined to produce a composite laser beam having substantially reduced coherence for use in illumination applications where a substantial reduction in speckle pattern noise is achieved.

Abstract: A device for optically multiplexing a laser beam, having a glass plate construction with an input surface and an output surface, and bearing reflective and semi-reflective coatings arranged so as to optically multiplex an input laser beam entering the input surface, into multiple spatial-coherence reduced output laser beams exiting from the output surface. Through such optical multiplexing, and recombination, the coherence of the resulting laser beam is substantially reduced, as is the power of speckle pattern noise observed at an image detection array detecting an image of an object illuminated by said laser beam.

Abstract: Novel POS-based bar code symbol reading systems are disclosed having an integrated customer-kiosk terminal. Also disclosed are novel POS-Based Bar Code Reading Cash Register Systems having Integrated Internet-Enabled Customer-Kiosk Terminals.

Abstract: The laser scanning system includes a laser scanning plane generation mechanism disposed within a housing mounted in or on a countertop at the POS station. The mechanism generates first and second pluralities of laser scanning planes which (i) intersect within predetermined scan regions contained within a 3-D scanning volume defined outside of the housing, and (ii) generate a plurality of groups of intersecting laser scanning planes within the 3-D scanning volume. The plurality of groups of intersecting laser scanning planes form a complex omni\-directional 3-D laser scanning pattern within the 3-D scanning volume capable of scanning a bar code symbol located on the surface of any object including a six-sided rectangular box-shaped object, presented within the 3-D scanning volume at any orientation and from any direction at the POS station so as to provide six-sided 360-degree omni-directional bar code symbol scanning coverage at the POS station.

Abstract: A digital image capturing and processing system for illuminating objects using automatic object detection and spectral-mixing illumination technique. The system comprises an area-type illumination and imaging module for projecting a coextensive area-type illumination and imaging field (i.e. zone) into a 3D imaging volume during object illumination and imaging operations. The area-type illumination and imaging module includes a spectral-mixing based illumination subsystem for producing a first field of visible illumination from an array of visible LEDs, and producing a second field of invisible illumination from an array of infrared (IR) LEDs, wherein the first and second fields of illumination spatially overlap and intermix with each other and produce a composite illumination field that is at least substantially coextensive with the FOV of the image sensing array.

Abstract: An automatic digital video imaging based code symbol reading system for use in point of sale (POS) environments, employing automatic object motion detection and illumination control, and digital video imaging based code symbol reading techniques, which ensures the reliable reading of code symbols graphically represented in digital images, in high-throughput point-of-sale and other environments, while providing the versatility required to accommodate the different ways in which operators present objects for code symbol reading at POS environments.

Abstract: An automatic digital image capturing and processing system for use in a POS environment, comprising a system housing having vertical housing section provided with an imaging window, and containing at least two area-type illumination and imaging stations for generating and projecting area-type illumination and imaging zones through the imaging window, so that the area-type illumination and imaging zones intersect within a 3D imaging volume definable relative to the imaging window. An object motion detection subsystem automatically detects the motion of objects passing through the 3D imaging volume, and generates motion data representative of detected object motion within the 3D imaging volume. And a control subsystem, responsive to the object motion detection subsystem, automatically controls operations within the area-type illumination and imaging stations during system operation.

Abstract: A planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based engine including; an engine housing having light transmission aperture; an image formation and detection module and having an image detection array and image formation optics with a field of view (FOV) extending from the image detection array, through the light transmission aperture and onto an object moving relative to the engine housing during object illumination and imaging operations; a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) producing device, and having at least one visible laser illumination source arranged in relation to the image formation and detection module, for producing a planar light illumination beam (PLIB), and projecting the planar light illumination beam through light transmission aperture and oriented such that the plane of the PLIB is coplanar with the field of view of the image formation and detection module so that the object can be simultaneously illuminated by the planar light illumination beam and imaged within the field of view and

Abstract: A digital illumination and imaging system employing one or more planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs) each including: (i) a laser illumination source driven preferably by high frequency modulated (HFM) diode current drive circuitry; (ii) a beam collimating optics disposed beyond the laser source; (ii) an optical beam multiplexer (OMUX) device disposed beyond the collimating optics; and (iv) a planarizing-type illumination lens array disposed beyond the OMUX device, and arranged for generating a plurality of substantially planar coherence-reduced laser illumination beams (PLIBs) that form a composite substantially planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) having substantially reduced spatial/temporal coherence. A digital image detection array for detecting digital images of an object illuminated by the composite substantially planar laser illumination beam.