Scanner and method for sweeping a beam across a target
A scanner such as a bar-code scanner includes a scan-beam generator, a beam reflector having a first magnet, and a beam-sweep mechanism having a second magnet. The beam-sweep mechanism causes the reflector to sweep the scan beam across a target such as a bar-code symbol by exerting a force on the first magnet with the second magnet. In one example, attraction between the magnets holds the reflector steady in a non-sweep position. Conversely, in a sweep position, repulsion between the magnets causes the reflector to oscillate and sweep the scan beam across a target such as a bar-code symbol. Because it does not include a motor for rotating a beam-sweep mirror, the scanner is often smaller and uses less electrical energy than motorized bar-code scanners.
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The present invention relates to optical imaging systems and, more particularly, to an imager that employs one or more scanned beams of light to image all or a portion of a target object.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA typical bar code system may employ components that include a light source, a scanner, an optical detector and a processor. The light source projects a light beam at an oscillating scanner that sweeps the light beam in a scan pattern onto a bar-code symbol. The optical detector receives light reflected from the bar-code symbol and generates a signal that the processor converts into a data stream. The data is analyzed to determine a particular meaning for the scanned bar-code symbol.
A typical width-modulated linear bar code symbol includes parallel bars and spaces of varying widths extending in a common direction (Y). By scanning a beam of light across the bars and spaces along an axis roughly perpendicular to their long axes (X), and analyzing the light reflected, the scanned bar code symbol can be associated with a particular symbology. A particular bar code symbology comprises a set of encoding and decoding rules; rules for recognizing the symbology, and, rules for error detection and correction. The encoding rules associated with the particular symbology may include provision for encoding letters, symbols and other types of information.
Symbols are not necessarily limited to one-dimensional patterns. Recently, two-dimensional (2D) symbologies have gained favor due to their generally higher data capacity, higher encodation efficiency, and forward error correction. Two current types of 2D symbols are 2D stacked symbols and 2D matrix symbols.
2D stacked symbols generally comprise a plurality of width modulated segments, the segments usually being stacked vertically such that their individual bars and spaces extend along a Y axis with data encoded in their widths along an X axis. In addition to encoding data, each segment often includes means for encoding its position in the stack of segments, for instance by its parity pattern or by location characters appended to the beginning and/or end of the segment. Thus, according to the decoding rules associated with a 2D stacked symbology, a 2D stacked symbol constructed according to those rules may be decoded after scanning each of its segments, with such scanning being performed in no particular order. The inclusion of location data with each segment allows a wide variety of data collection devices to be used to read 2D stacked symbols, including those capable of making measurements along only a single axis.
2D matrix symbols encode their data by the presence or absence of marks across a two-dimensional array of locations or cells, such presence or absence determining the value of a particular cell. The encoding and decoding rules for a 2D matrix symbology include at least one defined method for determining the presence of a symbol within a two-dimensional field-of-view (FOV), determining the extent of the symbol within that FOV, and determining the position of each cell within that extent. Additional rules then define at least one procedure for assembling the detected cell values into data words, and the data words into one or more messages encoded within a symbol. Because data is encoded in locations along both axes of a symbol, 2D matrix symbols are readable only by devices that can detect, or at least infer, two axes within an FOV. In contrast to a 2D stacked symbol, the data in a particular row of most matrix symbols does not, in itself, contain information as to its whereabouts within the symbol.
Many readers compatible with 2D symbols and particularly 2D matrix symbols include two-dimensional detector arrays, for instance CCD or CMOS arrays, that produce a digital representation of a region of a target object. The reader then employs signal processing, such as finder algorithms and decode rules to locate and decode any symbols on the object.
Structurally, common commercial hand held scanner systems typically include a hand held unit that includes a light emitter, scanner, and detector in a single unit. A remote base unit carries a battery that powers the handheld portion. Usually, the operator wears the remote base unit in a hip pack or another similar arrangement. The base unit often includes a processor that analyzes and decodes symbols and controls the handheld portion through a wiring harness.
Variety of approaches have been demonstrated for handheld bar code scanning. Some of these approaches are presented in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,671,374, 5,665,956, 5,583,331, 5,521,367, 5,519, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn an embodiment of the invention, a scanner includes a scan-beam generator, a beam reflector having a first magnet, and a beam-sweep mechanism having a second magnet. The beam-sweep mechanism causes the reflector to sweep the scan beam by exerting a force on the first magnet with the second magnet.
Such a scanner can scan targets such as bar codes, and typically uses less electrical power and is smaller than bar-code scanners that have a motor to spin the beam-sweep reflector.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The optical emitter may generate optical energy at a particular wavelength that may or may not be visible with a light emitting diode (LED) or laser diode. Also, the emitter may include a full spectrum light source such as a mercury vapor lamp, short arc lamp or a white laser diode. Other types of emitters include electro-luminescent, incandescent, vacuum emissive, fluorescent, chemical emissive, phosphorescent, and field-emissive.
The symbol 190 reflects a portion of the light from the light beam 130, depending upon the respective reflectivities of the regions struck by the beam 130. As represented by the arrow 135, a portion of the reflected light is gathered by a gathering lens 111 and strikes the detector 108. The amount of reflected light incident upon the detector 108 is dependent upon several factors including wavelength, scanner position, detector position, any associated gathering optics, and the reflectivity of the symbol 190. The detector 115 may be a conventional electronic device, such as a photodiode or a CCD. Responsive to the light 135, the detector 108 produces an electrical signal.
The processor 112 receives the signal and converts the received signal into a digital representation of an image of the symbol 190, i.e., the areas of the symbol that reflect the scanned light beam 135 onto the detector 108. The processor 112 or another component such as a digital signal/image processor identifies information represented by the symbol 190, responsive to the digital representation. For example, the processor 112 may identify the target object 192 or may determine characteristics such as a shipping date, destination, or other information. Alternatively, the identified information may be not pertain directly to the target object 192. For example, where the target object 180 is an identification card, the symbol may provide information about the holder.
A flexible member 135 of injection molded flexible plastic is positioned above the slider bar 122 and carries a mirror 132. A finger 134 projects downwardly from the flexible member 135 to engage the teeth 126A. The finger 134 is a plastic selected for relatively low sliding friction as the finger 134 engages the teeth 126A.
As the teeth 126 a slide longitudinally, they drive the finger 134 through a periodic up-and-down path. The moving finger 134 bends the member 120 correspondingly and thereby drives the mirror 132 through a series of positions and orientations defined by the teeth 126A and the member 135, as indicated by the broken line drawings of the member 135 and mirror 132. As described above, as the mirror 132 moves through its series of positions and orientations, and scans the beam 130 through a scan path.
A similar approach is shown in
And still another approach, shown in
When the user increases force again, the lever assembly 254, guided by a slot 270 slides longitudinally along the axis indicated by the arrow 272. As the lever assembly 254 slide longitudinally, the distal portion 260 releases force on the tab 262, thereby releasing the flexible member 120. Upon release, the flexible member springs toward its original rest position pivoting the mirror 132 through a series of positions and orientations. The moving mirror 132 sweeps the beam 130 through a scan path that exits through a window 274 toward the target object (not shown). In one approach, the laser assembly remains activated until the flexible member 120 moves the mirror 132 to its rest position. Alternatively, a simple timing circuit maintains power to the laser assembly for a selected time period sufficient to allow the mirror 132 to scan the beam 130 through the scan path.
While the previously described embodiments utilize a mirror 132 carried directly by the flexible member 120, an alternative approach utilizes a resonant scanning assembly 280 carried by the flexible member 120 as presented in
Because the motion of the resonant scanning assembly 280 is interrupted abruptly, a portion of its kinetic energy causes resonant motion of the scanning assembly 280. To improve the energy transfer, the resonant scanning assembly 280 includes a mass 601 that is off center from its center of rotation. Once the resonant scanning assembly 280 begins rotating about its center of rotation, the resonant scanning assembly 280 “rings” for a period of time and with the amplitude defined by its parameters, including its Q. As will be described below, the resonant scanning assembly 280 includes a mirror that sweeps through a series of positions as part of the resonant movement. In a similar fashion to the above described embodiments, the reader can use the resonant motion of the mirror to sweep the beam 130 through a scan path.
Another approach to actuating the resonant scanning assembly 280, shown in
As the ratchet wheel turns, it bends a flexible arm 616 that carries the scanning assembly 280, until a distal end 618 of the flexible arm 616 reaches one of the fingers 604. As the distal end 618 passes the fingers 604, the flexible arm 616 straightens driving the distal end 618 against the ratchet wheel 602. The distal end 618 strikes the ratchet wheel 602, thereby abruptly stopping travel of the distal end 618. Because the flexible arm 616 carries the scanning assembly 280, the scanning assembly 280 moves as the flexible arm 616 bands and returns to its original position as the flexible arm 616 straightens. The impact of the distal end 618 on the ratchet wheel 602 stops the scanning assembly 280. However inertia causes the weight 601 to continue along the return path causing a central portion 622 to pivot. The central portion 622 oscillates about its axis of rotation and amplitude and frequency defined by the parameters of the scanning assembly 280.
Another embodiment of a user powered scanner, shown in
As the user presses the button 702 farther, the guide groove 710 guides the tab 712 away from the base end 719 until the tab 712 disengages the finger 714, releasing the flexible beam 716. Upon being release, the flexible beam 716 travels back through its rest position and bends in opposite direction, carrying the mirror 718 with it. The beam 716 continues to flex back and forth sweeping the mirror 718 repeatedly through a diminishing scan path.
In another embodiment, shown in
The resilient supports and flexible arms described above are designed to have a high “Q”, typically greater than 1000, such that relatively little energy is lost from sweep to sweep. The design of high Q mechanical structures is generally well-known to one of skill in the art.
The mirrored surface oscillates back and forth on the oscillating member 156 at a relatively constant frequency due to the high “Q” of the oscillating member. The optical energy is reflected off of the mirrored surface 760 as it oscillates causing the reflected optical energy to scan over a scan angle (θ) forming a scan path on a target.
The MEMS scanner 758 is constructed on a silicon substrate with a high reflectivity element 760 located on a central member 762. A set of support beams 763 and 764 suspend the central member 762 within a frame 766. The support beams 763, 764 define an axis (x) relative to the frame 766 about which the central member 762 rotates. A mechanical impact will set the MEMS scanner 758 into an oscillating condition. To improve the response of the scanner 758 to an impact, the central member 762 is positioned a symmetrically relative to the support beams 763 and 764. Once driven into motion, the high Q characteristic of the MEMS scanner 758 allows the MEMS scanner 758 to mechanically oscillate at a particular frequency or in a relatively narrow frequency range, thereby pivoting the central member 762 mechanically through an angular sweep.
A mechanical impact or vibration transfers mechanical energy to the MEMS scanner 758, causing it to oscillate. The scan angle (θ for the x-axis) is a function of the oscillation range of the MEMS scanner 758.
Examples of MEMS scanners are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,790 to Neukermans et al., entitled MICROMACHINED TORSIONAL SCANNER, U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,618 to Neukermans et al., entitled MICROMACHINED HINGE HAVING AN INTEGRAL TORSIONAL SENSOR and CITE DICKENSHEETS PATENT INSTEAD, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, the scanning system may be configured to incorporate a non-MEMS mechanically resonant scanner such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,444, Melville et al. entitled MINIATURE OPTICAL SCANNER FOR A TWO-AXIS SCANNING SYSTEM, which is incorporated herein by reference.
As best seen in
Each of the previously described embodiments includes a central body that pivots about a torsion arm or a body that travels in response to a flexible member.
Another spinning polygon approach is shown in
While a variety of approaches have been described herein to actuating a scanning system using user power, the invention is not so limited. The in fact, in some applications, the user power may be replaced by an escapement mechanism as is shown in FIGS. 16 and a 17. In this embodiment, a user or a spring mechanism applies relatively constant longitudinal force to a rack 1610. The force causes an escape wheel 1612 to pivot about axle 1614 such that teeth 1616 sequentially engage drive pins 1618, 1620. The drive pins cause a Y-arm 1622 to oscillate back and forth about a support arm 1624. The Y-arm 1622 drives a support shaft 1632 cause a balanced wheel 1633 to pivot back and forth, while a hairspring 1636 provides return force. While one type of escapement is presented in
Still another approach to actuating a mirror 1900 is shown in
The operation of the scanner 3000 according to an embodiment of the invention is discussed below in conjunction with
To deactivate the scanner 3000 such that it does not scan a target (not shown), an operator (not shown) releases the scan button 3020 or merely allows the scan button to remain in its unpushed position as shown in
To activate the scanner 3000 to scan a target (not shown), the operator (not shown) pushes the scan button 3020 as shown in
Still referring to
If the scan is unsuccessful, the scanner 3000 signals the operator (not shown), who then releases the scan button 3020 to reset the scanner and ready it for rescanning the target. Specifically, if the remote device determines that a valid target was not detected within a predetermined period of time, the remote circuit signals the scanner 3000, which lights the LED 3018, generates a beep with the piezo-electric crystal, or does both with a predetermined pattern to let the operator know that the scan was unsuccessful. Alternatively, the remote device may send no signal, and the operator recognizes that an unlit LED 3018 and/or no beep within a predetermined period of time indicates an unsuccessful scan. The operator then can rescan the target according to the scan procedure described above.
When the magnets 3048 and 3052 are in their respective home positions as shown in
When the magnet 3052 moves into its sweep position as shown in
To prevent the magnet 3052 from pushing and/or scraping against the magnet 3048 as the magnet 3052 moves from its home position to its sweep position, the sweep mechanism 3042 (
Although
Referring to
Referring to
The foregoing discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Various modifications to the embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, a variety of mechanisms may be employed to move one magnet relative to the other. Additionally, in some configurations, the mirror may sweep only one or very few times in response to operator activations. Moreover, the scanning mechanisms described herein may be applied to targets other than bar-code symbols. Further, while the scanner embodiments described herein include a processing circuit 3013, the processing circuit or other components may be located remotely or incorporated in other devices. In some configurations, the scanner 3000 may be coupled directly to a portable computer, PDA, or cellular phone. In such configurations, the scanner 3000 may provide unprocessed data and use processing power in the remote devices to identify information about the target. Additionally, for some applications, it may be desirable to use a linear array in place of the photo diode 3064 to image more than a single line. Additionally, although the embodiment described herein scans along a single axis, in some applications, the mirror support may be configured such that the mirror sweeps the beam through a two dimensional scan pattern, such as an ellipse or a more complex pattern. Also, although the magnet 3048 is shown as being discrete from the mirror 3046, the invention is not so limited. In an alternative configuration, the mirror 3046 may be mounted directly on the magnet 3048 or the mirror 3046 may be formed on a face of the magnet 3048. Furthermore, any combination or subcombination of the disclosed embodiments is possible. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
Claims
1-29. (canceled)
30. A hand-held bar code scanner comprising:
- a planar circuit board having a scan engine and electronic circuitry mounted thereon;
- a housing comprising a top cover and a bottom cover configured to internally mount the planar circuit board substantially at a plane defining the half thickness of the housing;
- a window configured to allow the passage of a laser beam and scattered light from the laser beam respectively from and to the inside of the housing to and from an external scan field, the window being formed at a front end of the housing; and
- a scan button positioned in the top cover approximately one-third of the length from the front end of the housing to the back end of the housing, closer to the front end of the housing; and
- wherein the housing has a first length region with a tapering width between the mid-point of its length and the back end of the housing, a second length region with a convexly varying width wider than the width of the first region between the scan button and the front end of the housing, and a tapering transition length region between first and second regions smoothly transitioning from the first tapering width to the second convexly varying width.
31. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 wherein the top cover along its centerline is substantially equidistant from the planar circuit board along the length of the first region and forms a smoothly convex top surface along its centerline along the length of the transition region and the second region, the maximum distance from the circuit board being approximately at a distance from the front of the housing corresponding to the scan button.
32. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 wherein the bottom cover along its centerline is substantially equidistant from the planar circuit board along the length of the first region and forms a smoothly convex bottom surface along its centerline along the length of the transition region and the second region, the maximum distance from the circuit board being approximately at a distance from the front of the housing corresponding to the scan button.
33. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 wherein the top cover substantially across its width forms a smoothly convex surface having a maximum distance from the planar circuit board along its centerline.
34. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 wherein the bottom cover substantially across its width forms a smoothly convex surface having a maximum distance from the planar circuit board along its centerline.
35. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 wherein the first, transition, and second length regions of the housing form an ogee having substantially no discontinuity between the front and back ends of the housing.
36. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 wherein the first tapering and transition length regions of the housing form a concavely varying width; and wherein the transition and second convexly varying length regions form a convexly varying width.
37. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 further comprising a bezel circumjacent the scan button and where the bezel and the scan button are configured to cooperate to guide a user's thumb toward the scan button when the housing is grasped by the user.
38. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 wherein the housing further is configured to have rounded corners between the top and the sides, the radius of the corners being substantially less than the radius across the top of the housing.
39. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 wherein the housing is further configured to have rounded corners between the bottom and the sides, the radius of the corners being substantially less than the radius across the bottom of the housing.
40. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 wherein the first, second, and tapering length regions are configured to cooperate to guide varying hand sizes to comfortably grip the housing with a thumb resting on the scan button.
41. The hand-held bar code scanner of claim 30 further comprising an LED opening in the housing between the scan button and the front of the housing.
42. A housing for a portable bar code scanner comprising:
- a bottom cover; and
- a top cover having a scan button aperture formed therein;
- wherein the bottom cover and the top cover are configured to join along a substantially planar midline having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having greater lateral extent than the rear portion.
43. The housing for a portable bar code scanner of claim 42 wherein the top cover and bottom cover are configured to support a planar circuit board substantially along the planar midline.
44. The housing for a portable bar code scanner of claim 42 wherein the front portions of the top and bottom covers describe a convex outward shape along the midline.
45. The housing for a portable bar code scanner of claim 42 wherein the rear portions of the top and bottom covers describe a concave outward shape along the midline.
46. The housing for a portable bar code scanner of claim 42 wherein the front portions of the top and bottom covers are configured to have a convex outward shape along the midline between the covers and the rear portions of the top and bottom covers are configured to have a concave outward shape along the midline between the covers.
47. The housing for a portable bar code scanner of claim 42 further comprising a window configured to be captured between the top and bottom covers at the front end of the housing, the window being wider than the width of the back end of the housing.
48. A portable bar code scanner having a flattened body for gripping with a hand comprising:
- a bilaterally symmetric housing having top and bottom surfaces with a scan button formed in the top surface, configured for holding in the hand of a user with fingers wrapped around the bottom surface and a thumb resting on the scan button in the top surface, the housing forming concave and convex curved sides along a length of the housing relative to a plane of symmetry in vertical and longitudinal dimensions, wherein the convex curvature forms a widened region corresponding to the position of the thumb and the concave curvature forms a narrowed region corresponding to a heal of the hand.
49. The portable bar code scanner of claim 48 wherein the bilaterally symmetric housing forms a convex curvature on the top and bottom of the housing relative to a horizontal plane of symmetry, the convex curvature being formed across the width of the housing.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 14, 2007
Publication Date: Jul 12, 2007
Applicant:
Inventors: Christopher Wiklof (Everett, WA), Cathy Aragon (Snohomish, WA), Josh Kornfeld (Seattle, WA), Clarence Tegreene (Redmond, WA), James Russell (Bellevue, WA)
Application Number: 11/724,621
International Classification: G06K 7/10 (20060101);