Abstract: A hand-supportable planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based device having hand-supportable housing with a light transmission aperture. A linear image formation and detection (IFD) module is mounted within the housing, and has a linear array of image detection elements and also image formation optics with a field of view (FOV). When an object is presented within the FOV, the FOV focuses a linear image of the object onto the linear array. At least one planar laser illumination module (PLIM) is mounted on the support platform, with the linear IFD module, and produces a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) spatially aligned with respect to the FOV and arranged in a coplanar relationship with at least a portion of the FOV. A laser beam despeckling mechanism is integrated in the device, for reducing speckle-pattern noise observed the linear digital images formed and detected at the linear array of image detection elements.

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: 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 planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based camera system capable of producing digital images with reduced levels of speckle-pattern noise. The PLIIM based camera system comprises a planar laser illumination array (PLIA) including a plurality of laser diodes for producing and projecting a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB), so as to illuminate an object as it is moving past said PLIIM based camera system. An image formation and detection (IFD) module is provided having a image detection array and imaging forming optics for providing said image detection array with a field of view (FOV). The PLIB and FOV are arranged in a coplanar relationship along the working range of the camera system so that the PLIB illuminates primarily within the FOV of the IFD module. A speckle-pattern noise reduction subsystem is integrated with the PLIA, for reducing the temporal-coherence of the PLIB before the PLIB illuminates a target object.

Abstract: An imaging device including at least one imaging array and image formation optics that provide a field of view corresponding to the imaging array. At least one illumination module (which includes at least one source of coherent illumination) produces planar light illumination that substantially overlaps the field of view corresponding to the imaging array. Illumination control circuitry modulates the power level of illumination produced by the source of coherent illumination during each photo-integration time period of the imaging array to thereby reduce speckle noise in images captured by the imaging array. The illumination control circuitry preferably modulates the power level of illumination by controlling the number and/or duration of time periods corresponding to different power levels of illumination produced by the source of coherent illumination during each photo-integration time period of the imaging array.

Abstract: A planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based system comprising a linear image formation and detection module having (i) an image sensing chip having a plurality of conductive pins establishing electrical interconnections with conductive elements within a chip mounting socket mounted on an electronic camera board, and (ii) image forming optics with a field of view. The system also includes a heat-exchanging structure, rigidly connected to the image formation optics, and having (i) a body portion provided with heat exchanging elements, (ii) a plurality of apertures through which the plurality of conductive pins on the image sensing chip pass to establish electrical interconnections with the conductive elements within the chip mounting socket, and (III) a plurality of mechanical elements for releasably engaging the package of the image sensing chip so as to rigidly maintain the image sensing chip in alignment with the image forming optics.

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 planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based camera system capable of producing digital images with reduced levels of speckle-pattern noise. The PLIIM based camera system comprises a planar laser illumination array (PLIA) including a plurality of laser diodes for producing and projecting a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) so as to illuminate an object as it is moving past said PLIIM based camera system. An image formation and detection (IFD) module is provided having a image detection array and imaging forming optics for providing the image detection array with a field of view (FOV). The PLIB and FOV are arranged in a coplanar relationship along the working range of the PLIIM based camera system so that the PLIB illuminates primarily within the FOV of the IFD module. A speckle-pattern noise reduction subsystem is integrated with the PLIA, for reducing the spatial-coherence of said planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) before the PLIB illuminates a target object.

Abstract: A planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based camera system capable of producing digital images with reduced levels of speckle-pattern noise. The PLIIM based camera system comprises a planar laser illumination array (PLIA) including a plurality of laser diodes for producing and projecting a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) so as to illuminate an object as it is moving past said PLIIM based camera system. An image formation and detection (IFD) module is provided having a image detection array and imaging forming optics for providing the image detection array with a field of view (FOV). The PLIB and FOV are arranged in a coplanar relationship along the working range of the PLIIM based camera system so that the PLIB illuminates primarily within the FOV of the IFD module. A speckle-pattern noise reduction subsystem is integrated with the IFD, for reducing the spatial-coherence of said planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) after the PLIB has illuminated and reflected/scattered off the target object.

Abstract: A planar laser illumination and imaging (PLLIM) based camera system capable of producing digital images with reduced levels of speckle-pattern noise. The PLIIM based camera system comprises a planar laser illumination any (PLIA) including a plurality of laser diodes for producing and projecting a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB), so as to illuminate an object as it is moving past said PLIIM based camera system. An image formation and detection (IFD) module is provided having a image detection array and imaging forming optics for providing the image detection array with a field of view (FOV). The PLIB and FOV are arranged in a coplanar relationship along the working range of the PLIIM based camera system so that the PLIB illuminates primarily within the FOV of the IFD module. A speckle-pattern noise reduction subsystem is integrated with the PLIA, for reducing the temporal-coherence of said planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) before the PLIB illuminates a target object.

Abstract: A planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based camera system capable of producing digital images with reduced levels of speckle-pattern noise. The PLIIM based camera system comprises a planar laser illumination array (PLIA) including a plurality of laser diodes for producing and projecting a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) so as to illuminate an object as it is moving past said PLIIM based camera system. An image formation and detection (IFD) module is provided having a image detection array and imaging forming optics for providing the image detection array with a field of view (FOV). The PLIB and FOV are arranged in a coplanar relationship along the working range of the PLIIM based camera system so that the PLIB illuminates primarily within the FOV of the IFD module. A speckle-pattern noise reduction subsystem is integrated with the IFD, for reducing the temporal-coherence of said planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) after the PLIB has illuminated and reflected/scattered off the target object.

Abstract: A planar laser illumination and imaging (PLLIM) based camera system capable of producing digital images with reduced levels of speckle-pattern noise. The PLIIM based camera system comprises a planar laser illumination array (PLIA) including a plurality of laser diodes for producing and projecting a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB), so as to illuminate an object as it is moving past said PLIIM based camera system. An image formation and detection (IFD) module is provided having a image detection array and imaging forming optics for providing the image detection array with a field of view (FOV). The PLIB and FOV are arranged in a coplanar relationship along the working range of the PLIIM based camera system so that the PLIB illuminates primarily within the FOV of the IFD module. A speckle-pattern noise reduction subsystem is integrated with the PLIA, for reducing the temporal-coherence of said planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) before the PLIB illuminates a target object.

Abstract: A planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based system employing wavefront control methods for reducing the power of speckle-pattern noise within digital images acquired by the system. The system comprises a housing having a first light transmission aperture, a second light transmission aperture, and a third light transmission aperture, wherein the first and second light transmission apertures are optically isolated from said third light transmission aperture spatially aligned on opposite sides thereof. A pair of planar laser illumination arrays (PLIAs) are mounted within the housing, for producing and projecting a first and second planar laser illumination beams (PLIBS) through the first and second light transmission apertures respectively, thereby producing a composite planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) outside of the housing, and illuminating an object therewith as the object is transported past the first, second and third light transmission apertures.

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: Methods of and systems for illuminating objects using planar laser illumination beams (PLIBs) having substantially-planar spatial distribution characteristics that extend throughout the field of view (FOV) of image formation and detection modules employed in such systems. Each PLIB is produced from a planar laser illumination beam array (PLIA) comprising a plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs). Each PLIM comprises a visible laser diode (VLD), a focusing lens, and a cylindrical optical element arranged with each PLIM, which is adjustable relative to other PLIMs so as to permit precise positioning of each PLIM relative to the optical axis of the imaging optics of the image formation and detection module. The individual PLIB 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 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: 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 planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based camera system capable of producing digital images with reduced levels of speckle-pattern noise. The PLIIM based camera system comprises a planar laser illumination array (PLIA) including a plurality of laser diodes for producing and projecting a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) through said first light transmission aperture, so as to illuminate an object as it is moving past said PLIIM based camera system. An image formation and detection (IFD) module is provided having a image detection array and imaging forming optics for providing said image detection array with a field of view (FOV). The PLIB and FOV are arranged in a coplanar relationship along the working range of the PLIIM based camera system so that the PLIB illuminates primarily within the FOV of the IFD module.

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 planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based camera system capable of producing digital images with reduced levels of speckle-pattern noise. The PLIIM based camera system comprises a planar laser illumination array (PLIA) including a plurality of laser diodes for producing and projecting a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) through a light transmission aperture, so as to illuminate an object as it is moving past said PLIIM based camera system. An image formation and detection (IFD) module is provided having a image detection array and imaging forming optics for providing said image detection array with a field of view (FOV). The PLIB and FOV are arranged in a coplanar relationship along the working range of the PLIIM based camera system so that the PLIB illuminates primarily within the FOV of the IFD module.