A portable data collection device including an imaging assembly including a two dimensional (2D) photosensor array. The imaging assembly is selectively actuatable with a first trigger for reading a target dataform in the imaging assembly's target area and actuatable with a second trigger for capturing a image of the target object in the target area. The device also includes an illumination assembly including an circuit board assembly supporting illumination and targeting light emitting diodes and a lens array or panel positioned adjacent the circuit board assembly for focusing an even pattern of illumination on the target area and generating a crosshair illumination pattern for aiming the device at the target dataform. The device further includes an optic assembly for focusing reflected illumination from the target area onto the two dimensional photosensor array. The optic assembly includes a focusing optic for changing a best focus distance of the optic assembly as a function of moving a wedge shaped optic with respect to a stationary optic to change a thickness of the focusing optic.

Portable data collection device with variable focusing module for optic assembly

The device includes an imaging assembly including a two dimensional (2D) photosensor array overlied by a RGB color filter. The imaging assembly includes an illumination assembly providing a relatively uniform illumination pattern over an imaging target area. The illumination assembly includes a plurality of sets of surface mount illumination LEDs mounted on a board and a spaced apart lens array for focusing the LEDs on the target area. The lens array includes orthogonal cylindrical optical entry and exit surfaces aligned with each of the illumination LED sets. The optical entry surface defines illumination intensity distribution horizontally while the optical exit surface defines illumination intensity distribution vertically. The board also supports a pair of spaced apart targeting LEDs. The lens array includes aspherical optical entry surfaces and cylindrical optical exit surfaces aligned with each of the targeting LEDs. The cylindrical optical exit surfaces are tipped with respect to their corresponding aspherical optical entry surfaces and are orthognal to each other providing an orgthogonal or "crosshairs" illumination pattern for aiming the imaging assembly at a target.

Portable data collection device with LED targeting and illumination assembly

A portable data collection device is disclosed. The device includes an imaging assembly including a two dimensional (2D) photosensor array. The imaging assembly is selectively actuatable with a first trigger for reading a target dataform in the imaging assembly's target area and actuatable with a second trigger for capturing a color image of the target object in the target area. The imaging assembly further includes compression circuitry for compressing digital data representative of the target area when the imaging assembly is actuated to capture an image of the target area. The device also includes a viewing assembly to aid an operator in aiming and positioning the device with respect to a target dataform or target object. In one embodiment of the viewing assembly, a liquid crystal display screen is affixed to a pivoting member. When the viewing assembly is actuated an image of the target area is displaced on the display screen. In a second embodiment of the viewing assembly, a manual pivoting member includes an opening. When the pivoting member is positioned a predetermined distance from the operator's eye, a view through the opening corresponds to the imaging assembly's target area.

Portable data collection device with viewing assembly

Dataform readers and methods provide operation with a sequence of overlapping exposure periods for successive lines of sensor elements of an array. Also, the exposure periods for successive lines of sensor elements, or successive subsets of lines, can be independently determined. In operation of a dataform reader illumination of a target area is turned on before exposure of the first line of sensor elements, each line of sensor elements is exposed by reflected illumination in an exposure period which overlaps with the exposure period of one or more other lines, and illumination is then turned off. Using a CMOS construction, for example, the level of image signals read from one line of sensor elements is referred to a look-up table to determine an appropriate exposure period for a subsequent line or lines of elements of an array. This process is repeated to achieve exposure periods adjusted for localized exposure conditions for each successive line or subset of lines of sensor elements.

Dataform readers having controlled and overlapped exposure integration periods

An automatic exposure imaging system (Fig. 2) operating on a single frame image capture basis is adapted for single chip CMOS type construction. For reading dataforms, such as two-dimensional bar codes and matrix codes, the system can provide automatic gain control (60), automatic exposure control (64), automatic focus sensing (62) and single frame imaging and decoding, with reduced power consumption. A fixed focus distance sensor element array assembly (21b) and optical distance sensing enable automatic initiation of exposure when the image is in-focus (Fig. 4). Exposure provided by image illuminators (50, 54) is automatically controlled by sensing of the cumulative level of reflected light during the exposure period (Fig. 6). Alternatively, exposure time is determined from a look-up table (82a), based upon the level of light reflected during an initial illumination period of fixed duration (Fig. 7). Automatic system turn-off or re-reading can be provided, depending upon whether a dataform is successfully decoded (Fig. 6 and 7). Power use is reduced by terminating the reading of sensor elements upon successful decoding. A complete, light-weight, hand-held reader (10) is described, including provison for transmission of decoded dataform information and a wide range of additional capabilities via plug-in cards (34, 36). Related methods are also described.

Automatic exposure single frame imaging systems

PURPOSE:To eliminate the use of an optical system which converts the form of luminous flux to reduce the weight of a reader and at the same time to facilitate positioning of a photodetector, by obtaining a focusing error signal from the variation of reflection factor at a level close to a critical angle after combining a diffraction grating with a parallel plate. CONSTITUTION:When parallel beams 17 are made incident vertically on the 1st boundary surface 13 of a parallel plate 13, the beams 17 transmit through the 2nd boundary surface 13b of the plate 13 and are made incident on a diffraction grating 15 to be diffracted there. The diffracted beam 18 is made incident again on the surface 13b and travels straight to reach a point P. The constant of the grating 15 is decided so that the incident angle at the point P is equal to the critical angle of total reflection. Therefore the beam 18 is totally reflected at the point P and made incident on a photodetector 11. The beam 18 is totally reflected if the angle theta is larger than the critical angle thetaS; while the beam 18 transmits partially through the surface 13a if the angle theta is smaller. When a disk 7 gets close to an objective lens 6, the light made incident on the grating 15 is turned into the dispersed luminous fluxes. Then the luminous flux has a semicircular form and is made incident only on a photodetector 11b. While the incident light of the grating 15 is focused when the disk 7 goes further away from the lens 6. Then the luminous flux has a semicircular form and is made incident only on a photodetector 11a.

Optical information reader

PURPOSE:To form the titled device to a thin shape by constituting it so that a separating action of an incident light and a reflected light, an action of an astigmatism optical grating lens, and an action of a reflecting mirror for curving an optical path can be executed by one piece of a reflection type diffraction grating lens. CONSTITUTION:Among light beams which are made incident on a reflection type diffraction grating lens 16, a 0-th order diffracted light which is not diffracted by a reflection type diffraction grating carved on the surface of this lens 16 is made incident on an objective lens 18. The objective lens 18 is provided so that a light emitting point of a semiconductor laser 1 is an object point, and a point on the surface of a disk is an image point, therefore, the 0-th order diffracted light 17 which is made incident on the objective lens 18 is condensed as a condensing spot 19 of a diffraction limit onto an information recording surface 10 on the disk 9 from the objective lens 18. A primary diffracted light or a -1st order diffracted light of the reflection type diffraction grating lens 16 is divided into two by the first reflection type diffraction grating lens 16a and the second reflection type diffraction grating lens 16b, and thereafter, converted to a first luminous flux 23 and a second luminous flux 24, which are condensed to a 4-split light detector 20.

Optical information reproducing device

PURPOSE:To improve the power of a pulse laser device and the efficiency thereof in a self-compensating pulse laser device by adding further an operation of 1/2 wavelength phase shifter to the third truncated pentagonal prism. CONSTITUTION:The third and second truncated pentagonal prisms 7 and 5 are faced each other, and a laser active medium 1 is disposed therebetween, and a Pockels cell 2 and a polarizer 3 are arranged in one row in parallel therewith. A dielectric mutilayer films having several tens % of reflectivity in the wavelength of the laser light rays are evaporated on half portion of the laser active medium 1 side of the prism 7, and a reflection preventive film is evaporated on the half portion of the Pockels cell 2. The prism 7 has a full reflecting surface forming a cross angle of 45 deg. with respect to the incident laser light rays AC and EG and two full reflecting surfaces disposed as a right angle edge having a cross angle of 45 deg. with respect to the reflected light rays thereat.

Pulse laser device

PURPOSE:To reproduce optical information by optical pickup in an excellent way by using a reflection type diffraction grating image forming lens so as to use a separating function of an incident light and a reflected light and a function of an astigmatism optical diffraction grating in common and adding a function of a reflecting mirror reflecting the optical path CONSTITUTION:A 0-th order diffracted light not diffracted by a reflection type diffracted grating engraved on the surface of a lens 16 is collected as a spot being a diffraction limit on an information recording face 10 via an objective lens 18 among the lights made incident on the reflection type diffractive grating 16 of the lens 20 from a laser diode 1 The reflected light at that point is converted into a light taking the radiated point of the diode 1 as an optical converging point and made incident on the grating 16 The light made incident on the grating 16 is separated into luminous fluxes 23, 24 by image forming lenses 16a, 16b and a focus error signal is obtained by placing a 4-split photodetector 20 at a light converging position of the luminous fluxes 23 and 24

Reproducing device for optical information by optical pickup

PURPOSE:To reduce the total number of parts composed of an optical system layout and to reduce the thickness of a device by disposing a reflection type diffraction grating lens system between a semiconductor laser and convergent optical elements, such as an objective laser, etc CONSTITUTION:The reflection type diffraction grating lens system 16 acts to diffract optical paths from the semiconductor laser 1 to a high density information recording surface 10 and at the same time to split a return signal reflected from the high density information recording surface 10 and bring them to converge upon a six-split optical detector positioned apart from the semiconductor laser 1, where any focus drift and track drift of the optical convergent spot converged onto the information recording surface 10 by light convergent optical elements, such as an objective lens, etc, are detected In this way, the total number of parts in an optical system layout is reduced, while an optical pickup high density recording information reproducing device can be small with thin structure

Ito Takashi

Papers

Optical information reader

Optical information reproducing device

Pulse laser device

Reproducing device for optical information by optical pickup

Optical pickup high density recording information reproducing device