Claims
- 1. A scanner for reading symbols on an object being passed through a scan volume, comprising:
- a housing including
- a first housing section having a first window which is oriented horizontally below the scan volume,
- a second housing section connected to the first housing section, the second housing section having a second window which is oriented generally vertically to a lateral side of the scan volume,
- a third housing section having a third window which is oriented obliquely to a lateral side of the scan volume;
- an optical scanning element within the housing;
- at least first and second optical beams which are directed from different directions onto the optical scanning element to produce (a) a first set of scanning beams being directed out the first window, (b) a second set of scanning beams being directed out the second window and (c) a third set of scanning beams being directed out the third window.
- 2. A scanner according to claim 1 further comprising pattern mirrors for directing the first, second and third sets of scanning beams through the respective first, second and third windows.
- 3. A scanner according to claim 2 wherein the pattern mirrors comprise a first mirror array positioned in the first housing section adjacent the first window, a second mirror array positioned in the second housing section adjacent the second window, and a third mirror array positioned in the third housing section adjacent the third window.
- 4. A scanner according to claim 1 wherein the second housing section has a top portion, the third housing section being connected to the top portion of the second housing section, wherein the third window is positioned above the scan volume.
- 5. A scanner according to claim 4 wherein the first set of scanning beams is projected in an upwardly direction out the first window, the second set of scanning beams is projected in an sidewardly direction out the second window, and the third set of scanning beams is projected in an downwardly direction out the third window.
- 6. A scanner according to claim 1,
- wherein the first set of scanning beams directed out of the first window optically sense a first portion of the symbol on the object which is less than the entire symbol and generating a first signal responsive to the sensed variations in light reflectivity of said first portion,
- wherein the second set of scanning beams directed out the second window optically sense a second portion of the symbol on the object which is less than the entire symbol and generating a second signal responsive to the sensed variations in light reflectivity of said second portion;
- wherein the scanner further comprises a processor unit for processing the first and second signals to determine information contained in the symbol by combining at least the first and the second signals to fully decode the information contained in the symbol.
- 7. A scanner according to claim 1 wherein the optical scanning element comprises a polygon mirror having mirrored facets for reflecting the first and second optical beams in a plurality of directions.
- 8. A scanner according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of pattern mirrors for reflecting the first set of scanning beams through the first window to produce a first scan pattern consisting of a plurality of intersecting scan lines, for reflecting the second set of scanning beams through the second window to produce a second scan pattern consisting of a plurality of intersecting scan lines, and for reflecting the third set of scanning beams through the third window to produce a third scan pattern consisting of a plurality of intersecting scan lines.
- 9. A scanner according to claim 1 wherein the third set of scanning beams are directed diagonally into the scan volume.
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
This application is a Divisional of Ser. No. 08/554,819 filed Nov. 7, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,802 which is a divisional of Ser. No. 08/155,112 filed Nov. 19, 1993 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,207 which is a continuation of part of application Ser. No. 07/913,580 filed Jul. 14, 1992 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (29)
Foreign Referenced Citations (25)
Number |
Date |
Country |
899019 |
Jun 1984 |
BEX |
0644504A1 |
Mar 1995 |
EPX |
2367320 |
May 1978 |
FRX |
63-109590 |
May 1988 |
JPX |
63-146198 |
Jun 1988 |
JPX |
63-178376 |
Jul 1988 |
JPX |
63-189981 |
Aug 1988 |
JPX |
63-192175 |
Aug 1988 |
JPX |
1142072 |
Sep 1989 |
JPX |
1144953 |
Oct 1989 |
JPX |
283681 |
Mar 1990 |
JPX |
283686 |
Mar 1990 |
JPX |
285983 |
Mar 1990 |
JPX |
2231688 |
Sep 1990 |
JPX |
3-129583 |
Mar 1991 |
JPX |
3103995 |
Apr 1991 |
JPX |
3-167683 |
Jul 1991 |
JPX |
3257691 |
Nov 1991 |
JPX |
3257692 |
Nov 1991 |
JPX |
3265079 |
Nov 1991 |
JPX |
3266195 |
Nov 1991 |
JPX |
3253811 |
Nov 1991 |
JPX |
56484 |
Jan 1993 |
JPX |
7713933 |
Jun 1979 |
NLX |
1445100 |
Aug 1976 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
H. Ikeda et al., "Bar-Code Reading Technology", Bulletin of the Precision Engineering Society, vol. 54, No. 12, pp. 28-32 (1988) no month. |
T. Inagaki et al., "Applying Holograms to Pattern Input/Output Technology", Fujitsu, vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 137-142 (1987) no month. |
N. Nishida, "Optical System of the POS Scanner", Machine Design, vol. 29, No. 8, pp. 69-73 (1985) (with translation of Fig. 9) no month. |
Divisions (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
554819 |
Nov 1995 |
|
Parent |
155122 |
Nov 1993 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
913580 |
Jul 1992 |
|