Symbol Technologies, LLC

Zebra Technologies Corporation

Peter Fazekas

James R Giebel

Vladimir P Gurevich

Matthew D Blasczak

Gary G Schneider

Mark J Krichever

Dariusz J Madej

Jerome Swartz

Paul Dvorkis

David P Goren

Boris Metlitsky

Chinh Tan

Miklos Stern

Joel Kahn

Joseph Campanelli

Mark A Weitzner

Henry Grossfeld

Lisa Courtney

Edward D Barkan

Joseph M Katz

Ron Goldman

Yajun Li

Simon Bard

David Tsi Shi

Askold Strat

Thomas Mazz

Steven M Chew

Peter Wyatt

Chang Hong Chen

Costanzo Slashed diFazio

Greg Martino

A system is disclosed which includes a laser which has a calibrated optical power and a calibrated tolerance. The system includes a driving circuit configured to generate a first current pulse and a second current pulse. The system includes a primary observer module configured to observe a first and second primary input. The system includes one or more secondary observer modules configured to observe one or more first and one or more second secondary inputs. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the laser, driving circuit, primary observer module, and the one or more secondary observer modules. The controller is configured to receive an information packet, calculate an optical power, determine a deviation of the optical power from the calibrated optical power, compare the deviation with the calibrated tolerance, and perform an action if the deviation exceeds the calibrated tolerance.

Systems for optical power control for laser safety of a time-of-flight illumination system

A system and method for adaptively illuminating a volume with an illumination system that illuminates a volume of interest using separately controllable near field and far field optimized illumination sources, to maintain an irradiance pattern criteria in the volume, where that criteria may be different for a far field portion of the volume than for a near field portion of the volume.

Adaptive illumination system for 3D-time of flight sensor

First and second photodetectors having first and second collection areas receive return laser light that is reflected and scattered from a target, and generate first and second analog electrical output signals having first and second magnitudes. The second collection area is in close proximity to the first collection area. The first output signal is processed to obtain information related to the target. The first and the second output signals are processed, preferably by determining a ratio of the second magnitude to the first magnitude. A working distance to the target is determined based on the determined ratio. One or more reading parameters by which the target is electro-optically read are adjusted based on the determined working distance.

Scan module and reader for, and method of, electro-optically reading a target by adjusting reading parameters based on target distance

A target is read in the presence of ambient light. A scan component scans a laser beam across the target. A detector assembly detects and converts return laser light from the target into an information signal bearing information related to the target, and concomitantly detects and converts the ambient light into an ambient light signal. The assembly includes a first photodetector for generating a first output signal comprised of the information and the ambient light signals, a detector lens for focusing and directing the return laser light substantially onto the first photodetector, and a second photodetector for generating a second output signal substantially comprised of the ambient light signal. Signal processing circuitry processes the output signals to determine a magnitude of the ambient light signal, and suppresses the ambient light signal when the determined magnitude of the ambient light signal at least equals a threshold.

Apparatus for and method of electro-optically reading a target in the presence of ambient light by detecting and suppressing the ambient light

A scanning device includes a laser source emitting a laser scanning beam, a movable scanning mirror reflecting the laser scanning beam towards an on object to be scanned, a mirror moving element moving the movable scanning mirror and a controller receiving an input corresponding to a range estimate from the scanning device to the object and adjusting a setting of the scanning device based on the range estimate.

Method and system for optimizing system settings of a laser scanner control system

A reader for electro-optically reading a target in the presence of ambient light to be suppressed, includes a laser for emitting a laser beam, a scan component for scanning the laser beam across the target, a photodetector for detecting return laser light from the target to generate an information signal bearing information related to the target, and for concomitantly detecting the ambient light to generate an ambient light signal, and signal processing circuitry for measuring the ambient light signal, for processing both the information signal and the ambient light signal in one mode of operation when the measured ambient light signal is below a threshold, and for suppressing the ambient light signal and for processing only the information signal in another mode of operation when the measured ambient light signal at least equals the threshold.

Apparatus for and method of electro-optically reading a target in the presence of ambient light by suppressing the ambient light

A reader for electro-optically reading a target in the presence of ambient light to be rejected, includes a laser for emitting a laser beam, a scan component for scanning the laser beam over a scan angle across the target, a photodetector for generating an output signal by detecting return laser light from the target to generate an information signal bearing information related to the target, and by concomitantly detecting the ambient light to generate an ambient light signal, and signal processing circuitry for measuring the ambient light signal to determine a threshold, for processing the output signal by passing the output signal through a filter having a bandwidth, and for rejecting the ambient light signal from the output signal by adjusting the scan angle and/or the bandwidth when the ambient light signal exceeds the threshold.

Apparatus for and method of electro-optically reading a target in the presence of ambient light by rejecting the ambient light

Output power of a laser beam emitted by a laser in an electro-optical reader is regulated by storing a killswitch byte in non-volatile memory, and by checking whether the killswitch byte is in a default state or a kill state prior to performing reading. A controller detects a fault condition and responsively changes the killswitch byte to the kill state, in order to permanently deenergize the laser and to maintain the laser permanently deenergized after the killswitch byte has been changed to the kill state.

Killswitch arrangement for and method of regulating laser output power in electro-optical readers

A target is read in the presence of interference light. A photodetector generates an output signal composed of an information signal and an interference light signal. A rangefinder determines the distance of the target in a range of working distances. A controller adjusts a scan angle of a scan drive to a narrow value and adjusts an output power of a laser diode to a low power level when the target is determined to be far out in the range. The controller adjusts the scan angle to a wide value and adjusts the output power to a high power level when the target is determined to be close in the range. Signal processing circuitry processes the output signal with the information signal having a greater magnitude than that of the interference signal due to the high power level to mitigate the presence of the interference light. A power safety arrangement including dual power monitors checks the output power of the laser beam.

Apparatus for and method of monitoring output power of a laser beam during reading of targets

A method and apparatus of driving a motor in a light scanning arrangement. The method includes the following steps: (1) driving a drive coil with a drive signal to oscillate a scan mirror and a light beam reflected from the scan mirror; (2) generating a feedback signal having zero crossings during oscillation of the scan mirror by a feedback coil in proximity to the drive coil; (3) integrating the feedback signal to generate an integrated feedback signal; and (4) processing the integrated feedback signal to generate a periodic drive signal that has the same time period as the feedback signal.

Method and apparatus for controlling mirror motion in light scanning arrangements

In an electro-optical reader, an aiming or a scanning laser has a laser chip and a monitor photodiode. Output power of a laser beam emitted by the laser is regulated by a feedback circuit for maintaining substantially constant the laser beam output power during normal operation, a disabling circuit for disabling the feedback circuit, a drive circuit for driving the chip with a drive current when the feedback circuit is disabled, and for concomitantly generating a photodiode output voltage, a current modification circuit for modifying the drive current by a predetermined current with a concomitant change in the photodiode output voltage when the feedback circuit is disabled, and a control circuit for monitoring the change in the photodiode output voltage, for determining whether the change in the photodiode output voltage is sufficient to indicate an over-power condition, and for interrupting power to the chip when the over-power condition is indicated.

Arrangement for and method of regulating laser output power in electro-optical readers

Illumination driver circuit for using in an imaging-based barcode reader is configured to provide the driving current for the illumination source with a Buck regulator when the driving current is above a threshold current value and to provide the driving current for the illumination source with a linear regulator when the driving current is not above the threshold current value. The threshold current value is substantially close to the smallest current the Buck regulator operative to provide when operating in a continuous mode.

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Bayport, NY, United States of America

Peter Fazekas