Off-axis circular coordinate optical scanning device and code recognition system using same

Claim 2

An optical scanning device comprising (i) line scanning means for producing a light beam in at least one planar scan and (ii) angular scanning means comprising an optical inversion member having an optical axis and at least one face intercepting said axis, said member being positioned so that said intercepting face intercepts at least one planar scan off said optical axis, and means for rotating the member about its optical axis to precess each off-axis intercepted planar scan which is transmitted by the member so that the transmitted scan upon impinging a plane normal to said axis defines an area bounded by two closed curves.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein said inversion prism comprises a dove member.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1, wherein said line scanning means comprises a light source providing an incident focused or collimated light beam.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 3, wherein the incident light beam is produced from a focused or collimated laser device.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 3, wherein said line scanning means further comprises a polyhedron having a plurality of reflecting faces disposed about an axis of rotation such that a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation forms a regular polygon, which polyhedron is mounted to rotate about said axis such that when so rotated, said incident light beam successively intercepts said plurality of reflecting faces.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 5, wherein said polyhedron is provided with additional planar reflecting faces, the planes of which are non-parallel to the rotational axis of the polyhedron for producing a light beam in another planar scan, and wherein said face intercepts both planar scans.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 1, further comprising driving means for controlling the repetition rate of said planar scan and for controlling the rotation rate of said inversion member, wherein the repetition rate of said planar scan is not less than 10 times the rotation rate of said inversion member.

Claim 9

A code recognition system comprising: a. an optical device including (i) line scanning means for producing a light beam in at least one planar scan and (ii) angular scanning means comprising an optical inversion member having an optical axis and at least one face intercepting said axis, said member being positioned so that said intercepting face intercepts at least one planar scan off-axis and means for rotating the member about its optical axis to precess each off-axis intercepted planar scan which is transmitted by the member so that the transmitted scan upon impinging a plane normal to said axis defines an area bounded by two closed curves; b. means for successively receiving objects, each having located thereon an array of reflecting marker bands arranged to form a code, and positioning the objects such that at least one sweep of said transmitted planar scan traverses all of the bands within the array; c. light detection means positioned to receive reflections of said transmitted planar scan from said marker array to generate electrical pulses in response to said reflections; and d. means for sensIng the generation of electrical signals successively representing all bands of said array.

Claim 10

A code recognition system comprising: a. an optical device including (i) line scanning means for producing a light beam in at least one planar scan and (ii) angular scanning means comprising an optical inversion member having an optical axis and at least one face intercepting said axis, said member being positioned so that said intercepting face intercepts at least one planar scan off-axis and means for rotating the member about its optical axis to precess each off-axis intercepted planar scan which is transmitted by the member so that the transmitted scan upon impinging a plane normal to said axis defines an area bounded by two closed curves; b. means for successively receiving objects, each having located thereon an array of reflecting marker bands arranged to form a code, and positioning the objects such that at least one sweep of said transmitted planar scan traverses all of the bands within the array; c. light detection means positioned to receive reflections of said transmitted planar scan from said marker array to generate electrical pulses in response to said reflections; and d. means for sensIng the generation of electrical signals successively representing all bands of said array.

Claim 11

A system according to claim 8, wherein said array of reflecting marker bands comprises an array of parallel strips.

Claim 12

A system according to claim 8, wherein said reflecting marker bands are substantially retroreflecting, and said light detection means is positioned to receive said reflections after passing through said angular and line scanning means.

Claim 13

A system according to claim 8, wherein said array of reflecting marker bands comprises a first and a last band identifiable as start and finish indicating bands and additional bands spaced therebetween which form said code, and wherein said comparator means comprises means for sensing the dual presence of electrical pulses corresponding to said start and finish bands and for activating a comparison logic network in response to said dual presence.

Claim 14

A system according to claim 11, wherein said sensing means further comprises means for comparing signals associated with said additional bands produced as the result of more than one planar sweep and for activating an output to identify said specific coded marker bands only when said associated signals are the same.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 11, wherein said start and finish indicating bands are alike and said additional bands are symmetrically disposed therebetween.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 11, wherein said additional bands are uniformly spaced between said start and finish bands.

Claim 17

A system according to claim 11, wherein said comparator means further comprises means sensitive to said dual presence for establishing a time base period within which electrical pulses representative of said additional bands must appear, wherein the duration of the time base period varies depending upon the angle of a given planar scan with respect to said marker array and the presence of a specific code band is sensed in terms of a relative time of occurrence of a corresponding pulse during the base time period.

Claim 18

A system according to claim 11, wherein the start and finish bands are distinguishable from each other, further comprising means for inverting the base time period when a finish band is sensed before a start band is sensed.