Apparatus and method for reading two-dimensional symbols

Claim 2

An optical reading apparatus for reading a two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus including a housing having an opening portion for confronting the two-dimensional symbol and a gripping portion for holding by an operator, the apparatus comprising: means, mounted near the opening portion, for generating light to illuminate the two-dimensional symbol through the opening portion; means for directing the light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol toward the gripping portion; a diaphragm for regulating the light directed from the directing means to provide regulated light; means, responsive to the regulated light, for generating electrical signals, the generating means including a plurality of photosensitive elements; and means, in the housing, for converting the electrical signals into a two-dimensional code data; wherein the diaphram has a variable size for variably regulating a quantity of light from the directing means in accordance with the electrical signals from the converting means to maximize a difference between a low level and a high level of image signals output by the converting means.

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the light generating means includes a diffusion lens.

Claim 4

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the directing means includes a reflecting mirror.

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the reflecting mirror is arranged to reflect the light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol at an angle larger than 90 degrees.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the generating means includes a two-dimensional type CCD.

Claim 7

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the converting means includes means for providing an image data in accordance with the electrical signals from the generating means and means for providing the two-dimensional code data in accordance with the image data.

Claim 8

An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the two-dimensional code data providing means includes means for storing format data corresponding to the type of two-dimensional symbol to generate the two-dimensional code data.

Claim 9

An apparatus as defined in claim 6, further including means for displaying a position of the two-dimensional symbol being read relative to the opening portion.

Claim 10

An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the displaying means includes a display for displaying an image in accordance with the image data provided by the image data providing means.

Claim 11

An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display.

Claim 12

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including means for displaying a position of the two-dimensional symbol being read relative to the opening portion.

Claim 13

An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the directing means includes a reflecting semi-transmissive mirror for transmitting a part of light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol and a window portion for intercepting the light passing through the reflecting semi-transmissive mirror.

Claim 14

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the converting means is accommodated in the gripping portion of the housing.

Claim 15

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of photosensitive elements of the generating means are arranged in a two-dimensional form.

Claim 16

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the light sources of the light generating means include light emitting diodes.

Claim 17

An optical reading apparatus for reading a two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus including a housing having an opening portion for confronting the two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus comprising: means, mounted near the opening portion, for generating light to illuminate the two-dimensional symbol through the opening portion; a diaphragm for regulating the light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol to provide regulated light; means, responsive to the regulated light, for generating electrical signals, the generating means including a plurality of photosensitive elements; and means, in the housing, for converting the electrical signals into a two-dimensional code data, the converting means including means for providing an image data in accordance with the electrical signals from the generating means and means for providing the two-dimensional code data in accordance with the image data; wherein the diaphragm has a variable size for variably regulating a quantity of light from the directing means in accordance with electrical signals from the converting means to maximize a difference between a low level and a high level of image signals output by the converting means.

Claim 18

An optical reading apparatus for reading a two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus including a housing having an opening portion for confronting the two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus comprising: means, mounted near the opening portion, for generating light to illuminate the two-dimensional symbol through the opening portion; a diaphragm for regulating the light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol to provide regulated light; means, responsive to the regulated light, for generating electrical signals, the generating means including a plurality of photosensitive elements; and means, in the housing, for converting the electrical signals into a two-dimensional code data, the converting means including means for providing an image data in accordance with the electrical signals from the generating means and means for providing the two-dimensional code data in accordance with the image data; wherein the diaphragm has a variable size for variably regulating a quantity of light from the directing means in accordance with electrical signals from the converting means to maximize a difference between a low level and a high level of image signals output by the converting means.

Claim 19

An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the plurality of photosensitive elements of the generating means are arranged in a two-dimensional form.

Claim 20

An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the light generating means includes a diffusion lens.

Claim 21

An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the generating means includes a two-dimensional type CCD.

Claim 22

An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the two-dimensional code data providing means includes means for storing format data corresponding to the type of two-dimensional symbol to generate the two-dimensional code data.

Claim 23

An apparatus as defined in claim 16, further including means for displaying a position of the two-dimensional symbol being read relative to the opening portion.

Claim 24

An apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the displaying means includes a display for displaying an image in accordance with the image data provided by the image data providing means.

Claim 25

An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display.

Claim 26

An apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the directing means includes a reflecting semi-transmissive mirror for transmitting a part of light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol and a window portion for intercepting the light passing through the reflecting semi-transmissive mirror.

Claim 27

An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the light sources of the light generating means include light emitting diodes.

Claim 28

An optical reading apparatus for reading a two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus including a housing having an opening portion for confronting the two-dimensional symbol and a gripping portion for holding by an operator, the apparatus comprising: means, mounted near the opening portion, for generating light to illuminate the two-dimensional symbol through the opening portion, the light generating means including several light sources and diffusion lenses equally diffusing light from the light sources; means for directing the light reflected from the two dimensional symbol toward the gripping portion; a diaphragm for regulating the light directed from the directing means to provide regulated light; means, responsive to the regulated light, for generating electrical signals, the generating means including a plurality of photosensitive elements; and means, in the housing, for converting the electrical signals into a two-dimensional code data; wherein the diaphragm has a variable size for variably regulating quantity of light from the directing means in accordance with electrical signals from the converting means to maximize a difference between a low level and a high level of image signals output by the converting means.

Claim 29

An optical reading apparatus for reading a two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus including a housing having an opening portion for confronting the two-dimensional symbol and a gripping portion for holding by an operator, the apparatus comprising: means, mounted near the opening portion, for generating light to illuminate the two-dimensional symbol through the opening portion, the light generating means including several light sources and diffusion lenses equally diffusing light from the light sources; means for directing the light reflected from the two dimensional symbol toward the gripping portion; a diaphragm for regulating the light directed from the directing means to provide regulated light; means, responsive to the regulated light, for generating electrical signals, the generating means including a plurality of photosensitive elements; and means, in the housing, for converting the electrical signals into a two-dimensional code data; wherein the diaphragm has a variable size for variably regulating quantity of light from the directing means in accordance with electrical signals from the converting means to maximize a difference between a low level and a high level of image signals output by the converting means.

Claim 30

An optical reading apparatus for reading a two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus including a housing having an opening portion for confronting the two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus comprising: means, mounted near the opening portion, for generating light to illuminate the two-dimensional symbol through the opening portion, the light generating means including several light sources and diffusion lenses equally diffusing light from the light sources; a diaphragm for regulating the light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol to provide regulated light; means, responsive to the regulated light, for generating electrical signals, the generating means including a plurality of photosensitive elements; and means, in the housing, for converting the electrical signals into a two-dimensional code data, the converting means including means for providing an image data in accordance with the electrical signals from the generating means and means for providing the two-dimensional code data in accordance with the image data; wherein the diaphragm has a variable size for variably regulating a quantity of light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol in accordance with electrical signals from the converting means to maximize a difference between a low level and a high level of image signals output by the converting means.

Claim 31

An optical reading apparatus for reading a two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus including a housing having an opening portion for confronting the two-dimensional symbol, the apparatus comprising: means, mounted near the opening portion, for generating light to illuminate the two-dimensional symbol through the opening portion, the light generating means including several light sources and diffusion lenses equally diffusing light from the light sources; a diaphragm for regulating the light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol to provide regulated light; means, responsive to the regulated light, for generating electrical signals, the generating means including a plurality of photosensitive elements; and means, in the housing, for converting the electrical signals into a two-dimensional code data, the converting means including means for providing an image data in accordance with the electrical signals from the generating means and means for providing the two-dimensional code data in accordance with the image data; wherein the diaphragm has a variable size for variably regulating a quantity of light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol in accordance with electrical signals from the converting means to maximize a difference between a low level and a high level of image signals output by the converting means.