Importance

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Abstract

A laser scanning system capable of producing information specifying the subregion of space within a 3-D scanning volume within which a bar code symbol is detected by a laser scanning pattern. The system comprises a laser scanning pattern generator, a scan data processor, a bar code symbol position data generator and a system controller. In the illustrative embodiment, the laser scanning pattern generator employs a holographic scanning disc to generate an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern within the 3-D scanning volume for scanning a bar code symbol presented therein, and in response thereto, automatically produces scan data indicative of the scanned bar code symbol. The scan data processor automatically processes the produced scan data so as to detect the scanned bar code symbol within the 3-D scanning volume. The bar code symbol position data generator automatically determines a subregion of space within the 3-D scanning volume wherewithin the detected bar code symbol is scanned by the laser scanning pattern, and automatically produces bar code symbol position data indicative of this subregion of space. By virtue of the present invention, it is now possible to generate, on a real-time basis, information specifying the position of a detected bar code symbol anywhere within the prefined 3-D scanning volume of a laser scanning system.

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First Claim