Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8113430 | Illumination lens for optical code reader An optical code reader of the imager type includes at least one light source and at least one illumination lens downstream of the at least one light source for projecting a predetermined illumination pattern. The at least one illumination lens comprises a first main... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8066189 | Code symbol reading apparatus A case has a front surface facing an image sensing area, a concave formed on the front surface, and an opening on the bottom of the concave. The case accommodates an area image sensor to image-sense the image sensing area through the opening, and an illumination dev... | 11/29/2011 |
| 7997493 | Dual-aperature barcode scanner with tether-free tower housing A dual-aperture barcode scanner with tether-free housing. The scanner includes vertical portion including switches and a housing adjacent to but separated from the switches. ... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7815118 | Method, diaphragms and optical receiving devices for improving the depth of field in a linear optical code reader A method for improving the depth of field in the detection of a linear optical code includes simultaneously forming two or more overlapped equally focused but differently diaphragmed in phase images of an optical code onto a linear sensor. Diaphragms and optical rec... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7686224 | Lensed dual diode-laser bar package A diode-laser bar package includes two diode-laser bars mounted on a heat sink with slow-axes of the diode-laser bars aligned. Three spaced apart mounting bosses extend from the front of the heat sink. The package includes two cylindrical lens assemblies. Each lens ... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7469834 | Scanner and method for operating a scanner A scanner for providing a possibility of detecting a surface relief of an object includes a projector configured to guide a light beam in an illumination line over the surface relief to obtain an illuminated location on the surface relief, the projector being furthe... | 12/30/2008 |
| 7389931 | Beam-forming aperture for barcode applications In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes: a laser source is provided that producing a laser beam that diverges in a first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a lens positioned to receive the laser beam from the laser s... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7383209 | System and method for automatic access of a remote computer over a network A system and method for using identification codes found on ordinary articles of commerce to access remote computers on a network. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a computer is provided having a database that relates Uniform Product Code (“UPCâ... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7380721 | Low-cost compact bar code sensor A barcode sensor package has an optical emitter circuit and an optical detector circuit which are formed as one or more integrated optical circuits disposed in a housing which has a reading surface and one or more apertures located between the optical emitter and de... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7369327 | Variable optical-property element and optical apparatus including the same A variable optical-property element includes a liquid crystal the pitch of twist is less than 60 times the wavelength of light used, so that a spatially uneven electric or magnetic field or temperature is applied to the liquid crystal to thereby form an index distri... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7367499 | Scanner with vertical plate force detection and compensation Described is a multi-optic scanner that can detect and/or measure weight placed on its vertical plate. In one embodiment, a portion of the vertical plate is positioned under a portion of a horizontal plate so that a force exerted on the vertical plate is transferred... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7358857 | Global positioning systems applications A global positioning system includes a fixed base unit of known position and at least one mobile unit, the base unit and the mobile unit each including a GPS receiver. This system further includes means for comparing the simultaneous GPS identified positions of the ... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7341189 | Spectrally-encoded labeling and reading A spectrally-encoded label comprises a spectrally-selective optical element having a label spectral signature. The label spectral signature is determined according to a spectral-encoding scheme so as to represent predetermined label information within the spectral e... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7339714 | Variable blazed grating based signal processing A light processing system includes an array of optical signal processing devices. The array of processing devices are operable to receive at least some of a first signal part and to modulate the first signal part based at least in part on a control signal received f... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7331524 | Feedback mechanism for scanner devices A bar code reader indicator feature gives visible indication that a bar code function has been performed. The feature is integrally molded with the exit window to simplify the design and reduce cost. The feature can diffuse light from an existing indicator light wit... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7325739 | Electro-optical scanner having exit window with light collecting optics A portable electro-optical scanner for reading a target bar code having a plurality of bar code elements. The portable scanner includes: a housing supporting a scanning module and an optic system. The scanning module electro-optically scans the target bar code with ... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7299985 | Transmitting enhanced scanner signals on a single channel A system and method for encoding scanner signal strength and timing information provided, possibly on multiple signal lines, from a digitizer circuit into a signal that can be transmitted on a single line to a modified decoder. A multiplexing device multiplexes the ... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7285785 | Apparatus with permanent magnetic lenses The invention describes a particle-optical apparatus arranged to focus a beam (1) of electrically charged particles with the aid of two particle-optical lens systems (10, 20). The lens action is achieved by magnetic fields, which fields are generated b... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7264162 | Optical adjustment of working range and beam spot size in electro-optical readers Working range and laser beam cross-section are adjusted in an electro-optical reader for reading indicia by applying control voltages to a pair of variable lenses to change the shape of a liquid therein. An aperture stop maintains a constant beam cross-section as an... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7255278 | Dense pattern optical scanner A method of and a system for generating a dense pattern of scan lines. In a preferred configuration, a laser beam is directed into an inline beam dithering mechanism which dithers the beam over an angle parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotating facet wheel. T... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7252237 | Code reader A scanner, especially one for the detection of one- and/or two-dimensional codes with a reception optics, projects the image of a reading line onto a linear arrangement of photoreceivers. An illumination arrangement for linearly illuminating an entire reading line h... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7254149 | Submount, pedestal, and bond wire assembly for a transistor outline package with reduced bond wire inductance The present invention relates generally to optoelectronic devices, and particularly to a submount, pedestal, and bond wire assembly for a transistor outline package. A bottom surface of the submount is connected to a top surface of the pedestal. Each bond wire in a ... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7224540 | Extended depth of field imaging system using chromatic aberration An imaging system (FIG. 3) is disclosed that has a wavelength dependent focal shift caused by longitudinal chromatic aberration in a lens assembly (203) that provides extended depth of field imaging due to focal shift (213,214) and increased res... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7215833 | Method of matching a digital camera image to a database using a timestamp device The invention is a method for correlating and assigning digital camera images to a database file. The method enables a photographer to keep track of large numbers of subjects and items. The method uses a timestamp from a bar code reader to synchronize recorded swipe... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7204424 | Retro-reflective scanner having exit window with positive optical power A portable electo-optical scanner for reading a target bar code having a plurality of bar code elements. The portable scanner includes: a housing supporting a scanning module and an exit window. The scanning module scans the target bar code with a scanning beam and ... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7159764 | Versatile window system for information gathering systems A method and apparatus for permitting a base housing to support a plurality of different product configurations. Some of the configurations include different types of optical indicia readers. The base housing has a reading portal capable of receiving a window frame.... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7128264 | Electro-optical reader with improved performance in high intensity ambient light A high gain, low signal-to-noise, transimpedance amplifier is prevented from saturation even in the presence of bright sunlight by an offset adjustment circuit utilizing a field effect transistor as a variable resistor. ... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7116862 | Apparatus and method for providing gain equalization In one aspect of the invention, a gain equalizer comprises a wavelength division demultiplexer operable to separate one or more communication bands into a plurality of wavelengths and an array of phase shifter stages. Each phase shifter stage comprises a micro-elect... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7111781 | System and method for library inventory A storage device detector system for use with a gripper assembly for handling storage devices in a storage library system is provided. In one example, the system includes a light source for directing light to an expected position of a storage device, a sensor, e.g.,... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7111785 | Compact, omni-directional scan pattern generator and method in a reader for electro-optically reading indicia A compact, omni-directional scan pattern generator for generating multiple scan lines used for electro-optically reading bar code symbols includes stationary light-folding mirrors arranged at different elevations on a support, and a rotary mirrored component having ... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7113163 | Liquid crystal display apparatus The present invention includes a panel on which a plurality of pixels are located, a light-source for visualizing an image displayed on the plurality of pixels, a controlling circuit for controlling the light-source, and an image-signal tone characteristic controlli... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7104453 | Unitary package identification and dimensioning system employing ladar-based scanning methods A fully automated package identification and measuring system (300), in which an onmidirectional holographic scanning tunnel (100) is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem (500, 600) is us... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7100831 | Method and apparatus for processing read-out images A scanning device or alight beam is moved for reciprocal scanning with respect to an image carrier, which carries image information thereon, and in a main scanning direction. The scanning device or the light beam is also moved with respect to the image carrier and i... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7077325 | Portable instrument for electro-optically reading indicia and for projecting a bit-mapped image A portable instrument incorporates an electro-optical assembly for reading indicia during a reading mode, and for projecting a bit-mapped image during a display mode. A manually operable switch on the instrument is disposed for selecting one of the modes. The image ... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7063259 | Optical device for emitting a laser light beam, optical reader comprising said device and protective/insulating package for a light beam emission source An optical device which emits a laser light beam (3) comprises a laser light beam emission source (20)(for example, a semiconductor laser diode) including a source of the laser light beam housed in a package (6) provided with a light beam emissi... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7063261 | Electro-optical reader with improved laser intensity modulation over extended working range The combination of a rooftop optical element and a soft edge aperture stop, as well as the introduction of a negative spherical aberration in a positive focusing lens, improve working distance and depth of focus in both moving beam and imaging readers for electro-op... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7059529 | Device for reading a barcode A device for scanning and/or recognizing one or more barcodes includes a laser light source for transmitting laser light; a rotatable polygonal mirror for reflecting the transmitted laser light; a number of fixedly disposed flat mirrors for reflecting laser light; a... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7059528 | Synchronous and resonant drives for producing multiple scan line pattern for electro-optically reading indicia A raster pattern for reading bar code symbols is created by successively reflecting a light beam off scan mirrors oscillated respectively by a resonant motor drive and by another motor drive driven synchronously with the resonant drive. ... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7044378 | System and method for imaging and decoding optical codes using at least two different imaging settings A system and method for imaging an optical code is provided including the steps of consecutively imaging an optical code respectively using at least a first and a second imaging setting; generating at least first and second sets of image data respectively correspond... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7038853 | Athermalized plastic lens A plastic lens includes refractive and diffractive optical apparatus configured to produce optothermal changes substantially canceling each other over a predetermined working temperature range to render the plastic lens substantially athermalized over the range.... | 05/02/2006 |
