Laser Bar Code Scanner

Chunyu Zhao

Practical Optics Class Opti696D, Fall 2008

OPTI696D requirement
System overview: Describe the class of systems, stating the key metrics Explain the principles of how the system works Identify key subsystems, relate system performance to subsystem requirements. Summarize the current state of technology for this type of system Analysis: Disassemble the system and show key components and subsystems Discuss features of this system and surmise design decisions

Practical Optics Class Opti696D, Fall 2008

Outline
Barcode basics and laser scanners How a laser scanner works Scan engine: Optical design and analysis Manufacturing laser scanners in volume State of the art scanning technology

Practical Optics Class Opti696D, Fall 2008

Barcode basics:

Type of barcodes
1D barcode UPC Code 39 Code 128 etc 2D barcode PDF 417 MaxiCode etc
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Barcode basics:

Benefit of using barcodes

For retailers Quickly identifying fast and slow selling items to help stocking decisions Repositioning a given product within a store to move more profitable items to occupy the best space, Historical data can be used to predict seasonal fluctuations very accurately. For shipping companies Keep track of packages from start to destination
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1D laser scanners

Handheld, single line Hand-free, multi-line

Fixed mount, multi-line

Practical Optics Class Opti696D, Fall 2008

Scan engine
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Key metrics
Size Working range Poor quality barcode reading capability Width of field/scan angle Pitch, roll and yaw angles Barcode contrast Ambient light level
5 mil 7.5 mil 10 mil 100% UPC 200% UPC

TAHOE

WA 3800LR (CCD) 2.2 4.8 1.8 6.2 1.3 6.8 0.5 7.4

1.5 5 1.9 - 9 0.5 12 0 16 2.5 22

Intermec Scanplus Vista (LR CCD 1.5 7.1 1.3 9.3

1.3 10.

1.1 9.4

Practical Optics Class Opti696D, Fall 2008

2.1-10.9 7 2.2 13.

How a laser scanner works

A laser spot is scanned across the bar code symbol that is to be read. The light reflected from the symbol is directed to a photodiode where it is converted from optical energy to electrical current. The signal is processed through both hardware and software, and the information it carries is extracted.
Practical Optics Class Opti696D, Fall 2008
Bar code

Scan Mirror

1.2 1

Signal with Noise

Photodiode Laser

Vk 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

- 1.2

1 0 k spatial_res , i spatial_res 400

Signal Processing: Hardware and Software 8

Scanning the Bar Code

When the laser is scanned across the bar code, the reflected signal is the convolution of the laser spot and bar code symbol. Simply stated, the convolution is the area of the overlap of the two waveforms. In order to make finding the transition point from bar to space more easy to find, the signal is differentiated.
Bar code and laser waveshape

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Signal and Derivative after Convolution

1

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Practical Optics Class Opti696D, Fall 2008

Noise Corrupted Signal

Signal with Noise
1

1.2

Vk 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

- 1.2

1 0 k spatial_res , i spatial_res 400

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Sources of Noise
Internal Sources Thermal noise of the electronic components. Intrinsic noise of the preamplifier. External Sources Printed noise on the symbol. Speckle noise created by the laser. Sunlight. Fluctuating ambient light. EMI, RFI and power supply noise.
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System performance defining factors

The characteristics that define how well a scanner will decode are Depth of Modulation
laser focus other optical components

Signal Amplitude
optical alignment signal blockage laser focus optical AGC

Noise Amplitude
field of view optical alignment laser focus
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Retro or non-retro system

Retro system: Scan mirror is part of the collection optics, so the FOV follows the laser spot. Small FOV, therefore less ambient light noise Small photodiode, so noise from PD is small. Need better alignment.
Scanning

Non-retro system: Scan mirror is NOT part of the collection optics, so the FOV is fixed and cover the whole scanning field, and its BIG. More ambient light noise. Need a big photodiode, thus the noise is huge, so the working range is reduced. Alignment is easier.
Scanning

Collection FOV Laser beam

Practical Optics Class Opti696D, Fall 2008

Collection FOV Laser beam

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The Design Process

To design a scanner you need to do the following things: extract size and performance information from the customer or marketing spec develop an optomechanical configuration calculate optical field of view and photodiode size develop a laser profile to meet the performance requirements perform sensitivity study and tolerance analysis develop inspection criteria for manufacturing

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The most important part: laser beam profile

Laser Profile Ideally, the cross section of the laser beam should be a Delta function. In reality, the beam size is finite and expands as it propagates due to diffraction. A small spot diameter is required to read high density bar codes. A large spot area is needed to minimize speckle noise and poorly printed symbols. Trade-off needs to be made.

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Convolution Process
Small Spot
Bar code and laser waveshape

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Signal and Derivative after Convolution

1

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

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Convolution Process
Large Spot
Bar code and laser waveshape

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Signal and Derivative after Convolution

1

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

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Convolution Process
Very Large Spot
Bar code and laser wavesh ap e

100

200

300

400

500

600

Signal and Deriv at ive aft er Convolut ion

1

100

200

300

400

500

600

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The Laser Beam Profile: General Requirement

Basic requirement - the spot diameter must be no greater than some fixed multiple of the bar code symbol narrow element width over the entire working range. This multiple can range between 2.8 and 3.3 depending on the type and sensitivity of digitizer used. Secondary requirement - ellipticity should be as large as possible to improve speckle noise characteristics and poorly printed symbol readability, and beam pedestal and ripple should be kept to a minimum.

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The Laser Beam Profile

The characteristics of the laser beam can be controlled and manipulated using the following parameters; position and focal length of laser focusing lens aperture size, shape and aspect ratio laser divergence angle and astigmatism rotation of laser (high or low divergence in x axis) external beam shaping optics
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Laser Beam Profile

Laser profile
0.04

Laser diameter [inches]

0.02

10

12

14

16

18

0.02

0.04

Dist ance from laser [inches]

Intensity Distribution:1.1733 mm 1.8096 mm -2 0 2 -5 0 0.2 0.4 0 0.6 0.8 5 1

Line Spread Function, x(r), y(b) 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 -10

-5

10

Z=500 Practical Optics Class mm from Aperture VLD.Focus.dx=-0.0055; Opti696D, Fall 2008

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Scanning Optics
Flatness of mirrors controls accuracy of laser profile. Curvature will shift waist size and location. Random aberrations will distort overall beam shape. Curvature can be used to add desired ellipticity, if applied to the Y axis.
Bar code

Scan Mirror

Photodiode Laser

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Tolerance analysis and error budget

A

Decenter: Lens Barrel vs. Laser Decenter: Lens vs. Barrel Decenter: Phase Plate vs. Barrel Tilt: Lens Barrel vs. Laser

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Error Budget
Geometr. Tolerance Scale
Defect to Conisder RMS coma* (3) RMS Coma* sensitivity sample tolerance waves (650) waves at 0.05 mm decenter

Decenter: Lens Barrel vs. Laser Laser chip shift vs. laser datum Laser block Concentricity Intergration concentricity of lens barrel vs. laser block Concentricity of inner and outer diameters of lens barrel RSS sum Decenter: Lens vs. Barrel Lens, Mechanical 1: eccentricity optical to mechanical datum B clearance between Lens (max) and Barrel (max) = (.2373+.0015-.2362)" Tolerance om Lens Diameter, RSS sum Decenter: Phase Plate vs. Barrel Note 5B: radial shift of point Po from Datum A Optical axis @ datum A n Phase Plate (mean) and Barrel (max) = (.2373+.0015-.2362+.0015/2)" Tolerance om Phase Plate Diameter, .0015/2" RSS sum Tilt: Lens Barrel vs. Laser Angle between A and B datum, .001/.237 Lens holder tilt after pressing RSS sum

0.060 0.050 0.000 0.050 mm 0.020 0.066 0.020 mm 0.030 0.085 0.020 deg 0.24 1.40

1 0.5 1 0.5

0.060 0.025 0.000 0.025

0.070 mm
1 0.5 0.5 0.020 0.033 0.010

0.001
at 0.05 mm decenter

0.001

0.040 mm
1 0.5 0.5 0.030 0.043 0.010

0.07434
at 0.05 mm decenter

0.059

0.052
1 1 0.240 1.400

0.0721 at 0.5 deg tilt

0.075

1.420

0.000941

0.003 0.096

Total Coma RMS introduced

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Tolerance analysis/sensitivity study: Example 1

Working Range (inch) Nominal Barcode (inch) Near Far Range Scan mirror flatness: ROC 4m Near Far Range

5 mil 7.5 mil 13 mil

Practical Optics Class Opti696D, Fall 2008

2.1 1.0 0

5.9 9.4 13.3

3.8 8.4 13.3

2.5 1.5 -

5.9 9.5 15.3

3.4 8 15.3
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Tolerance analysis/sensitivity study: Example 2

Laser vertical beam divergence variation: vertical = 6 8 12 deg Vertical spot size variation with laser beam divergence, MM Parallel Beam 2.75 inch 10 inch Divergence, deg 8 (nominal) .82 .94 6 0.74 .86 12 .9 1.0
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Collection Optics
Collect as much of the laser light reflected from the bar code as possible. Track the position of the laser spot, and keep it in the center of the receiver field of view. Define the size of the optical FOV to be as small as possible.

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Optical Collection Area

A large collection area increases the signal received (improving signal to noise ratio) and reduces the effect of speckle noise, but makes the scanner physically bigger and collects more ambient light interference.

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Optical Field of View

Alignment has to be maintained between what the laser illuminates and what the photodiode is looking at. A large FOV makes this alignment less critical, but increases the amount of ambient light collected and requires a larger photodiode to do the collecting, both degrading noise performance. A small FOV requires active alignment of the optics or higher tolerance parts, and it may move out of alignment with time or drop and vibration.

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Optical filter
Right in front of the photo-detector Let the laser reach the detector and block most of the ambient light

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Manufacturing a scanner
Step 1: Focusing the laser module to obtain the desired beam profile Step 2: Install collection and scanning optics, and detector Step 3: Align the collection FOV with scanning beam

Inspection DURING and AFTER production!!!

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Laser focusing

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Focusing spec
NOTE: PLEASE INDICATE UNITS OF MEASURE ON ALL VALUES.
1. LASER DIODE ASSEMBLY NUMBER:

22-XXXXX

TOLERANCE +/- 1 mm or +/- .060

2. NEAR FIELD DISTANCE : 3. NEAR FIELD BEAM WIDTH : 4. MID FIELD DISTANCE : 5. MID FIELD BEAM WIDTH : 6. FAR FIELD DISTANCE : 7. FAR FIELD BEAM WIDTH : 8. CLIPPED LEVEL : 9. OUTPUT POWER :

155___ mm 220 < X < 240 m

____N/A ___ _

Optimum 230 m +/- 1 mm or ____ mm +/- .060 ____ m +/- 1 mm or +/- .060 Optimum 590 m

N/A

420 _____ mm <650___m

____ 1.3___ mW

_ 13.5% OF THE PEAK INTENSITY + 0.05 mW - 0.10 mW

10. LASER WAVELENTH: 650 NM 5 NM (FOR THE POWER METER SETTING) 11. OPERATION CURRENT : 50___ mA MAX 12. APERTURE TYPE : 13. APERTURE SIZE: ___ CIRCULAR

RECTANGULAR

1.1 MM HEIGHT

0.72 MM WIDTH OR ______ DIA REF X VERTICAL

____ HORIZONTAL

14. LSR DIODE JUNCTION ORIENTATION:

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Optical alignment
Align the collection FOV with the flying laser spot: For Non-retro system, adjust the center position of the flying spot to the axis of the collection optics For Retro system, if the collection optics and scan optics are separated, then adjust the scan mirror to maximize the signal; otherwise alignment relies on tight mechanical tolerance

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Final Acceptance Test (FAT)

Symbol Specificatio ns N Elem Ratio Contrast 5 mil 2.50:1 80% MRD 7.5 mil 2.50:1 80% MRD 10 mil 2.5:1 80% MRD
100% UPC A 80%

Symbol Part Number / Encoded Characters

Distance

Nominal Distance (inches) N=

STD DEV (inches)

FAT Distance (inches)

Guaranteed Distance (inches

64-17453-01 ABCDEFGH 60-17452-01 ABCDEF 64-17454-01 ABCDE 64-05303-01 012345678905 64-17456-01 123 64-17457-01 AB 64-17458-01 CD

Near Far Near Far Near Far Near Far Near Far Near Far Near Far

TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD

2.5 0/+0.2 5.5 0.2/+0 14.5 +/- 0.1

12.5

MRD 20 mil 2.2:1 80% MRD 40 mil 2.2:1 80% MRD 55 mil 2.20:1 80% MRD

24.5+/-0.25 -

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State of the art

Extended working range: Double scan beams Diffraction-free laser beam by using axicon

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Any questions?

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