Comparison of Bar Code Scanning Technologies

Laser Scanning
Laser scanners use a suspended mirror assembly to sweep a laser beam back and forth over a line. The beam of collimated light forms a sharp aiming line on the target. The typical scan rate is 36 or 186 scans per second.

Laser scanning is clearly the incumbent data capture technology in PDTs. Despite winning the battle of durability and scan speed, early CCD scanning technology failed to match the laser’s performance in three key respects: it had a short reading distance, it lacked a well-defined aiming line, and CCD engines were larger than laser engines.

Linear Imaging
Linear imaging has benefited from numerous advances in image sensor and illumination technologies. Image sensors are now available with higher resolution, smaller size, and with pixel geometrics that enhance light sensitivity. Brighter LEDs combine with a new generation of optics to produce a bright, crisp aiming line. There are no moving parts in a linear image engine. The typical scan rate is 270 scans per second. Linear imagers match the durability and scan speed of CCDs, and they
match the reading distance of a standard laser.

Raster Laser Scanning
Raster laser scanners use two suspended mirror assemblies, one mounted perpendicular to the other, to sweep the laser beam in two dimensions. Raster lasers typically capture 22.5 scans per frame, and 22 frames per second. Some are capable of omni-directional reading, but the number of scans per frame is not sufficient to completely cover an area without holes. Thus, raster laser scanners are not capable of capturing an image.

Area Imaging
Area imagers take a digital picture of the Data, and then use software algorithms to search through the image, find codes, and decode them.

Area imaging is another benefactor of modern image sensor and illumination technologies, Area sensors are available in smaller sizes, with greater light sensitivity, and reduced power consumption. Brighter LEDs and refined optics can blanket an area with light from over a foot away. There are no moving parts in and area image engine. Area imagers typically capture 480 scan lines per frame, and 30 frames per second. The effective scan rate is 14,100 lines per second.

Area image engines are already on the market in the Symbol SE 1200 form factor, the
industry standard size for integrating into a PDT.

Comparison of Bar Code Scanning Technologies

	Laser	Linear Imager	Raster Laser	Area Imager
Scan Method	Suspended, sweeping mirror and laser illumination	High resolution image sensor and directed LED illumination	Two suspended sweeping mirror assemblies and laser illumination	Area image sensor and directed LED illumination
Scan lines per frame	NA	NA	25.5	480
Frames per second	NA	NA	22	30
Scan lines per second	36 or 186	270	560	14,400

 

See Scanners and Data Collection page for more choices.

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