Wireless barcode scanner is designed to be deployed in locations where conventional wired barcode scanners are impractical or infeasible. These areas may include remote plants, factories, warehouses, and construction sites. In addition, wireless handheld computers with integrated barcode scanning capabilities also exist for portable data collection in the field.
“Barcode scanners” come in many form factors, each of which has its advantages and disadvantages. The most common form factors for wireless barcode scanners are:
1) “Area Imagers” – These types of barcode scanners have a single line laser diode that sweeps one line at a time across the symbol to be read. Most one-line laser-based area imagers use a rotating polygon mirror and an optical lens system to generate a line of laser light that is swept across the symbol and focused onto the linear image sensor in the device’s base. No moving parts in these devices require wear or replacement, which enhances their reliability. Area imagers are very durable because they employ no moving components. However, their depth of field (the distance in front of the device that can be scanned) is often limited, leading to problems when scanning barcodes in challenging environments.
2) “Handheld Imagers”- These types of scanners have a single-line laser diode similar to one-line area imagers. Still, they contain an additional CCD imaging chip that allows optical character recognition (OCR) applications to be added. As with one-line area imagers, handheld imagers scan only on the narrow dimension of a barcode symbol and require bars and spaces to be imaged in conformance with the standard widths for each symbology type.
3) “Handheld CCD Scanners”- Both wired and wireless handheld CCD laser scanners are available. These scanners have a single line of light provided by either a laser diode or an LED source. The devices employ an image sensor that captures multiple pixel lines of the barcode image in one sweep across the symbol. Most handheld CCD scanners use a mirror or prism to fold and direct the scanned laser beam into the scanner housing. It is reflected off a second mirror onto a rotating polygonal mirror and then a CCD imager. These devices scan a greater depth in front of themselves than do area imagers, but they are more prone to damage because they employ moving optical components. Additionally, because the captured image must be rotated, these types of devices are not well suited for processing one-dimensional barcodes.
Wireless barcode scanners offer many benefits over both wired and tethered scanners. Wireless scanners can be used in any location without requiring that the location is near a power outlet or an available landline for cabling. This makes wireless data collection particularly useful in outdoor, mobile, or remote environments where it would not be practical to wire devices together.