Optical reader having multiple scanning assemblies with simultaneously decoded outputs

摘要

An apparatus and method for reading optically encoded symbols which are of types which are not known in advance and which have significantly different illumination and imaging requirements. The apparatus and method use at least two optical scanning assemblies which have different illumination systems, different spatial resolutions and at least partially overlapping depth of field. These optical scanning systems are so located with respect to one another that a target symbol may be read by both scanning assemblies without the apparatus being manually reconfigured or moved during the reading process.