Countertop bar code symbol reading system having automatic hand supportable bar code symbol reading device and stand for supporting projected scan field

摘要

Bar code symbol reading system with automatic modes of hand-held (i.e., hands-on) and stand-supported (i.e., hands-free) operation. In the hand-held mode of automatic operation, the user initiates laser scanning by simply bringing the object within at least a portion of the scan field of the automatic bar code symbol reading device for automatic object detection and subsequent automatic bar code symbol reading. In the stand-supported mode of automatic operation, a scanner support stand is used to support the automatic bar code symbol reading device relative to a countertop surface so that the scan field is projected away from the scanner support stand and the hand-supportable housing, and extends above the countertop surface permitting the automatic reading bar code symbols on goods passed thereby. This way, during the scanner-supported mode of automatic operation, a bar code symbol on an object of virtually any size can be automatically read when the object is automatically detected in the outwardly projected scan field while the hand-supportable bar code symbol reading device is supported within the scanner support stand.