Harris Beach & Wilcox
Reduced power scanner for reading indicia
 A scanner is provided for reading a target containing indicia, such as bar codes, which includes a means for directing the a light source so that it illuminates a target, a photodetector that generates an electrical signal indicative of the intensity of the detected light, a means for decoding the electrical signal to identify the presence of a target containing a region of relatively high reflectivity, and a means for modifying the level of illumination of the light source either from low to high upon recognition of said region of relatively high reflectivity or from high to low when some predetermined condition, such as the end of the indicia scan, or the passage of a time period without reading indicia, is met. 
Welch Allyn, Inc.
G G
G06K G06K
inventional additional
Andrew William H. Charles M.
Longacre, Jr. Havens Hammond, Jr.