An extended working range electro-optical scanner (10) for reading a target bar code (100). The scanner (10) includes a scan engine (20) including a beam assembly (30) for repetitively directing a beam of light (SB2) at a scan angle (.beta.) across the target bar code (100); an array of non-imaging light collectors (40) for collecting and concentrating reflected light from the target bar code (100), each light collector (40a-h) of the array of light collectors (40) having an entrance aperture (44) and an exit aperture (46) and wherein a total area of the entrance apertures (44) of the array of light collectors (40) is greater than 50 percent of a total area of a target-facing surface of the scan engine; and a corresponding array of photodetectors (60), each photodetector (60a-h) in the array of photodetectors (60) positioned at an exit aperture (46) of a respective light collector (40a-h) of the array of light collectors (40) to receive concentrated light from its respective light collector (40a-h) and generating an output electrical signal corresponding to an intensity of the concentrated light received by the photodetector (40a-h).

A barcode scanner with configurable video modes which enhances readability of a wide range of barcode types. The barcode scanner includes a video circuit, and a configuration circuit for altering operating characteristics of the video circuit during a scanning operation for reading a plurality of different types of barcodes.

A spinner for a barcode scanner includes mirror facets arranged in a polygon about a rotary axis. A fairing extends radially outwardly from adjacent the facets, and is circumferentially truncated therearound for aerodynamically streamlining the spinner.

Techniques for determining a position for a rotating optical element, or spinner, of a bar code scanner are described. A diffractive element is positioned so as to be struck by a laser beam produced by a laser source and reflected from the spinner when the spinner is in a reference position. The diffractive element diffracts the reflected beam to produce a diffracted line which strikes a reference position photodetector, thereby causing the reference position photodetector to produce a reference position photosignal. The reference position photosignal can be read by a controller to determine when the spinner is in the reference position and used by the controller as a signal to deactivate the laser source. The position of the spinner during its rotation can be computed based on the speed of the spinner and the time elapsed since the occurrence of the reference position photosignal, and the laser source can be activated when timing information indicates that the spinner is in an appropriate position to begin a single line scan pattern and deactivated when the reference position photosignal indicates that the spinner is in the correct position to terminate the single line scan pattern.

A variable illuminator, for instance a device for scanning a beam of light, emits a selected amount of power to a plurality of spots across a field of view. The amount of power is determined as inversely proportional to the apparent brightness of each spot. In the case where the spot size is equal to pixel size, the device may operate with a non-imaging detector. In the case where pixel size substantially equals spot size, the output of the variable illuminator may be converged to produce a substantially uniform detector response and the image information is determined as the inverse of a frame buffer used to drive the variable illuminator. The illuminator and detector may be driven synchronously. In the case where an imaging detector is used, the variable illumination may be used to compress the dynamic range of the field of view to substantially within the dynamic range of the imaging detector.