Apparatus comprising multiple sets of optics to facilitate capturing barcode and non-barcode images

• US 10,303,910 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Russell, Garrett, Hoobler, Ryan, Lei, Ming, Powell, George, Ashby, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Suezu
• Application Number:
  US14/527,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20150048167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 348 49, 348340, 348344, 348369, 348374, 348376, 348 E5028
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/002 Protective covers
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/089 hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10831 Arrangement of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms optical elements per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An apparatus may be capable of scanning barcodes and capturing non-barcode images. The apparatus may comprise a first set of imaging optics that receives, from within a first field of view, first light defining a first portion of image data captured by an image sensing system. The apparatus may also comprise a second set of imaging optics that receives, from within a second field of view, second light defining a second portion of the image data. The first field of view may be centered on a first optical pathway, and the second field of view may be centered on a second optical pathway that is nonparallel to the first optical pathway. The first set of imaging optics may be positioned to direct the first light to the image sensing system, and the second set of imaging optics may be positioned to direct the second light to the image sensing system.

Claims

1. An apparatus capable of scanning barcodes and capturing non-barcode images through use of a mobile device comprising a processor, a display screen, an image sensor, and memory containing executable code configured to cause the image sensor to capture image data, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a first set of imaging optics that receives, from within a first field of view, first light defining a first portion of image data captured by the image sensor, the first portion comprising a barcode image, wherein the first field of view is centered on a first optical pathway, wherein the first set of imaging optics is movable into alignment with the image sensor such that when the first set of imaging optics is aligned with the image sensor, the image sensor receives the first light; and

a second set of imaging optics that receives, from within a second field of view, second light defining a second portion of the image data captured by the image sensor, the second portion comprising a non-barcode image, wherein the second field of view is centered on a second optical pathway nonparallel to the first optical pathway, wherein the second set of imaging optics is movable into alignment with the image sensor such that, when the second set of imaging optics is aligned with the image sensor, the image sensor receives the second light;

wherein the first set of imaging optics is positioned to direct the first light at the image sensor of the mobile device and the second set of imaging optics is positioned to direct the second light at the image sensor of the mobile device, wherein the image sensor simultaneously receives the first light from the first set of imaging optics and the second light from the second set of imaging optics, and wherein the mobile device is selected from the group consisting of smartphones, tablets, and combinations thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the mobile device, wherein the mobile device comprises a housing that retains the processor, the display screen, the image sensor, the memory, the first set of imaging optics, and the second set of imaging optics.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first set of imaging optics directs the first light to a first portion of the image sensor and the second set of imaging optics directs the second light to a second portion of the image sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first set of imaging optics is focused at a first focus depth that is fixed and the second set of imaging optics is focused at a second focus depth that is adjustable, wherein the second set of imaging optics comprises a selection from the group consisting of:

a movable lens that moves relative to the image sensing system to change the second focus depth; and

a deformable lens that is deformable to change the second focus depth.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a targeting illumination system that projects targeting illumination proximate the first field of view prior to capture of the image data to indicate proper positioning of a barcode within the first field of view.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an image capture illumination system that projects image capture illumination into the first field of view during capture of the image data to illuminate a barcode within the first field of view.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a targeting illumination system that projects targeting illumination proximate the first field of view prior to capture of the image data to indicate proper positioning of the barcode within the first field of view, wherein the image capture illumination system initiates projection of the image capture illumination into the first field of view only after termination of projection of the targeting illumination into the first field of view.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical pathway extends substantially parallel to the display screen of the mobile device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second optical pathway extends substantially orthogonal to the first optical pathway.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first set of imaging optics comprises a prism that redirects the first light to the image sensing system.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first field of view encompasses a first angle centered on the first optical pathway and the second field of view encompasses a second angle centered on the second optical pathway, wherein the first angle is larger than the second angle.

12. A mobile device, comprising:

a housing shaped to enable the mobile device to function as a selection from the group consisting of a smartphone, a tablet, and a combination thereof;

a processor contained within the housing;

a display screen retained by the housing;

an image sensor contained within the housing, wherein the image sensor captures a first portion of image data from a first field of view and captures a second portion of the image data from a second field of view;

a memory contained within the housing, the memory containing executable code configured to cause the image sensor to capture the image data;

a first set of imaging optics, at least a portion of which is contained within the housing, wherein the first set of imaging optics receives, from within the first field of view, first light defining the first portion of the image data, the first portion of the image data comprising a barcode image, wherein the first field of view is centered on a first optical pathway that comprises the first set of imaging optics and the image sensor;

a second set of imaging optics, at least a portion of which is contained within the housing, wherein the second set of imaging optics receives, from within the second field of view, second light defining the second portion of the image data, the second portion of the image data comprising a non-barcode image, wherein the second field of view is centered on a second optical pathway that comprises the second set of imaging optics and the image sensor, wherein the second optical pathway is nonparallel to the first optical pathway, and wherein the first optical pathway and the second optical pathway are simultaneously present; and

wherein the first set of imaging optics directs the first light to the image sensor and the second set of imaging optics directs the second light to the image sensor, wherein the image sensor comprises a first portion that receives the first light and a second portion that receives the second light such that the image data define a composite image comprising a first image portion comprising the barcode image, and a second image portion comprising the non-barcode image.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the first optical pathway extends substantially parallel to the display screen of the mobile device, wherein the second optical pathway extends substantially orthogonal to the first optical pathway.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising a targeting illumination system retained by the housing, wherein the targeting illumination system projects targeting illumination proximate the first field of view prior to capture of the image data to indicate proper positioning of a barcode within the first field of view.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising an image capture illumination system retained by the housing, wherein the image capture illumination system projects image capture illumination into the first field of view during capture of the image data to illuminate a barcode within the first field of view.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the executable code comprises an application that can be executed by the processor to capture the non-barcode image, wherein the application is configured to store the non-barcode image in the memory in response to receipt of a first user input selected from the group consisting of initiation of the application, and selection of a setting within the application.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the executable code comprises an application that can be executed by the processor to capture the barcode image, wherein the application is configured to initiate decoding of the barcode image in response to receipt of a first user input selected from the group consisting of initiation of the application, and selection of a setting within the application.

18. A method for decoding a barcode through use of an apparatus comprising a processor, a display screen, an image sensor, memory, a first set of imaging optics, and a second set of imaging optics, the method comprising:

executing executable code on the processor to run an application, wherein the processor is incorporated into a mobile device selected from the group consisting of a smartphone, a tablet, and a combination thereof, wherein the mobile device comprises the display screen and the image sensor, and wherein the mobile device comprises a housing that retains the processor, the display screen, the image sensor, the memory, the first set of imaging optics, and the second set of imaging optics, wherein the apparatus further comprises a non-transitory storage medium on which the executable code is encoded;

with the application, receiving first user input selecting to scan a barcode;

with the first set of imaging optics, directing first light defining a first portion of image data at the image sensor, wherein the first portion of the image data comprises a barcode image, wherein the first set of imaging optics defines a first field of view centered on a first optical pathway that comprises the first set of imaging optics and the image sensor, wherein the second set of imaging optics defines a second field of view centered on a second optical pathway that comprises the second set of imaging optics and the image sensor, wherein the second optical pathway is nonparallel to the first optical pathway, and wherein the first optical pathway and the second optical pathway are simultaneously present in the apparatus;

capturing the image data with the image sensor; and

in response to receipt of the first user input, initiating decoding of the barcode image to initiate generation of decoded barcode data; and

prior to executing the executable code on the processor, copying the executable code to the memory from the non-transitory storage medium.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein directing the first light to the image sensor comprises directing the first light to a first portion of the image sensor, the method further comprising, with the second set of imaging optics, directing second light defining a second portion of the image data to a second portion of the image sensor such that the image data define a composite image comprising a first image portion comprising the barcode image, and a second image portion comprising a non-barcode image.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first optical pathway extends substantially parallel to the display screen of the mobile device, wherein the second optical pathway extends substantially orthogonal to the first optical pathway, the method further comprising, prior to capturing the image data, positioning a barcode within the first field of view.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the apparatus further comprises a targeting illumination system, the method further comprising, with the targeting illumination system, projecting targeting illumination proximate the first field of view prior to capture of the image data to indicate proper positioning of a barcode within the first field of view.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the apparatus further comprises an image capture illumination system, the method further comprising, with the image capture illumination system, projecting image capture illumination into the first field of view during capture of the image data to illuminate a barcode within the first field of view.