Barcode-reading system

• US 10,402,609 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Powell, George, Lei, Ming, Hoobler, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Seung H
• Application Number:
  US15/856,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20180121692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/089 hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10564 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• 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

This patent specification describes a barcode-reading enhancement accessory for a mobile device having a barcode-reading capability. The accessory may include an outer case and an inner carriage. A mobile device is encased in the inner carriage, and the combination of the inner carriage and the mobile device may be accommodated in the outer case. The inner carriage is configured to accommodate a mobile device of a particular size such that a mobile device of a different size may be accommodated in the outer case using a different inner carriage. The accessory may also include an optic system to fold an optical path of a field of illumination of a light source of the mobile device and/or a field of view of a camera of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera configured to capture an image of a barcode in a field of view of the camera, a white light source configured to project a field of illumination into the field of view of the camera, a memory, and a processor, the barcode-reading system comprising:

a barcode-reading enhancement accessory secured to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising an optic system that is positioned within the field of illumination of the white light source, the optic system comprising a dark field illumination system that directs illumination from the white light source into the field of view of the camera at a non-zero angle relative to an optical axis of the camera; and

a barcode-reading application stored in the memory of the mobile device and executable by the processor of the mobile device.

2. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the non-zero angle comprises an angle greater than 45 degrees relative to the optical axis of the camera.

3. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the dark field illumination system comprises:

at least one light pipe that directs the illumination from the white light source to a periphery of the field of view of the camera; and

at least one prism optic that redirects the illumination from the white light source into the field of view of the camera at the non-zero angle relative to the optical axis of the camera.

4. The barcode-reading system of claim 3, wherein:

the at least one light pipe is oriented substantially parallel to the optical axis of the camera; and

the at least one light pipe uses total internal reflection to propagate the illumination from the white light source toward the at least one prism optic.

5. The barcode-reading system of claim 3, wherein:

the at least one light pipe comprises a chamfered end; and

the at least one prism optic comprises the chamfered end of the at least one light pipe.

6. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the optic system further comprises a filter that passes a narrow band of the illumination from the white light source.

7. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein:

the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further comprises a supplementary optic system that is positioned within the field of view of the camera; and

the supplementary optic system comprises a narrow band filter.

8. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further comprises:

a first reflective surface that is configured to fold the field of view of the camera from its initial direction extending generally perpendicular from a back side of the mobile device to a folded direction extending into a region around a top side of the mobile device; and

a second reflective surface that is configured to fold the illumination from the white light source toward the region around the top side of the mobile device.

9. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further comprises:

a reflective surface that is configured to fold the field of view of the camera from its initial direction extending generally perpendicular from a back side of the mobile device to a folded direction extending into a region around a top side of the mobile device; and

at least one light pipe that is configured to use total internal reflection to propagate the illumination from the white light source toward the region around the top side of the mobile device.

10. The barcode-reading system of claim 1, wherein the barcode-reading application comprises:

an image capture function configured to control the white light source and the camera to capture the image of the barcode; and

a decoder function configured to receive the image of the barcode and generate decoded data representing data encoded in the barcode.

11. A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera configured to capture an image of a barcode in a field of view of the camera, a white light source configured to project a field of illumination into the field of view of the camera, a memory, and a processor configured to execute an operating system and one or more applications stored in the memory, the barcode-reading system comprising:

a barcode-reading enhancement accessory secured to the mobile device, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system, the at least one optic system being positioned within the field of illumination of the white light source and comprising a dark field illumination system that directs illumination from the white light source into the field of view of the camera at an angle greater than 45 degrees relative to an optical axis of the camera; and

a barcode-reading application stored in the memory of the mobile device and executable by the processor of the mobile device, the barcode-reading application including;

an image capture function configured to control the white light source and the camera to capture the image of the barcode; and

a decoder function configured to receive the image of the barcode and generate decoded data representing data encoded in the barcode.

12. The barcode-reading system of claim 11, wherein the dark field illumination system comprises:

at least one light pipe that directs the illumination from the white light source to a periphery of the field of view of the camera; and

at least one prism optic that redirects the illumination from the white light source into the field of view of the camera at the angle greater than 45 degrees relative to the optical axis of the camera.

13. The barcode-reading system of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one light pipe is oriented substantially parallel to the optical axis of the camera; and

the at least one light pipe uses total internal reflection to propagate the illumination from the white light source toward the at least one prism optic.

14. The barcode-reading system of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one light pipe comprises a chamfered end; and

the at least one prism optic comprises the chamfered end of the at least one light pipe.

15. The barcode-reading system of claim 11, wherein the at least one optic system further comprises a filter that passes a narrow band of the illumination from the white light source.

16. The barcode-reading system of claim 11, wherein:

the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further comprises a supplementary optic system that is positioned within the field of view of the camera; and

the supplementary optic system comprises a narrow band filter.

17. The barcode-reading system of claim 11, wherein the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further comprises:

a first reflective surface that is configured to fold the field of view of the camera from its initial direction extending generally perpendicular from a back side of the mobile device to a folded direction extending into a region around a top side of the mobile device; and

a second reflective surface that is configured to fold the illumination from the white light source toward the region around the top side of the mobile device.

18. The barcode-reading system of claim 11, wherein the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further comprises:

a reflective surface that is configured to fold the field of view of the camera from its initial direction extending generally perpendicular from a back side of the mobile device to a folded direction extending into a region around a top side of the mobile device; and

at least one light pipe that is configured to use total internal reflection to propagate the illumination from the white light source toward the region around the top side of the mobile device.

19. The barcode-reading system of claim 11, wherein the barcode-reading application further comprises a relay function configured to send the decoded data to a remote server via a wireless connection established between the mobile device and a network.

20. A barcode-reading enhancement accessory for a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera and a white light source, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising:

a dark field illumination system configured to direct illumination from the white light source into a field of view of the camera at a non-zero angle relative to an optical axis of the camera;

at least one light pipe within the dark field illumination system, the at least one light pipe being configured to direct the illumination from the white light source to a periphery of the field of view of the camera; and

at least one prism optic that redirects the illumination from the white light source into the field of view of the camera at the non-zero angle relative to the optical axis of the camera.