System for, and method of, detecting the presence of a mobile communication device in proximity to an imaging reader, and for automatically configuring the reader to read an electronic code displayed on the device upon such detection

• US 10,417,468 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2018
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Slowik, Joseph S., Torzilli, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Tae W
• Application Number:
  US15/987,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20180268181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 235455
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10752 Exposure time control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1095 the scanner comprising adaptations for scanning a record carrier that is displayed on a display-screen or the like

Abstract

A printed code associated with a product is illuminated with light having a first lighting characteristic, and is readable in a default mode of an imaging reader. An electronic code displayed on a mobile communication device is readable in another mode of the reader, with a different second lighting characteristic that is designed to minimize specular reflection from a screen of the device. When the presence of the device in close proximity to the reader is detected, the reader is automatically configured to switch from the default mode to the other mode to enable the electronic code to be read.

Claims

1. A system for electro-optically reading a printed code associated with a product, and for electro-optically reading an electronic code displayed on a mobile communication device, the system comprising:

an imaging reader including a housing, a light-transmissive window supported by the housing, an imaging assembly supported by the housing and having a solid-state imager with an array of image sensors and an imaging lens assembly, and an illuminating light assembly supported by the housing;

a device detector to detect without relying upon Near-field communication (NFC) when a mobile communication device is proximal to the window by sensing a radio frequency (RF) signal radiated from the mobile communication device in a frequency band of 0.7 to 2.7 GHz, and to generate a mode control signal when the RF signal exceeds a threshold value; and

a controller operative to;

control the illuminating light assembly to illuminate the printed code with illumination light having a first lighting characteristic;

control the imaging assembly to capture a first image through the window over a field of view, the first image including an image of the printed code, the first image being captured over a first-image frame; and

process the first image,

the controller, in response to receipt of the mode control signal, configuring the imaging reader to operate in a second mode of operation where the controller is further operative to;

control the illuminating light assembly to change the illumination light from the first lighting characteristic to a second lighting characteristic;

control the imaging assembly to capture a plurality of second images of an environment through the window over the field of view, each of the plurality of second images including the electronic code, each of the plurality of second images being captured over a respective second-image frame; and

process the plurality of second images,

wherein the solid-state imager includes a rolling shutter to sequentially expose all the image sensors in successive rows or columns over each respective exposure time, and

wherein, in the second mode of operation and during the second lighting characteristic, the illuminating light assembly is configured to emit a train of light pulses such that each of the light pulses overlaps two of the second-image frames.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the light pulses overlaps two of the second-image frames such that at least some of the plurality of second images include non-illuminated, non-overlapping portions of the environment.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least some of the plurality of second images the include non-illuminated, non-overlapping portions of the environment are consecutive images.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein during the first lighting characteristic, the illuminating light assembly is configured to emit a pulse of light such that the pulse of light entirely overlaps the respective exposure time of the first-image frame.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device detector includes an antenna supported by the housing to receive the RF signal radiated from the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device is searching for a wireless connection to at least one of a Wi-Fi network and a cellular network.