DATA READER HAVING COMPACT ARRANGEMENT FOR ACQUISITION OF MULTIPLE VIEWS OF AN OBJECT

• US 20100163626A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datalogic Adc, Inc. (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Datalogic Scanning Incorporated (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Olmstead, Bryan L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.410
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10574 Multiple sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1096 the scanner having more than one scanning window, e.g. two substantially orthogonally placed scanning windows for integration into a check-out counter of a super-market

Abstract

A data reader including one or more imagers, the data reader having fold mirrors (130) that permit the imagers (60) to be closer to each other and permit an optical code reader housing (82) to confine them to a smaller housing volume or capacity. A plurality of sets of fold minors (130) can also be employed to convey at least a portion of at least two different perspectives of a view volume (134) to different regions of an image field of a common imager (60). The sets of fold minors (130) may also include one or more split mirrors that have mirror components that reflect images from different view volumes (134) to different imagers (60) or different regions of an image field of a single imager (60).

Claims

1. A method for reading an optical code on an object in a view volume from multiple directions, comprising the steps of:

positioning a first imager and a second imager within a reader housing and in at least approximately co-planar positions such that the first and second imagers are mountable on a common circuit board;

directing a first field of view of the first imager via a first minor set from a position of the first imager into the view volume from a first perspective;

directing a second field of view of a first section of the second imager via a second minor set from a position of the second imager into the view volume from a second perspective;

forming a first image at the first imager of the first field of view into the view volume from the first perspective;

forming a second image at the second imager of the second field of view into the view volume from the second perspective;

processing the optical code based on one or more of the first and second images.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the optical code is a one-dimensional optical code.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

attempting to decode the optical code along a set of virtual scan lines across the first image; and

attempting to decode the optical code along a set of virtual scan lines across the second image.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the imagers is selected from the group consisting of:

a 2-D sensor array, CMOS imager, and CCD array.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the reader housing includes an upper housing section including an upper aperture oriented generally vertically and a lower housing section including a lower aperture oriented generally horizontally, wherein the method is operative for viewing sides of a six sided box-shaped object being passed through the view volume with a first side facing the upper aperture and a bottom side facing the lower aperture, wherein the first perspective is from a vantage through the upper aperture and the second perspective is from a vantage through the lower aperture.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the reader housing includes an upper housing section including an upper aperture oriented generally vertically and a lower housing section including a lower aperture oriented generally horizontally,

wherein the second minor set comprises a second set primary mirror, a second set secondary mirror and a second set tertiary minor,

wherein the step of directing a second field of view comprises passing the second field of view through the lower aperture and reflecting upwardly off the second set primary minor to the second set secondary mirror, off the second set secondary mirror to the second set tertiary mirror, and off the second set tertiary minor to the second imager.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the first mirror set comprises a first set primary mirror, a first set secondary mirror and a first set tertiary mirror, wherein the step of directing a first field of view comprises passing the first field of view through the upper aperture, reflecting downwardly off the first set primary minor to the first set secondary minor, off the first set secondary minor to the first set tertiary mirror, and off the first set tertiary mirror to the first imager.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the method is operative for viewing sides of a six-sided box-shaped object being passed through the view volume with a first side facing the upper aperture and a second bottom side facing the lower aperture, a third leading side, a fourth trailing side, a fifth side opposite the first side, and a sixth top side and wherein the first perspective is from a vantage through the upper aperture capturing at least an image of the first side of the object and the second perspective is from a vantage through the lower aperture capturing at least an image of the second bottom side and the third leading side.

9. A method according to claim 6 further comprising

directing a third field of view of the second imager via a third minor set from a position of the second imager into the view volume from a third perspective through the lower aperture, the third mirror set comprising third set primary mirror, a third set secondary minor and a third set tertiary mirror;

forming a third image at the second imager of the third field of view into the view volume from the third perspective.

10. A method according to claim 9,

wherein the step of directing a third field of view comprises passing the third field of view through the lower aperture and reflecting upwardly off the third primary minor to the third secondary mirror, off the third secondary mirror to the third tertiary mirror, off the third tertiary mirror to the second imager,

wherein the third perspective is from a vantage through the lower aperture capturing at least an image of the second bottom side and the fourth trailing side of the object.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the second imager includes a plurality of regions including a first imaging section and a second imaging section, wherein the second image is formed on the first imaging section and the third image is formed on the second imaging section.

12. An optical code reader comprising

a housing including an upper housing section and a lower housing section formed in a generally L-shape, the lower housing section including at least one lower aperture and the upper housing section having an upper aperture, the upper and lower housing sections forming a view volume therebetween;

a first imager disposed in the housing and a second imager disposed in the housing;

a first mirror set for directing a first perspective of an object in the view volume through the upper aperture along a first image path to the first imager;

a second mirror set for directing a second perspective of the object in the view volume through the at least one lower aperture along a second path to the second imager;

a third mirror set for directing a third perspective of the object in the view volume through the at least one lower aperture along a third path to the second imager;

wherein the second minor set includes a second set primary mirror, a second set secondary mirror and a second set tertiary minor, the second perspective of the object being reflected from the second set primary mirror upwardly to the second set secondary minor, then to the second set tertiary mirror, and then to the second imager,

wherein the third minor set includes a third set primary minor, a third set secondary minor and a third set tertiary mirror, the third perspective of the object being reflected from the third set primary minor upwardly to the third set secondary minor, then to the third set tertiary mirror, and then to the second imager.

13. An optical reader according to claim 12 further comprising

a fourth minor set for directing a fourth perspective of the object in the view volume through the at least one lower aperture along a fourth path to the second imager,

14. An optical reader according to claim 13 wherein the optical reader is operative for viewing sides of a six-sided box-shaped object being passed through the view volume with a first side of the object facing the upper aperture and a second bottom side facing the lower aperture, a third leading side, a fourth trailing side, a fifth side opposite the first side, and a sixth top side, and wherein the first perspective is from a vantage through the upper aperture capturing at least an image of the first side of the object and the second perspective is from a vantage through the at least one lower aperture capturing at least an image of the second bottom side and the third leading side.

15. An optical reader according to claim 13 wherein the third perspective is from a vantage through the at least one lower aperture capturing at least an image of the second bottom side of the object and the fourth trailing side, and the fourth perspective is from a vantage through the at least one lower aperture capturing at least an image of the second bottom side and the fifth side.

16. An optical reader according to claim 12 wherein the first mirror set includes a first set primary mirror, a first set secondary mirror and a first set tertiary mirror, the first perspective of the object being reflected from the first set primary mirror downwardly to the first set secondary minor, then to the first set tertiary minor, and then to the first imager.

17. An optical code reader according to claim 12, wherein the imagers are selected from the group consisting of:

CMOS devices, CCD devices, 2D sensor arrays, and area imagers.

18. An optical code reader according to claim 12, wherein the first and second imagers acquire respective views simultaneously.

19. A method for obtaining images from multiple views associated with respective perspectives of an object within a view volume, comprising:

providing a housing;

providing, within the housing, an imager having an image field;

arranging, within the housing, a first set of one or more first fold mirrors to reflect a first view associated with a first perspective of the view volume onto a first image region of the image field, the first image region capturing at least a first image from a first side of a three-dimensional object passing through the view volume; and

arranging, within the housing, a second set of one or more second fold mirrors to reflect a second view associated with a second perspective of the view volume onto a second image region of the image field, the second image region capturing at least a second image from a second side of the three-dimensional object passing through the view volume, the second side being different from the first side, such that the imager acquires perspectives of views of more than one side of the three-dimensional object.