INDICIA READING TERMINAL HAVING MULTIPLE SETTING IMAGING LENS

• US 20110174880A1
• Filed: 04/04/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Feng, Chen, Havens, William H., Wang, Ynjiun P., Li, Jianhua
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.24
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1465 using several successive scans of the optical code
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00331 with an apparatus performing optical character recognition character recognition G06V30/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00334 with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00

Abstract

An indicia reading terminal can include a multiple setting imaging lens assembly and an image sensor having an image sensor array. In one embodiment, an indicia reading terminal in an active reading state can cycle through a set of different lens settings, expose pixels of an image sensor array during an exposure period when each new lens setting is achieved, and attempt to decode decodable indicia represented in frames of image data captured corresponding to each exposure period. In one embodiment, movement of an imaging lens assembly lens element can be provided with use of a hollow stepper motor.

Claims

1. A bar code reading terminal comprising:

an image sensor having a plurality of pixels;

a multiple setting imaging lens assembly for focusing an image of target bar code onto an active surface of said image sensor, the multiple setting imaging lens assembly having a plurality of lens elements;

a hand held housing, wherein said image sensor is disposed within said hand held housing;

at least one hollow stepper motor for moving at least one lens element of said multiple setting imaging lens assembly; and

wherein said terminal is further adapted so that said terminal in an active reading state subjects each of said first and subsequent frames of image data to a decode attempt for attempting to decode said target bar code.

2. The bar code reading terminal of claim 1 wherein said lens settings of said imaging lens assembly include at least first, second, and third lens settings, wherein said terminal when said lens setting is at said first lens setting has a first best focus distance and a first focal length, wherein said terminal when said lens setting is at said second lens setting has a second best focus distance different from said first best focus distance and a focal length constant relative to said first focal length, wherein said terminal when said lens setting is at said third lens setting has a third best focus distance different from either of said first or second best focus distance and a focal length different from said first focal length, and wherein said terminal is adapted so that in an active reading state said terminal automatically cycles a lens setting of said multiple setting imaging lens assembly between said first, second, and third lens settings.

3. The bar code reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said subsequent exposure period is an exposure period succeeding said first exposure period.

4. A bar code reading terminal comprising:

an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels;

an imaging lens assembly comprising lens elements for focusing an image onto an active surface of said image sensor;

an imaging axis extending perpendicularly through said imaging lens assembly;

a lens moving assembly for moving lens elements of said imaging lens assembly, wherein said lens moving assembly includes an outer barrel and an inner barrel, wherein camming surfaces are disposed on said outer barrel and said inner barrel, wherein permanent magnets are disposed about said inner barrel, and wherein said outer barrel includes at least one coil radiating electromagnetic energy for rotating said inner barrel about said axis, the camming surfaces guiding moving in a direction coextensive with said axis as said inner barrel is rotated about said axis;

wherein said bar code reading terminal is adapted to capture, responsively to a trigger signal being made active, a plurality of frames of image data representing light incident on said plurality of pixels; and

wherein said bar code reading terminal is further adapted so that responsively to trigger signal being made active said terminal subjects said plurality of frames to a decode process for decoding a bar code symbol.

5. The bar code reading terminal of claim 4, wherein said camming surfaces are arranged so that a first time said inner barrel is rotated a certain number of radians about said axis, said inner barrel moves a distance of x mm aligning said axis and further so that a second time said inner barrel is rotated a certain number of degrees about said axis, said inner barrel moves a distance of y along said axis, where x≠

y.

6. A bar code reading terminal comprising:

an image sensor having a plurality of pixels;

a multiple setting imaging lens assembly having a plurality of lens settings;

a hand held housing, wherein said image sensor is disposed within said hand held housing;

wherein said bar code reading terminal is capable of operating according to a first configuration and a second configuration;

wherein said terminal when said first configuration is active cycles between at least some of said plurality of lens settings according to a first cycling pattern when capturing frames of image data;

wherein said terminal when said second configuration is active cycles between at least some of said plurality of lens settings according to a second cycling pattern when capturing frames of image data;

wherein said terminal when said first configuration is active is optimizing for reading bar code symbols at a relatively shorter range; and

wherein said terminal when said second configuration is active is optimized for reading bar code symbols at a relatively longer reading range.

7. The bar code reading terminal of claim 6, wherein said terminal has a user interface enabling an operator to select between said first and second configurations.

8. The bar code reading terminal of claim 6, wherein said terminal is adapted so that said terminal can switch between said first and second configurations responsively to a sensed condition while a trigger signal remains active.

9. The bar code reading terminal of claim 6, wherein said terminal is adapted so that said terminal can switch between said first and second configurations responsively to a sensed condition while a trigger signal remains active, the sensed condition being a sensed distance of said terminal to a target.

10. The bar code reading terminal of claim 6, wherein said terminal is adapted so that said terminal can switch between said first and second configurations responsively to a sensed condition while a trigger signal remains active, the sensed condition being an inability to decode an indicia.