APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF READING PRINTED AND ELECTRONIC CODES

• US 20130062412A1
• Filed: 09/14/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: TAN, Chinh, Barkan, Edward, Drzymala, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,590,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/455
• 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

An apparatus for, and method of, imaging printed and electronic codes associated with transactions or objects to be processed, support a window on a housing, illuminate the codes through the window with illumination light from an energizable illumination system, capture return illumination light from the illuminated codes through the window with an array of light sensors looking at a field of view of a solid-state, exposable imager, and process the captured return illumination light. A printed code is read by exposing the imager for a first exposure time and by also energizing the illumination system during the first exposure time. An electronic code is read by exposing the imager for a second exposure time that is longer than the first exposure time and by also deenergizing the illumination system during the second exposure time.

Claims

1. An apparatus for imaging printed and electronic codes associated with transactions to be processed, comprising:

a housing;

a window supported by the housing;

an energizable illumination system supported by the housing and operative for illuminating the codes with illumination light directed through the window;

a solid-state, exposable imager supported by the housing and having an array of light sensors looking at a field of view that extends through the window to the illuminated codes, and operative for capturing return illumination light from the illuminated codes to be imaged; and

a controller operatively connected to the imager and the illumination system and operative for processing the captured return illumination light, the controller being operative for reading a printed code by exposing the imager for a first exposure time and by also energizing the illumination system during the first exposure time, and the controller being further operative for reading an electronic code by exposing the imager for a second exposure time that is longer than the first exposure time and by also deenergizing the illumination system during the second exposure time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller cyclically exposes the imager in a sequence of different exposure times, the sequence having at least one first exposure time and at least one second exposure time.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller operates the imager at an adjustable frame rate of multiple frames per second, and wherein the first exposure time lasts for a fraction of one frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller operates by default in a printed code reading mode of operation in which the imager is repeatedly exposed for successive first exposure times;

and further comprising a mode changing system supported by the housing and operative for detecting the presence of the electronic code in the field of view; and

wherein the controller, in response to detection of the electronic code by the mode changing system, changes from the printed code reading mode of operation to an electronic code reading mode of operation in which the imager is exposed for at least one second exposure time.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the mode changing system includes a proximity system for detecting how long an object has been positioned in the field of view, and for alerting the controller of the presence of the electronic code when the object has been in the field of view for a duration exceeding a predetermined duration.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the object has a display screen on which the electronic code is displayed.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the mode changing system is operative for detecting a hot spot in the field of view, and for alerting the controller of the presence of the electronic code when the hot spot has been detected.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the electronic code is displayed on a display screen, and wherein at least a portion of the illumination light is incident on the display screen for reflection therefrom as the hot spot.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the window is substantially planar, and wherein the housing supports the window in one of a generally upright and a generally horizontal plane.

10. The apparatus of claim 1;

and further comprising another window supported by the housing;

wherein each window is substantially planar; and

wherein the housing supports one of the windows in a substantially upright plane, and supports the other of the windows in a generally horizontal plane that intersects the upright plane.

11. A method of imaging printed and electronic codes associated with transactions to be processed, comprising:

supporting a window on a housing;

illuminating the codes through the window with illumination light from an energizable illumination system;

capturing return illumination light from the illuminated codes through the window with an array of light sensors looking at a field of view of a solid-state, exposable imager; and

processing the captured return illumination light by reading a printed code by exposing the imager for a first exposure time and by also energizing the illumination system during the first exposure time, and by reading an electronic code by exposing the imager for a second exposure time that is longer than the first exposure time and by also deenergizing the illumination system during the second exposure time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the exposing is performed cyclically by exposing the imager in a sequence of different exposure times, the sequence having at least one first exposure time and at least one second exposure time.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the imager operates at an adjustable frame rate of multiple frames per second, and wherein the first exposure time lasts for a fraction of one frame.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the printed codes are read by default in a printed code reading mode of operation in which the imager is repeatedly exposed for successive first exposure times;

and further comprising changing from the printed code reading mode of operation to an electronic code reading mode of operation in which the imager is exposed for at least one second exposure time, by detecting the presence of the electronic code in the field of view.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the changing is performed by detecting how long an object has been positioned in the field of view, and by indicating the presence of the electronic code when the object has been in the field of view for a duration exceeding a predetermined duration.

16. The method of claim 15, and configuring the object with a display screen on which the electronic code is displayed.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the changing is performed by detecting a hot spot in the field of view, and by indicating the presence of the electronic code when the hot spot has been detected.

18. The method of claim 17, and displaying the electronic code on a display screen, and wherein at least a portion of the illumination light is incident on the display screen for reflection therefrom as the hot spot.

19. The method of claim 11, and configuring the window to be substantially planar, and supporting the window on the housing in one of a generally upright plane and a generally horizontal plane.

20. The method of claim 11;

and supporting another window on the housing; and

configuring each window to be substantially planar; and

supporting one of the windows in a substantially upright plane, and supporting the other of the windows in a generally horizontal plane that intersects the upright plane.