TWO-PLANE OPTICAL CODE READER FOR ACQUISITION OF MULTIPLE VIEWS OF AN OBJECT
First Claim
1. An optical code reader for obtaining images from multiple views of a six-sided box-shaped object within a viewing volume, the object having an upwardly-facing top side, a downwardly-facing bottom side, and four sidewardly facing lateral sides including a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back side, the optical code reader comprising:
- a housing including a lower housing and an upper housing, the lower housing containing an upwardly-facing horizontal window and the upper housing containing a sidewardly-facing vertical window;
a first imager located within the lower housing;
a first set of first fold mirrors located within the lower housing to reflect, along a first image path passing through the upwardly-facing horizontal window, a first view of the viewing volume onto a first region of the first imager, such that the first view is adapted to capture a leading perspective of the left side of the object, a first far side perspective of the back side of the object, and a first bottom perspective of the bottom side of the object when the object is passed though the viewing volume and oriented with its front side facing the vertical window and its bottom side facing the horizontal window;
a second set of second fold mirrors located within the lower housing to reflect, along a second image path passing through the upwardly-facing horizontal window, a second view of the viewing volume onto a second region of the first imager, such that the second view is adapted to capture a trailing perspective of the right side of the object, a second far side perspective of the back side of the object, and a second bottom perspective of the bottom side of the object when the object is passed though the viewing volume and oriented with its front side facing the vertical window and its bottom side facing the horizontal window;
a second imager located within the housing; and
a third set of third fold mirrors, at least some of which are located within the upper housing to reflect, along a third image path passing through the sidewardly-facing vertical window, a third view of the viewing volume onto the second imager, such that the third view is adapted to capture at least a near side perspective of the front side of the object when the object is passed though the viewing volume and oriented with its front side facing the vertical window and its bottom side facing the horizontal window.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical code reader (80,150,180,210) forms images of an optical code on an object (20). The reader (80,150,180,210) comprises first and second viewing surfaces generally transverse to one another. The surfaces bound a viewing volume (64) in which the object (20) may be imaged. The reader (80,150,180,210) also comprises a set of one or more imagers (60) positioned on an opposite side of one or more of the first and second viewing surfaces relative to the viewing volume (64), and oriented and configured to capture images of the object (20) from at least three different views (62). Each of the views (62) passes through one of said first and second viewing surfaces. At least one of said views (62) passes through the first viewing surface, and at least one of said views (62) passes through the second viewing surface. The reader (80,150,180,210) also comprises at least one mirror (130), off which is reflected at least one of the views (62).
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An optical code reader for obtaining images from multiple views of a six-sided box-shaped object within a viewing volume, the object having an upwardly-facing top side, a downwardly-facing bottom side, and four sidewardly facing lateral sides including a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back side, the optical code reader comprising:
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a housing including a lower housing and an upper housing, the lower housing containing an upwardly-facing horizontal window and the upper housing containing a sidewardly-facing vertical window; a first imager located within the lower housing; a first set of first fold mirrors located within the lower housing to reflect, along a first image path passing through the upwardly-facing horizontal window, a first view of the viewing volume onto a first region of the first imager, such that the first view is adapted to capture a leading perspective of the left side of the object, a first far side perspective of the back side of the object, and a first bottom perspective of the bottom side of the object when the object is passed though the viewing volume and oriented with its front side facing the vertical window and its bottom side facing the horizontal window; a second set of second fold mirrors located within the lower housing to reflect, along a second image path passing through the upwardly-facing horizontal window, a second view of the viewing volume onto a second region of the first imager, such that the second view is adapted to capture a trailing perspective of the right side of the object, a second far side perspective of the back side of the object, and a second bottom perspective of the bottom side of the object when the object is passed though the viewing volume and oriented with its front side facing the vertical window and its bottom side facing the horizontal window; a second imager located within the housing; and a third set of third fold mirrors, at least some of which are located within the upper housing to reflect, along a third image path passing through the sidewardly-facing vertical window, a third view of the viewing volume onto the second imager, such that the third view is adapted to capture at least a near side perspective of the front side of the object when the object is passed though the viewing volume and oriented with its front side facing the vertical window and its bottom side facing the horizontal window. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for obtaining images from multiple views associated with respective perspectives of an object within a view volume, comprising:
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providing a housing; providing, within the housing, an imager; 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 imager, the first image region capturing first images from at least three different sides 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 imager, the second image region capturing second images from at least three different sides of the three-dimensional object passing through the view volume, the images being different from the first images, such that the imager acquires perspectives of views of at least four sides of the three-dimensional object. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An optical code reader for obtaining images of an optical code on an object, comprising:
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a first window; a second window generally transverse to the first window, the first and second windows bounding a viewing volume in which the object may be imaged; a set of two or more imagers positioned on an opposite side of one or more of the first and second windows relative to the viewing volume, and oriented and configured to capture images of the object, when the object is in the viewing volume, from at least three different views, wherein each of the views passes through one of said first and second windows, at least one of said views passes through the first window, and at least one of said views passes through the second window; a common circuit board having opposing first and second sides, wherein at least some of said imagers are mounted on the first side of the common circuit board and at least some of said imagers are mounted on the second side of the common circuit board; and at least one mirror positioned on an opposite side of one or more of the first and second windows relative to the viewing volume, wherein at least one of the views is reflected off one or more of said at least one mirror. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification