SYSTEM FOR AND METHOD OF ADAPTING A MOBILE DEVICE HAVING A CAMERA TO A READER FOR ELECTRO-OPTICALLY READING TARGETS

• US 20150126245A1
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: BARKAN, EDWARD D., DRZYMALA, MARK E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,300,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10831 Arrangement of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms optical elements per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A mobile device having a camera is adapted to serve as an electro-optical reader for electro-optically reading targets. The device is received and held in a housing having a rear wall. A top extension extends away from the rear wall at a top region of the device. A fold mirror is mounted on the top extension and is spaced away from a camera lens of the device. The fold mirror is inclined relative the rear wall and is operative for receiving at least a portion of a field of view imaged by the camera from each target along a first direction, and for folding and redirecting the field of view along a second direction generally perpendicular to the rear wall through the camera lens to the camera. A handle having a trigger assembly may be connected to the housing.

Claims

1. A system for adapting a wireless mobile device having a camera to an electro-optical reader for electro-optically reading targets located in a field of view of the camera, comprising:

a housing having walls bounding an interior in which the device is received and held, one of the walls being a generally planar rear wall that covers a rear side of the device, and a top extension extending away from the rear wall at a top region of the device; and

an optical element mounted on the top extension and spaced away from a camera lens located at the rear side and the top region of the device, the optical element being inclined relative the rear wall and being operative for receiving at least a portion of the field of view imaged by the camera from each target along a first direction, and for folding and redirecting the field of view along a second direction generally perpendicular to the rear wall through the camera lens to the camera.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing has an open front side through which the device is received, and side walls extending upwardly from the rear wall;

and wherein the top extension is integral with the walls of the housing.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical element is spaced away from a flash unit located at the rear side and the top region of the device, and wherein the optical element is operative for receiving light emitted by the flash unit along a first direction generally perpendicular to the rear wall, and for folding and redirecting the emitted light along a second direction different from the first direction.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical element is a generally planar fold mirror supported by the top extension at an acute angle of inclination relative to the rear wall.

5. The system of claim 1, and a handle to be held by a user, the handle being connected to the housing and extending away from the rear wall;

and a trigger assembly on the handle to initiate reading when manually actuated by the user.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the trigger assembly is operative for generating and conveying an optical trigger signal to the camera to initiate reading.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the trigger assembly includes a light source for emitting the optical trigger signal, and an optical train for directing the optical trigger signal from the light source to and through the camera lens.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the trigger assembly is operative for generating and conveying an acoustic trigger signal to a microphone on the device to initiate reading.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the trigger assembly includes a speaker for emitting the acoustic trigger signal, and a sound chamber for directing the acoustic trigger signal from the speaker to the microphone.

10. A method of adapting a wireless mobile device having a camera to an electro-optical reader for electro-optically reading targets located in a field of view of the camera, comprising:

receiving and holding the device in a housing having walls bounding an interior;

configuring one of the walls as a generally planar rear wall that covers a rear side of the device;

extending a top extension away from the rear wall at a top region of the device;

mounting an optical element on the top extension and spacing the optical element away from a camera lens located at the rear side and the top region of the device; and

inclining the optical element relative the rear wall to receive at least a portion of the field of view imaged by the camera from each target along a first direction, and to fold and redirect the field of view along a second direction generally perpendicular to the rear wall through the camera lens to the camera.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving is performed by receiving the device through an open front side of the housing, and configuring the housing with side walls that extend upwardly from the rear wall;

and integrating the top extension with the walls of the housing.

12. The method of claim 10, and spacing the optical element away from a flash unit located at the rear side and the top region of the device, and receiving light emitted by the flash unit by the optical element along a first direction generally perpendicular to the rear wall, and folding and redirecting the emitted light along a second direction different from the first direction.

13. The method of claim 10, and configuring the optical element as a generally planar fold mirror supported by the top extension at an acute angle of inclination relative to the rear wall.

14. The method of claim 10, and connecting a handle to be held by a user to the housing, and extending the handle away from the rear wall;

and initiating reading when a trigger assembly on the handle is manually actuated by the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the initiating of the reading is performed by generating and conveying an optical trigger signal to the camera.

16. The method of claim 15, and emitting the optical trigger signal from a light source, and directing the optical trigger signal from the light source to and through the camera lens.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the initiating of the reading is performed by generating and conveying an acoustic trigger signal to a microphone on the device.

18. The method of claim 17, and emitting the acoustic trigger signal from a speaker, and directing the acoustic trigger signal from the speaker to the microphone.