BARCODE-READING SYSTEM

• US 20150317503A1
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Powell, George, Hoobler, Ryan, Lei, Ming, Utykanski, Phil
• Granted Patent: US 10,223,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/089 hand-held scanners
• 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: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

This patent specification describes an attachment for a mobile device. The attachment may have an attachment feature designed to be attached to a mobile device such as a smartphone, tablet, or smartphone/tablet with a camera. The attachment may also include an optics system and/or an illumination system that cooperates with the camera to facilitate the capture of decodable barcodes. The illumination system may include a targeting illumination system that facilitates proper positioning of the article and/or an exposure illumination system that helps illuminate the article during capture. The optics system may include a lens that modifies the depth of field and/or the size of the field of view of the camera, an aperture that helps define the field of view, a filter that prevents light of undesired wavelengths from reaching the camera, and/or a mirror that redirects the camera'"'"'s optical pathway.

Claims

1. A barcode reading system for a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera, a white light source for projecting a field of illumination into a field of view of the camera, a memory and a processor for executing an operating system and applications stored in the memory, and the barcode reading system comprising:

a barcode reading enhancement accessory secured to the mobile device, the barcode reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system, the at least one optic system;

being positioned within the field of illumination of the white light source for modifying the field of illumination projected from the white light source;

or

being positioned within the field of view of the camera for modifying illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera; and

a barcode reading application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the barcode reading application including;

an image capture function for controlling the white light source and the camera to capture an image of a barcode, the image of the barcode being affected by the at least one optic system;

a decoder function for receiving the image of a barcode and generating decoded data representing data encoded in the barcode; and

a relay function for sending the decoded data to a remote server via a wireless connection established between the mobile device and a network.

2. The barcode reading system of claim 1, further comprising an application retrieval function for obtaining the barcode reading application and loading the barcode reading application to the memory.

3. The barcode reading system of claim 2, wherein the application retrieval function is configured to connect to a remote application server via a network and identify the mobile device to the application server.

4. The barcode reading system of claim 3, wherein the application retrieval function is configured to control a user interface of the mobile device to enable a user of the mobile device to identify a barcode reading application for download from the application server.

5. The barcode reading system of claim 4, wherein the application retrieval function is configured to download the barcode reading application from the application server and install the barcode reading application to the memory for execution by the processor.

6. The barcode reading system of claim 5, wherein the barcode reading application is downloaded in a form of an install file, the install file is written to the memory, and an executable file is built from the install file and written to the memory for execution by the processor.

7. The barcode reading system of claim 1, wherein the at least one optic system includes a target-generating structure for modifying the field of illumination of the white light source to emit a targeting pattern of illumination into the field of view of the camera of the mobile device.

8. The barcode reading system of claim 7, wherein the target-generating structure further includes an illumination filter positioned within the field of illumination of the white light source for passing a portion of a spectrum of the illumination from the white light source, the targeting pattern being of a color corresponding to the portion of the spectrum passed by the illumination filter.

9. The barcode reading system of claim 8, wherein the illumination filter is a narrow band filter for passing a narrow band of the spectrum and attenuating portions of the spectrum to each side of the narrow band.

10. The barcode reading system of claim 8, wherein the at least one optic system further includes a camera filter positioned within the field of view of the camera for passing a portion of the spectrum of illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera, the camera filter attenuating the portion of the spectrum passed by the illumination filter.

11. The barcode reading system of claim 7, wherein the target-generating structure comprises an optical component for narrowing a field of illumination of the white light source in at least one direction.

12. The barcode reading system of claim 11, wherein the target-generating structure is configured to narrow the field of illumination of the white light source to a divergence angle in the at least one direction that is approximately the same as a divergence angle of the field of view of the camera.

13. The barcode reading system of claim 12, wherein the target-generating structure further narrows the field of illumination of the white light source in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, to a divergence angle approximately the same as the divergence angle of the field of view of the camera in the second direction.

14. The barcode reading system of claim 1, wherein the image capture function is further configured to disable an autofocus function of the camera.

15. A barcode reading system for a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera having a field of view to a back side of the mobile device, a white light source for projecting a field of illumination towards the back side of the mobile device, a memory and a processor, and the barcode reading system comprising:

a barcode reading enhancement accessory secured to the mobile device, the barcode reading enhancement accessory comprising an optic system with a reflective surface for folding the field of view of the camera towards a target area positioned at a top side of the mobile device and a reflective surface for folding the field of illumination of the white light source towards the target area; and

a barcode reading application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the barcode reading application including;

an image capture function for controlling the white light source and the camera to capture an image of a barcode in the target area;

a decoder function for receiving the image of the barcode and generating decoded data representing data encoded in the barcode; and

a relay function for sending the decoded data to a remote server via a wireless connection established between the mobile device and a network.

16. The barcode reading system of claim 15, wherein the optic system further includes a target-generating structure for modifying the field of illumination of the white light source to emit a targeting pattern of illumination into the target area.

17. The barcode reading system of claim 16, wherein the optic system further includes an illumination filter positioned within the field of illumination of the white light source for passing a portion of a spectrum of the illumination from the white light source, the targeting pattern being of a color corresponding to the portion of the spectrum passed by the illumination filter.

18. The barcode reading system of claim 17, wherein the illumination filter is a narrow band filter for passing a narrow band of the spectrum and attenuating portions of the spectrum to each side of the narrow band.

19. The barcode reading system of claim 17, wherein the optic system further includes a camera filter positioned within the field of view of the camera for passing a portion of a spectrum of illumination reflected from objects within the target area, the camera filter attenuating the portion of the spectrum passed by the illumination filter.

20. The barcode reading system of claim 16, wherein the target-generating structure comprises an optical component for narrowing a field of illumination of the white light source in at least one direction.

21. The barcode reading system of claim 20, wherein the target-generating structure is configured to narrow the field of illumination of the white light source to a divergence angle in the at least one direction that is approximately the same as a divergence angle of the field of view of the camera.

22. The barcode reading system of claim 21, wherein the target-generating structure is further configured to narrow the field of illumination of the white light source in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, to a divergence angle approximately the same as the divergence angle of the field of view of the camera in the second direction.

23. The barcode reading system of claim 15, wherein the image capture function is further configured to disable an autofocus function of the camera.

24. A method of reading a barcode utilizing a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera, a white light source for projecting a field of illumination into a field of view of the camera, a memory and a processor for executing an operating system and applications stored in the memory, and the method comprising:

directing the operating system to obtain a barcode reading application from a remote application server and to install the barcode reading application in the memory for execution by the processor;

securing a barcode reading enhancement accessory to the mobile device, the barcode reading enhancement accessory comprising at least one optic system, the at least one optic system;

being positioned within a field of illumination of the white light source for modifying the field of illumination from the white light source;

or

being positioned within the field of view of the camera for modifying illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera; and

executing the barcode reading application by the processor, execution of the barcode reading application comprising;

execution of an image capture function to control the white light source and the camera to capture an image of a barcode, the image of the barcode being affected by the at least one optic system;

execution of a decoder function to generate decoded data representing data encoded in the barcode; and

execution of a relay function to send the decoded data to a server via a wireless connection established between the mobile device and a network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one optic system includes a target-generating structure for modifying the field of illumination of the white light source to emit a targeting pattern of illumination into the field of view of the camera of the mobile device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the target-generating structure further includes an illumination filter positioned within the field of illumination of the white light source for passing a portion of a spectrum of the illumination from the white light source, the targeting pattern being of a color corresponding to the portion of the spectrum passed by the illumination filter.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the filter is a narrow band filter passing a narrow band of the spectrum and attenuating portions of the spectrum to each side of the narrow band.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one optic system further includes a camera filter positioned within the field of view of the camera for passing a portion of a spectrum of illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera, the camera filter attenuating the portion of the spectrum passed by the illumination filter.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the target-generating structure comprises an optical component for narrowing a field of illumination of the white light source in at least one direction.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the target-generating structure is configured to narrow the field of illumination of the white light source to a divergence angle in the at least one direction that is approximately the same as a divergence angle of the field of view of the camera.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the target-generating structure is further configured to narrow the field of illumination of the white light source in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, to a divergence angle approximately the same as the divergence angle of the field of view of the camera in the second direction.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the image capture function is further configured to disable an autofocus function of the camera.

33. A method of reading a barcode utilizing a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera having a field of view to a back side of the mobile device, a white light source for projecting a field of illumination towards the back side of the mobile device, a memory and a processor, and the method comprising:

directing an operating system of the mobile device to obtain a barcode reading application from a remote application server and to install the barcode reading application in the memory for execution by the processor;

securing a barcode reading enhancement accessory to the mobile device, the barcode reading enhancement accessory comprising an optic system with a reflective surface for folding the field of view of the camera towards a target area positioned at a top side of the mobile device and a reflective surface for folding the field of illumination of the white light source towards the target area; and

executing the barcode reading application by the processor, execution of the barcode reading application comprising;

execution of an image capture function to control the white light source and the camera to capture an image of a barcode in the target area;

execution of a decoder function to generate decoded data representing data encoded in the barcode; and

execution of a relay function to send the decoded data to a server via a wireless connection established between the mobile device and a network.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the optic system further includes a target-generating structure for modifying the field of illumination of the white light source to emit a targeting pattern of illumination into the target area.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the optic system further includes an illumination filter positioned within the field of illumination of the white light source for passing a portion of a spectrum of the illumination from the white light source, the targeting pattern being of a color corresponding to the portion of the spectrum passed by the illumination filter.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the illumination filter is a narrow band filter for passing a narrow band of the spectrum and attenuating portions of the spectrum to each side of the narrow band.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the optic system further includes a camera filter positioned within the field of view of the camera for passing a portion of a spectrum of illumination reflected from objects within the target area, the camera filter attenuating the portion of the spectrum passed by the illumination filter.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the target-generating structure comprises an optical component for narrowing a field of illumination of the white light source in at least one direction.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the target-generating structure narrows the field of illumination of the white light source to a divergence angle in the at least one direction that is approximately the same as a divergence angle of the field of view of the camera.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the target-generating structure further narrows the field of illumination of the white light source in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, to a divergence angle approximately the same as the divergence angle of the field of view of the camera in the second direction.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein the image capture function is further configured to disable an autofocus function of the camera.

42. A barcode reading enhancement accessory secured to a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera, a white light source for projecting a field of illumination into a field of view of the camera, a memory and a processor for executing an operating system and applications stored in the memory, and the barcode reading enhancement accessory comprising:

at least one optic system that is positioned;

i) within the field of illumination of the white light source for modifying the field of illumination projected from the white light source;

or ii) that is positioned within the field of view of the camera for modifying illumination generated by the white light source and reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera.

43. The barcode reading enhancement accessory of claim 42, wherein the at least one optic system includes a target-generating structure for modifying the field of illumination of the white light source to emit a targeting pattern of illumination into the field of view of the camera of the mobile device.

44. The barcode reading enhancement accessory of claim 43, wherein the target-generating structure further includes an illumination filter positioned within the field of illumination of the white light source for passing a portion of a spectrum of the illumination from the white light source, the targeting pattern being of a color corresponding to the portion of the spectrum passed by the illumination filter.

45. The barcode reading enhancement accessory of claim 44, wherein the illumination filter is a narrow band filter for passing a narrow band of the spectrum and attenuating portions of the spectrum to each side of the narrow band.

46. The barcode reading enhancement accessory of claim 43, wherein the at least one optic system further includes a camera filter positioned within the field of view of the camera for passing a portion of the spectrum of illumination reflected from objects within the field of view of the camera, the camera filter attenuating the portion of the spectrum passed by the illumination filter.

47. The barcode reading enhancement accessory of claim 43, wherein the target-generating structure comprises an optical component for narrowing a field of illumination of the white light source in at least one direction.

48. The barcode reading enhancement accessory of claim 47, wherein the target-generating structure is configured to narrow the field of illumination of the white light source to a divergence angle in the at least one direction that is approximately the same as a divergence angle of the field of view of the camera.

49. The barcode reading enhancement accessory of claim 48, wherein the target-generating structure further narrows the field of illumination of the white light source in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, to a divergence angle approximately the same as the divergence angle of the field of view of the camera in the second direction.