Optical code reading device having more than one imaging engine
First Claim
1. A computing device comprising:
- a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor;
a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor;
switching circuitry for operatively switching between the first and second imaging engines;
a processor for controlling the switching circuitry for receiving one of the first and second plurality of signals; and
an automatically focusing lens assembly for automatically controlling movement of at least one lens of a lens assembly of at least one of the imaging engines.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile computing device is provided having more than one imaging engine, and preferably, two imagining engines. Switching circuitry is provided for switching between the two imaging engines. Each imaging engine is optimized for use in specific applications and includes different specifications from the other imaging engine. Preferably, one imaging engine is optimized to provide higher resolution images than the other imaging engine, and one imaging engine is optimized to focus an object located 7.50 to 12.50 cm from the mobile computing device (near-to-mid range imaging), while the other imaging engine is optimized to focus an object located from 12.50 cm to infinity from the mobile computing device (mid-to-far range imaging). One imaging engine preferably includes a color image sensor, while the other imaging engine includes a black and white image sensor. The imaging engines are preferably supported by a housing of an optical code reading device configured for imaging and decoding optical codes and performing other functions, such as video teleconferencing, capturing and storing digital images, creating and transmitting video e-mail, and performing video surveillance.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the first and second imaging engines; a processor for controlling the switching circuitry for receiving one of the first and second plurality of signals; and an automatically focusing lens assembly for automatically controlling movement of at least one lens of a lens assembly of at least one of the imaging engines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the first and second imaging engines; and a processor for controlling the switching circuitry for receiving one of the first and second plurality of signals, wherein the first imaging engine has a near-to-mid imaging range and the second imaging engine has a mid-to-far imaging range.
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14. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the first and second imaging engines; and a processor for controlling the switching circuitry for receiving one of the first and second plurality of signals, wherein the imaging engines have at least one different depth of field and field of view.
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15. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the first and second imaging engines; and a processor for controlling the switching circuitry for receiving one of the first and second plurality of signals, wherein at least one of the image sensors is a color image sensor.
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16. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the first and second imaging engines; and a processor for controlling the switching circuitry for receiving one of the first and second plurality of signals, wherein the first image sensor provides higher resolution image than the second image sensor.
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17. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the first and second imaging engines; and a processor for controlling the switching circuitry for receiving one of the first and second plurality of signals, wherein the switching circuitry includes a multiplexer.
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18. A computing device comprising:
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at least two imaging engines each integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the at least two imaging engines; a processor for controlling the switching circuitry and for processing the plurality of signals; and an automatically focusing lens assembly for controlling movement of at least one lens of a lens assembly of at least one of the at least two imaging engines. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A computing device comprising:
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at least two imaging engines each integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the at least two imaging engines; and a processor for controlling the switching circuitry and for processing the plurality of signals, wherein at least one of the at least two imaging engines has one of a near-to-mid imaging range and a mid-to-far imaging range.
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31. A computing device comprising:
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at least two imaging engines each integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the at least two imaging engines; and a processor for controlling the switching circuitry and for processing the plurality of signals, wherein the at least two imaging engines have at least one different depth of field and field of view.
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32. A computing device comprising:
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at least two imaging engines each integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the at least two imaging engines; and a processor for controlling the switching circuitry and for processing the plurality of signals, wherein at least one of the at least two imaging engines includes a color image sensor.
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33. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a processor for receiving at least one of the first and second plurality of signals; and an automatically focusing lens assembly for controlling movement of at least one lens of a lens assembly of at least one of the imaging engines. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; and a processor for receiving at least one of the first and second plurality of signals, wherein the first imaging engine has a near-to-mid imaging range and the second imaging engine has a mid-to-far imaging range.
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49. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a processor for receiving at least one of the first and second plurality of signals, wherein the imaging engines have at least one different depth of field and field of view.
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50. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; and a processor for receiving at least one of the first and second plurality of signals, wherein at least one of the image sensors is a color image sensor.
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51. A computing device comprising:
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a first imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; a second imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; and a processor for receiving at least one of the first and second plurality of signals, wherein the first image sensor provides a higher resolution image than the second image sensor.
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52. A method for performing digital imaging, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing at least two imaging engines in a computing device, each imaging engine integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device at least one illumination source and an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image senor; selecting at least one of the at least two imaging engines; processing the plurality of signals corresponding to the at least one selected imaging engine; and automatically controlling movement of a lens assembly of at least one of the at least two imaging engines. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A computing device comprising:
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a housing defining at least one cavity; a first imaging engine mounted in said at least one cavity and integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a first plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor and at least one illumination source; a second imaging engine mounted in said at least one cavity and integrating in a single unit separate and apart from said computing device an image sensor for impinging an image thereon and outputting a second plurality of signals corresponding to the image impinged on the image sensor; switching circuitry for operatively switching between the first and second imaging engines; and a processor for controlling the switching circuitry for receiving one of the first and second plurality of signals, wherein the first imaging engine has a near-to-mid imaging range and the second imaging engine has a mid-to-far imaging range. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification