Optical reader having an imager

• US 8,292,180 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2011
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ehrhart, Michael A., Longacre, Andrew Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/195,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20110284638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 23546201-46247, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/472.03
• US Class Current: 235/462.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40062 Discrimination between different image types, e.g. two-tone, continuous tone

Abstract

There is described a device having a two dimensional imager. The device having a two dimensional image sensor can be a hand held device. Imaging optics can be provided for focusing light reflected from a target onto the two dimensional imager. An image including imaging data can be obtained utilizing the hand held device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing a first color image utilizing a hand held device;

utilizing the hand held device, capturing a second color image, the second color image including a representation of an optical indicia;

decoding the optical indicia utilizing the second color image to thereby generate decoded data;

associating the decoded data to the first color image so that the decoded data and the first color image are electronically associated to one another.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes electronically displaying the decoded data with the first color image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes electronically displaying on a display of the hand held device the decoded data with the first color image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing of the second color image is performed subsequent to the capturing of the first color image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first color image and said second color image correspond to different views of a common item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first color image is of a parcel for delivery, and wherein the second color image includes a representation of an optical indicia included on the parcel for delivery.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further includes counting a number of color images that have been captured, and presenting a user a prompt responsively to the counting.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes capturing a first color image utilizing a hand held device that includes a display.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes electronically displaying the decoded data with the first color image.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the capturing of the second color image is performed subsequent to the capturing of the first color image.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first color image and said second color image correspond to different views of a common item.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first color image is of a parcel for delivery, and wherein the second color image includes a representation of an optical indicia included on the parcel for delivery.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said method further includes counting a number of color images that have been captured, and presenting a user a prompt responsively to the counting.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the displaying includes displaying externally from the hand held device.