Optical indicia reading apparatus with multiple image sensors

• US 9,436,860 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Taylor, Liu, Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Mikels, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/022,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20140263645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 235/435, 235/439, 235/440, 235/462
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10821 further details of bar or optical code scanning devices

Abstract

Optical indicia reading apparatus can comprise a microprocessor, a memory, and a plurality of wafer level camera (WLC) modules. Each WLC module can comprise an image sensor and a focusing lens, and optionally, an optical band-pass filter (BPF) configured to pass light waves within a pre-defined wavelength range. Each WLC module can be configured to output a signal representative of the light incident on the image sensor. The optical axis of a first WLC module can be spatially disposed relatively to an optical axis of a second WLC module so that the fields of view (FOVs) of the WLC modules at least partially overlap. The depth of field (DOF) of a first WLC module can at least partially overlap with the DOF of a second WLC module. The optical indicia reading apparatus can be configured to generate an image frame by processing two or more signals of the plurality of signals outputted by the WLC modules. The optical indicia reading apparatus can be further configured to output an image frame comprising an image of decodable indicia and/or decoded message corresponding to the decodable indicia.

Claims

1. An optical indicia reading apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor;

a memory;

a plurality of wafer level camera (WLC) modules, each WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules comprising an image sensor and a focusing lens;

wherein each WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules is configured to output a signal representative of light incident on said image sensor;

wherein an optical axis of a first WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules is spatially disposed relatively to an optical axis of a second WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules so that a field of view (FOV) of said first WLC module partially overlaps with a FOV of said second WLC module by less than 50% of their respective FOVs;

wherein said optical indicia reading apparatus is configured to generate a single image frame comprising an image of decodable indicia by overlapping and processing two or more signals of a plurality of signals outputted by said plurality of WLC modules to yield the single image frame;

wherein said optical indicia reading apparatus is further configured to store said single image frame in said memory; and

wherein said optical indicia reading apparatus is further configured to output at least one of;

said single image frame, decoded message corresponding to said decodable indicia.

2. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one illumination light source.

3. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one aiming light source.

4. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processing of two or more signals is performed by said microprocessor.

5. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processing of two or more signals is performed by an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

6. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 1, wherein said signal outputted by at least one WLC module is provided by one of:

an analog signal, a digital signal.

7. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a portable housing configured to receive said microprocessor, said memory, and said plurality of WLC modules.

8. An optical indicia reading apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor;

a memory;

a plurality of wafer level camera (WLC) modules, each WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules comprising an image sensor and a focusing lens;

wherein each WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules is configured to output a signal representative of light incident on said image sensor;

wherein a depth of field DOF of a first WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules partially overlaps with a DOF of a second WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules by less than 50% of their respective DOFs;

wherein said optical indicia reading apparatus is configured to generate a single image frame comprising an image of decodable indicia by overlapping and processing two or more signals of a plurality of signals outputted by said plurality of WLC modules to yield the single image frame;

wherein said optical indicia reading apparatus is further configured to store said single image frame in said memory; and

wherein said optical indicia reading apparatus is further configured to output at least one of;

said single image frame, decoded message corresponding to said decodable indicia.

9. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least one illumination light source.

10. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least one aiming light source.

11. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 8, wherein said processing of two or more signals is performed by said microprocessor.

12. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 8, wherein said processing of two or more signals is performed by an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

13. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 8, wherein said signal outputted by at least one WLC module is provided by one of:

an analog signal, a digital signal.

14. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a portable housing configured to receive said microprocessor, said memory, and said plurality of WLC modules.

15. An optical indicia reading apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor;

a memory;

a plurality of wafer level camera (WLC) modules, each WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules comprising an image sensor, a focusing lens, and an optical band-pass filter (BPF) configured to pass light waves within a pre-defined wavelength range;

wherein a wavelength range of a BPF of a first WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules is different from a wavelength range of a BPF of a second WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules;

wherein a depth of field DOF of a first WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules partially overlaps with a DOF of a second WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules by less than 50% of their respective DOFs;

wherein each WLC module of said plurality of WLC modules is configured to output a signal representative of light incident on said image sensor;

wherein said optical indicia reading apparatus is configured to generate a single image frame comprising an image of decodable indicia by overlapping and processing two or more signals of a plurality of signals outputted by said plurality of WLC modules to yield the single image frame;

wherein said optical indicia reading apparatus is further configured to store said single image frame in said memory; and

wherein said optical indicia reading apparatus is further configured to output at least one of;

said single image frame, decoded message corresponding to said decodable indicia.

16. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 15, further comprising at least one illumination light source.

17. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 15, further comprising at least one aiming light source.

18. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 15, wherein said processing of two or more signals is performed by said microprocessor.

19. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 15, wherein said processing of two or more signals is performed by an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

20. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 15, wherein said signal outputted by at least one WLC module is provided by one of:

an analog signal, a digital signal.

21. The optical indicia reading apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a portable housing configured to receive said microprocessor, said memory, and said plurality of WLC modules.