Diffuse bright field illumination system for a barcode reader
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A barcode reader, comprising:
- a housing;
a camera located within the housing configured to capture an image of a barcode within a field of view of the camera, the field of view being directed along an optical axis; and
an illumination system configured to illuminate the barcode while the camera captures the image of the barcode, the illumination system comprising;
a dark field illumination system comprising a plurality of prism optics, the plurality of prism optics redirecting illumination toward the field of view at an angle less than forty-five degrees relative to a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis; and
a diffuse bright field illumination system comprising a diffusion optic positioned between the plurality of prism optics, the diffusion optic diffusing illumination through a front major surface of the diffusion optic into the field of view substantially parallel to the optical axis.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One aspect of the present disclosure is related to a barcode reader that includes a bright field illumination system, a dark field illumination system, and an additional illumination system that is better able to illuminate an area of the reader'"'"'s field of view between the far zone (where bright field illumination is optimal) and the close zone (where dark field illumination is optimal). In this “center zone,” the dark field illumination may not be bright enough and the bright field illumination may not be diffuse enough for reading a barcode.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A barcode reader, comprising:
-
a housing; a camera located within the housing configured to capture an image of a barcode within a field of view of the camera, the field of view being directed along an optical axis; and an illumination system configured to illuminate the barcode while the camera captures the image of the barcode, the illumination system comprising; a dark field illumination system comprising a plurality of prism optics, the plurality of prism optics redirecting illumination toward the field of view at an angle less than forty-five degrees relative to a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis; and a diffuse bright field illumination system comprising a diffusion optic positioned between the plurality of prism optics, the diffusion optic diffusing illumination through a front major surface of the diffusion optic into the field of view substantially parallel to the optical axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A barcode reader comprising:
-
a housing; a camera located within the housing configured to capture an image of a barcode within a field of view of the camera, the field of view being directed along an optical axis; and an illumination system configured to illuminate the barcode while the camera captures the image of the barcode, the illumination system comprising; a dark field illumination system comprising a plurality of prism optics, the plurality of prism optics, positioned forward of the camera and outside of the field of view of the camera, redirecting illumination toward the field of view at an angle less than forty-five degrees relative to a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis; and a diffuse bright field illumination system comprising a diffusion optic positioned between the camera and the plurality of prism optics, the diffusion optic diffusing illumination through a front major surface of the diffusion optic into the field of view between the prism optics. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of operating a barcode reader with a dark field illumination system and a diffuse bright field illumination system, the method comprising:
-
selecting which of the dark field illumination system and the diffuse bright field illumination system to use to illuminate a barcode for imaging by a camera positioned behind the dark field illumination system; if the dark field illumination system is selected, directing illumination towards a plurality of prism optics redirecting the illumination toward a field of view at an angle less than forty-five degrees relative to a plane that is substantially perpendicular to an optical axis; and if the diffuse bright field illumination system is selected, directing illumination into a diffusion optic positioned between the plurality of prism optics, the diffusion optic diffusing the illumination through a front major surface of the diffusion optic into the field of view substantially parallel to the optical axis. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification