Barcode-reading attachment for focusing a camera of a mobile device
First Claim
1. A barcode reading enhancement system for a mobile device, the mobile device being selected from the group consisting of smartphones, tablets, and hybrid combinations thereof, the mobile device comprising a processor, a display screen, a camera comprising a camera lens, and memory, the barcode reading enhancement system comprising:
- an attachment securable to an external surface of the mobile device, the attachment comprising an optic system within a camera field of view of the camera;
a barcode reading lens system comprising the camera lens and the optic system of the attachment, the barcode reading lens system having a system field of view and at least one of (i) for at least one distance away from the barcode reading lens system along a system optical pathway, a system depth of field of the barcode reading lens system longer than a depth of field of the camera operating without the attachment and (ii) a ratio of focal length of the barcode reading lens system to entrance pupil diameter of the barcode reading lens system greater than a ratio of focal length of the camera operating without the attachment to entrance pupil diameter of the camera operating without the attachment; and
a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable code stored in the memory and, when executed by the processor;
performing at least one of;
i) setting a camera lens of the camera to one of a plurality of predetermined focus positions; and
ii) enabling autofocus of the camera within a limited range of focus positions less than a full range of focus positions of the camera;
causing the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and
decoding the image of the barcode.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A barcode reading enhancement system includes an attachment for a mobile device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or a hybrid combination thereof, with a camera. The attachment may include an optics system that cooperates with the mobile device camera to facilitate the capture of decodable barcodes. The optics system may increase the camera'"'"'s depth of field, increase ratio of focal length to entrance pupil diameter, and/or decrease the angular size of the field of view of the camera. The system includes a mobile barcode reading application for setting a camera lens of the camera to one of a plurality of predetermined focus positions or enabling autofocus of the camera within a limited range of focus positions less than a full range of focus positions of the camera. The application may cause the camera to capture an image of a barcode and decode the image of the barcode.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A barcode reading enhancement system for a mobile device, the mobile device being selected from the group consisting of smartphones, tablets, and hybrid combinations thereof, the mobile device comprising a processor, a display screen, a camera comprising a camera lens, and memory, the barcode reading enhancement system comprising:
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an attachment securable to an external surface of the mobile device, the attachment comprising an optic system within a camera field of view of the camera; a barcode reading lens system comprising the camera lens and the optic system of the attachment, the barcode reading lens system having a system field of view and at least one of (i) for at least one distance away from the barcode reading lens system along a system optical pathway, a system depth of field of the barcode reading lens system longer than a depth of field of the camera operating without the attachment and (ii) a ratio of focal length of the barcode reading lens system to entrance pupil diameter of the barcode reading lens system greater than a ratio of focal length of the camera operating without the attachment to entrance pupil diameter of the camera operating without the attachment; and a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable code stored in the memory and, when executed by the processor; performing at least one of;
i) setting a camera lens of the camera to one of a plurality of predetermined focus positions; and
ii) enabling autofocus of the camera within a limited range of focus positions less than a full range of focus positions of the camera;causing the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and decoding the image of the barcode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A barcode reading enhancement system for a mobile device, the mobile device being selected from the group consisting of smartphones, tablets, and hybrid combinations thereof, the mobile device comprising a processor, a display screen, a camera comprising a camera lens and an image sensor, and memory comprising an operating system executable by the processor, the operating system including a camera autofocusing function which adjusts a camera focus distance, the camera focus distance being a distance from the camera lens at which light rays originating from the distance are focused on the image sensor, the barcode reading enhancement system comprising:
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an attachment securable to an external surface of the mobile device, the attachment comprising an optic system within a camera field of view of the camera; a barcode reading lens system comprising the camera lens and the optic system of the attachment, the barcode reading lens system having a system field of view and at least one of (i) for at least one distance away from the barcode reading lens system along a system optical pathway, a system depth of field of the barcode reading lens system longer than a depth of field of the camera operating without the attachment and (ii) a ratio of focal length of the barcode reading lens system to entrance pupil diameter of the barcode reading lens system greater than a ratio of focal length of the camera operating without the attachment to entrance pupil diameter of the camera operating without the attachment; and a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable code stored in the memory and executed by the processor, the mobile barcode reading application; performing at least one of;
i) instructing the operating system to set the camera focus distance to a one of a plurality of predetermined focus positions; and
ii) instructing the operating system to enable the camera autofocusing function to adjust the camera focus distance but only within a limited range of focus positions less than a full range of focus positions of the camera;instructing the operating system to drive the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and decoding the image of the barcode. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for decoding a barcode using a camera of a mobile device, the mobile device being selected from the group consisting of smartphones, tablets, and hybrid combinations thereof, the mobile device comprising a processor, a display screen, memory, and a camera comprising a camera lens and an image sensor, the method comprising:
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securing an attachment to an external surface of the mobile device, the attachment comprising an optic system within a camera field of view of the camera;
wherein a barcode reading lens system is formed by securing the attachment to the mobile device, the barcode reading lens system being defined by a combination of the camera lens and the optic system of the attachment and having a system field of view and at least one of (i) for at least one distance away from the barcode reading lens system along a system optical pathway, a system depth of field of the barcode reading lens system longer than a depth of the camera operating without the attachment and (ii) a ratio of focal length of the barcode reading lens system to entrance pupil diameter of the barcode reading lens system greater than a ratio of focal length of the camera operating without the attachment to entrance pupil diameter of the camera operating without the attachment;performing at least one of;
i) setting the camera lens to one of a plurality of predetermined focus positions; and
ii) enabling autofocus of the camera within a limited range of focus positions less than a full range of focus positions of the camera;causing the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and decoding the image of the barcode. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification