BARCODE-READING ENHANCEMENT SYSTEM FOR A COMPUTING DEVICE THAT COMPRISES A CAMERA AND AN ILLUMINATION SYSTEM

• US 20150053765A1
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Powell, George, Hoobler, Ryan, Russell, Garrett, Lei, Ming, Ashby, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,192,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/455
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/089 hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10831 Arrangement of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms optical elements per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/262 with fastening means, e.g. locks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

This patent specification describes an attachment for a mobile device. The attachment may have an attachment feature designed to be attached to a mobile device such as a smartphone, tablet, or smartphone/tablet with a camera. The attachment may also include an optics system and/or an illumination system that cooperates with the camera to facilitate the capture of decodable barcodes. The illumination system may include a targeting illumination system that facilitates proper positioning of the article and/or an exposure illumination system that helps illuminate the article during capture. The optics system may include a lens that modifies the depth of field and/or the size of the field of view of the camera, an aperture that helps define the field of view, a filter that prevents light of undesired wavelengths from reaching the camera, and/or a mirror that redirects the camera'"'"'s optical pathway.

Claims

1. A barcode reading enhancement system for a mobile device, the mobile device being selected from the group consisting of smartphones, tablets, and smartphone/tablets and comprising a processor, a display screen, memory, an illumination torch, and a camera comprising a camera lens and an image sensor, the barcode reading enhancement system comprising:

an optic system aligning with the camera lens to define a barcode reading lens system, the barcode reading lens system being defined by a combination of the camera lens and the optic system, the barcode reading lens system providing a system field of view which is different from a camera field of view of the camera lens;

an illumination optic system aligning with the illumination torch of the mobile device to define an exposure illumination system, the exposure illumination system emitting a system illumination field with a system angular size that is different from a torch angular size of a torch illumination field emitted by the illumination torch; and

wherein the system field of view and the system illumination field substantially overlap.

2. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 1, wherein:

the optic system is housed in a first chamber of an attachment securable to an external surface of the mobile device; and

the illumination optic system is housed in a second chamber of the attachment, the second chamber being optically isolated from the first chamber to prevent illumination from the illumination torch from entering the camera without first reflecting from an object within the system field of view.

3. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 2, further comprising:

a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable code stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor;

activates the illumination torch to emit illumination through the illumination optic system into the system illumination field;

causes the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and

decodes the image of the barcode.

4. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 2, wherein the memory of the mobile device comprises an operating system executable by the processor, the barcode reading enhancement system further comprising:

a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable code stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor;

instructs the operating system to activate the illumination torch to emit illumination through the illumination optic system into the system illumination field;

instructs the operating system to cause the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and

decodes the image of the barcode.

5. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 2, wherein:

the attachment comprises a first interior surface, wherein the first interior surface cooperates with a second interior surface to define a cavity, wherein the cavity is dimensioned such that the first and second interior surfaces frictionally engage the mobile device to retain at least a portion of the mobile device within the cavity.

6. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 5, wherein the attachment further comprises:

a third interior surface, parallel to an axis defined by the optic system, positioned to a first side of the optic system and the illumination optic system at a distance such that the optic system is aligned with the camera lens in a first direction when the third interior surface is in contact with a first side of the mobile device; and

a fourth interior surface, parallel to an axis defined by the optic system, perpendicular to the third interior surface, positioned to a second side of the optic system and the illumination optic system at a distance such that the optic system is aligned with the camera lens in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, when the fourth interior surface is in contact with a second side of the mobile device which is perpendicular to the first side of the mobile device.

7. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 6, further comprising:

a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable code stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor;

activates the illumination torch to emit illumination through the illumination optic system into the system illumination field;

causes the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and

decodes the image of the barcode.

8. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 6, wherein the memory of the mobile device comprises an operating system executable by the processor, the barcode reading enhancement system further comprising:

a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor;

instructs the operating system to activate the illumination torch to emit illumination through the illumination optic system into the system illumination field;

instructs the operating system to cause the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and

decodes the image of the barcode.

9. A barcode reading enhancement system for a mobile device, the mobile device being selected from the group consisting of smartphones, tablets, and smartphone/tablets and comprising a processor, a display screen, an illumination torch, a camera, and memory, the camera comprising a camera lens positioned parallel to a back surface of the mobile device and having a camera field of view extending orthogonally from the back surface, the back surface being opposite the display screen on a face surface of the mobile device, the barcode reading enhancement system comprising:

an optic system aligning with the camera lens to define a barcode reading lens system, the barcode reading lens system being defined by a combination of the camera lens and the optic system, the barcode reading lens system providing a system field of view which is different in both angular size and optical pathway direction from the camera field of view;

an illumination optic system aligning with the illumination torch of the mobile device to define an exposure illumination system, the exposure illumination system emitting a system illumination field with a system angular size that is different from a torch angular size of a torch illumination field emitted by the illumination torch; and

wherein the system illumination field is directed into the system field of view.

10. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 9, wherein the optic system comprises a reflective surface that redirects a system optical pathway of the system field of view from a first direction perpendicular to the back surface to a second direction extending into an area above a top side of the top of the mobile device.

11. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 10, wherein:

the optic system is housed in a first chamber of an attachment securable to an external surface of the mobile device; and

the illumination optic is housed in a second chamber of the attachment, the second chamber being optically isolated from the first chamber to prevent illumination from the illumination torch from entering the camera without first reflecting from an object within the system field of view.

12. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 11, wherein the illumination optic system comprises an illumination reflective surface housed in the second chamber to redirect the system illumination field to the second direction.

13. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 12, further comprising:

a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable code stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor;

activates the illumination torch to emit illumination through the illumination optic system into the system illumination field;

causes the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and

decodes the image of the barcode.

14. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 12, wherein the memory of the mobile device comprises an operating system executable by the processor, the barcode reading enhancement system further comprising:

a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable code stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor;

instructs the operating system to activate the illumination torch to emit illumination through the illumination optic system into the system illumination field;

instructs the operating system to cause the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and

decodes the image of the barcode.

15. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 12, wherein:

the attachment comprises a first interior surface, wherein the first interior surface cooperates with a second interior surface to define a cavity, wherein the cavity is dimensioned such that the first and second interior surfaces frictionally engage the mobile device to retain at least a portion of the mobile device within the cavity.

16. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 15, wherein the attachment further comprises:

a third interior surface, parallel to an axis defined by the optic system, positioned to a first side of the optic system and the illumination optic system at a distance such that the optic system is aligned with the camera lens in a first direction when the third interior surface is in contact with a first side of the mobile device; and

a fourth interior surface, parallel to an axis defined by the optic system, perpendicular to the third interior surface, positioned to a second side of the optic system and the illumination optic system at a distance such that the optic system is aligned with the camera lens in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, when the fourth interior surface is in contact with a second side of the mobile device which is perpendicular to the first side of the mobile device.

17. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 16, further comprising:

a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable code stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor;

activates the illumination torch to emit illumination through the illumination optic system into the system illumination field;

causes the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and

decodes the image of the barcode.

18. The barcode reading enhancement system of claim 16, wherein the memory of the mobile device comprises an operating system executable by the processor, the barcode reading enhancement system further comprising:

a mobile barcode reading application comprising executable code stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor;

instructs the operating system to activate the illumination torch to emit illumination through the illumination optic system into the system illumination field;

instructs the operating system to cause the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and

decodes the image of the barcode.

19. 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 smartphone/tablets and comprising a processor, a display screen, an illumination torch, memory comprising an operating system executable by the processor, and a camera comprising an image sensor and a camera lens positioned parallel to a back surface of the mobile device and having a camera field of view extending orthogonally from the back surface, the back surface being opposite the display screen on a face surface of the mobile device, the method comprising:

securing an attachment to an external surface of the mobile device, the attachment comprising;

an optic system aligning with the camera lens to define a barcode reading lens system, the barcode reading lens system being defined by a combination of the camera lens and the optic system, the barcode reading lens system providing a system field of view which is different in both angular size and optical pathway direction from a camera field of view of the camera; and

an illumination optic system aligning with the illumination torch of the mobile device to define an exposure illumination system, the exposure illumination system emitting a system illumination field with a system angular size that is different from a torch angular size of a torch illumination field emitted by the torch;

activating the illumination torch to emit illumination through the illumination optic system into the system illumination field;

causing the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and

decoding the image of the barcode.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein securing the attachment to the mobile device comprises:

securing a barrier defining a first chamber of the attachment and a second chamber of the attachment, wherein

the first chamber houses the optic system;

the second chamber houses the illumination optic system; and

the barrier optically isolates the second chamber from the first chamber to prevent illumination from the illumination torch from entering the camera without first reflecting from an object within the system field of view.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein securing the attachment to the mobile device comprises securing a reflective surface to the mobile device, the reflective surface being a component of the optic system housed in the first chamber, wherein the reflective redirects a system optical pathway of the system field of view from a first direction perpendicular to the back surface to a second direction extending into an area above a top side of the top of the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein securing the attachment to the mobile device further comprises securing an illumination reflective surface to the mobile device, the illumination reflective surface being housed in the second chamber to redirect the system illumination field to the second direction.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the memory of the mobile device comprises;

an operating system executable by the processor; and

a mobile barcode reading application;

the method further comprises executing the mobile barcode reading application to;

instruct the operating system to illuminate the illumination torch to emit illumination through the illumination optic system into the system illumination field;

instruct the operating system to cause the camera to capture an image of a barcode within the system field of view; and

decode the image of the barcode.