Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080212168 | Extended depth of field imaging system using chromatic aberration - An imaging system (FIG. | 09-04-2008 |
20090153718 | ROLLING-RESET IMAGER - An imaging system comprises a rolling-reset imager that forms an electronic image of an object, a light source illuminating the object with pulsed light, and a bandpass optical filter disposed between the object and the rolling-reset imager. The pulsed light has an illumination frequency spectrum and an illumination pulse width defining an effective exposure time for forming the image of the object. The bandpass optical filter has a frequency pass band permitting transmission of a significant portion of the illumination frequency spectrum while at least approximately inhibiting transmission of at least some light having frequencies outside the illumination frequency band. An imaging method illuminates an object with light in a given frequency range, so that the illumination light reflects from the object along with background light. The method filters the reflected light so as to attenuate at least some of the background light by a greater attenuation factor than the illumination light. The method forms a pixelized electronic image based on the filtered light on a rolling-reset basis. | 06-18-2009 |
20100200658 | HIGH-RESOLUTION OPTICAL CODE IMAGING USING A COLOR IMAGER - An optical code or other data reading device includes a color image sensor array positioned to sense light reflected from an object, and to produce image data. In one configuration, the color image sensor array has multiple sets (e.g., first and second sets) of sensor elements that are sensitive to corresponding visible wavelength bands of light (e.g., first and second wavelength bands), the sets also being sensitive to light within an infrared wavelength band. An artificial illumination source is positioned to illuminate the field of view with light that is reflected off an object in the field of view toward the image sensor array, the illumination source being operable to produce infrared light having wavelengths within the infrared wavelength band so that, upon illumination, at least some sensor elements of each of the sets are sensitive to the infrared light and contribute to production of the image data. | 08-12-2010 |
20110168780 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DATA READING WITH LOW PROFILE ARRANGEMENT - A data reader, such as an optical code reader, including one or more imagers, the data reader having a generally horizontal central section with an upward extension on a first end and a depression on a second end opposite the upward extension, the depression being configured to provide a better angle of view of an object in the view volume above the central section from the second end from a position below the surface of the horizontal central section. In one configuration, an image from the view volume along and over the depression is directed by one or more fold mirrors and focused by a lens system onto an imager or sensor array, these optics components, along with the window through which they view, are all disposed below the surface of the central section. Preferably, where the horizontal central section is a weigh platter for a scanner-scale, the optics of the data reader such as the fold mirror(s), lens system and imager are unsupported by the weigh platter and thus are off the scale. | 07-14-2011 |
20120018516 | DATA READER HAVING COMPACT ARRANGEMENT - A data reader including one or more imagers or imager assemblies that capture two-dimensional images of an object disposed in a view volume, the data reader having fold minors and other component arrangement that enable compact and efficient component configuration. | 01-26-2012 |
20120074338 | ILLUMINATION ARRANGEMENT FOR DATA READERS - Light sources are contained in a data reader housing that also contains an imager. In one embodiment, one light source includes a number of LEDs placed in a number of hollow reflectors located toward the rear of a data scanner, where the hollow reflectors have substantially flat reflective surfaces to project light through a window and into a read volume. Other embodiments include additional light sources located proximate sidewalls of the data scanner and also include a number of LEDs placed in hollow reflectors to project light through the window and into the read volume. In other embodiments, additional LEDs are included outside the hollow reflectors to project light through the window and into a different portion of the read volume than the LEDs located in the hollow reflectors. | 03-29-2012 |
20130020392 | TUNNEL OR PORTAL SCANNER AND METHOD OF SCANNING FOR AUTOMATED CHECKOUT - Systems and methods for data reading, which in one example configuration is directed to an automated optical code data reader in the form of a tunnel or portal scanner having an open architecture configured with front and rear inverted U-shaped arches, a plurality of cameras (some or most of which have multiple fields of view) in each of the arches for reading the top five sides of an item being passed by a conveyor through a read region formed by the arches, and a bottom reader including one or more cameras under the conveyor for reading a bottom side of the item through a gap in the conveyors as the item is passed over the gap. Also disclosed are specific imaging schemes for providing effective views of the items with a minimum number of cameras. | 01-24-2013 |
20130181051 | TWO-PLANE OPTICAL CODE READER FOR ACQUISITION OF MULTIPLE VIEWS OF AN OBJECT - An optical code reader ( | 07-18-2013 |
20130292470 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR READING OPTICAL CODES ON BOTTOM SURFACE OF ITEMS - An automated checkout system and method of operation for reading encoded data on a bottom surface of an item using a data reader. The automated checkout system includes a leading conveyor section and a trailing conveyor section separated by a gap therebetween, where the item is transported across the gap as it moves between the conveyors. A first and second reading device are each positioned beneath the conveyor sections, where each reading device has a field of view projecting through the gap. The first reading device is configured to acquire a first set of scan data and the second reading device is configured to acquire a second set of scan data different from the first. In some embodiments, the first set of scan data may include two-dimensional area views of the encoded data, and the second set of scan data may include linescans of the encoded data. | 11-07-2013 |
20130306727 | OPTICAL SCANNER WITH TOP DOWN READER - A data reading system including one or more imagers, the data reading system having a lower main housing structure with a horizontal surface, across which items to be read are passed, and an upper reader module, such as pole-mounted top down reader (TDR) including an imager configured to provide a top down viewing angle from above the horizontal surface of the item in a read region. In one configuration, the pole-mounted upper reader module includes a one-piece post housing section mounted to the main housing structure and extending therefrom and containing imaging electronics and optics of the upper reader. | 11-21-2013 |
20130327829 | IMAGING READER WITH IMPROVED ILLUMINATION - A data reading system, such as for reading optical codes being passed through a read zone, including one or more imagers, and at least one illumination module, all disposed in a reader housing, the illumination module in one configuration having a reflector housing comprised of a cone-shaped structure of generally rectangular cross-section, with a top inner surface and a bottom inner surface, wherein area of the cross-section of the cone-shaped structure increasing from a rear end to a front end, and an illumination source (such as a plurality of light emitting diodes) disposed at the rear end of the reflector housing and operative to generate illumination out through the reflector housing along an outgoing illumination path, the top inner surface of the reflector housing being a surface of high reflectivity relative to the bottom inner surface of the reflector housing which has a surface of relatively low reflectivity. Also disclosed are imager configurations for providing multiple fields of views of multiple imagers co-mounted on a common PCB. | 12-12-2013 |
20130327830 | BIOPTIC DATA READER WITH SPLIT VERTICAL WINDOWS AND SPEAKER - A data reading system including a lower base section with a generally horizontal surface and a vertical section extending perpendicularly from the lower housing section. The vertical section includes a front face with a first scan window through which a data reader is operable to read encoded data on an item. The data reading system further includes a speaker system having a speaker grille laterally spaced apart from the first scan window on the front face of the vertical section. The speaker system may emit a sound or other message to confirm that the encoded data was (or was not) properly captured by the data reader. The data reading system may further include a second scan window on the front face of the vertical section. In such instances, the speaker grille may be positioned between the scan windows on the front face of the vertical section. | 12-12-2013 |
20130328682 | BEZEL FOR A COVER OR PLATTER FOR A DATA READER IN A CHECKOUT STATION - A checkout station includes an optional scale for weighing items; a composite cover or weigh platter supported by the scale, wherein the cover has a lower surface with a lower window having a horizontal perimeter, an upper surface including an upper window positioned transversely to the lower surface, a metallic plate surrounding a portion of the horizontal perimeter of the lower window, the metallic plate spaced apart proximal end sections, and a nonmetallic bezel positioned between the lower window and the upper surface and positioned between the spaced apart proximal end sections of the metallic plate; one or more imagers for obtaining views of an item within a viewing volume bounded by the lower and upper surfaces; and a surveillance tag deactivation system for deactivating an electronic surveillance tag in proximity to the viewing volume. | 12-12-2013 |
20140028837 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF OBJECT MEASUREMENT IN AN AUTOMATED DATA READER - Systems and methods of determining object dimensions of objects passed through a read zone of an automated data reader are disclosed. A system can include a data reader to read an optical code disposed on the objects, a transport mechanism, an object measurement system to measure dimensions of objects that are transported by the transport mechanism, a light plane generator to project a light plane that produces a light stripe on an object, and a camera to capture image data of objects and a light stripe thereon that can be processed to determine a deviation of a light stripe relative to an optical center within the image data. A deviation from the optical center is used to determine one or more dimensions of the object. | 01-30-2014 |
20140291400 | TUNNEL OR PORTAL SCANNER AND METHOD OF SCANNING FOR AUTOMATED CHECKOUT - Systems and methods for data reading, which in one example configuration is directed to an automated optical code data reader in the form of a tunnel or portal scanner having an open architecture configured with front and rear inverted U-shaped arches, a plurality of cameras (some or most of which have multiple fields of view) in each of the arches for reading the top live sides of an item being passed by a conveyor through a read region formed by the arches, and a bottom reader including one or more cameras under the conveyor for reading a bottom side of the item through a gap in the conveyors as the item is passed over the gap. Also disclosed are specific imaging schemes for providing effective views of the items with a minimum number of cameras. | 10-02-2014 |
20150069123 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AIMING AND CALIBRATING A DATA READER - A data reading system including one or more imagers and a lower main housing structure with a horizontal surface and a horizontal window, across which items to be read are passed. At least one or more of the imagers in the data reading system is a part of a top-down data reader having a generally downwardly-facing field of view projecting through a scan window and onto the horizontal surface and the horizontal window. The top-down data reader may be freely repositioned at a range of height positions and angular configurations for processing items of various dimensions. The data reading system may further include a calibration system for assisting in adjusting the field of view of the top-down data reader to ensure proper aim and focus of the top-down data reader after adjustment. | 03-12-2015 |