Optical redirection adapter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10599021-B2
Application number	US-201816019040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2018
Priority date	Feb 20, 2013
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

An optical redirection adapter for an electronic device having a camera includes a housing and an optical element. The optical element is attached to the housing and positioned such that, when the adapter is attached the electronic device, the optical element is positioned in the camera's field of view. The optical element reflects light in the camera's field of view from a redirection angle that is offset from the camera's field of view. The optical redirection adapter facilitates ergonomically sound use of the camera.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A barcode reading adapter, comprising:
a barcode reader adapter housing having an opening to receive an electronic device;
a first optical opening that is defined by the barcode reader adapter housing, wherein the first optical opening is aligned with a field of view of a camera of the electronic device such that light is reflected into the field of view of the camera through the first optical opening via a first redirection angle; and
a second optical opening in the barcode reader adapter housing, wherein the second optical opening is aligned with an illumination element of the electronic device such that light is reflected from the illumination element at a second redirection angle out of the second optical opening; and
wherein the first redirection angle and the second redirection angle are each between about 45 degrees and about 115 degrees.

2. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 1 , wherein:
light is reflected through the first optical opening by a combination of at least one of a prism, a mirror, and a lens; and
light is reflected through the second optical opening by a combination of at least one of a prism, a mirror, and a lens.

3. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the light that is reflected into the field of view of the camera through the first optical opening is from an effective field of view that extends horizontally to a length of a surface of the electronic device.

4. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 3 , wherein the light that is reflected from the illumination element at the second redirection angle out of the second optical opening is emitted horizontally to the length of the surface of the electronic device.

5. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the first redirection angle is different from the second redirection angle.

6. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the first redirection angle is substantially similar to the second redirection angle.

7. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the first redirection angle is the same as the second redirection angle.

8. A barcode reading adapter, comprising:
a barcode reader adapter housing having an opening to receive an electronic device; and
at least one of a first optical opening and a second optical opening, wherein the first optical opening is defined by the barcode reader adapter housing, wherein the first optical opening is aligned with a field of view of a camera of the electronic device such that light is reflected into the field of view of the camera through the first optical opening via a first redirection angle and the second optical opening in the barcode reader adapter housing, wherein the second optical opening is aligned with an illumination element of the electronic device such that light is reflected from the illumination element at a second redirection angle out of the second optical opening.

9. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 8 , wherein the first redirection angle and the second redirection angle are each between about 45 degrees and about 115 degrees.

10. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 8 , wherein the first redirection angle and the second redirection angle are each between about 60 degrees and about 85 degrees.

11. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 8 , wherein the first redirection angle is different from the second redirection angle.

12. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 8 , wherein the first redirection angle is substantially similar to the second redirection angle.

13. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 8 , wherein the first redirection angle is the same as the second redirection angle.

14. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 8 , wherein the light that is reflected into the field of view of the camera through the first optical opening is from an effective field of view that extends horizontally to a length of a surface of the electronic device.

15. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 14 , wherein the light that is reflected from the illumination element at the second redirection angle out of the second optical opening is emitted horizontally to the length of the surface of the electronic device.

16. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 8 , further comprising both the first optical opening and the second optical opening.

17. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 8 , wherein the first optical opening and the second optical opening are the same opening.

18. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 8 , wherein:
light is reflected through the first optical opening by a combination of at least one of a prism, mirror, and lens; and
light is reflected through the second optical opening by a combination of at least one of a prism, a mirror, and a lens.

19. A barcode reading adapter, comprising:
a barcode reader adapter housing having an opening to receive an electronic device;
an optical element having a redirection angle; and
an optical opening, wherein the optical opening is defined by the barcode reader adapter housing, and wherein the optical opening is aligned with at least one of a field of view of a camera of the electronic device such that light is reflected into the field of view of the camera through the optical opening via the optical element and an illumination element of the electronic device such that light is reflected from the illumination element via the optical element out of the optical opening.

20. A barcode reading adapter of claim 19 , wherein the optical opening is aligned with both the field of view of camera of the electronic device and the illumination element of the electronic device.

21. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 20 , wherein light is reflected through the optical element by a combination of at least one of a prism, mirror, and lens.

22. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 20 , wherein the light that is reflected into the field of view of the camera through the optical opening via the optical element is from an effective field of view that extends horizontally to a length of a surface of the electronic device.

23. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 20 , wherein the light that is reflected from the illumination element of the electronic device such that light is reflected from the illumination element via the optical element out of the optical opening is emitted horizontally to a length of a surface of the electronic device.

24. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 23 , wherein the light that is reflected into the field of view of the camera through the optical opening via the optical element is also from an effective field of view that extends vertically to the length of the surface of the electronic device.

25. The barcode reading adapter according to claim 19 , wherein the optical element is adjacent to the camera.

Assignees

• Hand Held Prod Inc

Inventors

• Anderson Donald

Classifications

• G02B17/008

  Systems specially adapted to form image relays or chained systems · CPC title

• G03B17/17

  with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera · CPC title

• G03B17/565 Primary

  Optical accessories, e.g. converters for close-up photography, tele-convertors, wide-angle convertors · CPC title

• F21V7/0008

  providing for indirect lighting · CPC title

• H04N5/238

  Electricity · mapped topic