Barcode-reading system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016188933-A1
Application number	US-201615063284-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2016
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

This patent specification describes a barcode-reading enhancement accessory for a mobile device having a barcode-reading capability. The accessory may include an outer case and an inner carriage. A mobile device is encased in the inner carriage, and the combination of the inner carriage and the mobile device may be accommodated in the outer case. The inner carriage is configured to accommodate a mobile device of a particular size such that a mobile device of a different size may be accommodated in the outer case using a different inner carriage. The accessory may also include an optic system to fold an optical path of a field of illumination of a light source of the mobile device and/or a field of view of a camera of the mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A barcode-reading system for a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera for capturing an image of a barcode positioned in a field of view of the camera, the barcode-reading system comprising:
a barcode-reading enhancement accessory secured to the mobile device, comprising:
a diffuse bright field illumination system comprising at least one white light source powered by a battery within the barcode-reading enhancement accessory, and an optical substrate comprising a front major surface and a back major surface arranged generally perpendicular to an optical axis of the camera, and between which light introduced from the at least one white light source is transferred by total internal reflection primarily in a direction traverse to the optical axis, wherein the optical substrate comprises one or more extraction features configured to extract light from the optical substrate into the field of view of the camera; and
a barcode-reading application stored in a memory of the mobile device and executable by a processor of the mobile device, the barcode-reading application comprising:
an image capture function for controlling the at least one white light source through a communication interface between the mobile device and the barcode-reading enhancement accessory and controlling the camera to capture an image of a barcode, the image of the barcode being affected by the diffuse bright field illumination system;
a decoder function for receiving the image of the barcode and generating decoded data representing data encoded in the barcode; and
a relay function for sending the decoded data to a remote server via a wireless connection established between the mobile device and a network.

2 . The barcode-reading system of claim 1 , wherein the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further includes a dark field illumination system, the dark field illumination system comprising at least one dark field illuminator powered by the battery within the barcode-reading enhancement accessory and directing illumination into the field of view of the camera at an angle greater than 45 degrees from the optical axis.

3 . The barcode-reading system of claim 2 , wherein the image capture function of the barcode-reading application further controls the dark field illumination system through a communication interface between the mobile device and the barcode-reading enhancement accessory.

4 . The barcode-reading system of claim 2 , wherein the dark field illuminator is a colored light-emitting diode with an illumination spectrum narrower than an illumination spectrum of the at least one white light source.

5 . The barcode-reading system of claim 1 , wherein:
the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further comprises a reflective surface within the field of view of the camera for folding the optical axis and the field of view about the optical axis from its initial direction extending generally perpendicular from a back side surface of the mobile device to a folded direction extending into a region around a top side of the mobile device; and the front major surface and the back major surface of the optical substrate are arranged generally perpendicular to the optical axis in the folded direction.

6 . The barcode-reading system of claim 5 , wherein:
the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further includes a dark field illumination system, the dark field illumination system comprising at least one dark field illuminator powered by the battery within the barcode-reading enhancement accessory directing illumination into the field of view of the camera at an angle greater than 45 degrees from the optical axis in the folded direction.

7 . The barcode-reading system of claim 6 , wherein the image capture function of the barcode-reading application further controls the dark field illumination system through a communication interface between the mobile device and the barcode-reading enhancement accessory.

8 . The barcode-reading system of claim 6 , wherein the dark field illuminator is a colored light-emitting diode with an illumination spectrum narrower than an illumination spectrum of the white light source.

9 . The barcode-reading system of claim 1 , wherein:
the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further comprises a reflective surface within the field of view of the camera for folding the optical axis and the field of view about the optical axis from its initial direction extending generally perpendicular from a back side surface of the mobile device to a folded direction extending into a region around a top side of the mobile device; the front major surface and the back major surface of the optical substrate are arranged generally perpendicular to the optical axis in its initial direction; and the reflective surface folds illumination extracted from the optical substrate into the region around the top side of the mobile device.

10 . The barcode-reading system of claim 9 , wherein the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further includes a dark field illumination system, the dark field illumination system comprising at least one dark field illuminator powered by the battery within the barcode-reading enhancement accessory for directing illumination into the field of view of the camera at an angle greater than 45 degrees from the optical axis in the folded direction.

11 . The barcode-reading system of claim 10 , wherein the image capture function of the barcode-reading application further controls the dark field illumination system through a communication interface between the mobile device and the barcode-reading enhancement accessory.

12 . The barcode-reading system of claim 10 , wherein the dark field illuminator is a colored light-emitting diode with an illumination spectrum narrower than an illumination spectrum of the white light source.

13 . A barcode-reading enhancement accessory for securing to a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a camera for capturing an image of a barcode in a field of view of the camera, the barcode-reading enhancement accessory comprising:
a diffuse bright field illumination system comprising:
at least one white light source powered by a battery within the barcode-reading enhancement accessory; and
an optical substrate, not within the field of view of the camera, having a front major surface and a back major surface arranged generally perpendicular to an optical axis of the camera, and between which light from the at least one white light source is transferred by total internal reflection primarily in a direction traverse to the optical axis, wherein the optical substrate comprises one or more extraction features configured to extract light from the optical substrate into the field of view of the camera.

14 . The barcode-reading enhancement accessory of claim 13 , wherein the barcode-reading enhancement accessory further includes a dark field illumination system, the dark field illumination system comprising at least one dark field illuminator for directing illumination into the field of view of the camera at an angle greater than 45 degrees from the optical axis.

15 . The barcode-reading enhancement accessory of claim 14 , wherein the dark field illuminator is a colored light-emitting diode with an illumination spectrum narrower than an illumination spectrum of the white light source.

16 . The barcode-reading enhancement accessory of claim 14 , further comprising a communication interface for receiving control signals for the white light source and the dark field illumination system from a barcode-reading application

Assignees

• Code Corp

Inventors

• Powell George
• Lei Ming
• Hoobler Ryan

Classifications

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• G06K7/10881

  constructional details of hand-held scanners · CPC title

• G06K7/10732

  Light sources · CPC title

• G06K7/0004

  Hybrid readers · CPC title

• G06K7/10564 Primary

  Light sources · CPC title