Symbol Technologies, LLC

Zebra Technologies Corporation

David Tsi Shi

Vladimir P Gurevich

Igor R Vinogradov

Mehul M Patel

Carl D Wittenberg

Edward D Barkan

Chinh Tan

Thomas D Bianculli

Mark J Krichever

Christopher Warren Brock

Mark E Drzymala

David P Goren

Bradley S Carlson

Dariusz J Madej

Alex Breytman

Alexander J Naney

Edmond L Fratianni

Heng (Jade) Zhang

Paul Dvorkis

Jorg Schlieffers

Matthew D Blasczak

Thomas Lackemann

Kevin Cordes

Jay Paul White

Caihua Chen

Jean N Tu

Chin-Hung Jwo

Jason S Mak

Jeff Terlizzi

Joseph M Katz

Howard M Shepard

Duanfeng He

Eugene B Joseph

Joseph D Giordano

Peter Fazekas

Edward M Voli

Heng Zhang

Michael A Mottola

Chunyu Zhao

Alan J Epshteyn

Miguel Orlando Rodriguez Ortiz

Joseph Boriotti

Alexander Breytman

Andrew Cornell

Daniel C Curry

William P Hurley, Iv

Wynn L Aker

Pierre Craen

Bryan E Joles

Walter Preuss

Wanli Chi

Mehaboob Kumbalakkuzhiyil

Ronald A Petrozzo

Eldho Kuriakose

Jerry Chiocchio

Edward O Barkan

Courtney L Watson

Methods and systems to implement a miniature long range imaging engine with auto-focus, auto-zoom, and auto-illumination are disclosed herein. An example method includes detecting, by a microprocessor, a presence of an aim light pattern within the FOV; determining, by the microprocessor and in response to the detecting, a target distance of an object in the FOV based on a position of the aim light pattern in the FOV, the target distance being a distance from the imaging engine to the object; causing, by the microprocessor, a variable focus optical element to focus on the object based on the target distance; and responsive to making a first determination, by the microprocessor, selecting, based on the target distance, one of a plurality of zoom operation modes.

Miniature long range imaging engine with auto-focus and auto-zoom system

Autofocus (AF) optical arrangements and assemblies including a voice coil motor (VCM) are disclosed. An example optical assembly for a focusing lens includes: a front lens group disposed along an optical axis configured to receive light from the object of interest and configured to correct for aberrations of a first image projected by the front lens group; an aperture disposed along an optical axis configured to receive light from the front lens group therethrough along the optical axis; a moveable focus lens to receive light through the aperture; a VCM configured to move the focus lens to focus the optical assembly; and a back lens group disposed along the optical axis configured to receive light from the focus lens and further configured to correct for field curvature.

Autofocus optical arrangements and assemblies including voice coil motors

Method and systems for driving an aiming assembly of a barcode imager are provided. An example method includes obtaining an operating mode of the barcode imager having an aiming assembly and, in response, determining a duty cycle of an aiming pulse of the aiming assembly. That duty cycle is determined as a percentage of a frame duration of an imager sensor and, further, such that simultaneous constraints are satisfied by the aiming pulse. The constraints include a simultaneous frame duration-independent, peak pulse optical power constraint and a frame duration-dependent heat dissipation constraint.

Laser driving mode for aiming system of barcode imager

An optical assembly for an autofocus lens system for imaging an object appearing in an imaging field of view (FOV) is provided. The optical assembly includes a compensator lens assembly disposed along an optical axis, with the compensator lens assembly configured to receive light along the optical axis and to provide tuning of a flange focal length of the optical assembly. A variable focus assembly, including a variable focus optical element, is disposed along the optical axis to receive light from the compensator lens assembly. The variable focus optical element has a tunable focal plane. A fixed focus optical group is disposed along the optical axis to receive light from the variable focus assembly, the fixed focus optical group is configured to focus the light at the flange focal length of the optical assembly.

Compact long focal length auto-focus lens with actively aligned front compensator

A scan engine for capturing at least one image of an object appearing in an imaging field of view (FOV) is provided that includes an imaging system, illumination system, aiming system, and a first and second chassis. The imaging system includes a lens holder and at least one lens disposed within the lens holder and both a far imaging system and a near imaging system for capturing images across multiple fields of view at different distances. The illumination system and aiming system are physically positioned to provide illumination of a target in the near and/or far fields of view, and provide an aiming pattern to the near and/or far fields of view.

Compact opto-mechanical layout of long-range dual-camera bar-code imager

An aiming system for use in a small height scan engine chassis. The aiming system includes a beam source assembly generating an input beam along a central axis and a collimator assembly having a lens group that defines a tilt axis having a tilt angle, α, relative to the central axis, to deflect the input beam from the central axis onto the tilt axis. The collimator assembly further includes a recess within which a diffractive optical element is sealably mounted to convert the deflected input beam into an aiming pattern at a focal distance of the lens group.

Compact diffractive optical element laser aiming system

Methods and apparatus for configuring reduced decode ranges for barcode scanners are disclosed. An example method includes determining a closest focus distance of a plurality of focus distances at which a barcode placed at a furthest limit of a reduced decode range can be successfully decoded; determining a furthest focus distance of the plurality of focus distances at which the barcode placed at a closest limit of the reduced decode range can be successfully decoded; determining a subset of the plurality of focus distances that consists of the closest focus distance, the furthest focus distance, and focus distances between the closest focus distance and the farthest focus distance; and configuring the barcode scanner to only use the subset of focus distances during subsequent attempts to decode barcodes.

Methods and apparatus for configuring reduced decode ranges for barcode scanners

A system and methods for providing aiming guidance for an imaging system. The system includes an illumination field source configured to provide illumination along a illumination optical axis to (i) illuminate a target and (ii) indicate a near field of view of the imaging system and a far field aiming source configured to provide a radiation pattern along an aiming optical axis to indicate a far field of view of the imaging system. Near field optics are configured to receive the first illumination from the near field illumination source and to form the first illumination to provide illumination to, and indicate to a user or machine vision system, the near field of view of the imaging system, and far field optics are configured to receive radiation from the aiming source and provide the radiation pattern to the far field to indicate the far field of view of the imaging system.

Aiming patterns for auto-focus rolling shutter camera with dual imaging FOV and associated systems

An optical assembly for an autofocus imaging system for capturing at least one image of an object appearing in an imaging field of view (FOV) is provided. The optical assembly includes a front aperture along an optical axis and a front lens group along the optical axis that receives light from the object of interest. The position of the front lens group is adjustable to change a focal distance of the optical assembly. The optical assembly further includes an actuator physically coupled to the front lens group that adjusts the position of the front lens. A rear lens group is disposed along the optical axis to receive the light from the front lens group, and an imaging sensor is disposed at a back focal distance of the rear lens group, to detect the light.

Imaging lens check and active alignment method to maintain consistent rear focusing distance for an autofocus lens

Methods and systems to implement a miniature long range imaging engine with auto-focus, auto-zoom, and auto-illumination are disclosed herein. An example method includes detecting, by a microprocessor, a presence of an aim light pattern within the FOV; determining, by the microprocessor and in response to the detecting, a target distance of an object in the FOV based on a position of the aim light pattern in the FOV, the target distance being a distance from the imaging engine to the object; causing, by the microprocessor, a variable focus optical element to focus on the object based on the target distance; responsive to making a first determination, by the microprocessor, selecting, based on the target distance, one of a plurality of zoom operation modes; and responsive to making a second determination, by the microprocessor, selecting, based on the target distance, one of a plurality of illumination modes.

Miniature long range imaging engine with auto-focus, auto-zoom, and auto-illumination system

A system and method for adaptively illuminating a volume with an illumination system that illuminates a volume of interest using separately controllable near field and far field optimized illumination sources, to maintain an irradiance pattern criteria in the volume, where that criteria may be different for a far field portion of the volume than for a near field portion of the volume.

Adaptive illumination system for 3D-time of flight sensor

A system and method for illuminating a volume with an illumination system generating an illumination intensity pattern that maintains irradiance at sufficient on and off axis irradiance levels to allow for accurate identification and measure of objects within a volume, such as within a vehicle trailer or shipping container, is provided.

Illumination pattern system and methods for 3D-time of flight systems

A method and apparatus for capturing an image of at least one object appearing in a field of view (FOV). A housing has an image sensor and a base lens assembly fixedly mounted relative thereto. A moveable lens assembly is movably mounted relative to the housing. The moveable lens, the base lens assembly, and the image sensor are aligned such that light received within the FOV passes through the moveable lens and the base lens assembly and impinges onto the image sensor. The light received from the FOV forms an original image prior to entering the movable lens and the base assembly. Light from the FOV impinging onto the sensor forms an impinging image.

Imaging devices having progressive magnification

Growing community of inventors

Stony Brook, NY, United States of America

David Tsi Shi