The Code Corporation

Mark Ashby

Ryan Wayne Hoobler

Ming Lei

George A Powell

Steve Pierce

Garrett Russell

Jonathan Edward Bosley

Disclosed herein is an attachment for a smartphone. The smartphone may include i) a camera with an image sensor and a focusing lens located on a back side of the smartphone for capturing an image of a target area; and ii) a white light source on the back side of the smartphone. The attachment may include a targeting optic system. When the attachment is secured to the back side of the smartphone, the targeting optic system may receive illumination emitted by the white light source and direct the illumination towards the target area from a location that is not directly in front of the camera's image sensor. The location may be farther from the focusing lens than the white light source when measured parallel to the back side of the smartphone. The attachment may also direct the illumination into the target area via the targeting optic system.

Attachment including a targeting optic system that directs illumination from a white light source towards a target area

A barcode reader may include barcode reading hardware, which may include an image sensor. The image sensor may capture an image of a barcode within a field of view. The barcode reading hardware may also include a communication interface for output of decoded data to a remote computing system. The barcode reader may also include volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory may include start-up instructions. The barcode reader may also include a processor. The processor may be configured to, upon power-up of the barcode reader, execute the start-up instructions to obtain firmware for operating the barcode reader from a remote configuration server, load the firmware to the volatile memory, and commence execution of the firmware to commence barcode reading functions of the barcode reader without performing a re-boot operation.

Host device for obtaining operating instructions for a barcode reader from a remote server

An attachment for a mobile device includes an attachment feature securable to the mobile device. The attachment also includes a first set of imaging optics that receives, from within a first field of view, first light defining a first portion of image data captured by an image sensing system of the mobile device. The first portion of the image data includes a barcode image. The first field of view is centered on a first optical pathway. The attachment also includes a second set of imaging optics that receives, from within a second field of view, second light defining a second portion of the image data. The second portion of the image data includes a non-barcode image. The second field of view is centered on a second optical pathway nonparallel to the first optical pathway.

Attachment for a mobile device for reading barcodes and capturing non-barcode images

Barcode reader that obtains firmware from a remote server

A barcode reading device includes an image sensor comprising a photosensor array and control circuitry configured to control an exposure period for the photosensor array. The barcode reading device also includes one or more illumination sources configured to generate illumination for illuminating a target area. The barcode reading device also includes circuitry that is configured to read out image data from the photosensor array in response to a trigger signal. The circuitry is also configured to, independent of controlling the exposure period for the photosensor array, illuminate a target area by activating the one or more illumination sources in response to the trigger signal.

Barcode reading device that controls illumination without signaling from an image sensor

A barcode reader may include an image sensor array, an optic system, an image buffer, and a plurality of pre-processing circuits implemented in hardware. The optic system may be configured to focus an image of a barcode onto the image sensor array. The plurality of pre-processing circuits may collectively implement a plurality of different image processing functions. Each pre-processing circuit may be configured to receive as input an image frame from the image sensor array or an image data record from the image buffer. The image data record may be derived from the image frame. Each pre-processing circuit may also be configured to perform an image processing function with respect to the image frame or the image data record, thereby generating a new image data record. A decoder may use at least one image data record to decode the barcode.

Barcode reader

A barcode reader may perform image processing functions to generate distinct image data records from the frame of image data of a barcode, select an image data record from the distinct image data records and decode the selected image data record. Each image data record may be generated by applying a distinct image processing function to the frame of image data. The barcode reader may capture multiple frames of image data in sequence based on image capture parameters. At least one of the multiple frames of image data may be captured with a distinct parameter value. The image capture parameters may include an exposure setting, a gain setting, a resolution setting, and/or an illumination setting.

An apparatus may be capable of scanning barcodes and capturing non-barcode images. The apparatus may comprise a first set of imaging optics that receives, from within a first field of view, first light defining a first portion of image data captured by an image sensing system. The apparatus may also comprise a second set of imaging optics that receives, from within a second field of view, second light defining a second portion of the image data. The first field of view may be centered on a first optical pathway, and the second field of view may be centered on a second optical pathway that is nonparallel to the first optical pathway. The first set of imaging optics may be positioned to direct the first light to the image sensing system, and the second set of imaging optics may be positioned to direct the second light to the image sensing system.

Apparatus comprising multiple sets of optics to facilitate capturing barcode and non-barcode images

Attachment for a smart phone including a targeting optic system that directs illumination from a white light source towards a target area

A barcode reading enhancement system for a mobile device may include an optic system aligning with a camera lens of the mobile device to define a barcode reading lens system. The barcode reading lens system may be defined by a combination of the camera lens and the optic system. The barcode reading lens system may provide a system field of view that is different from a camera field of view of the camera lens. The barcode reading enhancement system may also include an illumination optic system aligning with an illumination torch of the mobile device to define an exposure illumination system. The exposure illumination system may emit 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. The system field of view and the system illumination field may substantially overlap.

Barcode-reading enhancement system for a computing device that comprises a camera and an illumination system

Barcode reader configured for image pre-processing

A barcode reading enhancement system includes an attachment for a mobile device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or a hybrid combination thereof, with a camera. The attachment may include an optics system that cooperates with the mobile device camera to facilitate the capture of decodable barcodes. The optics system may increase the camera's depth of field, increase ratio of focal length to entrance pupil diameter, and/or decrease the angular size of the field of view of the camera. The system includes a mobile barcode reading application for setting a camera lens of the camera to one of a plurality of predetermined focus positions or enabling autofocus of the camera within a limited range of focus positions less than a full range of focus positions of the camera. The application may cause the camera to capture an image of a barcode and decode the image of the barcode.

Barcode-reading attachment for focusing a camera of a mobile device

An attachment for a smart phone includes a targeting optic system which, when the attachment is secured to the backside of the smart phone, receives illumination emitted by the white light source and directs the illumination towards the target area from a location that is not directly in front of the camera's image sensor. The attachment directs illumination from the white light source in a direction parallel to the backside of the smart phone to a distance farther away from the camera's image sensor than a distance between the white light source and the camera's image sensor, and from that distance farther away from the camera's image sensor, directs the illumination into the target area.

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Taylorsville, UT, United States of America

Mark Ashby