Methods and apparatuses to mitigate specular reflections and direct illumination interference in bioptic barcode readers

A method of operating a bioptic barcode reader having a product scanning region, wherein the bioptic barcode reader includes a housing having a lower housing portion with an upper surface facing the product scanning region, an upper housing portion extending above the lower housing portion and facing the product scanning region, a generally upright window positioned in the upper housing portion, and an image sensor having a primary field of view, the method comprising:

• splitting the primary field of view into at least a first sub-field of view and a second sub-field of view, wherein the first sub-field of view passes from a first half of the upper housing portion through the upright window and crosses a midline of the product scanning region in a first direction, wherein the second sub-field of view passes from a second half of the upper housing portion through the upright window and crosses the midline of the product scanning region in a second direction, wherein the second half of the upper housing portion is opposite the first half of the upper housing portion, and wherein the second direction is different from the first direction;
• while activating a first illumination source to illuminate targets appearing within the first sub-field of view, instructing the image sensor to capture first images of the first sub-field of view, wherein the first illumination source is positioned in the first half of the upper housing portion, and wherein the second illumination source is positioned in the second half of the upper housing portion;
• while activating the second illumination source to illuminate targets appearing within the second sub-field of view, instructing the image sensor to capture second images of the second sub-field of view;
• and
• attempting to decode a barcode within at least one of the first images and the second images.

A bioptic barcode reader having a product scanning region, the bioptic barcode reader comprising:

• a housing having a lower housing portion and an upper housing portion extending above the lower housing portion;
• an image sensor having a primary field of view;
• an optical assembly configured to split the primary field of view into at least a first sub-field of view passing through a first window of the bioptic barcode reader, and a second sub-field of view passing through a second window of the bioptic barcode reader, wherein the first sub-field of view passes from a first portion of the housing through the first window and crosses the product scanning region in a first direction, wherein the second sub-field of view passes from a second portion of the housing through the second window and crosses the product scanning region in a second direction, wherein the second portion of the housing is different from the first portion of the housing, and wherein the second direction is different from the first direction;
• a first illumination source positioned in the first portion of the housing and configured to illuminate targets appearing within the first sub-field of view;
• a second illumination source positioned in the second portion of the housing and configured to illuminate targets appearing within the second sub-field of view;
• a controller communicatively coupled to the image sensor, the first illumination source and second illumination source, the controller configured to:
• instruct the image sensor to capture first images of the first sub-field of view while activating the first illumination source, and
• instruct the image sensor to capture second images of the second sub-field of view while activating the second illumination source;
• and
• a decoder configured to attempt to decode a barcode within at least one of the first images and the second images.