Optical reader having a plurality of imaging modules

An optical reader comprising:

• a housing defining at least one cavity;
• a first imaging module mounted in said at least one cavity;
• a second imaging module mounted in said at least one cavity;
• wherein each of said first and second modules includes an image sensor, a support assembly, and at lest one illumination light emitting diode;
• a control circuit in communication with each of said first and second imaging modules;
• wherein said control circuit is programmed, in response to a trigger signal, to:
• (a) capture a first frame of image data via a actuation of said at least one illumination light emitting diode thereby providing flood illumination and said image sensor of said first imaging module;
• (b) determine whether said first frame of image data includes decodable indicia;
• (c) automatically subject to a decode attempt a second frame of image data if said determination step (b) indicates that decodable indicia is not or is likely not represented in said first frame of image data, wherein said second frame of image data is captured via actuation of said at least one light emitting diode of said second imaging module thereby providing flood illumination and said image sensor of said first imaging module, wherein no illumination light emitting diode of said first imaging module is actuated when said second frame of image data is captured.

An optical reader comprising:

• a housing defining at least one cavity;
• a first imaging module mounted in said at least one cavity;
• a second imaging module mounted in said at least one cavity;
• wherein each of said first and second modules includes an image sensor, a support assembly, and at lest one illumination light emitting diode;
• a control circuit in communication with each of said first and second imaging modules;
• wherein said control circuit is programmed, in response to a trigger signal, to:
• (a) capture a first and second frame of image data, wherein said first frame of image data is captured via actuation of said at least one light emitting diode thereby providing flood illumination and said image sensor of said first imaging module, and said second frame of image data is captured via actuation of said at least one light emitting diode thereby providing flood illumination and said image sensor of said second imaging module;
• (b) determine whether said first and second frames include decodable indicia;
• (c) automatically combine said first frame and said second frame to generate a third image representation if said determination step (b) indicates that decodable indicia is not or is likely not represented in said first and second frames of image data;
• and to
• (d) subject said third image representation to a decode attempt.

An optical reader comprising:

• a control circuit;
• a first image sensor in communication with the control circuit, the first image sensor having a first imaging axis;
• a second image sensor in communication with the control circuit, the second image sensor having a second imaging axis, the second imaging axis different from the first imaging axis;
• and
• a first illumination source in communication with the control circuit, the first illumination source configured to provide flood illumination, the first illumination source emitting light along a first path.

A method of operating an optical reader having a plurality of image sensors and at least one illumination source, comprising the steps of:

• activating the at least one illumination source, thereby illuminating a target optical indicia;
• activating the plurality of image sensors, the activation of each image sensor including the capturing of a frame of image data by each image sensor;
• and
• processing the frames of image data, wherein the frames of image data are processed in a predetermined order, wherein the processing includes determining if a frame of image data includes decodable indicia, wherein no further frames of image data are processed if the determination is made that a frame of image data includes decodable indicia.