Imaging of non-barcoded documents
AssigneeSymbol Technologies, Inc.
InventorEdward D. Barkan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure concerns a bar code reader 10 that can both interpret bar codes and image documents. The bar code reader includes a housing including a vertical and a horizontal transparent window H, V and defining a housing interior region. As a target object is swiped or presented in relation to the transparent windows an image of the target object is captured. Cameras C1-C6 have image capture sensor arrays positioned within the housing interior region for capturing an image of an object within a camera field of view. Two specific cameras can capture the front and back images from a document such as a check 100 placed on the horizontal transparent window.
Claims23
A bar code reader for both reading bar codes and imaging a document not having a bar code affixed thereto, the bar code reader comprising:
- a housing having a housing interior and including a transparent window which defines a reader field of view for imaging a document or a bar code containing object that is swiped or presented within the reader field of view;
- a camera system having one or more image capture sensors for capturing images within the reader field of view near the transparent window wherein the field of view includes a front of a document within the reader field of view and a back of said document within the reader field of view;
- and
- an image processing system comprising a processor for decoding a bar code carried by the target object or, storing images of the front and back of a document.
A bar code reader for both reading bar codes and imaging a document not having a bar code affixed thereto, the bar code reader comprising:
- a housing having base portion and an upright portion enclosing a housing interior and including a generally horizontal and a generally vertical transparent window which define a reader field of view for imaging a document or a bar code containing object that is swiped or presented within the reader field of view;
- first and second camera systems wherein each camera system has an associated image capture sensor for capturing images within the reader field of view near the vertical and horizontal transparent windows wherein a first camera system captures images of a front of a document resting on the horizontal window within the reader field of view and a second camera system captures images from a back of said document resting on the horizontal window within the reader field of view;
- and
- an image processing system comprising a processor for decoding a bar code carried by the target object or, storing images of the front and back of a document.
A method for imaging a target bar code or document with a bar code reader comprising:
- providing a bar code reader housing having one or more transparent windows that define a reader field of view for movement and/or positioning of an object having a bar code;
- positioning one or more cameras having associated sensor arrays within the housing for imaging bar codes on objects outside the housing;
- capturing images as light from said reader field of view impinges onto the sensor arrays of said one or more cameras;
- and
- interpreting images captured from the reader field of view to decode a bar code or storing images from a front and back of a document within the reader field of view.
An imaging-based bar code reader for imaging a target bar code on a target object, the bar code reader comprising:
- a housing supporting a horizontal window and defining an interior region, a target object being presented to or swiped through the housing for imaging a target bar code;
- an imaging system comprising
- camera means having an image capture sensor means positioned within the housing interior region for capturing an image of a bar code within a bar code reader field of view as well as the front and back surfaces of a document resting on the horizontal window;
- and
- light reflecting means for defining multiple camera fields of view that combine to form a reader field of view including mirrors positioned with respect to said sensor means for deflecting light along a light path from the reader field of view that bounces from a target in the field of view along said light path to the image capture sensor means;
- and
- image processing means for selectively activating the light source means and identifying a bar code or saving images of a front and back side of a document within the reader field of view from images captured by the imaging system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.