Data capture terminal with automatic focusing over a limited range of working distances
AssigneeSymbol Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDuanfeng HE, Bradley CARLSON
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A data capture terminal for, and a method of, automatically capturing data from targets located within a range of working distances from the terminal, employ a controller for automatically controlling a set of focal parameters of an imaging assembly, for storing one of the focal parameters of the imaging assembly upon a successful data capture from a first target, and for automatically selecting a subset of the focal parameters determined from the stored focal parameter to capture data from a second target. The subset is smaller than the set of the focal parameters and corresponds to a restricted zone within the range of working distances to enhance data capture performance of the terminal.
Claims20
A data capture terminal for automatically capturing data from targets located within a range of working distances from the terminal, comprising:
- an imaging assembly for focusing and capturing return light from the targets over a field of view, and for generating respective electrical signals each indicative of the captured return light;
- and
- a controller operative for processing one of the electrical signals from one of the targets into data indicative of the one target by automatically controlling a set of focal parameters of the imaging assembly, for determining that the data of the one target has been successfully captured, and for storing one of the focal parameters of the imaging assembly upon a successful determination, the set of focal parameters of the imaging assembly corresponding to the range of working distances, and
- the controller being further operative for subsequently processing another of the electrical signals from another of the targets into data indicative of the other target by automatically selecting a subset of the focal parameters determined by the stored one focal parameter, and for determining that the data of the other target has been successfully captured, the subset containing the stored one focal parameter, and the subset being smaller than the set of the focal parameters of the imaging assembly and corresponding to a restricted zone within the range of working distances to enhance data capture performance of the terminal.
A data capture terminal for automatically capturing data from targets located within a range of working distances from the terminal, comprising:
- imaging means for focusing and capturing return light from the targets over a field of view, and for generating respective electrical signals each indicative of the captured return light;
- and
- control means for processing one of the electrical signals from one of the targets into data indicative of the one target by automatically controlling a set of focal parameters of the imaging means, for determining that the data of the one target has been successfully captured, and for storing one of the focal parameters of the imaging means upon a successful determination, the set of focal parameters of the imaging means corresponding to the range of working distances, and
- the control means being further operative for subsequently processing another of the electrical signals from another of the targets into data indicative of the other target by automatically selecting a subset of the focal parameters determined by the stored one focal parameter, and for determining that the data of the other target has been successfully captured, the subset containing the stored one focal parameter, and the subset being smaller than the set of the focal parameters of the imaging means and corresponding to a restricted zone within the range of working distances to enhance data capture performance of the terminal.
A method of automatically capturing data from targets located within a range of working distances from a data capture terminal, comprising the steps of:
- focusing and capturing return light from the targets over a field of view of an imaging assembly;
- generating respective electrical signals each indicative of the captured return light;
- processing one of the electrical signals from one of the targets into data indicative of the one target by automatically controlling a set of focal parameters of the imaging assembly;
- determining that the data of the one target has been successfully captured;
- storing one of the focal parameters of the imaging assembly upon a successful determination,
- configuring the set of focal parameters of the imaging assembly to correspond to the range of working distances;
- subsequently processing another of the electrical signals from another of the targets into data indicative of the other target by automatically selecting a subset of the focal parameters determined by the stored one focal parameter;
- determining that the data of the other target has been successfully captured;
- containing the stored one focal parameter in the subset;
- and
- configuring the subset to be smaller than the set of the focal parameters of the imaging assembly, and configuring the subset to correspond to a restricted zone within the range of working distances to enhance data capture performance of the terminal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.