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 imaging module and said second imaging module includes an image sensor, a support assembly, and at least one illumination light emitting diode;
• a control circuit in communication with each of said first imaging module and said second imaging module;
• wherein said control circuit is programmed, in response to a trigger signal, to:
• (a) capture a first frame of image data and a 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) combine said first frame and said second frame to generate a third image representation;
• and to
• (c) subject said third image representation to a decode attempt, wherein said control circuit in combining said first frame and said second frame identifies a common graphical element commonly represented in said first frame and said second frame of image data.

An reader comprising:

• a hand held housing encapsulating a first imaging module, a second imaging module and a control circuit;
• said first imaging module having a first imaging axis and a first best focus distance;
• said second imaging module having a second imaging axis and a second best focus distance, said second best focus distance being at least one inch apart from said first best focus distance, said first imaging axis extending from the optical reader in a first direction, said second imaging axis extending from the optical reader in a second direction, the first direction being in diverging relation to the second direction;
• wherein each of said first imaging module and said second imaging module includes an image sensor having an array of photosensitive elements, a support assembly, and at least one illumination LED;
• wherein one of said first imaging module and said second imaging module is a one dimensional imaging module including a linear array of photosensitive elements and one of said first imaging module and said second imaging module is a two dimensional imaging module including a two dimensional color image sensor having a two dimensional array of photosensitive elements,
• said control circuit being in communication with each of said first imaging module and said second imaging module;
• wherein said control circuit is programmed, in response to receipt of a trigger signal, to:
• (a) capture a first frame of image data via actuation of said at least one illumination LED and said image sensor of said first imaging module;
• and
• (b) capture a second frame of image data is via actuation of said at least one illumination LED and said image sensor of said second imaging module;
• and
• (c) subject each of said first frame of image data and said second frame of image data to a decode attempt.

An optical reader comprising:

• an imaging module having an imaging axis, wherein the imaging module includes a two dimensional image sensor having an array of photosensitive elements, and a lens assembly for focusing an image of a target onto the two dimensional image sensor, the imaging module including a first light source spaced a first distance from the imaging axis;
• a second light source external to the imaging module spaced a second distance from the imaging axis, the second distance being longer than the first distance;
• a hand held housing encapsulating the imaging module and the second light source;
• wherein the optical reader in response to receipt of a trigger signal is operative to:
• capture a first frame of image data via actuation of the image sensor and the first light source;
• capture a second frame of image data via actuation of the image sensor and the second light source without actuation of first light source;
• wherein the optical reader is operative to subject each of the first frame of image data and the second frame of image data to a decode attempt;
• and
• wherein the first light source is included in a first set of LEDs spaced a first spacing relative to the imaging axis and the wherein the second light source is included in a second set of LEDs spaced a second spacing relative to the imaging axis, the second spacing being longer than the first spacing, wherein the optical reader responsively to receipt of the trigger signal is operative to capture the first frame of image data via actuation of the image sensor and the first set of LEDs, and the second frame of image data via actuation of the image sensor and the second set of LEDs without actuation of the first set of LEDs.