Imaging reader and method with dual function illumination light assembly
AssigneeSymbol Technologies, Inc.
InventorsEdward Barkan, Mark Drzymala
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An imaging reader for, and a method of, imaging targets, include a solid-state imager supported by a housing for capturing return light from a target over a field of view. An illumination light assembly performs both illumination and aiming functions. Illumination light is projected along an optical path through a passage in the housing to illuminate the target. The housing has boundary walls spaced along the optical path away from the imager and the illumination light assembly for clipping the illumination light projected through the passage to form on the target an aiming light distribution that visually indicates a periphery of the field of view to assist in positioning the target entirely within the field of view.
Claims21
A reader for electro-optically imaging targets, comprising:
- a housing having a front end region having boundary walls bounding a passage;
- a solid-state imager supported by the housing, for capturing return light along an optical path through the passage over a field of view from a target during an exposure time period, and for generating an electrical signal indicative of the captured light;
- a controller supported by the housing, for processing the electrical signal into data indicative of the target being imaged;
- an illumination light assembly supported back in the housing along the optical path away from the boundary walls of the housing and operatively connected to the controller, for projecting illumination light along the optical path through the passage to illuminate the target, the boundary walls of the housing for clipping the illumination light to form on the target a two-dimensional aiming light distribution that visually indicates the entire periphery of the field of view to assist in positioning the target entirely within the field of view;
- and
- wherein the controller is further configured to turn on the illumination light at least during part of the exposure time period.
A reader for electro-optically imaging targets, comprising:
- boundary means having boundary walls for bounding a passage in a front end region of a housing;
- imaging means for capturing return light along an optical path through the passage over a field of view from a target during an exposure time period, and for generating an electrical signal indicative of the captured light;
- control means for processing the electrical signal into data indicative of the target being imaged;
- illumination means being located back in the housing along the optical path away from the boundary walls of the housing for projecting illumination light along the optical path through the passage to illuminate the target, the boundary walls of the housing for clipping the illumination light to form on the target a two-dimensional aiming light distribution that visually indicates the entire periphery of the field of view to assist in positioning the target entirely within the field of view;
- and
- wherein the control means is further configured to turn on the illumination light at least during part of the exposure time period.
A method of electro-optically imaging targets, comprising the steps of:
- bounding a passage with boundary walls of a front end region of a housing;
- capturing return light from a target along an optical path through the passage over a field of view of a solid-state imager during an exposure time period, and generating an electrical signal indicative of the captured light;
- processing the electrical signal into data indicative of the target being imaged;
- projecting illumination light from an illumination light assembly along the optical path through the passage to illuminate the target at least during part of the exposure time period;
- and
- spacing the illumination light assembly back in the housing along the optical path away from the boundary walls of the housing and clipping the illumination light by the boundary walls of the housing to form on the target a two-dimensional aiming light distribution that visually indicates the entire periphery of the field of view to assist in positioning the target entirely within the field of view.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.