Abstract: An apparatus for, and a method of, electro-optically reading a target by image capture, employ a scan engine in a handheld housing having a tilted handle. A single tilted printed circuit board (PCB) in the handle has front and rear surfaces that respectively face toward and away from the target during reading. An optical assembly having a pair of fold mirrors is mounted on the rear surface, for receiving return light from the target through an aperture in the PCB along the horizontal, and for directing the return light along an internal folded optical path. An imaging lens assembly is mounted between the fold mirrors and has an imaging axis that extends generally parallel to the PCB. The imaging lens assembly projects the return light onto a solid-state, two-dimensional, image sensor to enable the return light to be detected over a field of view, and to generate an electrical signal indicative of the detected return light.

Abstract: A mobile device having a camera is adapted to serve as an electro-optical reader for electro-optically reading targets. The device is received and held in a housing having a rear wall. A top extension extends away from the rear wall at a top region of the device. A fold mirror is mounted on the top extension and is spaced away from a camera lens of the device. The fold mirror is inclined relative the rear wall and is operative for receiving at least a portion of a field of view imaged by the camera from each target along a first direction, and for folding and redirecting the field of view along a second direction generally perpendicular to the rear wall through the camera lens to the camera. A handle having a trigger assembly may be connected to the housing.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a diffusive plate that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of an imaging lens arrangement and covers a side face of a solid rectangular defining a volume space within which parts of a scan engine are deposited. The parts of the scan engine including at least the illumination light source, the imaging lens arrangement, an imaging sensor, and a controller for controlling both the illumination light source and the imaging sensor. The diffusive plate includes a first opening to allow light enter the imaging lens arrangement through the first opening. The area enclosed by the boundary of the diffusive plate substantially equal to the area of the side face of the solid rectangular.

Abstract: An optical slot scanner (10) and method includes a housing (12) supporting a scanning arrangement (22) within an interior region (14) of the housing. The scanning arrangement (22) includes an imaging camera (26) and light source (24) disposed within a recess compartment (80) located in the interior region of the housing. The imaging camera defines an imaging field (40) of view for reading indicia located on a target object. The light source defines an illumination field (42) for illuminating indicia located on a target object, such that the illumination field is substantially coaxial with the imaging field during a reading of indicia located on a target object.

Abstract: A checkout system includes a clerk-operated, bi-optical workstation through which products associated with targets having target data to be electro-optically captured are passed, and a customer-operated, accessory reader having an accessory window and a data capture assembly for capturing additional target data of additional targets associated with transaction-related items. The accessory reader is supported by the workstation for movement relative to the workstation to enable the customer to readily position and aim the accessory window at the additional targets.

Abstract: An apparatus includes (1) an imaging lens arrangement having an optical axis, (2) an aiming light source configured to project visible light through the imaging lens arrangement to create an aiming pattern on a target object, (3) an imaging sensor detecting light from the target object through the imaging lens arrangement, and (4) a folding mirror tilted relative to the optical axis of the imaging lens arrangement. The folding mirror is positioned both on the optical path from the imaging lens arrangement to the imaging sensor and on the optical path from the aiming light source to the imaging lens arrangement. Both the imaging arrangement and the aiming arrangement share the same imaging lens.

Abstract: A workstation electro-optically reads targets by image capture, and includes a housing, a generally planar window, an imaging module, and a generally planar fold mirror between the window and the module. The module has an illuminating light assembly for directing illumination light along an illumination path through the window at a target for return therefrom during reading, and an image sensing assembly for detecting return illumination light through the window along an imaging path over an imaging field of view during reading. The fold mirror folds the illumination and the imaging paths. The fold mirror and the window lie in planes that are substantially parallel to each other to prevent reflections of the illumination light off of the fold mirror and the window from entering the imaging field of view as virtual images that degrade target detection by the image sensing assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a light emitting diode operative to emit mostly invisible light within an invisible bandwidth, and a scattering surface configured to scatter a first portion of the invisible light from the light emitting diode out of the window. The scattering surface is also partially transparent to allow a second portion of the invisible light from the light emitting diode to pass through the scattering surface and strike the reflector that is configured to reflect at least some of the second portion of the invisible light towards the window. The apparatus further includes a photodetector configured to detect returned invisible light from the target object.

Abstract: A checkout system includes a clerk-operated, bi-optical workstation through which products associated with targets having target data to be electro-optically captured are passed, and a customer-operated, accessory reader having an accessory window and a data capture assembly for capturing additional target data of additional targets associated with transaction-related items. The accessory reader is supported by the workstation for movement relative to the workstation to enable the customer to readily position and aim the accessory window at the additional targets.

Abstract: An arrangement for, and a method of, electro-optically reading a target by image capture, employ a scan engine in a handheld housing having a tilted handle. A single tilted printed circuit board (PCB) in the handle has front and rear surfaces that respectively face toward and away from the target during reading. An optical assembly having a pair of fold mirrors is mounted on the rear surface, for receiving return light from the target through an aperture in the PCB along the horizontal, and for directing the return light along a folded path. An imaging lens assembly projects the return light onto a solid-state, two-dimensional, image sensor to enable the return light to be detected over a field of view, and to generate an electrical signal indicative of the detected return light.

Abstract: A workstation includes a first window located in an upright plane, a second window located in a generally horizontal plane that intersects the upright plane, and a controller operative to read a barcode, and a weighing system having a horizontal platter operative to measure the weight of produce exerting gravitational force on the horizontal platter. The workstation also includes a four-bar apparatus having a front bar, a back bar, a first side bar, and a second side bar all atop the horizontal platter. The four-bar apparatus is operative to be settled into one of a first configuration and a second configuration. The upper edge of each of the front bar, the back bar, the first side bar, and the second side bar has an average height at the second configuration larger than its average height at the first configuration.

Abstract: Infrared light, which is non-readily visible, illuminates at least part of a field of view containing indicia to be electro-optically read. Visible light illuminates another field of view containing the same indicia. The indicia is read by image capture by the illumination light from one of the illuminated fields of view. The use of IR light minimizes an adverse reaction due to only using bright visible light. The use of visible light enables thermally printed indicia, which is not readily readable by IR light, to be read.

Abstract: A checkout system includes a workstation having a first workstation window located in a generally horizontal plane and a second workstation window located in a generally upright plane. The workstation includes a data capture arrangement for capturing through at least one of the workstation windows target data of targets associated with the products. The workstation also includes a rear cover having a first opening and a second opening. The first opening and the second opening are located on opposite side-walls of the rear cover and substantially identical in size. The first opening allows light from additional targets entering an accessory reader from an accessory window facing the bagging area, but the second opening is covered by a side cover.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a light emitting diode operative to emit mostly invisible light within an invisible bandwidth, and a scattering surface configured to scatter a first portion of the invisible light from the light emitting diode out of the window. The scattering surface is also partially transparent to allow a second portion of the invisible light from the light emitting diode to pass through the scattering surface and strike the reflector that is configured to reflect at least some of the second portion of the invisible light towards the window. The apparatus further includes a photodetector configured to detect returned invisible light from the target object.

Abstract: An apparatus for, and a method of, electro-optically reading a target by image capture, employ a scan engine in a handheld housing having a tilted handle. A single tilted printed circuit board (PCB) in the handle has front and rear surfaces that respectively face toward and away from the target during reading. An optical assembly having a pair of fold mirrors is mounted on the rear surface, for receiving return light from the target through an aperture in the PCB along the horizontal, and for directing the return light along an internal folded optical path. An imaging lens assembly is mounted between the fold mirrors and has an imaging axis that extends generally parallel to the PCB. The imaging lens assembly projects the return light onto a solid-state, two-dimensional, image sensor to enable the return light to be detected over a field of view, and to generate an electrical signal indicative of the detected return light.

Abstract: An arrangement for, and a method of, electro-optically reading a target by image capture, employ a scan engine in a handheld housing having a tilted handle. A single tilted printed circuit board (PCB) in the handle has front and rear surfaces that respectively face toward and away from the target during reading. An optical assembly having a pair of fold mirrors is mounted on the rear surface, for receiving return light from the target through an aperture in the PCB along the horizontal, and for directing the return light along a folded path. An imaging lens assembly projects the return light onto a solid-state, two-dimensional, image sensor to enable the return light to be detected over a field of view, and to generate an electrical signal indicative of the detected return light.

Abstract: An optical scanner (600) and method of operating same includes a housing (16) supporting first (34) and second scanning systems (202), the first scanning system for scanning indicia on a target object, the housing defining an interior region of the scanner. The first scanning system comprises one of an imaging camera (208/209) and a laser light source (38) disposed within the housing interior region defining a first field of view for reading indicia located on a target object. The second scanning system (202) comprises a separate imaging camera (602) disposed in the housing interior region for reading auxiliary data from an auxiliary object relating to one or more target objects being scanned, the second scanning system defining a second field of view (604). A locator platform (620) is recessed within the housing for positioning an auxiliary object within the second field of view during use of the scanner.

Abstract: An apparatus includes (1) an imaging lens arrangement having an optical axis, (2) an aiming light source configured to project visible light through the imaging lens arrangement to create an aiming pattern on a target object, (3) an imaging sensor detecting light from the target object through the imaging lens arrangement, and (4) a folding mirror tilted relative to the optical axis of the imaging lens arrangement. The folding mirror is positioned both on the optical path from the imaging lens arrangement to the imaging sensor and on the optical path from the aiming light source to the imaging lens arrangement. Both the imaging arrangement and the aiming arrangement share the same imaging lens.

Abstract: An optical slot scanner (10) and method includes a housing (12) supporting a scanning arrangement (22) within an interior region (14) of the housing. The scanning arrangement (22) includes an imaging camera (26) and light source (24) disposed within a recess compartment (80) located in the interior region of the housing. The imaging camera defines an imaging field (40) of view for reading indicia located on a target object. The light source defines an illumination field (42) for illuminating indicia located on a target object, such that the illumination field is substantially coaxial with the imaging field during a reading of indicia located on a target object.

Abstract: Infrared light, which is non-readily visible, illuminates at least part of a field of view containing indicia to be electro-optically read. Visible light illuminates another field of view containing the same indicia. The indicia is read by image capture by the illumination light from one of the illuminated fields of view. The use of IR light minimizes an adverse reaction due to only using bright visible light. The use of visible light enables thermally printed indicia, which is not readily readable by IR light, to be read.