Dual mode aimer for long range barcode scanning

1 . A scanner comprising:

a laser source configured to emit a laser beam onto a first target within a field of view (FOV);

one or more sensors configured to determine a distance between the scanner and the first target within the FOV; and,

one or more processors operationally coupled with the laser source and the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

receive the distance from the one or more sensors;

compare the distance with a predefined threshold value to determine whether the first target is in a far-field;

operate the laser source in a stable-aimer mode on determining that the first target is in a near field;

operate the laser source in a flicking-aimer mode on determining the first target is in the far-field.

2 . The scanner of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one of a distance sensor or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.

3 . The scanner of claim 2 , wherein the CMOS sensor is configured to determine one or more parameters associated with images of the first target generated by the CMOS sensor, for determining the distance between the scanner and the first target.

4 . The scanner of claim 3 , wherein the one or more parameters associated with the images comprises at least one of exposure time, gain, or white value.

5 . The scanner of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

compare the distance with the predefined threshold value to determine whether the first target is in a near-field.

6 . The scanner of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine, on determining the distance is above the predefined threshold value, the first target is in the far-field; and,

determine, on determining the distance between the scanner and the first target is below or equal to the predefined threshold value, the first target is in the near-field.

7 . The scanner of claim 5 , wherein the laser beam emitted by the laser source in the stable-aimer mode is a dot or a pattern.

8 . The scanner of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam emitted by the laser source in the flicking-aimer mode is a flicker, an anti-flicker aimer pulse, or a low frequency aimer pulse.

9 . The scanner of claim 8 , wherein, in the flicking-aimer mode, a drive pulse frequency of the laser source comprises at least one of a fixed duty cycle, a variable duty cycle, or a variable frequency.

10 . The scanner of claim 8 , wherein, in the flicking-aimer mode, the laser beam corresponds to the anti-flicker aimer pulse in which an individual aimer pulse timing is shifted to avoid an illumination period and sensor exposure period, and the low frequency aimer pulse is added on a top of the anti-flicker aimer pulse to draw user attention in the far-field.

11 . The scanner of claim 10 , wherein the anti-flicker aimer pulse defines a frequency around 50 Hertz or higher and the low frequency aimer pulse defines a frequency of below around 10 Hertz.

12 . The scanner of claim 1 , wherein the laser source comprises at least one of a laser aimer, a semiconductor diode laser, a gas laser, a fiber laser, or a quantum cascade laser.

13 . A method comprising:

emitting, with a laser source, a laser beam onto a first target within a field of view (FOV);

determining, via one or more sensors, a distance between a scanner and the first target within the FOV;

comparing, via one or more processors, the distance with a predefined threshold value, to determine whether the first target is in a far-field;

operating the laser source in a stable-aimer mode on determining that the first target is in a near field; and

operating, via the one or more processors, the laser source in a flicking-aimer mode on determining the first target is in the far-field.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one of a distance sensor or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the CMOS sensor is configured to determine one or more parameters associated with images of the first target generated by the CMOS sensor, for determining the distance between the scanner and the first target.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more parameters associated with the images comprises at least one of exposure time, gain, or white value.

17 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:

comparing, via the one or more processors, the distance with the predefined threshold value, to determine whether the first target is in a near-field.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine, on determining the distance between the scanner and the first target is above the predefined threshold value, the first target is in the far-field, and wherein determine, on determining the distance between the scanner and the first target is below or equal to the predefined threshold value, the first target is in the near-field.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the laser beam emitted by the laser source in the stable-aimer mode is a dot or a pattern.

20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the laser beam emitted by the laser source in the flicking-aimer mode is a flicker, an anti-flicker aimer pulse, or a low frequency aimer pulse.