Use of distant measurement to aid in vision applications in handheld scanner devices

1. A variable focus imaging system, comprising:

an imaging assembly configured to capture a plurality of images of an environment appearing in a field of view (FOV);

an aiming assembly configured to project an aim pattern in the FOV; and

one or more imaging processors configured to receive the plurality of images from the imaging assembly; and

a computer-readable media storing machine readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more imaging processors to:

(a) receive a first image of the plurality of images from the imaging assembly;

(b) analyze at least a portion of the first image to determine a first focus value based on a position of the aim pattern in the FOV;

(c) configure a focus parameter of the imaging assembly based on the first focus value;

(d) receive a subsequent image of the plurality of images from the imaging assembly;

(e) determine a blurriness value for at least a portion of the subsequent image;

(f) responsive to the blurriness value being less than a predetermined threshold value, transmit the subsequent image to a decode module; and

(g) responsive to the blurriness value exceeding the predetermined threshold value:

determine a subsequent focus value that is different than any preceding focus values, the preceding focus values including the first focus value;

configure the focus parameter of the imaging assembly based on the subsequent focus value; and

repeat (d) through (g).

2. The variable focus imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging assembly includes an actuator and configuring the focus parameter includes:

transmitting, to the imaging assembly, a command to adjust a position of the actuator.

3. The variable focus imaging system of claim 2 , wherein repeating (d) through (g) includes:

determining the blurriness value by determining a subsequent blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value by:

determining that a subsequent blurriness value is greater than a preceding blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value based at least on the determining that the subsequent blurriness value is greater than a preceding blurriness value.

4. The variable focus imaging system of claim 3 , wherein the command to adjust the position is a command to adjust the position in a first direction and repeating (d) through (g) includes:

configuring the focus parameter based on the subsequent blurriness value by transmitting, to the imaging assembly, a command to adjust a position of the actuator in a second direction opposite of the first direction.

5. The variable focus imaging system of claim 2 , wherein repeating (d) through (g) includes:

determining the blurriness value by determining a subsequent blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value by:

determining that a subsequent blurriness value is less than a preceding blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value based at least on the determining that the subsequent blurriness value is less than a preceding blurriness value.

6. The variable focus imaging system of claim 5 , wherein the command to adjust the position is a command to adjust the position in a first direction and repeating (d) through (g) includes:

configuring the focus parameter based on the subsequent blurriness value by transmitting, to the imaging assembly, a command to adjust the position of the actuator further in the first direction.

7. The variable focus imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the subsequent image includes a region of interest including a predetermined area surrounding the aim pattern in the FOV.

8. The variable focus imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the subsequent image includes a region of interest including a predetermined percentage of the FOV positioned on a central axis of the subsequent image.

9. The variable focus imaging system of claim 1 , wherein determining the blurriness value includes:

calculating a variance of a gradient divergence for the at least the portion of the subsequent image; and

generating the blurriness value based on the variance.

10. The variable focus imaging system of claim 1 , wherein determining the blurriness value includes:

shifting image data associated with the subsequent image into frequency domain data;

calculating a magnitude spectrum associated with the frequency domain data; and

generating the blurriness value based on the magnitude spectrum.

11. A method for capturing images via one or more imaging processors configured to receive a plurality of images of an environment appearing in a field of view (FOV) from an imaging assembly, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a first image of the plurality of images from the imaging assembly;

(b) analyzing at least a portion of the first image to determine a first focus value based on a position of an aim pattern in the FOV projected by an aiming assembly;

(c) configuring a focus parameter of the imaging assembly based on the first focus value;

(d) receiving a subsequent image of the plurality of images from the imaging assembly;

(e) determining a blurriness value for at least a portion of the subsequent image;

(f) responsive to the blurriness value being less than a predetermined threshold value, transmitting the subsequent image to a decode module; and

(g) responsive to the blurriness value exceeding the predetermined threshold value:

determining a subsequent focus value that is different than any preceding focus values, the preceding focus values including the first focus value;

configuring the focus parameter of the imaging assembly based on the subsequent focus value; and

repeating (d) through (g).

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the imaging assembly includes an actuator and configuring the focus parameter includes:

transmitting, to the imaging assembly, a command to adjust a position of the actuator.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein repeating (d) through (g) includes:

determining the blurriness value by determining a subsequent blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value by:

determining that a subsequent blurriness value is greater than a preceding blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value based at least on the determining that the subsequent blurriness value is greater than a preceding blurriness value.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the command to adjust the position is a command to adjust the position in a first direction and repeating (d) through (g) includes:

configuring the focus parameter based on the subsequent blurriness value by transmitting, to the imaging assembly, a command to adjust a position of the actuator in a second direction opposite of the first direction.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein repeating (d) through (g) includes:

determining the blurriness value by determining a subsequent blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value by:

determining that a subsequent blurriness value is less than a preceding blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value based at least on the determining that the subsequent blurriness value is less than a preceding blurriness value.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the command to adjust the position is a command to adjust the position in a first direction and repeating (d) through (g) includes:

configuring the focus parameter based on the subsequent blurriness value by transmitting, to the imaging assembly, a command to adjust the position of the actuator further in the first direction.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least a portion of the subsequent image includes a region of interest including a predetermined area surrounding the aim pattern in the FOV.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least a portion of the subsequent image includes a region of interest including a predetermined percentage of the FOV positioned on a central axis of the subsequent image.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the blurriness value includes:

calculating a variance of a gradient divergence for the at least the portion of the subsequent image; and

generating the blurriness value based on the variance.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the blurriness value includes:

shifting image data associated with the subsequent image into frequency domain data;

calculating a magnitude spectrum associated with the frequency domain data; and

generating the blurriness value based on the magnitude spectrum.

21. A device configured to receive a plurality of images of an environment appearing in a field of view (FOV) from an imaging assembly, the device comprising:

one or more imaging processors configured to receive the plurality of images from the imaging assembly; and

a computer-readable media storing machine readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more imaging processors to:

(a) receive a first image of the plurality of images from the imaging assembly;

(b) analyze at least a portion of the first image to determine a first focus value based on a position of an aim pattern in the FOV projected by an aiming assembly;

(c) configure a focus parameter of the imaging assembly based on the first focus value;

(d) receive a subsequent image of the plurality of images from the imaging assembly;

(e) determine a blurriness value for at least a portion of the subsequent image;

(f) responsive to the blurriness value being less than a predetermined threshold value, transmit the subsequent image to a decode module; and

(g) responsive to the blurriness value exceeding the predetermined threshold value:

determine a subsequent focus value that is different than any preceding focus values, the preceding focus values including the first focus value;

configure the focus parameter of the imaging assembly based on the subsequent focus value; and

repeat (d) through (g).

22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the imaging assembly includes an actuator and configuring the focus parameter includes:

transmitting, to the imaging assembly, a command to adjust a position of the actuator.

23. The device of claim 22 , wherein repeating (d) through (g) includes:

determining the blurriness value by determining a subsequent blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value by:

determining that a subsequent blurriness value is greater than a preceding blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value based at least on the determining that the subsequent blurriness value is greater than a preceding blurriness value.

24. The device of claim 23 , wherein the command to adjust the position is a command to adjust the position in a first direction and repeating (d) through (g) includes:

configuring the focus parameter based on the subsequent blurriness value by transmitting, to the imaging assembly, a command to adjust a position of the actuator in a second direction opposite of the first direction.

25. The device of claim 22 , wherein repeating (d) through (g) includes:

determining the blurriness value by determining a subsequent blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value by:

determining that a subsequent blurriness value is less than a preceding blurriness value; and

determining the subsequent focus value based at least on the determining that the subsequent blurriness value is less than a preceding blurriness value.

26. The device of claim 25 , wherein the command to adjust the position is a command to adjust the position in a first direction and repeating (d) through (g) includes:

configuring the focus parameter based on the subsequent blurriness value by transmitting, to the imaging assembly, a command to adjust the position of the actuator further in the first direction.

27. The device of claim 21 , wherein the at least a portion of the subsequent image includes a region of interest including a predetermined area surrounding the aim pattern in the FOV.

28. The device of claim 21 , wherein the at least a portion of the subsequent image includes a region of interest including a predetermined percentage of the FOV positioned on a central axis of the subsequent image.

29. The device of claim 21 , wherein determining the blurriness value includes:

calculating a variance of a gradient divergence for the at least the portion of the subsequent image; and

generating the blurriness value based on the variance.

30. The device of claim 21 , wherein determining the blurriness value includes:

shifting image data associated with the subsequent image into frequency domain data;

calculating a magnitude spectrum associated with the frequency domain data; and

generating the blurriness value based on the magnitude spectrum.