Imaging optical code scanner with camera regions
An imaging optical code scanner is presented that includes improved vertical optics for capturing images of items being presented for scanning. The improvements include multiple image capture devices, multiple illumination modules and viewing of items being scanning from four different directions. This allows for high pass-by scanning of items.
1. An optical code scanner comprising:
a vertical housing including an optically transparent vertical window facing an item scanning volume of the optical code scanner;
a plurality of secondary fixed mirrors located within and attached to the vertical housing; and
three image capture devices and a plurality of primary fixed mirrors all attached to a camera module that is located within and attached to the vertical housing where the plurality of secondary fixed mirrors are positioned to direct images from four regions of the item scanning volume of the optical code scanner to the plurality of primary fixed mirrors and to the three image capture devices;
wherein the plurality of primary fixed mirrors are arranged to direct: i) a top-down image of the item scanning volume to a first of the three image capture devices, ii) two separate images from two of the four regions to a second of the three image capture devices, wherein the two separate images are directed from opposite sides of the vertical housing, and wherein the two separate images are presented to the second image capture device as a single image having a first half of the single image representing one direction for the item scanning volume and a second half of the single image representing an opposite direction for the item scanning volume, and iii) a vertical image directed from a lower portion of the vertical housing to a third of the three image capture devices.
2. The optical code scanner of claim 1 , further including a plurality of illumination modules that direct generated light to the four regions of the item scanning area.
3. The optical code scanner of claim 2 , further comprising:
a digital memory wherein computer instructions are stored; and
a computer processor in communication with the memory where when the processor executes the computer instructions, the computer instructions cause the processor to perform the following step:
causing each of the three image capture devices to capture images from one of the four regions of the item scanning area where no two images image capture devices are captured activated at the same time and at least one image is captured from each of the four regions.
4. The optical code scanner of claim 3 , where the processor further performs the following step:
causing each of the four regions to be illuminated by one or more of the plurality of illumination modules when an image is being captured.
5. The optical code scanner of claim 3 , where the processor further performs the following step:
processing the images to read an optical code.
6. The optical code scanner of claim 3 , wherein causing the three image capture devices to capture images further includes causing the three image capture devices to capture at least 40 images per second.
7. The optical code scanner of claim 1 , where the four regions of the item scanning area include a leading area, a trailing area, a vertical area and a top/down area.
8. The optical code scanner of claim 7 , where images directed from the vertical area are captured in portrait format.
9. The optical code scanner of claim 1 , where each of the three image capture devices includes a black and white image sensor.
10. The optical code scanner of claim 1 , where each of the three image capture devices includes an image sensor with a global shutter for capturing an image.
11. A method of operating an optical code scanner implemented by a digital processor located within the optical code scanner, the method comprising:
causing each of three image capture devices to capture images from one of four regions of an item scanning area of the optical code scanner using a plurality of primary fixed mirrors, where no two images image capture devices are captured activated at the same time and at least one image is captured from each of the four regions, where one of the image capture devices uses two or more of the primary fixed mirrors to capture a combined image having a first portion from one of the regions and a second portion different than the first portion from another of the regions, and wherein causing further includes arranging the plurality of fixed mirrors for directing: i) a top-down image of the item scanning area to a first of the three image capture devices, ii) two separate images from two of the four regions to a second of the three image capture devices, wherein the two separate images are directed from opposite sides of the item scanning area, and wherein the two separate images are presented to the second image capture device as a single image having a first half of the single image representing one direction for the item scanning area and a second half of the single image representing an opposite direction for the item scanning area, and iii) a vertical image directed from a lower portion of the item scanning area to a third of the three image capture devices;
causing each of the four regions to be illuminated by one or more of the plurality of illumination modules when an image is being captured; and processing the captured images to read an optical code.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
operating the optical code scanner in pass-by scanning mode wherein the three image capture devices capture at least 40 images per second.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
operating the optical code scanner in presentation scanning mode wherein one of the three image capture devices captures an image of an item positioned in a predetermined location in one of the four regions.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the four regions of the item scanning area include a leading area, a trailing area, a vertical area and a top/down area.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein images captured from the vertical area are captured in portrait format.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the three image capture devices include a black and white image sensor.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the three image capture devices include an image sensor with a global shutter for capturing an image.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
turning off one or more of the plurality of illumination devices when not actively being used to illuminate one of the four regions to capture an image.
19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
transmitting data for the read optical code to an external computer.