Apparatus for and method of electro-optically reading a selected target by image capture from a picklist of targets

1. An apparatus for electro-optically reading, by image capture, a selected target from a picklist having a plurality of targets over a range of working distances, the apparatus comprising:

a housing;

an aiming light assembly energizable between an energized state in which an aiming light pattern is projected on the picklist, and a deenergized state in which no aiming light pattern is projected;

an imaging assembly supported by the housing, for capturing an image of the picklist in the range over an imaging field of view;

a memory for storing expected coordinates of a trajectory of the aiming light pattern in the imaging field of view over the range; and

a controller operatively connected to the memory, for processing the captured image along the trajectory to find and identify a target, for determining whether the target covers the trajectory before the aiming light assembly is set to the energized state, and for determining that the target is the selected target when the target at least partially covers the trajectory.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a handle for handheld operation, and a trigger supported by the handle for activating the reading.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the imaging assembly includes a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors, and an imaging lens assembly for projecting the captured image onto the array.

4. An apparatus for electro-optically reading, by image capture, a selected target from a picklist having a plurality of targets over a range of working distances, the apparatus comprising:

a housing;

an imaging assembly supported by the housing, for capturing an image of the picklist in the range over an imaging field of view;

a memory for storing coordinates of a trajectory of an aiming light pattern in the imaging field of view over the range;

a controller operatively connected to the memory, for processing the captured image along the trajectory to find and identify a target, for determining whether the target covers the trajectory, and for determining that the target is the selected target when the target at least partially covers the trajectory;

an aiming light assembly energizable between an energized state in which the aiming light pattern is projected on the picklist, and a deenergized state in which no aiming light pattern is projected; and

wherein the memory stores two of the coordinates as end points of a line that defines the trajectory, and wherein the controller determines that the target is the selected target when both of the end points are located within the target in the deenergized state of the aiming light assembly.

5. An apparatus for electro-optically reading, by image capture, a selected target from a picklist having a plurality of targets over a range of working distances, the apparatus comprising:

a housing;

an imaging assembly supported by the housing, for capturing an image of the picklist in the range over an imaging field of view;

a memory for storing coordinates of a trajectory of an aiming light pattern in the imaging field of view over the range;

a controller operatively connected to the memory, for processing the captured image along the trajectory to find and identify a target, for determining whether the target covers the trajectory, and for determining that the target is the selected target when the target at least partially covers the trajectory; and

wherein the memory stores two of the coordinates as end points of a line that defines the trajectory, and wherein the controller determines that the target is the selected target when one of the end points is located within the target in the deenergized state of the aiming light assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further operative for searching in a zone outside the target when the one of the end points is located within the target, and for determining that the target is the selected target when no other target is found in the zone.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is operative for configuring the zone as a circular area whose center is the other of the end points, and whose radius extends from the center to the target.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further operative for determining that another target is located in the zone, for energizing the aiming light assembly to the energized state, for determining the location of the aiming light pattern and of the target on which the aiming light pattern is present, and for determining that the target on which the aiming light pattern is present is the selected target.

9. An apparatus for electro-optically reading, by image capture, a selected target from a picklist having a plurality of targets over a range of working distances, the apparatus comprising:

a handheld housing; an imaging assembly including a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors supported by the housing, for capturing an image of the picklist in the range over an imaging field of view;

an aiming light assembly energizable between an energized state in which an aiming light pattern is projected on the picklist, and a deenergized state in which no aiming light pattern is projected;

a memory for storing two end coordinates of an expected linear trajectory of the aiming light pattern in the imaging field of view over the range; and

a controller operatively connected to the imaging assembly, the aiming light assembly, and the memory, for processing the captured image along the linear trajectory to find and identify a target before the aiming light assembly is set to the energized state, for determining that the target is the selected target when at least one of the end coordinates is located in the target and no other target is found in a zone outside the target in the deenergized state of the aiming light assembly, and for determining that the target is the selected target when the one of the end coordinates is located in the target and another target is found in the zone outside the target in the energized state of the aiming light assembly.

10. A method of electro-optically reading, by image capture, a selected target from a picklist having a plurality of targets over a range of working distances, the method comprising:

projecting an aiming light pattern on the picklist in an energized state, and projecting no aiming light pattern in a deenergized state;

capturing an image of the picklist in the range over an imaging field of view;

storing expected coordinates of a trajectory of an aiming light pattern in the imaging field of view over the range;

processing the captured image along the trajectory to find and identify a target;

determining whether the target covers the trajectory before the aiming light assembly is set to the energized state; and

determining that the target is the selected target when the target at least partially covers the trajectory.

11. The method of claim 10 , and manually activating the reading.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the capturing is performed by a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors, and by projecting the captured image onto the array.

13. A method of electro-optically reading, by image capture, a selected target from a picklist having a plurality of targets over a range of working distances, the method comprising:

capturing an image of the picklist in the range over an imaging field of view;

storing coordinates of a trajectory of an aiming light pattern in the imaging field of view over the range;

processing the captured image along the trajectory to find and identify a target;

determining whether the target covers the trajectory;

determining that the target is the selected target when the target at least partially covers the trajectory;

projecting an aiming light pattern on the picklist in an energized state, and projecting no aiming light pattern in a deenergized state; and

wherein the storing is performed by storing two of the coordinates as end points of a line that defines the trajectory, and wherein the target is determined as the selected target when both of the end points are located within the target in the deenergized state.

14. A method of electro-optically reading, by image capture, a selected target from a picklist having a plurality of targets over a range of working distances, the method comprising:

capturing an image of the picklist in the range over an imaging field of view;

storing coordinates of a trajectory of an aiming light pattern in the imaging field of view over the range;

processing the captured image along the trajectory to find and identify a target;

determining whether the target covers the trajectory;

determining that the target is the selected target when the target at least partially covers the trajectory;

projecting an aiming light pattern on the picklist in an energized state, and projecting no aiming light pattern in a deenergized state; and

wherein the storing is performed by storing two of the coordinates as end points of a line that defines the trajectory, and wherein the target is determined as the selected target when one of the end points is located within the target in the deenergized state.

15. The method of claim 14 , and searching in a zone outside the target when the one of the end points is located within the target, and determining that the target is the selected target when no other target is found in the zone.

16. The method of claim 15 ; and configuring the zone as a circular area whose center is the other of the end points, and whose radius extends from the center to the target.

17. The method of claim 15 , and determining that another target is located in the zone, determining the location of the aiming light pattern and of the target on which the aiming light pattern is present in the energized state, and determining that the target on which the aiming light pattern is present is the selected target.