An assisted aimer for rapid, accurate, and low-cost imaging of barcodes, includes a hand-held device, such as a smart phone or tablet, having a digital camera with built-in flash, a specialized software application executing on the phone, and an aimer apparatus attached in front of the flash aperture for forming an aimer beam at a predetermined distance. The aimer beam assists a user in accurately pointing the device at a target barcode. The aimer is attachable directly to the smart phone or camera, or is made a part of an enclosure that accepts the smart phone or tablet into a self-aligning receiving space Aiming beam assistance enables the camera, its auto-focus, and the installed software application image processing to deliver rapid, snappy, barcode imaging.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to imaging devices and indicia reading devices. An imaging apparatus comprises an image sensor, an optical window positioned in front of the image sensor and a light source enclosing a perimeter of the optical window such that an illumination cone of the light source overlaps a portion of a near field of view cone of the imaging apparatus. The portion of the near field of view cone extends from a surface of the optical window to a threshold distance from the optical window. The light source is configured to produce a first illumination along a first direction extending towards a scene to be imaged.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to imaging devices and indicia reading devices. An imaging apparatus comprises an image sensor, an optical window positioned in front of the image sensor and a light source enclosing a perimeter of the optical window such that an illumination cone of the light source overlaps a portion of a near field of view cone of the imaging apparatus. The portion of the near field of view cone extends from a surface of the optical window to a threshold distance from the optical window. The light source is configured to produce a first illumination along a first direction extending towards a scene to be imaged.

According to one embodiment, a reader/writer includes an insertion portion and a support member. An information storage medium held by a person with fingers is inserted into the insertion portion. The support member supports the insertion portion on an installation surface by causing an insertion direction of the information storage medium with respect to the insertion portion to be lowered to the front to intersect with a horizontal plane. In the support member, an intersection angle between the insertion direction and the horizontal plane is set to a predetermined acute angle at which the fingers of the person do not interfere with the installation surface when the information storage medium is inserted into the insertion portion.

A printer configured to print on a printing medium having an RFID, comprising a communication unit configured to communicate with the RFID, and a search unit configured to move the communication unit to a position with respect to the RFID to search for a position communicable with the RFID, wherein the search unit determines communication success/failure between the RFID and the communication unit at a plurality of positions with respect to the RFID, and on the basis of a region including a plurality of positions determined as the communication being successful, identifying a communication position between the RFID and the communication unit.

A printer configured to print on a printing medium having an RFID, comprising a communication unit configured to communicate with the RFID, and a search unit configured to move the communication unit to a position with respect to the RFID to search for a position communicable with the RFID, wherein the search unit determines communication success/failure between the RFID and the communication unit at a plurality of positions with respect to the RFID, and on the basis of a region including a plurality of positions determined as the communication being successful, identifying a communication position between the RFID and the communication unit.

Example embodiments of systems and methods for data transmission between a contactless card and a receiving application are provided. The transmitting device may include a processor, memory, and communication interface. A receiving application may include instructions for execution on a receiving device having a processor, a memory, a communication interface configured to create a communication field for data communication with the transmitting device, and one or more sensors. Upon movement of the transmitting device, the receiving application is configured to receive, via one or more sensors, feedback information associated with the transmitting device, display one or more instructions regarding the position of the transmitting device relative to the receiving device until the transmitting device enters the communication field. Upon entry into the communication field, the transmitting device is configured to transmit data to the receiving device.

Example embodiments of systems and methods for data transmission between a contactless card and a receiving application are provided. The transmitting device may include a processor, memory, and communication interface. A receiving application may include instructions for execution on a receiving device having a processor, a memory, a communication interface configured to create a communication field for data communication with the transmitting device, and one or more sensors. Upon movement of the transmitting device, the receiving application is configured to receive, via one or more sensors, feedback information associated with the transmitting device, display one or more instructions regarding the position of the transmitting device relative to the receiving device until the transmitting device enters the communication field. Upon entry into the communication field, the transmitting device is configured to transmit data to the receiving device.

Example embodiments of systems, methods, and devices for transaction card alignment are provided. In one example embodiment, a mobile device may include a first component and a second component foldable with respect to one another between a first configuration and a second configuration. The mobile device may further include a screen interface on an interior side of the first component, and an alignment feature along the interior side, the alignment feature providing alignment for a contactless card with respect to the screen interface, wherein the contactless card is uncovered by the second component in the first configuration and covered by the second component in the second configuration.

A camera-based barcode reader captures an image, determines a region of interest of a barcode within the image, and generates a barcode image from the region of interest. The camera-based barcode reader aligns each of multiple horizontal regions within the barcode image to a reference horizontal region within the barcode image. The alignment of a horizontal region includes (i) determining a set of alignment parameters to apply to the horizontal region based on a comparison of the reference horizontal region to the horizontal region when adjusted to different combinations of alignment parameters and (ii) adjusting the horizontal region according to the set of alignment parameters for that horizontal region. After aligning the barcode image, the camera-based barcode reader decodes the barcode from the barcode image.