Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining item availability are provided. A computer implemented method for determining item availability in a shopping space comprising: receiving a request for an item for purchase from a customer, querying an inventory database to determine whether the item for purchase is in stock, in an event that the item for purchase is not in stock according to the inventory database: determining an out of stock response to present to the customer, in an event that the item for purchase is in stock according the inventory database: instructing a motorized transport unit to travel to a display space in the shopping space corresponding to the item for the purchase, determining whether the item is available in the display space based on information captured by one or more sensors of the motorized transport unit, and in an event that the item for purchase is not available in the display space: determining an item unavailable response to present to the customer.

A method for manually reading a code marked on an article having a first main face on a first side and a second main face, opposite the first main face, on a second side, wherein, with the article being fixed, a portable device equipped with an optical imaging system including at least one optical sensor is positioned on the first side of the article so as to place the optical sensor facing the code in a reading direction corresponding to the observation direction of the imaging system, and wherein, with the code being illuminated by a light source located on the second side of the article, at least one image of the code is acquired by the optical imaging system.

A system includes: an acquiring unit that acquires an image of an n-dimensional symbol; a first image capturing unit that captures an image of a random pattern on a surface of an object; a storing unit that stores the image of the n-dimensional symbol and a first image that is the image of the random pattern captured by the first image capturing unit in a manner that the images are associated with each other; a second image capturing unit that captures an image of a random pattern on a surface of an object; a matching unit that performs matching of the image captured by the second image capturing unit against the first image stored by the storing unit; and a displaying unit that displays the image of the n-dimensional symbol associated with the first image stored by the storing unit based on the result of the matching.

A wireless checkout system includes peripheral stations, a server that stores location information indicating a position coordinate of each of the peripheral stations, one or more base stations, and a mobile point-of-sale (POS) terminal. The mobile POS terminal includes a wireless communication interface configured to receive a wireless signal from the base stations, a display, and a processor. The processor designates one of the peripheral stations as an associated peripheral station, determines a position coordinate of the mobile POS terminal based on the wireless signal, selects, based on the determined position coordinate of the mobile POS terminal and the location information, another of peripheral stations that is closest to the mobile POS terminal to be an alternative peripheral station to be recommended for the checkout, when the associated peripheral station is not available, and then controls the display to display a screen indicating the alternative peripheral station.

Scanning device assemblies including scanning devices and associated bases. An example scanning device assembly includes a scanning device including a housing, an optical imaging assembly disposed in the housing, and a base. The optical imaging assembly having an imaging field of view (FOV). The optical imaging assembly configured to capture one or more images of an environment appearing within the FOV. The base includes a base coupling portion to mate with a housing portion of the scanning device for supporting the scanning device during operation. The scanning device assembly includes a magnetic-rotational coupling formed between the scanning device and the base and allowing the scanning device to rotate relative to the base, while the base maintains support of the scanning device.

A device includes: an image sensor to capture images of an object within an FOV, a guide projector and a processor. The processor is to analyze some of the images to detect entry of an encoded data marking carried by the object into the FOV, and in response to detecting such entry into the FOV: operate the guide projector to project a visual guide onto the object to guide movement of the encoded data marking to a first location indicated by the visual guide within the FOV; analyze more of the images to detect such movement to the first location, and then to a second location within the FOV; and in response to the movement to the second location, interpret the movement to the second location as receipt of manual input; and in response to the manual input, transmit data decoded from the encoded data marking to another device.

Hardware controls associated with features of a scanner are removed, and a combined scanner and transaction terminal is provided without the hardware controls. Operations associated with the removed hardware controls are graphically depicted as selectable window options within scanner-generated windows. The scanner generated windows are provided as a projected human interface for the missing hardware controls. The projected human interface is provided with and accessible from a display that includes transaction windows produced by transaction software of the transaction terminal, such that the selectable window options are always accessible from the display during transaction processing performed by the transaction software.

Autofocus (AF) optical arrangements and assemblies including a voice coil motor (VCM) are disclosed. An example optical assembly for a focusing lens includes: a front lens group disposed along an optical axis configured to receive light from the object of interest and configured to correct for aberrations of a first image projected by the front lens group; an aperture disposed along an optical axis configured to receive light from the front lens group therethrough along the optical axis; a moveable focus lens to receive light through the aperture; a VCM configured to move the focus lens to focus the optical assembly; and a back lens group disposed along the optical axis configured to receive light from the focus lens and further configured to correct for field curvature.

Methods and systems for establishing a bi-directional communication link between a host device and a barcode reader are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the present invention enables a barcode reader to pair with a host device by way of advertising a unique identification code that is generated by the host device and passed thereto via a barcode. Responsive to detecting the unique identification code, the host device is operable to connect to the barcode reader.

A scanning device includes a scanner, a fixing seat, a sensor, and a processor. The fixing seat is provided with a positioning groove for fixing a position of a workpiece. The sensor senses whether the workpiece is on the fixing base. The processor is communicatively coupled to the scanner and the sensor and used for receiving signals from the sensor and sending instructions to the scanner. If the sensor senses the workpiece on the fixing base, the processor controls the scanner to scan an identification code on the workpiece. If the sensor does not sense the workpiece on the fixing base, the processor controls the scanner to stop scanning.