This patent specification describes a barcode-reading enhancement accessory for a mobile device having a barcode-reading capability. The accessory may include an outer case and an inner carriage. A mobile device is encased in the inner carriage, and the combination of the inner carriage and the mobile device may be accommodated in the outer case. The inner carriage is configured to accommodate a mobile device of a particular size such that a mobile device of a different size may be accommodated in the outer case using a different inner carriage. The accessory may also include an optic system to fold an optical path of a field of illumination of a light source of the mobile device and/or a field of view of a camera of the mobile device.

A scanner configured to provide different patterns of light for scanning is provided. The scanner may include electrochromic surfaces and reflective surfaces, which can be arranged and used to direct light through different pathways within the scanner. The scanner may further include one or more light emitting components, receiving optics, and power supplies to facilitate generating the different patterns of light for scanning. A method of scanning is also provided.

The invention relates to a cash register system (10) comprising a scanner (12, 14) for scanning articles and a deposit unit (18) for depositing the scanned articles. Further, the cash register system (10) comprises a sensor unit (22, 30) for detecting a sequence of motions of the user of the cash register system (10). A control unit selects one of several preset cash register functions dependent on the sequence of motions detected by means of the sensor unit (20, 30) and controls the cash register system (10) accordingly.

A sample identification system for an automated sampling and dispensing device is described. In an example implementation, the sample identification system includes a sample probe configured to contact a sample positioned within a sample vessel. Further, the sample identification system includes an identifier capture device configured to measure a sample identifier associated with the sample vessel and generate a data signal in response thereto, where the data signal corresponds to an identity of the at least one sample. During operation, the identifier capture device scans a sample holder, a sample vessel, or a table top of the automated sampling and dispensing device to measure the sample identifier and to generate the data signal in response thereto.

A bar code reader device (10) having a bar code reader apparatus (12) with: a) a light emitter system (14); b) a light recovery system (28) capable of recovering light reflected from a working viewing zone through a reflected light conditioning system (30); and c) a photoelectric sensor. The device (10) includes an auxiliary optical system (36) that is arranged permanently in the working viewing zone at a distance from the sensor (26) and in series with the reflected light conditioning system (30) in such a manner that a fraction, but not all, of the working viewing zone is intercepted by the auxiliary optical system (36).

An information code reader is capable of readably imaging an information code displayed on a screen, not liming to an information code covered by a covering portion through which visible light cannot be transmitted. In an information code reader, first illumination units to radiate visible light, in which an information code is subjected to image acquisition by a first image acquisition unit. Second illumination units radiate infrared light, in which the information code is subjected to image acquisition by a second image acquisition unit. A visible light cut filter, which does not allow the visible light to pass through, but which allows the infrared light pass through, is arranged depending on a spatial imaging range provided by the second image acquisition unit.

A method and apparatus for manipulating an aiming light of a reader to indicate the field-of-view (FOV) of an imager within the reader includes an optical element. The optical element receives the aiming light from an aiming assembly and redirect the aiming light such that the central axis of the aiming light exiting the optical element is non-coaxial with the central aiming axis of the aiming assembly at the entry of the optical element. The optical element may be configured to project an image on a target that indicates the boundary of the FOV or project an image on the target that indicates the center of the FOV.

The present invention is a mixed-reality system including a server and a portable terminal device, the portable terminal device having a display for displaying a virtual object to a user present in a predetermined real space and having a photographing device that photographs the real space, the mixed-reality system serving to display, on the display, a mixed-reality image in which the virtual object is superimposed on a photographed image of the real space, wherein, at each of one or more predefined positions on a real object present in the predetermined space, an MR marker constituted of an identification code containing position information corresponding to that position and an alignment marker having a polygonal shape is disposed. The server includes a virtual-space-data storage unit and an application storage unit, and the portable terminal device includes a browser unit, a marker recognition unit, a position determination unit, and an image generation unit.

Systems and methods for tracking the sales of products and presence of advertising materials within a physical store are provided. According to certain aspects, a sensor component disposed within the physical store may detect light emitted by a unique product identifier (UPI) affixed to a product. A processor of the sensor component may analyze the detected light to determine the UPIs, generate a digital representation of the UPIs within a field of view, and transmit at least a portion of the digital representation to a server computer. A plurality of sensor components may track the movement and sales of various products and presence of advertising materials in the physical store, and the server computer may analyze the resulting data to improve merchandising and the sales experience for customers, among other benefits.

According to a technique of accuracy-enhanced scanning, a scan target is illuminated responsive to recognizing an aiming initiation action. The scan target is scanned responsive to recognizing a scanning initiation action. The illuminating and the scanning are performable independently of each other.