An attachment for use with a mobile device with an imaging device and a mobile-device light source can include one or more of an attachment base and an attachment body. The attachment base can be configured to secure the attachment body to the mobile device via a case for the mobile device. The attachment body can include at least one optical device for use with the imaging device, and an optical sensor to receive optical control signals from the mobile-device light source.

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.

A system and method for providing animated feedback for a barcode scanning system may include receiving image data from a camera, processing the image data, detecting a machine-readable indicia in the image data, and attempting to decode the machine-readable indicia. In response to successfully decoding the machine-readable indicia, displaying a first animation indicative of successfully decoding the machine-readable indicia. Otherwise, in response to not successfully decoding the machine-readable indicia, displaying a second animation indicative of not successfully decoding the machine-readable indicia.

Methods for optimizing improper product barcode detection are disclosed herein. An example method, includes analyzing an object-based identification data against an indicia-based identification data to determine if there is a match. Responsive to there not being a match, entering a release condition state, where, instead of automatically sending a failed match signal to a symbology reader, a remote server awaits satisfaction of the release condition, before sending to the symbology reader. In some examples, a release condition is automatically satisfied by identifying a match in a subsequent comparison. In some examples, a user of the remote server is to satisfy the release condition.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to flicker reduction in a multi-imager environment. Embodiments include methods, computer program products, and apparatuses configured for producing a near-field illumination using a near-field illuminator, the near-field illumination produced at a defined pulse train. A near-field image sensor may be exposed near the start of a near-field illumination pulse, and a far-field image sensor may be exposed between pulses of the near-field illumination. Some embodiments, additionally or alternatively, are configured for detecting an illuminator switch event, deactivating the near-field illuminator source, and producing, using a far-field illuminator source, a far-field illumination. Upon switching the illuminator source, some such embodiments are configured for exposing a far-field illuminator near the start of the far-field illumination pulse, and exposing a near-field image sensor near the start of the next available far-field illumination pulse. Such image capture may repeat until an image processing task such as barcode reading is successful.

A barcode reader configured to capture interleaved frame types optimized for vision capture and barcode capture are disclosed herein. An example barcode reader is configured to operate in a pre-determined repetitive pattern of capturing a first frame and capturing a second frame over a reading cycle having a fixed duration after a triggering event, wherein the first frame is captured over a first exposure period having a first duration, and the second frame is captured over a second exposure period having a second duration, and wherein the first frame is associated with a first brightness parameter, and the second frame is associated with a second brightness parameter.

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 is 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 method of reading machine-readable marks on a movable support and object of a sample instrument. The method includes capturing a first image of the moveable support as the moveable support moves from a first position to a second position using an image capture device; determining whether a first fiducial machine-readable mark on the moveable support is in the first image; determining, when the first fiducial machine-readable mark is in the first image, whether a first machine-readable mark on a first object coupled to the moveable support is in the first image at a predetermined position relative to the first fiducial machine-readable mark; and associating information decoded from the first machine-readable mark on the first object with a first location on the moveable support associated with the first fiducial machine-readable mark.

An apparatus for capturing an image of at least one object appearing in an imaging field of view (FOV). A housing has an imaging sensor operably coupled with the circuit board, the imaging sensor configured to capture an image frame appearing in the imaging FOV and defining an imaging axis. An illumination assembly has a plurality of light sources operably coupled with the circuit board, a diffuser positioned adjacent to the plurality of light sources, the diffuser configured to generate a diffused light pattern, and a light pipe positioned adjacent to the plurality of light sources to generate a direct illumination pattern and an off-axis illumination pattern, wherein the direct illumination pattern is oriented generally parallel to the imaging axis and the off-axis illumination pattern is configured to intersect the imaging axis.

A code reader comprises a first imager and a second imager configured to capture an image with different field of views, a first illuminator and a second illuminator configured to project a different illumination pattern, and a processor operably coupled to the imagers and the illuminators. The processor configured to activate the first imager and the first illuminator as a receiver pair responsive to detecting a first condition, activate the second imager and the second illuminator as a receiver pair responsive to detecting a second condition, and decode an optical code using an image captured by the selected receiver pair.