To suppress an increase in processing time due to a load of inference processing while improving reading accuracy by the inference processing of machine learning. An optical information reading device includes a processor including: an inference processing part that inputs a code image to a neural network and executes inference processing of generating an ideal image corresponding to the code image; and a decoding processing part that executes first decoding processing of decoding the code image and second decoding processing of decoding the ideal image generated by the inference processing part. The processor executes the inference processing and the first decoding processing in parallel, and executes the second decoding processing after completion of the inference processing.

A slot scanner illumination system for a convertible slot scanner assembly includes a chassis having an optical cavity and a front opening. The optical cavity has an optical axis therethrough, with the optical axis being an axis along which light may be received by the chassis through the front opening. The front opening further has a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge. A scanning window is configured to at least partially cover the front opening of the chassis, and the scanning window has a normal axis orthogonal to a flat surface of the scanning window. An illumination element is disposed inside of the optical cavity of the chassis. The illumination element is disposed proximal the first edge of the front opening. The illumination element is configured to provide illumination along an illumination axis, wherein the illumination axis is non-parallel with the optical axis and at an angle directed toward the second edge of the front opening.

Handheld barcode readers and assemblies are disclosed herein. An example handheld barcode reader includes a housing defining a head portion and a base portion, a vision camera positioned in the base portion, a barcode reading module positioned at least partially in the head portion, and a controller in communication with the barcode reading module and the vision camera. The vision camera has a first FOV directed through a base window in the base portion and the barcode reading module has a second FOV directed through a scan window in the head portion. The controller is configured to decode barcodes read by the barcode reading module, receive captured images from the vision camera, and synchronize the barcode reading module and the vision camera such that the vision camera does not capture images when the barcode reading module is active.

An imaging device includes a housing having an optically transmissive window, a first imaging assembly, and a second imaging assembly. A second imaging sensor of the second imaging assembly is positioned within a bottom portion of the housing height and a front portion of the housing depth. The second imaging sensor may be positioned in either a landscape orientation or a portrait orientation. A downstream region is defined between a downstream side of a first field of view of the first imaging sensor and a downstream side of a second field of view of the second imaging sensor to allow the imaging device to determine whether an indicia associated with a product captured within the downstream region was previously captured in the first field of view, thereby facilitating detection of scan avoidance or ticket switching.

Adapters for handheld barcode readers and handheld barcode reader assemblies are disclosed herein. An example adapter is configured to be attached to a handheld barcode reader having a housing defining a head portion and a base portion and a barcode reading module positioned at least partially in the head portion and having a second field-of-view (FOV) directed through a scan window in the head portion. The adapter includes an adapter housing, a means for attaching the adapter housing to the base portion of the housing of the handheld barcode reader, and a vision camera having a first FOV directed through a base window formed in the adapter housing.

Transformation of inputs including beacon inputs, Global Positioning System (GPS) inputs, captured panorama inputs, user-penned descriptive inputs, and payment-amount-specifying inputs, via components, into outputs including user device POS configuration setting outputs and/or payment-gateway-directed authorization request outputs. Further, transformation of inputs including POS scanner inputs, POS keyboard inputs, and/or POS printer-directed inputs, via components, into outputs including compliance check outputs, tagged omnibus record outputs, SKU-UPC mapping outputs, and/or convergence/correlation outputs. Additionally, transformation of inputs including older limited-capability POS software image inputs and/or newer limited-capability POS software image inputs, via components, into outputs including update directive outputs. Functionality set forth includes allowing user devices to directly communicate with payment gateways, capturing and making use of scanner-obtained data and printer-destined data in a way that does not require code alternation of already-installed POS software, and allowing software of limited-capability POS devices to be updated without sending large, full-overwrite software images.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an alternative illuminator assembly and corresponding imaging assemblies utilizing the alternative illuminator assembly. The alternative illuminator assembly may provide alternative illuminations from those produced by an imager engine, such that the alternative illuminations may provide specific illuminations at specific illumination angles to illuminate a field of view for a desired purpose. In an example context, the alternative illuminator assembly provides one or more alternative illuminations for improving the likelihood of successfully reading specific direct part marking indicias of various types. Embodiments are provided using overlapping subassemblies that enable a small form factor assembly that can fit into mobile apparatus chasses, for example within conventional cell phone housings of around 7 millimeters. The alternative illuminator assembly may be provided together with a small form factor imaging engine, having one or more imager, to improve the direct part marking reading capabilities of the multi-sensor imaging apparatus.

In an embodiment, the present invention is an imaging engine assembly that includes a housing with a window, an imaging assembly positioned within the housing, the imaging assembly operable to capture image data over a field of view extending through the window and decode an indicium captured in the image data, and a cover positioned at least partially over the housing. The imaging engine housing and the cover are configured such that the cover is alternatively mountable between a first orientation and a diametrically opposed second orientation relative to the housing.

Methods and apparatus for locating small indicia in large images are disclosed herein. An example method includes: identifying an aiming pattern zone that includes a detected or presumed location of an aiming light pattern, wherein an offset between the location and a center of image data varies due to a parallax; determining one or more coordinates of the aiming pattern zone; capturing image data representing an image of an environment appearing within a field of view (FOV) of a handheld scanner including the indicia; encoding the one or more coordinates into a tagline of the image; and providing the image with the tagline to an indicia decoder such that the indicia decoder attempts to decode the indicia from the image data starting in a region of the image data selected based upon the one or more coordinates.

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for arranging for shipping a package without the customer needing to generate or apply a shipping label, or any other information, to the package. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a carrier server and a carrier device. The carrier server may receive and store a smart code and shipping information associated with the package, which it may link together. The carrier device may capture the smart code from the package and send a request, including the smart code, to the carrier server for related shipping information. The carrier server may receive the request from the carrier device, retrieve the shipping information based on the smart code, and send the shipping information to the carrier device. The carrier device may receive the shipping information and generate a shipping label for the package based on the shipping information.