Methods and apparatus for scanning swiped barcodes are disclosed. An example method includes in response to detecting an object, capturing first images while focused at a swipe focus distance representing a pre-determined expected swipe distance range within which a scan target is expected to be swiped across a FOV. In response to a barcode decoded based upon the first images, exiting the swipe decode phase. In response to no barcode decoded during a time period representing an expected amount of time during which a scan target is expected to be swiped across the FOV, exiting the swipe decode phase and initiating a re-presentation decode phase including sequentially focusing the imaging scanner at a plurality of pre-determined, re-presentation focus distances, capturing one or more second images at each of the plurality of pre-determined, re-presentation focus distances, and, attempting to decode a barcode in one or more of the second images.

A method of assisting in focusing a three dimensional camera system on an object within a field of view is disclosed. The process involves at the camera system, determining a distance D in a z direction, within the field of view, to a current focal plane; and rendering to a display, an aimer graphic element with the Z direction distance equal to D in a manner that causes the aimer graphic element to move in the Z direction with changes in the focal plane.

A handheld code reader may include a main structure, a handle extending from the main structure, and a trigger configured to be pulled by a finger of a user holding the handle. The code reader may further include a conductive element, an antenna configured to sense an inductive change caused by the trigger moving the conductive element, and electronics in electrical communication with the antenna, the electronics configured to determine when the inductive change is indicative of a user selecting to activate a pre-trigger aiming function.

A handheld code reader may include a main structure, a handle extending from the main structure, and a trigger configured to be pulled by a finger of a user holding the handle. The code reader may further include a conductive element, an antenna configured to sense an inductive change caused by the trigger moving the conductive element, and electronics in electrical communication with the antenna, the electronics configured to determine when the inductive change is indicative of a user selecting to activate a pre-trigger aiming function.

A reading apparatus according to an embodiment includes a captured-image reading section, an article detecting section, an object recognizing section, and a code reading section. The captured-image reading section reads, from an imaging apparatus that captures a captured image associated with distance information indicating distances to articles, the captured image associated with the distance information. The article detecting section detects images of articles in a preset predetermined imaging region in the captured image. The object recognizing section performs, based on the distance information, object recognition processing of an object, the object being an article closest from the imaging apparatus among the articles. The code reading section performs, based on the distance information, if a distance between the object and the imaging apparatus is equal to or smaller than a predetermined distance, code reading processing for detecting a code symbol from the predetermined imaging region and reading code information from the code symbol.

A reading apparatus according to an embodiment includes a captured-image reading section, an article detecting section, an object recognizing section, and a code reading section. The captured-image reading section reads, from an imaging apparatus that captures a captured image associated with distance information indicating distances to articles, the captured image associated with the distance information. The article detecting section detects images of articles in a preset predetermined imaging region in the captured image. The object recognizing section performs, based on the distance information, object recognition processing of an object, the object being an article closest from the imaging apparatus among the articles. The code reading section performs, based on the distance information, if a distance between the object and the imaging apparatus is equal to or smaller than a predetermined distance, code reading processing for detecting a code symbol from the predetermined imaging region and reading code information from the code symbol.

Methods and apparatus for scanning swiped barcodes are disclosed. An example method includes in response to detecting an object, capturing first images while focused at a swipe focus distance representing a pre-determined expected swipe distance range within which a scan target is expected to be swiped across a FOV. In response to a barcode decoded based upon the first images, exiting the swipe decode phase. In response to no barcode decoded during a time period representing an expected amount of time during which a scan target is expected to be swiped across the FOV, exiting the swipe decode phase and initiating a re-presentation decode phase including sequentially focusing the imaging scanner at a plurality of pre-determined, re-presentation focus distances, capturing one or more second images at each of the plurality of pre-determined, re-presentation focus distances, and, attempting to decode a barcode in one or more of the second images.

A method of assisting in focusing a three dimensional camera system on an object within a field of view is disclosed. The process involves at the camera system, determining a distance D in a z direction, within the field of view, to a current focal plane; and rendering to a display, an aimer graphic element with the Z direction distance equal to D in a manner that causes the aimer graphic element to move in the Z direction with changes in the focal plane.

A method and apparatus for performing a vision process using a camera having a multi-focus lens having a lens field of view where the lens can be set at different focus positions the method comprising the steps of positioning at least one of the camera and an item to be imaged so the lens field of view is directed at the item to be imaged, obtaining a plurality of images where each image is obtained with the lens focus at a different position and after each image is obtained, attempting to perform the machine vision process using the image irrespective of whether or not the lens was focused when the image was obtained.

A method of assisting in focusing a three dimensional camera system on an object within a field of view is disclosed. The process involves at the camera system, determining a distance D in a z direction, within the field of view, to a current focal plane; and rendering to a display, an aimer graphic element with the Z direction distance equal to D in a manner that causes the aimer graphic element to move in the Z direction with changes in the focal plane.