US 11,922,261 B2
Code reader with extended reading range
Pepe Fernandez-Dorado, Aachen (DE); Saul Sanz Rodriguez, Aachen (DE); Laurens Nunnink, Simpelveld (NL); and Richard Reuter, Wurselen (DE)
Assigned to Cognex Corporation, Natick, MA (US)
Filed by Cognex Corporation, Natick, MA (US)
Filed on Dec. 23, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/724,634.
Application 16/724,634 is a continuation of application No. 15/455,406, filed on Mar. 10, 2017, granted, now 10,515,246.
Prior Publication US 2020/0257867 A1, Aug. 13, 2020
Int. Cl. G06K 7/10 (2006.01); G06K 7/14 (2006.01); G06K 19/06 (2006.01)
CPC G06K 7/10811 (2013.01) [G06K 7/10 (2013.01); G06K 7/10722 (2013.01); G06K 7/10742 (2013.01); G06K 7/10831 (2013.01); G06K 7/10881 (2013.01); G06K 7/14 (2013.01); G06K 7/1478 (2013.01); G06K 19/06028 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A handheld image based code reader comprising:
an image sensor, the image sensor configured to acquire an image of a code;
a lens configured to project an image scene including the code onto the image sensor, the lens comprising a variable optical power that controls a focus distance of the image based code reader;
an orientation sensor configured to determine an angle of the reader relative to an external frame of reference;
a first illumination source configured to illuminate the image scene with light having a first illumination angle;
a second illumination source configured to illuminate the image scene having a second illumination angle different than the first illumination angle;
wherein the handheld based code reader is configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes and wherein the plurality of operating modes includes at least a first mode and a second mode, and
a processor operatively coupled to the image sensor, the lens, the orientation sensor, and the first and second illumination sources, the processor configured to:
receive an orientation signal from the orientation sensor, the orientation signal representative of the angle;
determine, using the orientation signal representative of the angle, a focus distance of the reader;
select, using the focus distance, the first illumination source to illuminate the image scene rather than the second illumination source illuminating the image scene;
wherein the processor sets the variable optical power such that the focus distance is within a range of 0.3 meters to 1.5 meters, when in the first mode.