Barcode Readers Having Multiple Image Sensors and Methods Associated Therewith

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of barcode readers, and more particularly, to barcode readers having multiple linear image sensors. In an embodiment, a barcode reader includes a first optical assembly including a first linear imaging sensor, a second optical assembly including a second linear imaging sensor, and a controller connected configured to: simultaneously cause both of the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor to respectively capture light from a first FOV and a second FOV for a predetermined amount of time, and simultaneously capture a first output signal from the first linear imaging sensor and a second output signal from the second linear imaging sensor.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A barcode reader comprising:
 a housing having at least one window;   a first optical assembly including a first linear imaging sensor, the first optical assembly having a first field of view (FOV) extending through the at least one window, the first optical assembly having a first maximum working distance;   a second optical assembly including a second linear imaging sensor, the second optical assembly having a second FOV extending through the at least one window, the second optical assembly having a second maximum working distance that is greater than the first maximum working distance; and   a controller connected to the first linear imaging sensor and further connected to the second linear imaging sensor, the controller configured to:
 simultaneously cause both of the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor to respectively capture light from the first FOV and the second FOV for a predetermined amount of time; and 
 simultaneously capture a first output signal from the first linear imaging sensor and a second output signal from the second linear imaging sensor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The barcode reader of  claim 1 , wherein the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor are connected to the controller in parallel. 
     
     
         3 . The barcode reader of  claim 1 , wherein the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor are both connected to a first output channel of the controller. 
     
     
         4 . The barcode reader of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to simultaneously analyze the first output signal from the first linear imaging sensor and the second output signal from the second linear imaging sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The barcode reader of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first output signal and the second output signal is an analog signal. 
     
     
         6 . The barcode reader of  claim 5 , wherein the controller includes at least one analog-to-digital converter, and wherein the controller is further configured to use the at least one analog-to-digital converter to convert each of the first output signal and the second output signal from the analog signal to a digital signal. 
     
     
         7 . The barcode reader of  claim 1 , wherein the first optical assembly is configured to provide a first amount of irradiance to the first linear imaging sensor from a given light source, wherein the second optical assembly is configured to provide a second amount of irradiance to the second imaging sensor from the given light source, and wherein the second amount of irradiance is within less than or equal to 20% of the first amount of irradiance. 
     
     
         8 . The barcode reader of  claim 7 , wherein the second amount of irradiance is greater than the first amount of irradiance. 
     
     
         9 . The barcode reader of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first optical assembly and the second optical assembly includes a respective fixed-focus lens. 
     
     
         10 . The barcode reader of  claim 1 , wherein the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor are identical. 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a barcode scanner, the method comprising:
 providing a first optical assembly including a first linear imaging sensor, the first optical assembly having a first field of view (FOV), the first optical assembly having a first maximum working distance;   providing a second optical assembly including a second linear imaging sensor, the second optical assembly having a second FOV extending through the at least one window, the second optical assembly having a second maximum working distance that is greater than the first maximum working distance;   connecting a controller to the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor, the controller being operable to:
 simultaneously cause both of the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor to respectively capture light from the first FOV and the second FOV for a predetermined amount of time; and 
 simultaneously capture a first output signal from the first linear imaging sensor and a second output signal from the second linear imaging sensor; and 
   installing the first optical assembly, the second optical assembly, and the controller inside of a housing having at least one window such that each of the first FOV and the second FOV extends through the at least one window.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the operation of connecting the controller to the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor includes connecting the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor to the controller in parallel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the operation of connecting the controller to the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor includes connecting the first linear imaging sensor and the second linear imaging sensor to a first output channel of the controller. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first optical assembly is configured to provide a first amount of irradiance to the first linear imaging sensor from a given light source, wherein the second optical assembly is configured to provide a second amount of irradiance to the second imaging sensor from the given light source, and wherein the second amount of irradiance is within less than or equal to 20% of the first amount of irradiance. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second amount of irradiance is greater than the first amount of irradiance. 
     
     
         16 . A method of reading a barcode with a barcode reader having a first linear image sensor, a second linear image sensor, and a controller, the method comprising:
 instructing, via a first output channel on the controller, the first linear image sensor to capture first light data for a predetermined amount of time;   instructing, via the first output channel on the controller, the second linear image sensor to capture second light data for the predetermined amount of time, the operation of instructing the first linear image sensor and the operation of instructing the second linear image sensor occurring simultaneously;   capturing, via the controller, a first output signal from the first linear image sensor;   capturing, via the controller, a second output signal from the second linear image sensor; and   decoding at least one of the first output signal and the second output signal.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the operation of instructing the first linear image sensor and the operation of instructing the second linear image sensor is respectively sent from the controller to the first linear image sensor and the second linear image sensor via a parallel path. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the operation of capturing the first output signal and the operation of capturing the second output signal occur simultaneously. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the first linear image sensor is part of a first optical assembly having a first field of view (FOV), the first optical assembly having a first maximum working distance,   wherein the second linear image sensor is part of a second optical assembly having a second FOV, the second optical assembly having a second maximum working distance that is greater than the first maximum working distance, and   wherein the first FOV is wider than the second FOV.