BACKGROUND

Barcode readers are commonly used throughout various industries and in a wide array of environments to read barcodes. In certain examples, these barcode readers include an aiming assembly that is designed to project an aim patterns into the field of view (FOV) of the barcode reader and indicate to the user some positional aspect of the reader's FOV. However, due to the inherent positioning of the aiming assembly away from the imaging elements of the barcode reader that are responsible for the FOV and/or parallax that effects the position of the aim pattern on a target as that target moves away or comes closer to the barcode's imager, achieving accurate representation of certain elements of the FOV across the working range of a barcode reader becomes problematic.

Accordingly, there is a need for improved techniques of providing aim light patterns that can more-accurately indicate various elements of an imaging assembly's FOV throughout the working range of the imaging assembly, and devices, systems, and methods associated therewith.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, the present invention is an apparatus that includes a housing, an imaging assembly and an aiming assembly. The housing has a cavity, a window and an optical element, with the imaging assembly and aiming assembly being disposed within the cavity. The imaging assembly has an imager with a field-of-view (FOV) extending through the window. The FOV has a central FOV axis and a boundary FOV axis non-parallel relative to the central FOV axis. The imager is configured to capture at least one of: light reflected from a target and light emitted from the target. The aiming assembly is configured to provide an aiming light through the optical element, and the optical element is configured to direct the aiming light parallel to the boundary FOV axis, such that the aiming light projects an image on the target that indicates the boundary of the FOV.

In a variation of this embodiment, the optical element is a light guide having a first surface, a second surface, an entry surface and an exit surface. The light guide is configured to receive aiming light from the aiming assembly at the entry surface and direct the aiming light parallel to the boundary FOV axis at the exit surface. In another variation of this embodiment, the entry surface is configured to direct the aiming light to the first surface, the first surface is configured to reflect the aiming light to the second surface, and the second surface is configured to reflect the aiming light to the exit surface. In a further variation of this embodiment, the light guide is configured to reflect the aiming light between the first and second surfaces at least twice before exiting the light guide at the exit surface. In yet another variation of this embodiment, at least one of the entry surface and the exit surface is at least one of a concave surface pattern and a convex surface pattern. In a yet a further variation of this embodiment, at least one of the entry surface and the exit surface is a flat surface pattern.

In still another variation of this embodiment, the window has a first portion and a second portion, the FOV extends through the first portion, and the second portion has the optical element. In a still further variation of this embodiment, the first portion comprises an interior area of the window, and the second portion comprises an area of the window peripheral to the interior area of the window. In yet another variation of this embodiment, the second portion has a plurality of regions, the optical element has a plurality of optical sub-elements each corresponding to one of the plurality of regions. In a yet further variation of this embodiment, the aiming assembly has a plurality of aiming light sources each corresponding to one of the plurality of optical sub-elements. In still another variation of this embodiment, the optical element has a light pipe extending to at least two of the plurality of sub-elements, and the aiming light assembly is configured to direct the aiming light into the light pipe.

In still another variation of this embodiment, an illumination assembly is positioned within the housing and configured to emit light through the optical element onto the target to illuminate the target for image capture.

In another embodiment, the present invention is an apparatus having a housing, an imaging assembly and an aiming assembly. The housing has a cavity, a window and an optical element, with the imaging assembly and aiming assembly being disposed within the cavity. The imaging assembly has an imager with a FOV extending through the window. The FOV has a central FOV axis and a boundary FOV axis non-parallel relative to the central FOV axis. The imager is configured to capture at least one of: light reflected from a target and light emitted from the target. The aiming assembly is configured to provide an aiming light through the optical element. The aiming light has a central aiming axis, and the optical element is configured to reposition the central aiming axis from a central source axis of a source of the aiming light to a central exit axis of an exit of the optical element. The central source axis is non-coaxial with the central exit axis.

In a variation of this embodiment, the optical element is a light guide having a first surface, a second surface, an entry surface and an exit surface. The light guide is configured to receive aiming light from the aiming assembly at the entry surface and direct the aiming light parallel to the central FOV axis at the exit surface. In another variation of this embodiment, the entry surface is configured to direct the aiming light to the first surface, the first surface is configured to reflect the aiming light to the second surface, and the second surface is configured to reflect the aiming light to the exit surface. In a further variation of this embodiment, the light guide is configured to reflect the aiming light between the first and second surfaces at least twice before exiting the light guide at the exit surface. In yet another variation of this embodiment, at least one of the entry surface and the exit surface is at least one of a concave surface pattern and a convex surface pattern. In a yet a further variation of this embodiment, at least one of the entry surface and the exit surface is a flat surface pattern.

In still another variation of this embodiment, the window has a first portion and a second portion, the FOV extends through the first portion, and the second portion has the optical element. In a still further variation of this embodiment, the first portion comprises an interior area of the window, and the second portion comprises an area of the window peripheral to the interior area of the window. In yet another variation of this embodiment, the second portion has a plurality of regions, the optical element has a plurality of optical sub-elements each corresponding to one of the plurality of regions. In a yet further variation of this embodiment, the aiming assembly has a plurality of aiming light sources each corresponding to one of the plurality of optical sub-elements. In still another variation of this embodiment, the optical element has a light pipe extending to at least two of the plurality of sub-elements, and the aiming light assembly is configured to direct the aiming light into the light pipe.

In still another variation of this embodiment, an illumination assembly is positioned within the housing and configured to emit light through the optical element onto the target to illuminate the target for image capture.

