Bioptic Indicia Reader Wakeup System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-planar indicia readers in retail environments face challenges in maintaining continuous functionality and reducing wear-and-tear and power consumption, necessitating an efficient wake-up system to transition between full and reduced functionality modes.
Innovation Solution
A bioptic indicia reader system with a controller that alternates between full and reduced functionality modes based on a triggering event detected through a sensing subsystem, optimizing the operation of the imaging, illumination, and decoder subsystems to conserve resources and enhance performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the indicia reader operates continuously in full functionality mode, then scanning efficiency and productivity are maintained, but power consumption and wear-and-tear increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its operational state by transitioning between full functionality mode and suspended mode based on detected events. The controller monitors the product scanning region and activates full functionality only when an indicium is detected, otherwise maintains suspended mode with reduced power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicia reader employs periodic scanning of the product scanning region to detect indicia. The system alternates between active scanning periods and suspended periods, activating full functionality only during periods when indicia are detected or expected, rather than maintaining continuous operation.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the indicia reader enters suspended mode to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but response time to process goods increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of indicia in the product scanning region before activating full functionality. The sensing subsystem continuously or periodically monitors for the presence of indicia, so when an indicium is detected, the reader is already prepared to immediately transition to full functionality mode without delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller receives feedback from the sensing subsystem about the presence of indicia in the product scanning region. Based on this feedback, the controller automatically transitions between suspended mode and full functionality mode, ensuring rapid response when goods require processing while maintaining energy efficiency when the region is empty.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the reader transitions between modes frequently, then power consumption is optimized, but device complexity and control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control logic for mode transitions is extracted as a distinct function of the controller, separate from the imaging and decoding functions. This modular approach simplifies the overall system architecture by isolating the suspension/wake-up control mechanism, making it easier to manage despite frequent transitions between operational modes.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to wakeup systems for indicia readers. In an example embodiment, the present invention leverages data sensed through a horizontal window of a bioptic barcode reader to switch from a sleep mode to a read mode. In particular, the sensed data may be used exclusively or as a determinative factor for waking up the barcode reader.