IMAGING READER WITH ASYMMETRICAL MAGNIFICATION

A solid-state imager is mounted in a reader, such as a bi-optical, dual window, point-of-transaction workstation, for capturing light along an optical axis over a field of view from coded indicia. An optical assembly including non-rotationally symmetrical optics is operative for optically modifying and asymmetrically magnifying an image of the indicia and the field of view of the imager along mutually orthogonal directions generally perpendicular to the optical axis, and for increasing resolution of the imager along one of the directions. Preferably, the non-rotationally symmetrical optics includes a cylindrical lens having an aspherical profile along the one direction, and a planar profile along the other of the directions.