System and method for selective processing of digital images

• US 20040099741A1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dorai, Chitra, Jain, Gaurav, Stern, Edith H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,121,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.08
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1439 including a method step for retrieval of the optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 locating of the code in an image
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1456 determining the orientation of the optical code with respect to the reader and correcting therefore

Abstract

A system and method for obtaining selected image information from a digital image and providing that selected image information for selective handling. In one aspect, the present invention automatically locates and segments an item identifier from an image caught by a digital camera and provides image information related to the item identifier for processing. Alternatively, a user can designate what areas of an image comprise the item identifier of interest for further viewing or processing.

Claims

1. A method for handling an image at a digital image capture device comprising the steps of:

capturing an image comprising at least one item identifier;

locating the at least one item identifier; and

selectively processing said at least one item identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said locating comprises automatically determining the location of said at least one item identifier.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said locating further comprises extracting at least one item identifier from said image.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said at least one item identifier comprises barcode information.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said selective processing comprises decoding said barcode information.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said locating further comprises determining the dominant orientation of said barcode information.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said locating further comprises extracting edges from said image to locate said barcode information.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising segmenting said item identifier from said image.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said segmenting comprises calculating the minimum bounding rectangle for said item identifier.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising discarding non-segmented information from said image.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein said selective processing comprises transmitting said item identifier to a remote location.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein said selective processing comprises determining the coordinates of said item identifier.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said selective processing further comprises transmitting said coordinates to a remote location.

14. The method of claim 3 wherein said selective processing comprises selectively compressing said at least one item identifier.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising transmitting said selectively compressed at least one item identifier.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said selective processing comprises creating metadata about said at least one item identifier.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said selective processing further comprises associating said metadata with said at least one item identifier.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said selective processing further comprises transmitting at least one of said metadata and said at least one item identifier to a remote location.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said locating comprises receiving user input about the location of said at least one item identifier.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said user input comprises at least one of coordinate information, orientation information, and designation of at least one item identifier among multiple item identifiers.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said selective processing further comprises transmitting said coordinate information to a remote location.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said user input comprises indicating said item identifiers by at least one of a wand attachment, a touch screen, a trackpoint, a mouse, a trackball, a keyboard, a touchpad, and a voice recognition system.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein said locating further comprises segmenting at least one item identifier from said image.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said at least one item identifier comprises barcode information.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said selective processing comprises decoding said barcode information.

26. The method of claim 23 further comprising discarding non-segmented image information.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein said selective processing comprises transmitting said at least one segmented item identifier to a remote location.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said selective processing further comprises compressing said at least one item identifier prior to transmitting.

29. A system for handling digital images comprising:

an image capture device for capturing a digital image, said digital image comprising at least one item identifier; and

a processing component comprising;

an item identifier locating component for determining the location of said at least one item identifier; and

at least one item identifier processing component for selectively processing said at least one item identifier.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein said item identifier locating component comprises means for automatically locating said at least one item identifier.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein said item identifier locating component comprises at least one user input receiver for receiving user input designating said at least one item identifier.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein said at least one item identifier processing component comprises a transmitter for transmitting said at least one item identifier to a remote location.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein said at least one item identifier processing component comprises compression means for compressing said at least one item identifier for transmission.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein said at least one item identifier processing component comprises a metadata creating component for creating metadata for said at lest one item identifier.

35. A digital camera for handling digital images comprising:

an image capture device for capturing a digital image, said digital image comprising at least one item identifier; and

a processing component comprising;

an item identifier locating component for determining the location of said at least one item identifier; and

at least one item identifier processing component for selectively processing said at least one item identifier.

36. A digital communication device comprising:

an image capture device for capturing a digital image, said digital image comprising at least one item identifier;

a processing component comprising;

an item identifier locating component for determining the location of said at least one item identifier; and

at least one item identifier processing component for selectively processing said at least one item identifier; and

transmitter means for communicating image information to a remote location.

37. A program storage device readable by machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions for causing said machine to execute a method for handling an image at a digital image capture device, said method comprising the steps of:

capturing an image comprising at least one item identifier;

locating the at least one item identifier; and

selectively processing said at least one item identifier.