Picture taking optical reader
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A bar code decoding device comprising:
- a portable housing;
a lens assembly focusing an image onto said two dimensional image sensor;
a control circuit in communication with said illumination assembly and said imaging assembly, wherein said control circuit is configured to operate in a “
decode mode” and
a “
picture taking mode”
; and
a user interface facilitating selection between said decode mode and said picture taking mode;
wherein said control circuit, when operating in said “
decode mode”
loads a “
decode mode”
initial exposure period value, captures a frame of image data utilizing said “
decode mode”
initial exposure period value, builds a histogram summarizing said captured frame, evaluates said histogram according to a “
decode mode”
histogram evaluation, and adjusts said initial exposure period value depending on an outcome of said evaluation;
wherein said control circuit, when operating in said “
picture taking”
mode loads a “
picture taking mode”
initial exposure period value, captures a frame of image data utilizing said initial “
picture taking mode”
initial exposure period value, builds a histogram summarizing said captured frame, evaluates said histogram according to a “
picture taking mode”
histogram evaluation criteria, and adjusts said initial exposure period value depending on an outcome of said evaluation, wherein said “
decode mode”
initial exposure period value is less than said “
picture taking mode”
initial exposure period value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical reader having a picture taking mode and a decode mode. In a picture taking mode, the reader captures and outputs a frame of image data without attempting to decode a decodable symbol in the frame. In the decode mode, the reader captures a frame of image data and attempts to decode a decodable symbol represented in the frame. The reader may have a decode mode in which light from an aiming light source is received by an image sensor.
258 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A bar code decoding device comprising:
-
a portable housing;
a lens assembly focusing an image onto said two dimensional image sensor;
a control circuit in communication with said illumination assembly and said imaging assembly, wherein said control circuit is configured to operate in a “
decode mode” and
a “
picture taking mode”
; and
a user interface facilitating selection between said decode mode and said picture taking mode;
wherein said control circuit, when operating in said “
decode mode”
loads a “
decode mode”
initial exposure period value, captures a frame of image data utilizing said “
decode mode”
initial exposure period value, builds a histogram summarizing said captured frame, evaluates said histogram according to a “
decode mode”
histogram evaluation, and adjusts said initial exposure period value depending on an outcome of said evaluation;
wherein said control circuit, when operating in said “
picture taking”
mode loads a “
picture taking mode”
initial exposure period value, captures a frame of image data utilizing said initial “
picture taking mode”
initial exposure period value, builds a histogram summarizing said captured frame, evaluates said histogram according to a “
picture taking mode”
histogram evaluation criteria, and adjusts said initial exposure period value depending on an outcome of said evaluation,wherein said “
decode mode”
initial exposure period value is less than said “
picture taking mode”
initial exposure period value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A bar code reader comprising:
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an image sensor;
a control circuit in communication with said image sensor and controlling said image sensor to include overlapping frame exposure periods;
at least one illumination light sources projecting an illumination pattern;
at least one aiming light source projecting an aiming pattern onto a target substrate, wherein said control circuit in at least one operating mode coordinates control of said at least one aiming light source so that said at least one light source is selectively turned “
OFF”
while pixels of said image sensor corresponding to said aiming pattern are being exposed. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An optical reader comprising:
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a two-dimensional image sensor including pixels;
a lens assembly;
an aiming and illumination system comprising at least one aiming light source and at least one illumination light source, wherein said reader is configured so that actuation of said at least on aiming light source projects an aiming pattern, and further so that actuation of said at least one illumination light source projects an illumination pattern, wherein said aiming pattern and said illumination pattern at least partially overlap;
a control circuit in communication with said two dimensional image sensor and said illumination system, said control circuit configured to operate in linear decode mode in which, during a frame exposure period, said aiming and illumination system projects said aiming pattern without projecting said illumination pattern. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An optical reader comprising:
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a two-dimensional image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels;
an imaging assembly;
an aiming and illumination system comprising at least one aiming light source and at least one illumination light source, wherein said reader is configured so that actuation of said at least one aiming light source projects an aiming pattern, and further so that actuation of said at least one illumination light projects an illumination pattern;
a control circuit configured to operate in a first decode mode and a second decode mode, wherein said control circuit in said first decode mode simultaneously projects said aiming pattern and said illumination pattern during a frame exposure period so that said imaging assembly senses light from both of said at least one aiming light source and said illumination light source during said frame exposure period. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An optical reader comprising:
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a portable housing;
an illumination assembly;
an imaging assembly;
a control circuit;
a user interface enabling selection between modes of operation;
a picture taking mode executable by said control circuit in which said reader captures a frame of image data and without attempting to decode decodable symbol therein outputs said capture frame of image data;
a decode mode executable by said control circuit in which said control circuit captures a frame of image data and decodes a decodable symbol represented therein;
a picture improvement mode in which said optical reader improves a visual output quality of a last captured frame, wherein said reader is configured to be driven into said picture improvement mode irrespective of the mode of operation of the reader in during a most recent frame capture period. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification