Portable digital image capturing and processing system employing an area-type image sensing array exposed to illumination produced from an LED-based illumination array and measured using a photodector operated independently from said area-type image sensing array
First Claim
1. A portable digital image capture and processing system comprising:
- a hand-supportable housing;
an image formation and detection subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and having image formation optics for producing a field of view (FOV) upon an object to be imaged, and an area-type image sensing array for detecting imaged light reflected off the object during illumination operations in an image capture mode in which rows of sensor elements in said area-type image sensing array are enabled so as to detect a 2D digital image of the object formed on said area-type image sensing array;
an LED-based illumination subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and having an LED-based illumination array for producing a field of LED-based illumination within the FOV of said image formation and detection subsystem during the image capture mode;
an automatic light exposure measurement subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, employing a photodetector operated independently from said area-type image sensing array, for automatically measuring the light exposure incident upon a selected portion of said FOV, and producing an electrical signal representative of said light exposure measurement;
an automatic illumination control subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for automatically controlling the operation of said LED-based illumination subsystem, wherein said automatic illumination control subsystem responds to said electrical signal and controls the duration of LED-based illumination produced from said LED-based illumination subsystem during said image capture mode;
an image capturing and buffering subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for capturing and buffering 2D digital images detected by said image formation and detection subsystem;
an image-processing subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for processing 2D digital images captured and buffered by said image capturing and buffering subsystem and producing processed image data; and
an input/output subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for outputting processed image data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device; and
a system control subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for controlling and/or coordinating the operation of the subsystem components described above.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable digital image capturing and processing system comprising an image formation and detection subsystem, an LED-based illumination subsystem, an automatic light exposure measurement subsystem, and an automatic illumination control subsystem. The image formation and detection subsystem has an area-type image sensing array for detecting digital images of objects formed thereon by image formation optics providing a field of view (FOV) for the system. The automatic light exposure measurement subsystem employs a photodetector operated independently from the area-type image sensing array, for automatically measuring the light exposure incident upon a selected portion of the FOV, and producing an electrical signal representative of the light exposure measurement. The automatic illumination control subsystem responds to the electrical signal and controls the duration of LED-based illumination produced from the LED-based illumination subsystem during the image capture mode.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A portable digital image capture and processing system comprising:
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a hand-supportable housing;
an image formation and detection subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and having image formation optics for producing a field of view (FOV) upon an object to be imaged, and an area-type image sensing array for detecting imaged light reflected off the object during illumination operations in an image capture mode in which rows of sensor elements in said area-type image sensing array are enabled so as to detect a 2D digital image of the object formed on said area-type image sensing array;
an LED-based illumination subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and having an LED-based illumination array for producing a field of LED-based illumination within the FOV of said image formation and detection subsystem during the image capture mode;
an automatic light exposure measurement subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, employing a photodetector operated independently from said area-type image sensing array, for automatically measuring the light exposure incident upon a selected portion of said FOV, and producing an electrical signal representative of said light exposure measurement;
an automatic illumination control subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for automatically controlling the operation of said LED-based illumination subsystem, wherein said automatic illumination control subsystem responds to said electrical signal and controls the duration of LED-based illumination produced from said LED-based illumination subsystem during said image capture mode;
an image capturing and buffering subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for capturing and buffering 2D digital images detected by said image formation and detection subsystem;
an image-processing subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for processing 2D digital images captured and buffered by said image capturing and buffering subsystem and producing processed image data; and
an input/output subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for outputting processed image data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device; and
a system control subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for controlling and/or coordinating the operation of the subsystem components described above. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification