Method of setting the time duration of illumination from an LED-based illumination array employed in a digital imaging-based code symbol reader, using an image-processing based illumination metering program executed therewithin
First Claim
1. A method of setting the duration that illumination is produced from an LED-based illumination array employed in a digital-imaging based code symbol reader, during object illumination and imaging operations, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) bringing said digital-imaging based code symbol reader in proximity with an object bearing a code symbol, wherein said digital-imaging based code symbol reader includes (i) an image formation and detection subsystem having an image sensing array with a field of view (FOV), (ii) an illumination subsystem having an LED illumination array, (iii) an illumination measurement subsystem, (iv) an illumination control subsystem, and (v) a programmed image processor supporting an image-processing based illumination metering program;
(b) in response to an object being moved within said FOV, generating a trigger event within said digital-imaging based code symbol reader;
(c) in response to said trigger event, producing and projecting a field of illumination within said FOV and onto said detected object;
(d) said illumination measurement subsystem automatically measuring the level of illumination at a particular region of said FOV during illumination operations initiated in step (c), and determining and storing an illumination duration necessary to achieve a desired spatial intensity in a digital image to be formed and detected by said information and detection subsystem;
(e) said illumination control subsystem using the illumination duration determined in step (d) to control the time duration that said LED-based illumination array is driven during object illumination and imaging operations;
(f) said image formation and detection subsystem forming and detecting a digital image of the illuminated object within said FOV;
(g) said programmed image processor using said image-processing based illumination metering program to analyze and measure, in real-time, the spatial intensity distribution of the detected digital image and determine whether or not a corrected illumination duration is required when forming and detecting a next or subsequent digital image during the current or subsequent object illumination and imaging cycle;
(h) in the event that said programmed image processor determines that a corrected illumination duration is required, then said programmed image processor over-writing the previously determined and stored illumination duration, with the corrected illumination duration determined in step (g); and
(i) said illumination control subsystem using the corrected illumination duration to control the time duration that said LED-based illumination array is driven during the subsequent object illumination and imaging operations, so that said image formation and detection subsystem forms and detects one or more digital images of the illuminated object.
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Abstract
A digital-imaging based code symbol reading system comprising an image sensing array with a field of view (FOV), an illumination subsystem with an LED illumination array, an automatic illumination measurement subsystem, an illumination control subsystem, and programmed imager processor supporting an image-processing based illumination metering program. The automatic illumination measurement subsystem automatically measures the illumination level at a particular region of the FOV and determines the illumination duration necessary to achieve a desired spatial intensity in the detected digital image. The illumination metering program automatically analyzes and measures, in real-time, the spatial intensity distribution of the digital image and determines whether or not a corrected illumination duration is required or desired when detecting the next or subsequent digital images, during the current or subsequent object illumination and imaging cycle. The previously determined illumination duration is over-written with the corrected illumination duration, which is used to drive the illumination subsystem and form and detect one or more subsequent digital images of the illuminated object.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of setting the duration that illumination is produced from an LED-based illumination array employed in a digital-imaging based code symbol reader, during object illumination and imaging operations, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) bringing said digital-imaging based code symbol reader in proximity with an object bearing a code symbol, wherein said digital-imaging based code symbol reader includes (i) an image formation and detection subsystem having an image sensing array with a field of view (FOV), (ii) an illumination subsystem having an LED illumination array, (iii) an illumination measurement subsystem, (iv) an illumination control subsystem, and (v) a programmed image processor supporting an image-processing based illumination metering program;
(b) in response to an object being moved within said FOV, generating a trigger event within said digital-imaging based code symbol reader;
(c) in response to said trigger event, producing and projecting a field of illumination within said FOV and onto said detected object;
(d) said illumination measurement subsystem automatically measuring the level of illumination at a particular region of said FOV during illumination operations initiated in step (c), and determining and storing an illumination duration necessary to achieve a desired spatial intensity in a digital image to be formed and detected by said information and detection subsystem;
(e) said illumination control subsystem using the illumination duration determined in step (d) to control the time duration that said LED-based illumination array is driven during object illumination and imaging operations;
(f) said image formation and detection subsystem forming and detecting a digital image of the illuminated object within said FOV;
(g) said programmed image processor using said image-processing based illumination metering program to analyze and measure, in real-time, the spatial intensity distribution of the detected digital image and determine whether or not a corrected illumination duration is required when forming and detecting a next or subsequent digital image during the current or subsequent object illumination and imaging cycle;
(h) in the event that said programmed image processor determines that a corrected illumination duration is required, then said programmed image processor over-writing the previously determined and stored illumination duration, with the corrected illumination duration determined in step (g); and
(i) said illumination control subsystem using the corrected illumination duration to control the time duration that said LED-based illumination array is driven during the subsequent object illumination and imaging operations, so that said image formation and detection subsystem forms and detects one or more digital images of the illuminated object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A digital-imaging-based code symbol reading system comprising:
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a housing having a light transmission window;
an image formation and detection subsystem having an image sensing array and image formation optics having a field of view (FOV) defined relative to said light transmission window;
an automatic object presence detection subsystem, disposed in said housing, for automatically detecting the presence of an object within said FOV;
an illumination subsystem, disposed in said housing, and having with an LED-based illumination array for producing a field of illumination with said FOV during object illumination and imaging operations;
an illumination measurement subsystem, disposed in said housing, for automatically measuring the level of illumination at a particular region of said FOV during object illumination and imaging operations, and determining and storing an illumination duration necessary to achieve a desired spatial intensity in a digital image to be formed and detected by said information and detection subsystem;
an illumination control subsystem, disposed in said housing, and using said illumination duration determined by said illumination measurement subsystem so as to control the time duration that said LED-based illumination array is driven during object illumination and imaging operations; and
a programmed image processor, disposed in said housing, for supporting an image-processing based illumination metering program, as well as decode processing of one or more digital images formed and detected by said image formation and detection subsystem so as to read one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols represented in said one or more digital images; and
a system control subsystem, disposed in said housing, for controlling and/or coordinating the operations of said subsystems and components identified above. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A digital-imaging based code symbol reading system comprising:
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a housing having a light transmission window;
an image formation and detection subsystem having an image sensing array and image formation optics having a field of view (FOV) defined relative to said light transmission window;
a trigger switch integrated with said housing, for generating an trigger event in response to an operator manually-actuating said trigger switch when an object is presented within said FOV for digital imaging;
an illumination subsystem, disposed in said housing, and having with an LED-based illumination array for producing a field of illumination with said FOV during object illumination and imaging operations;
an illumination measurement subsystem, disposed in said housing, for automatically measuring the level of illumination at a particular region of said FOV during object illumination and imaging operations, and determining and storing an illumination duration necessary to achieve a desired spatial intensity in a digital image to be formed and detected by said information and detection subsystem;
an illumination control subsystem, disposed in said housing, and using said illumination duration determined by said illumination measurement subsystem so as to control the time duration that said LED-based illumination array is driven during object illumination and imaging operations; and
a programmed image processor, disposed in said housing, for supporting an image-processing based illumination metering program, as well as decode processing of one or more digital images formed and detected by said image formation and detection subsystem so as to read one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols represented in said digital images; and
a system control subsystem, disposed in said housing, for controlling and/or coordinating the operations of said subsystems and components identified above. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification