Digital-imaging code symbol reading system supporting automatic programming of system parameters for automatic configuration of said system in hands-on and hands-free modes of operation
First Claim
1. A digital-imaging based code symbol reading system having a hands-on mode operation and a hands-free presentation mode of operation, said digital-imaging based code symbol reading system comprising:
- a hand-supportable housing having a light transmission window;
an image formation and detection subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and having (i) image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through said light transmission window and upon an object to be imaged in said FOV, and (ii) 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 one or more digital images of the object formed on said area-type image sensing array;
an illumination subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and having an illumination array for producing and projecting a field of illumination through said light transmission window and within said FOV during the image capture mode;
an image capturing and buffering subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for capturing and buffering said one or more digital images detected by said image formation and detection subsystem;
a digital image processing subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for processing said one or more digital images captured and buffered by said image capturing and buffering subsystem, so as to read one or more code symbols graphically represented therein, and producing symbol character data representative of said read one or more code symbols;
an input/output subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for outputting said symbol character data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device;
a system control subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for maintaining system parameters used to configure said digital-imaging based code symbol reading system, and for controlling and/or coordinating the operation of the subsystem components described above; and
a configuration detection mechanism, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for (i) automatically detecting when said hand-supportable housing is picked up off a countertop surface or a support stand and held in an operator'"'"'s hand, and automatically programming said system parameters for automatically configuring said digital-imaging based code symbol reading system into said hands-on mode of operation, and also for (i) automatically detecting when said hand-supportable is resting on said countertop surface or in said support stand, and in response thereto, automatically programming said system parameters for automatically configuring said digital-imaging code symbol reading system into said hands-free presentation mode of operation.
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Abstract
A digital-imaging based code symbol reading system having a hands-on mode operation and a hands-free presentation mode of operation, and supporting automatic programming of system parameters for automatic configuration of the system in hands-on and hands-free modes of operation. The system comprises: an image formation and detection subsystem; an illumination subsystem; a digital image processing subsystem; a system control subsystem for managing system parameters, and controlling and/or coordinating operations of the system; and a configuration detection mechanism. The image formation and detection subsystem has the 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. Within the FOV of the image formation and detection subsystem, the illumination subsystem produces a field of illumination that illuminates the object during the image capture mode of operation, and one or more digital images thereof are detected by an area-type image sensing array. When the hand-supportable housing is picked up from on a countertop surface or support stand and held in an operator'"'"'s hand, the system parameters are automatically programmed so that the digital-imaging code symbol reading system is automatically configured into its hands-on mode of operation. When the hand-supportable is resting on the countertop surface or in the support stand, the system parameters are automatically programmed so that the digital-imaging code symbol reading system is automatically configured into its hands-free presentation mode of operation.
101 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A digital-imaging based code symbol reading system having a hands-on mode operation and a hands-free presentation mode of operation, said digital-imaging based code symbol reading system comprising:
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a hand-supportable housing having a light transmission window;
an image formation and detection subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and having (i) image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through said light transmission window and upon an object to be imaged in said FOV, and (ii) 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 one or more digital images of the object formed on said area-type image sensing array;
an illumination subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and having an illumination array for producing and projecting a field of illumination through said light transmission window and within said FOV during the image capture mode;
an image capturing and buffering subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for capturing and buffering said one or more digital images detected by said image formation and detection subsystem;
a digital image processing subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for processing said one or more digital images captured and buffered by said image capturing and buffering subsystem, so as to read one or more code symbols graphically represented therein, and producing symbol character data representative of said read one or more code symbols;
an input/output subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for outputting said symbol character data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device;
a system control subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for maintaining system parameters used to configure said digital-imaging based code symbol reading system, and for controlling and/or coordinating the operation of the subsystem components described above; and
a configuration detection mechanism, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for (i) automatically detecting when said hand-supportable housing is picked up off a countertop surface or a support stand and held in an operator'"'"'s hand, and automatically programming said system parameters for automatically configuring said digital-imaging based code symbol reading system into said hands-on mode of operation, and also for (i) automatically detecting when said hand-supportable is resting on said countertop surface or in said support stand, and in response thereto, automatically programming said system parameters for automatically configuring said digital-imaging code symbol reading system into said hands-free presentation mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification