Bar code reading terminal with video capturing mode

• US 20090001173A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Sevier, Mitchel P., Yeakley, Daniel D., Kosecki, James, Gomez, Garrison, Doren, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,496,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.410
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1495 the method including an image compression step
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440236 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures, audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6336 directed to decoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A bar code reading terminal can, in one embodiment, include a two-dimensional image sensor and an imaging assembly. The terminal can be configured, in response to receipt of a trigger signal, to buffer a set of frames and subject each frame of the set of frames to a decode attempt. The terminal can also be configured to convert the convert the captured set of video frames into a compressed video format, and transfer the resulting video file to a file server or to one or more playback devices, in response to a user interface action, or in response to difficult read condition having been detected. The terminal can also be configured to establish two-way video- and audio-communication with a remote video- and audio-streaming device. The video capturing and streaming operation of the terminal can be controlled remotely from a playback device via web interface.

Claims

1. A bar code reading terminal comprising:

a two-dimensional image sensor;

a lens assembly focusing an image onto said two-dimensional image sensor;

wherein said bar code reading terminal in response to receiving a trigger signal captures a set of frames, buffers said set of frames into a buffer memory, reads each frame one at a time from said buffer memory and subjects each of said set of frames to a decode attempt; and

wherein said bar code reading terminal in response to a difficult read condition being detected transfers at least a subset of frames of said set of frames that have been subject to a decode attempt to another location for later viewing.

2. The bar code reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said at least a subset of frames is transferred to a second memory within said bar code reading terminal.

3. The bar code reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said at least a subset of frames is transferred to a server.

4. The bar code reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said bar code reading terminal converts said at least a subset of frames to a raw video file.

5. The bar code reading terminal of claim 4, wherein said bar code reading terminal further encodes said raw video file into a compressed video file format.

6. The bar code reading terminal of claim 5, wherein said compressed video file format is one of MJPEG format, MPEG-4 format, RealVideo format, WMV format.

7. The bar code reading terminal of claim 3, wherein said server converts said at least a subset of frames to a raw video file and transfers said raw video file to said server.

8. The bar code reading terminal of claim 7, wherein said server further encodes said raw video file into a compressed video file format.

9. The bar code reading terminal of claim 8, wherein said compressed video file format is one of MJPEG format, MPEG-4 format, RealVideo format, WMV format.

10. A system for recording difficult read conditions comprising:

a computer network;

a server having a memory, said server connected to said network, said server serving as a central database of difficult read conditions; and

at least one bar code reading terminal, said bar code reading terminal connected to said network and said bar code reading terminal including a 2D image sensor and said bar code reading terminal configured to locate and decode a bar code symbol in images acquired from said 2D image sensor and to detect a difficult read condition, wherein on detection of said difficult read condition said bar code reading terminal transfers 2D image data that was subject to decoding to said server.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said 2D image data comprises a plurality of frames of 2D image data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of frames of 2D image data are transferred as a raw video file.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said plurality of frames of 2D image data are transferred as an encoded video file in a compressed file format.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of frames of 2D image data is converted into a raw video file by said server.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said plurality of frames of 2D image data is encoded into a compressed video file format by said server.

16. A method to train bar code reading terminal operators comprising the steps of:

providing a bar code reading terminal;

providing a bar code to be read by said bar code reading terminal;

imaging said bar code using said bar code reading terminal;

storing a plurality of said images into a buffer memory;

recalling each of said images one at a time from said buffer memory;

attempting to decode each image to extract a bar code data;

determining if said attempt to extract said bar code data was successful;

transferring at least a subset of said plurality of said images subjected to decoding for later viewing, if the step of attempting to decode was unsuccessful; and

viewing said plurality of images to evaluate an imaging technique employed by an operator of said bar code reading terminal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of transferring at least a subset of said plurality of said images comprises the step of transferring at least a subset of said plurality of said images subjected to decoding in a raw video format for later viewing, if the bar code decoding attempt was unsuccessful.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of transferring at least a subset of said plurality of said images comprises the step of transferring at least a subset of said plurality of said images subjected to decoding in an encoded video format for later viewing, if the bar code decoding attempt was unsuccessful.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of transferring at least a subset of said plurality of said images comprises the step of transferring at least a subset of said plurality of said images subjected to decoding for later viewing, if the bar code decoding attempt was successful for later recall and viewing to demonstrate a good imaging technique.

20. A bar code reading terminal comprising:

a two-dimensional image sensor and an imaging assembly,

wherein said terminal is configured in response to receipt of a trigger signal to buffer a set of frames and subject each frame of said set of frames to a decode attempt; and

wherein said terminal is configured to operate in an archiving mode of operation in which said terminal at least one of transfers to another location for later viewing or converts into a video file format said set of frames subjected to a decode attempt.

21. The bar code reading terminal of claim 20, wherein said terminal is configured so that a user can perform at least one action of the group consisting of:

activating said archiving mode and deactivating said archiving mode.

22. The bar code reading terminal of claim 20, wherein said terminal includes a user interface, and wherein said terminal is configured so that a user can initiate a control signal to activate said archiving mode utilizing said user interface.

23. The bar code reading terminal of claim 20, wherein said terminal is configured so that said terminal can receive a control signal to activate said archiving mode from an external computer.

24. The bar code reading terminal of claim 20, wherein said terminal is devoid of a keyboard and display.