SENSING DEVICE

• US 20090084850A1
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,132,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.150
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10623 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/59 by controlling the amount of charge storable in the pixel, e.g. modification of the charge conversion ratio of the floating node capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 for non-uniformity detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 : Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/767 : Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/778 : comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1568 : for disturbance correction or prevention within the image-sensor, e.g. biasing, blooming, smearing correction circuits H04N25/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 : Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A sensing device is disclosed. The sensing device includes a coded data sensor for sensing coded data portions disposed on a plurality of respective positions on a surface of a product item, each code data portion being indicative of an identity of the product item and the position of the respective code data portion, a barcode sensor for sensing a barcode on the surface of the product item, a processor for generating indicating data indicative of the position of each sensed coded data portion and the identity of the product item, and communication means for transferring the indicating data to a computer system.

Claims

1. A sensing device including:

a coded data sensor for sensing coded data portions disposed on a plurality of respective positions on a surface of a product item, each code data portion being indicative of an identity of the product item and the position of the respective code data portion;

a barcode sensor for sensing a barcode on the surface of the product item;

a processor for generating indicating data indicative of the position of each sensed coded data portion and the identity of the product item; and

communication means for transferring the indicating data to a computer system.

2. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the coded data sensor and barcode sensor utilise a 2D image sensor.

3. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the coded data sensor and barcode sensor utilise a sensor adapted to sense a spot of radiation, and wherein in use, the sensor is moved relative to the product item to thereby sense the barcode.

4. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device further includes a radiation source for exposing at least one of the coded data and the barcode to radiation.

5. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device includes a laser for emitting a scanning beam, the scanning beam being directed in first and second orthogonal directions to thereby generate a raster scan pattern over a scanning patch, wherein the barcode and coded data portions are sensed when placed in the scanning patch.

6. The sensing device of claim 5, wherein the sensing device further includes at least one beam controller for directing the scanning beam along selected ones of a number of beam paths, each beam path extending into the scanning patch at a respective angle.

7. The sensing device of claim 5, wherein the scanning device further includes an amplitude modulator for modulating the amplitude of the scanning beam.

8. The sensing device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to:

(a) determine from radiation sensed by the coded data sensor, using the modulation of the scanning beam, ambient light incident on the coded data sensor;

(b) determine from radiation sensed by the coded data sensor, using the determined ambient light incident on the coded data sensor, the radiation reflected from the surface; and

,

(c) sense the coded data from the radiation reflected from the surface.

9. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein indicating data is further indicative of an orientation of the coded data sensor relative to the surface.

10. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein indicating data is further indicative of movement of the coded data sensor relative to the surface resulting from the coded data sensor sensing a plurality of coded data portions.