IMAGING APPARATUS HAVING PLURALITY OF OPERATING STATES

• US 20110031314A1
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl W. Gerst, III, Charles P. Barber, George S. Smith II, Matthew W. Pankow, Robert C. Gardiner, Robert M. Hussey
• Original Assignee: Carl W. Gerst, III, Charles P. Barber, George S. Smith II, Matthew W. Pankow, Robert C. Gardiner, Robert M. Hussey
• Inventors: Smith, George S. II, Pankow, Matthew W., Gerst, Carl W. III, Hussey, Robert M., Barber, Charles P., Gardiner, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10821 further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/42 by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors

Abstract

There is described an imaging apparatus having an image sensor, and a plurality of operating states. Operation of the imaging apparatus can be differentiated between the operating states. In one operating state, the imaging apparatus can capture a frame of image data having image data corresponding to a predetermined number of pixels of the image sensor. The operating states of the imaging apparatus can be user selectable.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in reading a symbol, wherein the apparatus comprises in combination:

an imaging assembly;

a hand graspable housing;

wherein the imaging assembly comprises an image sensor having a plurality of pixels and optics focusing an image onto the image sensor, wherein the image sensor is a two dimensional image sensor;

wherein the apparatus is operable in a plurality of user selectable operating states;

wherein the apparatus in one of the plurality of user selectable operating states is operable to capture a relatively smaller sized frame of image data and responsively to a processing of the relatively smaller sized frame of image data capture one or more relatively larger sized frames of image data for use in attempting to decode the symbol, the one or more relatively larger sized frames of image data having image data corresponding to a predetermined set of pixels of said image sensor and representing a larger portion of the symbol than image data of the relatively smaller sized frame of image data;

wherein the apparatus in another one of the plurality of user selectable states is operable to capture a first frame of image data having image data corresponding to a first set of pixels of the image sensor and responsively to a processing of the first frame of image data capture a second frame of image data having image data corresponding to a second set of pixels of the image sensor for use in attempting to decode the symbol, wherein the second set of pixels is different from the first set of pixels and wherein the pixels of the second set of pixels are adaptively determined responsively to a processing of the first frame of image data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is operable to capture said second relatively sized larger frame conditionally on the condition that the processing of the relatively smaller sized frame does not result in a successful decoding of the symbol.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is a CMOS image sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the relatively larger sized frame of image data is a full frame of image data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes an illumination assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said illumination assembly includes a laser, and wherein said illumination assembly is adapted to project an aiming pattern.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes an illumination assembly and wherein said illumination assembly includes a white LED.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes an illumination assembly and wherein said illumination assembly includes a red LED.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is operative to attempt to decode a 1D bar code symbol.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is operative to attempt to decode a 2D bar code symbol.