IMAGING TERMINAL HAVING IMAGE SENSOR AND LENS ASSEMBLY

• US 20140078341A1
• Filed: 12/01/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Havens, William H., Meier, Timothy P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,189,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/229.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10752 Exposure time control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

There is set forth herein an imaging terminal having and image sensor including an image sensor array having a plurality of pixels. In one embodiment the imaging terminal can include a lens assembly for focusing light on the image sensor array. In one embodiment the lens assembly is a variable setting lens assembly having a first lens setting at which the terminal has a first plane of optimum focus and a second lens setting at which the terminal has a second plane of optimum focus. The imaging terminal can execute one or more processes for determining an operating parameter of the imaging terminal.

Claims

1. An indicia reading terminal, comprising:

an image sensor comprising an array having a plurality of pixels for generating an image signal corresponding to an exposure period;

a variable setting lens assembly having two or more lens settings for focusing light on the array;

wherein the terminal is configured for capturing a succession of frames, each frame corresponding to an exposure period;

wherein the terminal is configured for capturing each frame according to operational parameters, the operational parameters comprising a picture size, the exposure period, and an amplification gain for amplifying the image signal;

wherein the terminal is configured for capturing frames in accordance with a configuration selected from two or more configurations and a profile selected from two or more profiles;

wherein each configuration designates the lens setting for each frame; and

wherein each profile determines the operational parameters for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the variable setting lens assembly has a first lens setting for focusing light in a first plane, a second lens setting for focusing light in a second plane, a third lens setting for focusing light in a third plane, and a fourth lens setting for focusing light in a fourth plane.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one configuration designates different lens settings for at least two frames.

4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one profile changes at least one operational parameter for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

5. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one profile changes the picture size for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

6. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one profile changes the exposure period for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

7. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one profile changes the exposure period for a given frame based on the exposure period applied for a previous frame captured using the same lens setting at which the given frame is captured.

8. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one profile changes the exposure period for a given frame according to an algorithm, wherein the algorithm is the same for each lens setting.

9. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one profile changes the exposure period for a given frame according to an algorithm, wherein the algorithm used depends on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

10. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one profile changes the amplification gain for amplifying the image signal for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

11. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one profile changes the amplification gain for amplifying the image signal based on the amplification gain for amplifying the image signal applied for a previous frame.

12. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one profile changes the amplification gain for amplifying the image signal for a given frame based on the previous frame'"'"'s white level captured using the same lens setting at which the given frame is captured.

13. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one profile changes the amplification gain for amplifying the image signal for a given frame according to an algorithm, wherein the algorithm is the same for each lens setting.

14. An indicia reading terminal, comprising:

an image sensor comprising an array having a plurality of pixels for generating an image signal corresponding to an exposure period;

a variable setting lens assembly having two or more lens settings for focusing light on the array;

wherein the terminal is configured for capturing a succession of frames, each frame corresponding to an exposure period;

wherein the terminal is configured for capturing each frame according to operational parameters, the operational parameters comprising a picture size, the exposure period, and an amplification gain for amplifying the image signal;

wherein the terminal is configured for capturing frames in accordance with a configuration selected from two or more configurations and a profile selected from two or more profiles;

wherein each configuration designates the lens setting for each frame;

wherein each profile determines the operational parameters for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame; and

wherein at least one profile determines at least one operational parameter for a given frame based on the same operational parameter applied for a previous frame captured using the same lens setting at which the given frame is captured.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the variable setting lens assembly has a first lens setting for focusing light in a first plane, a second lens setting for focusing light in a second plane, a third lens setting for focusing light in a third plane, and a fourth lens setting for focusing light in a fourth plane.

16. The terminal of claim 14, wherein at least one configuration designates the same lens setting for each frame.

17. The terminal of claim 14, wherein at least one profile changes at least one operational parameter for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

18. The terminal of claim 14, wherein at least one profile changes the picture size for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

19. The terminal of claim 14, wherein at least one profile changes the exposure period for a given frame based on:

the exposure period applied for the previous frame captured using the same lens setting at which the given frame is captured; and

the previous frame'"'"'s white level captured using the same lens setting at which the given frame is captured.

20. The terminal of claim 14, wherein at least one profile changes the amplification gain for amplifying the image signal for a given frame according to an algorithm, wherein the algorithm used depends on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

21. An indicia reading terminal, comprising:

an image sensor comprising an array having a plurality of pixels for generating an image signal corresponding to an exposure period;

a variable setting lens assembly for focusing light on the array, the lens assembly having a first lens setting for focusing light in a first plane and a second lens setting for focusing light in a second plane;

wherein the terminal is configured for capturing a succession of frames, each frame corresponding to an exposure period;

wherein the terminal is configured for capturing each frame according to operational parameters, the operational parameters comprising a picture size, the exposure period, and an amplification gain for amplifying the image signal;

wherein the terminal is configured for capturing frames in accordance with a configuration selected from two or more configurations and a profile selected from two or more profiles;

wherein each configuration designates the lens setting for each frame;

wherein each profile determines the operational parameters for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame;

wherein at least one configuration designates different lens settings for at least two of the frames; and

wherein at least one profile changes at least one operational parameter for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

22. The terminal of claim 21, wherein at least one profile changes the exposure period for a given frame based on the lens setting designated by the configuration setting for the given frame.

23. The terminal of claim 21, wherein at least one profile changes the exposure period for a given frame based on the exposure period applied for a previous frame.

24. The terminal of claim 21, wherein at least one profile changes the amplification gain for amplifying the image signal for a given frame based on the amplification gain for amplifying the image signal applied for a previous frame.

25. The terminal of claim 21, wherein at least one profile changes the amplification gain for amplifying the image signal for a given frame based on the amplification gain for amplifying the image signal applied for the previous frame captured using the same lens setting at which the given frame is captured.