DETECTING WINDOW DETERIORATION ON BARCODE SCANNING WORKSTATION
First Claim
1. A method of operating a workstation having an imaging sensor located within a housing that has a first window in an upright plane and a second window in a generally horizontal plane that intersects the upright plane, the workstation having two modes of operation including a barcode-scanning mode of operation and a monitoring mode of operation, the method comprising:
- projecting illumination light through one of the windows by energizing a illumination light source within the housing, intended for capturing at least one image with the imaging sensor;
capturing multiple monitoring images each being captured with the imaging sensor while the illumination light source is energized during one of multiple monitoring exposure-time-periods associated with the monitoring mode of operation, wherein each of the multiple monitoring exposure-time-periods is below the threshold exposure-time-period, wherein the threshold exposure-time-period is an exposure-time-period that allows the imaging sensor to capture first patterns of a barcode with said first patterns being decodable when said barcode is in direct contact with said one of the windows while the illumination light source is energized, and wherein the threshold exposure-time-period is 110% of a sub-threshold exposure-time-period that allows the imaging sensor to capture second patterns of the barcode with said second patterns being undecodable when said barcode is in direct contact with said one of the windows while the illumination light source is energized; and
detecting a checkup-condition including analyzing the multiple monitoring images to determine the presence of at least one image of an adverse feature that includes a piece of dirt, a scratch mark, and a spill mark on said one of the windows.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of operating a workstation includes capturing multiple monitoring images each being captured with the imaging sensor while the illumination light source is energized during one of multiple short exposure-time-periods, and detecting a checkup-condition that includes analyzing the multiple monitoring images to determine the presence of any adverse feature on workstation'"'"'s window. Each of the multiple short exposure-time-periods is shorter than four times of a threshold exposure-time-period but no shorter than 25% of the threshold exposure-time-period. The threshold exposure-time-period is a minimal exposure-time-period needed for the imaging sensor to capture recognizable patterns of a barcode that is in directing contacting with the window while the illumination light source is energized.
4 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a workstation having an imaging sensor located within a housing that has a first window in an upright plane and a second window in a generally horizontal plane that intersects the upright plane, the workstation having two modes of operation including a barcode-scanning mode of operation and a monitoring mode of operation, the method comprising:
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projecting illumination light through one of the windows by energizing a illumination light source within the housing, intended for capturing at least one image with the imaging sensor; capturing multiple monitoring images each being captured with the imaging sensor while the illumination light source is energized during one of multiple monitoring exposure-time-periods associated with the monitoring mode of operation, wherein each of the multiple monitoring exposure-time-periods is below the threshold exposure-time-period, wherein the threshold exposure-time-period is an exposure-time-period that allows the imaging sensor to capture first patterns of a barcode with said first patterns being decodable when said barcode is in direct contact with said one of the windows while the illumination light source is energized, and wherein the threshold exposure-time-period is 110% of a sub-threshold exposure-time-period that allows the imaging sensor to capture second patterns of the barcode with said second patterns being undecodable when said barcode is in direct contact with said one of the windows while the illumination light source is energized; and detecting a checkup-condition including analyzing the multiple monitoring images to determine the presence of at least one image of an adverse feature that includes a piece of dirt, a scratch mark, and a spill mark on said one of the windows. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10)
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7. (canceled)
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8. (canceled)
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9. (canceled)
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11. A workstation comprising:
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a housing having a first window in an upright plane and a second window in a generally horizontal plane that intersects the upright plane; an imaging sensor within the housing and having an array of photosensitive elements; an illumination system having an illumination light source within the housing and configured for projecting illumination light through one of the windows when the illumination light source is energized; a controller operatively connected to the imaging sensor and the illumination system for controlling the workstation in a barcode-scanning mode of operation and a monitoring mode of operation, and configured for capturing multiple monitoring images each being captured with the imaging sensor while the illumination light source is energized during one of multiple monitoring exposure-time-periods associated with the monitoring mode of operation, wherein each of the multiple monitoring exposure-time-periods is below the threshold exposure-time-period, wherein the threshold exposure-time-period is an exposure-time-period that allows the imaging sensor to capture first patterns of a barcode with said first patterns being decodable when said barcode is in direct contact with said one of the windows while the illumination light source is energized, and wherein the threshold exposure-time-period is 110% of a sub-threshold exposure-time-period that allows the imaging sensor to capture second patterns of the barcode with said second patterns being undecodable when said barcode is in direct contact with said one of the windows while the illumination light source is energized; and wherein the controller is further configured for detecting a checkup-condition including analyzing the multiple monitoring images to determine the presence of at least one image of an adverse feature that includes a piece of dirt, a scratch mark, and a spill mark on said one of the windows. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. (canceled)
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18. (canceled)
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19. (canceled)
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20. A method of operating a workstation having an imaging sensor located within a housing that has a first window in an upright plane and a second window in a generally horizontal plane that intersects the upright plane, the workstation having two modes of operation including a barcode-scanning mode of operation and a monitoring mode of operation, the method comprising:
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projecting illumination light through one of the windows by energizing a illumination light source within the housing, intended for capturing at least one image with the imaging sensor; capturing multiple monitoring images each being captured with the imaging sensor while the illumination light source is energized during one of multiple monitoring exposure-time-periods associated with the monitoring mode of operation, wherein each of the multiple monitoring exposure-time-periods is below the threshold exposure-time-period, wherein the threshold exposure-time-period is an exposure-time-period that allows the imaging sensor to capture first patterns of a barcode with said first patterns being decodable when said barcode is in direct contact with said one of the windows while the illumination light source is energized, and wherein the threshold exposure-time-period is 110% of a sub-threshold exposure-time-period that allows the imaging sensor to capture second patterns of the barcode with said second patterns being undecodable when said barcode is in direct contact with said one of the windows while the illumination light source is energized; and detecting a checkup-condition when at least one monitoring image differ from multiple other monitoring images with one or more additional image feature.
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Specification