Automatic exposure single frame imaging systems
First Claim
1. An automatic exposure imaging system, usable as a dataform reader to read a dataform in a target area at a distance from said reader, comprising:
- a plurality of sensor elements which are readable to provide image signals and at least some of which are positioned in a two-dimensional array;
at least one focus illuminator arranged to illuminate said target area with an area of illumination characterized by at least one of a size, a brightness and a location which varies with the distance between the array and the target area;
a user trigger device arranged to activate said at least one focus illuminator and initiate reading of selected sensor elements;
an in-focus sensing device responsive to image signals from at least one of said sensor elements and arranged to provide an in-focus signal when said area of illumination is characterized by at least one of a size within a predetermined size range, a brightness within a predetermined brightness range and a location within a predetermined location range;
a gain control device responsive, in a period after said in-focus signal, to the level of reflected light as represented by image signals from at least one of said sensor elements and arranged to control image signal amplification;
an exposure control device, responsive to image signals from at least one of said sensor elements, and arranged to provide a start signal in response to said in-focus signal and a stop signal in response to reflection of a predetermined level of illumination from said target area;
at least one exposure illuminator responsive to said start signal and to said stop signal, and arranged to illuminate said target area during an exposure period determined by said start and stop signals;
a memory unit coupled to said array and arranged to store image data representative of said image signals;
a processing unit coupled to said memory unit and arranged to process stored image data to decode said dataform, and to provide an end-cycle signal effective to terminate reading of selected sensor elements and operation of the dataform reader, upon successful decoding of the dataform; and
an output device coupled to said processing unit and arranged to provide output signals representative of decoded dataform information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic exposure imaging system operating on a single frame image capture basis is adapted for single chip CMOS type construction. For reading dataforms, such as two-dimensional bar codes and matrix codes, the system can provide automatic gain control, automatic exposure control, automatic focus sensing and single frame imaging and decoding, with reduced power consumption. A fixed focus distance sensor element array assembly and optical distance sensing enable automatic initiation of exposure when the image is in-focus. Exposure provided by image illuminators is automatically controlled by sensing of the cumulative level of reflected light during the exposure period. Alternatively, exposure time is determined from a look-up table, based upon the level of light reflected during an initial illumination period of fixed duration. Automatic system turn-off or re-reading can be provided, depending upon whether a dataform is successfully decoded. Power use is reduced by terminating the reading of sensor elements upon successful decoding. A complete, light-weight, hand-held reader is described, including provision for transmission of decoded dataform information and a wide range of additional capabilities via plug-in cards. Related methods are also described.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. An automatic exposure imaging system, usable as a dataform reader to read a dataform in a target area at a distance from said reader, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor elements which are readable to provide image signals and at least some of which are positioned in a two-dimensional array; at least one focus illuminator arranged to illuminate said target area with an area of illumination characterized by at least one of a size, a brightness and a location which varies with the distance between the array and the target area; a user trigger device arranged to activate said at least one focus illuminator and initiate reading of selected sensor elements; an in-focus sensing device responsive to image signals from at least one of said sensor elements and arranged to provide an in-focus signal when said area of illumination is characterized by at least one of a size within a predetermined size range, a brightness within a predetermined brightness range and a location within a predetermined location range; a gain control device responsive, in a period after said in-focus signal, to the level of reflected light as represented by image signals from at least one of said sensor elements and arranged to control image signal amplification; an exposure control device, responsive to image signals from at least one of said sensor elements, and arranged to provide a start signal in response to said in-focus signal and a stop signal in response to reflection of a predetermined level of illumination from said target area; at least one exposure illuminator responsive to said start signal and to said stop signal, and arranged to illuminate said target area during an exposure period determined by said start and stop signals; a memory unit coupled to said array and arranged to store image data representative of said image signals; a processing unit coupled to said memory unit and arranged to process stored image data to decode said dataform, and to provide an end-cycle signal effective to terminate reading of selected sensor elements and operation of the dataform reader, upon successful decoding of the dataform; and an output device coupled to said processing unit and arranged to provide output signals representative of decoded dataform information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An automatic exposure system, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor elements which are readable to provide image signals representative of reflected illumination and at least some of which are positioned in a two-dimensional array; at least one exposure illuminator including an array of illuminator devices arranged to provide a predetermined level of illumination across a selected target area when said array and said target area are separated by a predetermined distance; and an exposure control device responsive to image signals from at least one of said sensor elements and arranged to provide an exposure stop signal in response to a predetermined level of reflected illumination, said exposure stop signal being utilized to turn off said at least one exposure illuminator, which provides illumination resulting in said reflected illumination. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An automatic exposure imaging system, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor elements which are readable to provide image signals and at least some of which are positioned in a two-dimensional array; at least one focus illuminator arranged to illuminate a target area with an area of illumination characterized by at least one of a size, a brightness and a location which varies with the distance between the array and the target area; an in-focus sensing device responsive to image signals from at least one of said sensor elements and arranged to provide an in-focus signal when said area of illumination is characterized by at least one of a size within a predetermined size range, a brightness within a predetermined brightness range and a location within a predetermined location range; an exposure control device, responsive to image signals from at least one of said sensor elements, and arranged to provide a start signal in response to said in-focus signal and a stop signal in response to reflection of a predetermined level of illumination from said target area; and at least one exposure illuminator responsive to said start signal and to said stop signal, and arranged to illuminate said target area during an exposure period determined by said start and stop signals. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An imaging system, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor elements which are readable to provide image signals and at least some of which are positioned in a two-dimensional array; at least one focus illuminator arranged to illuminate a target area with an area of illumination characterized by at least one of a size, a brightness and a location which varies with the distance between the array and the target area; and an in-focus sensing device responsive to image signals from at least one of said sensor elements and arranged to provide an in-focus signal when said area of illumination is characterized by at least one of a size within a predetermined size range, a brightness within a predetermined brightness range and a location within a predetermined location range. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. An automatic exposure imaging system comprising:
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a plurality of sensor elements which are readable to provide image signals and at least some of which are positioned in a two-dimensional array; at least one exposure illuminator arranged to illuminate a target area during a preset initial period and during an adjustable exposure period; and an exposure control device responsive to image signals, from at least one of said sensor elements, which are representative of the level of illumination reflected from said target area during said preset initial period, said exposure control device arranged to provide an exposure control signal representative of the duration of said adjustable exposure period. - View Dependent Claims (32, 38)
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31. An automatic exposure imaging system comprising:
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a plurality of sensor elements which are readable to provide image signals and at least some of which are positioned in a two-dimensional array; at least one exposure illuminator arranged to illuminate a target area during a preset initial period and during an adjustable exposure period; an exposure control device responsive to image signals, from at least one of said sensor elements, which are representative of the level of illumination reflected from said target area during said preset initial period, said exposure control device arranged to provide an exposure control signal representative of the duration of said adjustable exposure period; a memory unit arranged to store a look-up table of exposure periods correlated to exposure control signal value; and a processing unit coupled to said exposure control device and said memory unit and responsive to said exposure control signal to utilize said look-up table to determine the duration of said adjustable exposure period. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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33. An automatic exposure imaging system comprising:
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a plurality of sensor elements which are readable to provide image signals and at least some of which are positioned in a two-dimensional array; at least one exposure illuminator arranged to illuminate a target area during a preset initial period and during an adjustable exposure period; and an exposure control device responsive to image signals, from two rows of said sensor elements positioned in said two-dimensional array, which are representative of the level of illumination reflected from said target area during said preset initial period, said exposure control device arranged to provide an exposure control signal representative of the duration of said adjustable exposure period; said exposure control device arranged to determine said level of illumination by summing the pixel values represented by image signals from all sensors included in said two rows of sensor elements.
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37. An automatic exposure imaging system comprising:
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a plurality of sensor elements which are readable to provide image signals and at least some of which are positioned in a two-dimensional array; at least one exposure illuminator arranged to illuminate a target area during a preset initial period and during an adjustable exposure period; an exposure control device responsive to image signals, from at least one of said sensor elements, which are representative of the level of illumination reflected from said target area during said preset initial period, said exposure control device arranged to provide an exposure control signal representative of the duration of said adjustable exposure period; at least one focus illuminator arranged to illuminate a target area with an area of illumination characterized by at least one of a size, a brightness and location which varies with the distance between the array and the target area; and an in-focus sensing device responsive to image signals from at least one of said sensor elements and arranged to provide an in-focus signal effective to initiate said preset initial period of illumination by said exposure illuminator when said area of illumination is characterized by at least one of a size within a predetermined size range, a brightness with a predetermined brightness range and a location within a predetermined location range.
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39. An imaging method, for use with an imaging system including an array of sensor elements, comprising the following steps:
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(a) illuminating a target area with an area of illumination characterized by at least one of a size, a brightness and a location which varies with the distance between the array and the target area; (b) adjusting said distance to cause said area of illumination to be characterized by at least one of a size within a predetermined size range, a brightness within a predetermined brightness range and a location within a predetermined location range; (c) providing an in-focus signal when an image signal from at least one sensor element indicates that said area of illumination is characterized as described in step (b); (d) turning on an exposure illuminator in response to said in-focus signal; (e) providing a stop signal when image signals from at least one sensor element indicate reflection of a predetermined level of illumination from said target area; (f) turning off said exposure illuminator in response to said stop signal; and (g) processing image data from sensor elements of said array. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An imaging method, for use with an imaging system including an array of sensing elements, comprising the following steps:
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(a) illuminating a target area with an area of illumination characterized by at least one of a size, a brightness and a location which varies with the distance between the array and the target area; (b) adjusting said distance to cause said area of illumination to be characterized by at least one of a size within a predetermined size range, a brightness within a predetermined brightness range and a location within a predetermined location range; and (c) providing an in-focus signal when an image signal from at least one sensing element indicates that said area of illumination is characterized as described in step (b). - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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53. An imaging method, for use with an imaging system including an array of sensing elements, comprising the following steps:
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(a) turning on an exposure illuminator for a preset initial period; (b) determining the level of illumination sensed by at least one sensing element in said preset initial period; and (c) utilizing said level to determine an adjustable exposure period.
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54. An imaging method, for use with an imaging system including an array of sensing elements, comprising the following steps:
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(a) turning on an exposure illuminator for a preset initial period; (b) determining the level of illumination sensed by at least one sensing element in said preset initial period; and (c) utilizing a look-up table of exposure periods to determine an adjustable exposure period on the basis of said level. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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Specification