Bar code reader configured to read fine print barcode symbols
First Claim
1. A method for processing image data with use of an optical reader, said method comprising the steps of:
- capturing a first gray scale image map corresponding to a scene including a symbol;
defining a region of interest within said image map comprising a subset of pixels of said first image map;
interpolating constructed pixel values only from those pixel values corresponding to pixel locations within said region of interest to form an interpolated image map within said region of interest; and
binarizing said interpolated image map to form a binarized interpolated image map so that a region of said scene corresponding to said region of interest is represented by a binarized image map comprising a greater number of pixel values per unit scene area than is represented by said first grey scale image map.
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Abstract
In the present invention, a bar code reader captures an initial image map corresponding to a scene, then subjects the initial image map to an interpolation step wherein values for constructed pixels positionally intermediate pixel values of the initial image map are interpolated as a function of the initial image map pixel values bordering the constructed pixels. After an interpolated image map is constructed, the interpolated image map is subjected to a binarization step wherein grey scale pixel values of the interpolated image map are converted into binary (1 or 0) pixel values by way of a thresholding process. In the thresholding process, grey scale pixel values are compared to a threshold in the grey scale range, then set to 1 if they are above the threshold and set to 0 if below the threshold. The pixel values of the resulting binarized interpolated image map are then analyzed to determine the identity of a message which may be encoded in any symbol which may be represented in the binarized interpolated image map.
212 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for processing image data with use of an optical reader, said method comprising the steps of:
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capturing a first gray scale image map corresponding to a scene including a symbol;
defining a region of interest within said image map comprising a subset of pixels of said first image map;
interpolating constructed pixel values only from those pixel values corresponding to pixel locations within said region of interest to form an interpolated image map within said region of interest; and
binarizing said interpolated image map to form a binarized interpolated image map so that a region of said scene corresponding to said region of interest is represented by a binarized image map comprising a greater number of pixel values per unit scene area than is represented by said first grey scale image map. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for processing image data with use of an optical reader, said method of comprising the steps of:
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capturing an first grey scale image map corresponding to a scene including a symbol;
binarizing said grey scale image map to form a binarized image map;
analyzing said binarized image map to determine a location of a symbology indicator;
establishing a region of interest about said located symbology indicator;
interpolating constructed pixel values from existing pixel values in said first grey scale image map within said region of interest to form an interpolated image map; and
binarizing said interpolated image map to form a binarized interpolated image map within said region of interest. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method for processing image data using an optical reader, said method comprising the steps of:
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capturing a first grey scale image map;
identifying pixel positions of said first grey scale image map that correspond to a symbol representation;
selectively interpolating constructed pixel values only from pixel values of said identified pixel positions of said image map that correspond to said symbol representation, said identified pixel positions comprising less than all pixels of said first grey scale image map; and
binarizing said constructed pixel values. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification