Data-reading image capture apparatus, camera, and method of use

• US 6,700,613 B1
• Filed: 06/16/1998
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Bryant, Robert C., Small, Jeffrey A., Nelson, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): VILLECCO, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/097,975
• Time in Patent Office: 2,086 Days
• Field of Search: 348/232, 348/360, 348/342, 348/164, 348/168, 348/231.2, 358/401, 358/474, 283/88
• US Class Current: 348/342
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/00 Filters or other obturators specially adapted for photographic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/007 Selecting or switching between a still picture apparatus or function and another apparatus or function H04N2201/0022 takes precedence

Abstract

A data-reading image capture apparatus, camera, and method of use. The capture apparatus has a digital image detector sensitive to a band of visible radiation and a band of invisible electromagnetic radiation. An optical system, in the capture apparatus, focuses the bands of electromagnetic radiation on the image detector. An image separator is disposed in the capture apparatus, in operative relation to the digital image detector and optical system. The image separator is switchable between an image capture state and a data reading state. The image separator is attenuative for the band of invisible radiation and transmissive for the band of visible radiation in the image capture state. The image separator is attenuative for the band of visible radiation and transmissive for the band of invisible radiation in the data reading state.

Claims

1. A data-reading image capture apparatus comprising:

a digital image detector sensitive to a band of visible radiation and a band of invisible electromagnetic radiation;

an optical system focusing said bands of electromagnetic radiation on said image detector;

an image separator disposed in operative relation to said digital image detector and said optical system, said image separator being switchable between an image capture state and a data reading state, said image separator being attenuative for said band of invisible radiation and transmissive for said band of visible radiation in said image capture state, said image separator being attenuative for said band of visible radiation and transmissive, in close up relative to said visible radiation in said image capture state, for said band of invisible radiation in said data reading state.

2. The capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein said image separator further comprises:

an image filter attenuative for said band of invisible radiation and transmissive for said band of visible radiation; and

a data filter attenuative for said band of visible radiation and transmissive for said band of invisible radiation;

said image and data filters being separately interposable in operative relation to said detector, for image capture and data reading, respectively.

3. The capture apparatus of claim 1 further characterized as comprising:

a digital image detector sensitive to a band of visible radiation and a band of invisible electromagnetic radiation, said digital image detector outputting an imaging signal;

an optical system focusing said bands of electromagnetic radiation on said image detector;

a digital image separator operative on said imaging signal, said image separator being switchable between an image capture state and a data reading state, said image separator being attenuative for said band of invisible radiation and transmissive for said band of visible radiation in said image capture state, said image separator being attenuative for said band of visible radiation and transmissive for said band of invisible radiation in said data reading state.

4. The capture apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an illumination source for said band of invisible electromagnetic radiation.

5. The capture apparatus of claim 1 wherein said image separator includes an infrared blocking filter and an infrared bandpass filter.

6. The capture apparatus of claim 5 further comprising an infrared illuminator.

7. The capture apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a selector operatively connected to said image separator, said selector alternating manually to switch said image separator between said image capture state and said data reading state.

8. A camera comprising:

a selector changeable between a visible light state and an invisible radiation state; and

an exposure system capable of capturing, on exposure to a target having a visible radiation image and a second radiation image from a band of invisible electromagnetic radiation;

only said visible radiation image when said selector is in said visible light state, and

only a close-up, relative to said visible radiation image, of said second radiation image from a band of invisible electromagnetic radiation when said selector is in said invisible radiation state.

9. The camera of claim 8 further comprising an illumination source for said band of invisible electromagnetic radiation.

10. The camera of claim 9 wherein said illumination source is an infrared illuminator.

11. The camera of claim 9 further comprising a visible light illuminator.

12. A camera comprising:

a selector changeable between a visible light state and an invisible radiation state; and

an exposure system capable of capturing;

a visible radiation image when said selector is in said visible light state, and a second radiation image from a band of invisible electromagnetic radiation when said selector is in said invisible radiation state, said exposure system including;

a digital image detector sensitive to a band of visible radiation and said band of invisible electromagnetic radiation;

a data filter mounted to said camera, said data filter being attenuative for said band of visible radiation and transmissive for said band of invisible radiation;

a close-up filter mounted to said camera, said data filter and said close-up filter both being interposed in operative relation to said detector when said selector is in said invisible radiation state, said data filter being disposed in non-operative relation to said detector when said selector is in said visible light state, said close-up filter being disposable in non-operative relation to said detector; and

an optical system focusing light on said detector, said optical system having a first focusing distance when said close-up filter is in said non-operative relation to said detector and a second focusing distance when said close-up filter is in said operative relation to said detector, said first focusing distance being greater than said second focusing distance.

13. A camera comprising:

a selector changeable between a visible light state and an invisible radiation state; and

an exposure system capable of capturing;

a visible radiation image when said selector is in said visible light state, and a second radiation image from a band of invisible electromagnetic radiation when said selector is in said invisible radiation state, said exposure system including;

a digital image detector sensitive to a band of visible radiation and said band of invisible electromagnetic radiation;

a data filter mounted to said camera, said data filter being attenuative for said band of visible radiation and transmissive for said band of invisible radiation;

a close-up filter mounted to said camera, said data filter and said close-up filter both being interposed in operative relation to said detector when said selector is in said invisible radiation state, said data filter being disposed in non-operative relation to said detector when said selector is in said visible light state; and

an optical system focusing light on said detector;

wherein said exposure system further comprises an image filter attenuative for said band of invisible radiation and transmissive for said band of visible radiation, said image and close-up filters being separately interposable in operative relation to said detector, for visible image capture and data reading, respectively.

14. The camera of claim 13 wherein said image and data filters are optical filters alternately interposable in said optical system.

15. The camera of claim 14 wherein said image filter is an infrared blocking filter and said data filter is an infrared bandpass filter.

16. The camera of claim 13 wherein said digital image detector outputs an imaging signal and said data filter further comprises a digital filter operative on said imaging signal.

17. The camera of claim 13 wherein said exposure system includes a photographic film exposure unit.

18. The camera of claim 13 wherein said selector is manually changeable.

19. A method of using a data-reading camera, comprising the steps of:

selecting one of alternative visible image and invisible image camera states;

digitally capturing a light image to produce a digital image, said light image being a visible light image when said camera is in said visible image camera state, said light image being an encodement image when said camera is in said invisible image camera state;

during said capturing when said camera is in said invisible image camera state, illuminating an invisible printed encodement with a beam of invisible radiation to produce said encodement image, said radiation being within a band subject to modulation by said printed encodement;

filtering visible light from at least one of said encodement image and said digital image, when said camera is in said invisible image camera state; and

retrieving encoded information from said digital image only when said camera is in said invisible image camera state.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said invisible radiation is infrared radiation.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said selecting of said invisible image camera state further comprises moving a close-up lens to an operative position.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said selecting is manual.

23. A camera comprising:

an external selector changeable between a visible light state and an invisible radiation state;

a digital image detector outputting an imaging signal responsive to a band of visible radiation and a band of invisible electromagnetic radiation;

a data filter including a digital filter operative on said imaging signal, said data filter being attenuative for said band of visible radiation and transmissive for said band of invisible radiation, said data filter being interposed in operative relation to said detector when said selector is in said invisible radiation state;

an image filter attenuative for said band of invisible radiation and transmissive for said band of visible radiation, said image filter being interposed in operative relation to said detector when said selector is in said visible light state; and

a close-up filter interposed in operative relation to said detector when said selector is in said invisible radiation state, said close-up filter being selectively disposable in operative relation to said detector when said image separator is in said image capture state.

24. A method of using a data-reading camera, comprising the steps of:

selecting one of an invisible radiation camera state and a visible image camera state;

capturing a first photographic image when said camera is in said visible image camera state and a second photographic image when said camera is in said invisible radiation camera state, said second photographic image being in close-up relative to said first photographic image; and

retrieving encoded information from said image only when said camera is in said invisible radiation camera state.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising filtering visible light from said photographic image following said selecting of said invisible radiation camera state.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising illuminating an invisible printed encodement with a beam of infrared radiation to produce an encodement image, said radiation being within a band subject to modulation by said printed encodement, and wherein said capturing is further characterized as capturing said encodement image as a photographic image.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

inputting secondary, non-image data contemporaneously with said capturing of said first photographic image; and

recording said secondary data.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said invisible printed encodement is an encodement of said secondary data and said retrieving further comprises decoding said encodement.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said data is digitized sound and said method further comprises playing back said sound.

30. A data-reading image capture apparatus comprising:

a digital image detector sensitive to a band of visible radiation and a band of invisible electromagnetic radiation;

an optical system focusing said bands of electromagnetic radiation on said image detector;

an image separator disposed in operative relation to said digital image detector and said optical system, said image separator being switchable between an image capture state and a data reading state, said image separator being attenuative for said band of invisible radiation and transmissive for said band of visible radiation in said image capture state, said image separator being attenuative for said band of visible radiation and transmissive for said band of invisible radiation in said data reading state;

a selector operatively connected to said image separator, said selector alternating manually to switch said image separator between said image capture state and said data reading state; and

a close-up filter interposed in operative relation to said detector when said image separator is in said data reading state, said close-up filter being disposable in non-operative relation to said detector only when said image separator is in said image capture state.

31. The capture apparatus of claim 30 wherein said close-up filter is selectively disposable in said operative relation to said detector when said image separator is in said image capture state.

32. The capture apparatus of claim 31 wherein said filters are optical filters, said image and data filters are alternately interposable in said optical system, and said close-up filter is interposable in said optical system in tandem with said data filter.

33. The capture apparatus of claim 30 wherein said close-up filter is switchable between said operative relation to said detector and said non-operative relation to said detector in tandem with said image separator.

34. The capture apparatus of claim 30 wherein said close-up filter is joined in fixed relation to said data filter.

35. A camera comprising:

a selector changeable between visible image capture and data reading;

a digital image detector outputting an imaging signal responsive to visible radiation and to a band of invisible electromagnetic radiation;

image and data filters separately interposable in operative relation to said detector, said image filter being operative during said visible image capture, said data filter being operative during said data reading, said image filter being attenuative for said band of invisible radiation and transmissive for said band of visible radiation, said data filter being attenuative for said band of visible radiation and transmissive for said band of invisible radiation; and

a close-up filter interposable in operative relation to said detector;

said data and close-up filters both being operative during said data reading.