Image capture system and method using a common imaging array

• US 6,889,904 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Mehul M., Bianculli, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US10/392,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20040031851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.22, 235/462.23, 235/462.24
• US Class Current: 235/462.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1092 sensing by means of TV-scanning

Abstract

An image of a target in a far-field range of working distances relative to an image capture system is focused at a first group of sensors in a common, two-dimensional, array of sensors, and an image of an optical code in a near-field range of working distances relative to the system is focused at a second group of sensors in the array. The same array is shared in a portable apparatus capable of capturing target images and optical code images without moving any optical components.

Claims

1. An image capture system, comprising:

a) a common imaging array of sensors spaced apart at respective locations in the common array for detecting light incident on the sensors; and

b) an image capture assembly for focusing an image of a non-coded target in a far-field range of working distances for capture only at a first group of the sensors in the common array, and for focusing an image of an optical code in a near-field range of working distances for capture only at a second group of the sensors in the common array.

2. The system of claim 1, and a support having an interior for receiving the common array, and wherein the image capture assembly includes a target lens supported by the support for focusing the image of the target, and a code lens supported by the support and spaced from the target lens for focusing the image of the optical code.

3. The system of claim 2, and a baffle in the interior of the support for blocking light captured from the image of the target from reaching the second group of the sensors, and for blocking light captured from the image of the optical code from reaching the first group of the sensors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are arranged in mutually orthogonal rows and columns, and wherein the first group is a major proportion of the rows, and wherein the second group is a minor proportion of the rows.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the near-field range measures from about 0.5″

to about 12″

, and wherein the far-field range measures from about 12″

to infinity.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical code is a one-dimensional barcode symbol, and wherein the non-coded target is not a barcode symbol.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each sensor includes three photosensors operative for measuring each of three primary colors of the incident light at the same location as the respective sensor to obtain measured red, blue and green signals, and for processing the signals from the first group of the sensors to obtain the image of the target in full color, and for processing a plurality of the signals from the second group of the sensors to obtain a composite signal by which the image of the optical code is obtained in monochrome.

8. An image capture method, comprising the steps of:

a) detecting light incident on a common imaging array of sensors spaced apart at respective locations in the common array;

b) focusing an image at a non-coded target in a far-field range of working distances for capture only at a first group of the sensors in the common array; and

c) focusing an image of an optical code in a near-field range of working distances for capture only at a second group of the sensors in the common array.

9. The method of claim 8, and the step of mounting the common array in an interior of a support, and the step of mounting a target lens and a code lens at spaced-apart locations on the support.

10. The method of claim 9, and the step of subdividing the interior of a support by a baffle that blocks light captured from the image of the target from reaching the second group of the sensors, and that blocks light captured from the range of the optical code from reaching the first group of the sensors.

11. The method of claim 8, and the step of arranging the sensors in mutually orthogonal rows and columns, and the step of assigning a major proportion of the rows to the first group of the sensors, and a minor proportions of the rows to the second group of the sensors.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the near-field range measures from about 0.5″

to about 12″

, and wherein the far-field range measures from about 12″

to infinity.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the optical code is a one-dimensional barcode symbol, and wherein the non-coded target is not a barcode symbol.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein each sensor includes three photosensors operative for measuring each of three primary colors of the incident light at the same location as the respective sensor to obtain measured red, blue and green signals, and the step of processing the signals from the first group of the sensors to obtain the image of the target in full color, and the step of processing a plurality of the signals from the second group of the sensors to obtain a composite signal by which the image of the optical code is obtained in monochrome.