Optical reader having decoding and image capturing functionality

• US 6,942,151 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Ehrhart, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US10/143,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20020170970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.41, 235/454, 235/462.45, 235/472.01, 235/462.11, 235/462.12, 235/462.25, 235/462.47, 235/472.02, 382/312, 382/313
• US Class Current: 235/462.25
• 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 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention is an imaging device which in one embodiment is equipped with decode functionality and is configured to operate in at least one of four user selected modes. In a first, “message only” mode, the device stores into a designated memory location a decoded-out message corresponding to a decodable indicia. In a second, “image only” mode, the device stores into a designated frame storage memory location an image representation of a scene. In a third, “image plus message” mode the device stores into a designated frame storage memory location an image representation comprising a representation of a decodable symbol and into the same or other memory location the decoded-out message decoded from the decodable indicia, or data corresponding to the same. In the fourth, “two-step message and image” mode, the device is controlled to capture an image a first time for decoding a decodable indicia and a second time for capturing an image that is associated with the decoded-out message corresponding to the decodable indicia.

Claims

1. A method for decoding a decodable symbol using an optical reader not presently equipped to execute a decoding algorithm suitable for decoding said symbol, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a nonintegrated processor system in communication with said reader, said nonintegrated processor system having the capacity to decode said symbol;

(b) programming said reader to execute at least a first decode mode of operation wherein said reader decodes a symbol representation, and a second image capturing mode of operation, wherein said reader stores a frame of image data in a designated frame storage location of said reader;

(c) selecting said image capturing mode of operation and actuating said image capturing mode to store a frame of image data including said decodable symbol;

(d) transmitting said stored frame of image data to said nonintegrated processor system together with at least a two part instruction instructing said nonintegrated processor system to (1) decode said decodable symbology representation of said stored frame, and to (2) transmit back to said reader a decoded-out message corresponding to said decodable symbol; and

(e) receiving from said non-integrated processor system said decoded-out message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing step includes the step of coupling said nonintegrated processor system in communication with said reader via the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing step includes the step of coupling said local nonintegrated processor system in communication with said reader.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting step includes the step of choosing one of said decode and image capturing modes using a menu interface accessible by a user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said menu interface is electronically displayed.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said menu interface includes at least one key of a keyboard.

7. An image capturing optical reader comprising:

a trigger;

an imaging assembly; and

a control circuit having an associated memory in communication with said imaging assembly, wherein said control circuit is configured to operate said device in at least a “

message only,”

an “

image only,” and

an “

image and message”

mode of operation so that

when said “

message only”

mode is selected said control circuit, in response to an actuation of said trigger, captures an image representation into said memory, decodes decodable indicia represented in said image representation and stores into a designated memory location a decoded-out message corresponding to said decodable indicia,

when said “

image only”

mode is selected, said control circuit in response to an actuation of said trigger stores a frame of image data into a designated frame storage location of said memory without attempting to decode decodable indicia represented in said frame,

when said “

image and message”

mode is selected, said control circuit in response to an actuation of said trigger captures an image representation into said memory, determines and stores a decoded-out message corresponding to a decodable indicia of said image representation, and stores said image representation subjected to decoding to a designated frame storage memory location, said control circuit storing said decoded-out message and said image representation into said memory in such manner that said decoded-out message is correlated with said image representation.

8. The reader of claim 7, wherein said control circuit when operating in said “

image and message mode”

stores said image representation in an image file format having at least one allocated open byte file location and writes at least a part of said decoded-out message to said at least one an allocated open byte location of said image file format to correlate said decoded-out message with said image representation.

9. The reader of claim 8, wherein said control circuit when operating in said “

image and message”

mode further converts said decoded-out message into an image representation of said decoded-out message and stitches said image representation of said decoded-out message into said image representation stored in said designated frame storage memory location.

10. The reader of claim 7, wherein said control circuit when operating in said “

image and message”

mode converts said decoded-out message into an image representation of said decoded-out message and stitches said image representation of said decoded-out message into said image representation that is stored in said designated frame storage memory location.

11. The reader of claim 7, wherein said reader further includes a display adapted to display a menu interface enabling a user to select between said “

message only”

said “

image only” and

said “

image and message”

mode of operation.

12. An image capturing optical reader comprising:

a trigger;

an imaging assembly; and

a control circuit having an associated memory in communication with said imaging assembly, wherein said control circuit is configured to operate said device in at least a “

message only,”

an “

image only,” and

a “

two step image and message”

mode of operation so that

when said “

message only”

mode is selected said control circuit, in response to an actuation of said trigger, captures an image representation into said memory, decodes decodable indicia represented in said representation and stores into a designated memory location a decoded-out message corresponding to said decodable indicia,

when said “

image only”

mode is selected, said control circuit in response to an actuation of said trigger stores a frame of image data into a designated frame storage location of said memory without attempting to decode decodable indicia represented in said frame;

when said “

two step image and message”

mode is selected, said control circuit in response to a first actuation of said trigger captures a first image representation into said memory, decodes decodable indicia represented in said first representation and stores a resulting decoded-out message into said memory, and in response to a second actuation of said trigger stores a second image representation into a designated frame storage location of said memory, said control circuit storing said decoded-out message and said second image representation into said memory in such manner that said second image representation is correlated with said decoded-out message.

13. The reader of claim 12, wherein said control circuit when operating in said “

two-step image and message”

mode stores said image representation in an image file format having at least one allocated open byte file location and writes at least a part of said decoded-out message to said at least one allocated open byte location of said image file format to correlate said decoded-out message with said image representation.

14. The reader of claim 13, wherein said control circuit when operating in said “

two-step image and message”

mode further converts said decoded-out message into an image representation of said decoded-out message and stitches said image representation of said decoded-out message into said image representation that is subjected to decoding.

15. The reader of claim 12, wherein said control circuit when operating in said “

two-step image and message”

mode converts said decoded-out message into an image representation of said decoded-out message and stitches said image representation of said decoded-out message into said image representation that is subjected to decoding.

16. The reader of claim 12, wherein said reader further includes a display adapted to display a menu interface enabling a user to select between said “

message only”

said “

image only” and

said “

two-part image and message”

modes of operation.

17. The reader of claim 12, wherein said control circuit when operating in said “

two step image and message”

receives a signal resulting from said first trigger actuation subsequent to receiving a signal resulting from said second trigger actuation.

18. A method for indexing a plurality of image representations, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) programming a first hand held image capturing device to execute a “

two step message and image”

mode of operation, said “

two-step message and image”

mode of operation configuring said device so that when a designated interface of said device is actuated a first time, said device captures an image and decodes a decodable indicia represented therein to generate a decoded-out message, and when said designated interface of said device is actuated a second time, said device stores a frame of image data into a designated frame storage location of said device and correlates said stored frame of image data with said decoded-out message;

(b) operating said device in said “

two-step message and image”

mode of operation a first time to associate a first stored image representation with a first decoded-out message;

(c) operating said device in said “

two-step message and image”

mode of operation a second time to associate a second stored image representation with said first decoded-out message; and

(d) operating said device in said “

two-step message and image”

mode of operation a third time to associate a third stored image representation with a second decode out message, so that a database of stored image representations is established wherein said first and second image representations are correlated with said first decoded-out message and said third image representation is correlated with said second decoded-out message.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein step (a) programming step includes the step of programming said device so that said decoded-out message yielded subsequent to said first actuation of said designated interface is correlated with said frame of image data stored subsequent to said second actuation of said designated interface by storing said image representation in an image file format having at least one an allocated open byte file location and writing at least a part of said decoded-out message to said at least one allocated open byte memory location.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said method includes the step of uploading said first second and third image representations and their correlated decoded-out messages to a non-integrated processor system to establish a database of image representations and correlated decoded-out messages in said non-integrated processor system.

21. The method of claim 20, further including a step of providing a second hand held image capturing device in communication with said nonintegrated processor system including said database of image representations, and adapting said nonintegrated processor system and said second hand held capturing device so that said second hand held device can access said database.

22. A method for tracking the shipment of a package from a first location to a second location remote from said first location, said package including a decodable symbol, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first optical reader at said first location, and a second optical reader at said second location wherein each of said optical readers has image capture functionality;

(b) coupling said first and second optical readers in communication with a common nonintegrated remote processor system;

(c) at said first location decoding said decodable symbol to determine a decoded-out message corresponding to said decodable symbol and storing an image representation of said package using said first optical reader;

(d) correlating said image representation stored in step (c) with said decoded-out message determined in step (c);

(e) sending said correlated decoded-out message and said image representation correlated in step (d) to said nonintegrated processor system;

(f) at said second location, decoding said symbol using said second optical reader to determine said decoded-out message; and

(g) via communication of said first decoded-out message from said second optical reader to said nonintegrated processor system, accessing said image representation of said package correlated with said decoded-out message at step (f) for comparison between said image representation and an actual condition of said package.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said coupling step (b) includes the step of coupling said first and second optical readers to a nonintegrated processor system via the Internet.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said coupling step (b) includes the step of wirelessly coupling at least one of said optical readers to said nonintegrated processor system.