Bioptical product and produce identification systems employing planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIM) based subsystems

• US 7,152,795 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Knowles, C. Harry, Tsikos, Constantine J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/068,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 23546201-46247, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/472.03, 235/470, 235/494, 235/455, 235/454
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0014 at least one surface having optical power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0028 refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0057 in the form of a laser diode array, e.g. laser diode bar semiconductor laser arrays with beam combining arrangement H01S5/4012
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0066 in the form of an LED array
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/009 for use with infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0961 Lens arrays lens arrays per se G02B3/0006
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0966 Cylindrical lenses cylindrical lenses per se G02B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/48 Laser speckle optics
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10683 Arrangement of fixed elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4025 Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar H01S5/42 takes precedence

Abstract

A bioptical planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based object dimensioning, analysis and identification system comprising a pair of PLIIM-based object identification and attribute acquisition subsystems, wherein each PLIIM-based object identification and attribute acquisition subsystem produces a multi-spectral planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) for illuminating objects during imaging, and employs an area-type electronic image detection array with image formation optics having a field of view (FOV), through which the multi-spectral PLIB is automatically swept in a coplanar relationship during illumination and imaging operations; and wherein the bioptical PLIIM-based object identification and attribute acquisition subsystem is programmed to analyze captured images of objects and determine the shape/geometry, dimensions and/or color thereof.

Claims

1. A bioptical system which comprises:

a housing having a bottom portion and a side portion;

bottom and side light transmission apertures formed in said bottom and side portions, respectively;

a first imaging window mounted over said bottom light transmission aperture, and a second imaging window mounted over said side light transmission aperture;

a bottom planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based subsystem mounted within said bottom portion of the housing, and producing and projecting a first coplanar laser illumination beam (PLIB) and field of view (FOV) through said bottom light transmission aperture and said first imaging window;

a side PLIIM-based subsystem mounted within said side portion of the housing, and producing and projecting a second coplanar laser illumination beam (PLIB) and field of view (FOV) through said side light transmission aperture and said second imaging window;

an electronic product weight scale operably connected to said bottom PLIIM-based subsystem;

a data communication network mounted within the housing, and establishing a high-speed data communication link between said bottom and side PLIIM-based subsystems and said electronic product weight scale; and

wherein each bottom and side PLIIM-based subsystem comprises;

a plurality of visible laser diodes (VLDs) having different color producing wavelengths to produce a multi-spectral planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) from the respective imaging window; and

a linear electronic image detection array for capturing color images of objects as the objects are manually transported past said first and second imaging windows, along the direction of an indicator arrow, by the user or operator of said bioptical system.

2. A bioptical system which comprises:

a housing having a bottom portion and a side portion;

bottom and side light transmission apertures formed in said bottom and side portions, respectively;

a first imaging window mounted over said bottom light transmission aperture, and a second imaging window mounted over said side light transmission aperture;

a bottom planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based subsystem mounted within said bottom portion of the housing, and producing and projecting a first coplanar laser illumination beam (PLIB) and field of view (FOV) through said bottom light transmission aperture and said first imaging window;

a side PLIIM-based subsystem mounted within said side portion of the housing, and producing and projecting a second coplanar laser illumination beam (PLIB) and field of view (FOV) through said side light transmission aperture and said second imaging window;

an electronic product weight scale operably connected to said bottom PLIIM-based subsystem;

a data communication network mounted within the housing, and establishing a high-speed data communication link between said bottom and side PLIIM-based subsystems and said electronic product weight scale, wherein each PLIIM-based subsystem comprises,

a plurality of visible laser diodes (VLDs) having different color producing wavelengths to produce a multi-spectral planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) from the respective imaging window; and

an area-type electronic image detection array for capturing color images of objects as the objects are presented to the imaging windows by the user or operator of said bioptical system.

3. A bioptical planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based product dimensioning, analysis and identification system comprising:

a housing having a bottom portion and a side portion,

bottom and side light transmission apertures formed in said bottom and side portions, respectively;

a first imaging window mounted over said bottom light transmission aperture, and a second imaging window mounted over said side light transmission aperture;

a bottom PLIIM-based subsystem mounted within said bottom portion of said housing, and employing (i) a first linear array of visible laser diodes (VLDs) having different color producing wavelengths so as to produce and project a first multi-spectral planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) through said bottom light transmission aperture and said first imaging window, and (ii) a first linear electronic image detection array having image formation optics with a first field of view (FOV) that is aligned with said first multi-spectral PLIB in a coplanar relationship so as to capture images of objects being moved past said first imaging window; and

a side PLIIM-based subsystem mounted within said side portion of said housing, and employing a second linear array of visible laser diodes (VLDs) having different color producing wavelengths so as to produce and project a second multi-spectral planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) through said side light transmission aperture and said second imaging window, and a second linear electronic image detection array having image formation optics with a second field of view (FOV) that is aligned with said second multi-spectral PLIB in a coplanar relationship so as to capture images of objects being moved past said second imaging window.

4. A bioptical planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based object dimensioning, analysis and identification system comprising:

a housing having a bottom portion and a side portion;

bottom and side light transmission apertures formed in bottom and side portions, respectively;

a first imaging window mounted over said bottom light transmission aperture, and a second imaging window mounted over said side light transmission aperture;

a bottom PLIIM-based subsystem mounted within said bottom portion of said housing, and employing (i) a first linear array of visible laser diodes (VLDs) having different color producing wavelengths so as to produce and project a first multi-spectral planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) through said bottom light transmission aperture and said first imaging window, and (ii) a first area-type electronic image detection array having image formation optics with a first 3-D field of view (FOV), through which said first multi-spectral PLIB is automatically swept in a coplanar relationship with at least a portion of said first 3-D FOV so as to capture images of objects being moved past said first imaging window; and

a side PLIIM-based subsystem mounted within said side portion of said housing, and employing (i) a second linear array of visible laser diodes (VLDs) having different color producing wavelengths so as to produce and project a second multi-spectral planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) through said side light transmission aperture and said second imaging window, and (ii) a second area-type electronic image detection array having image formation optics with a second 3-D field of view (FOV), through which second first multi-spectral PLIB is automatically swept in a coplanar relationship with at least a portion of said 3-D FOV so as to capture images of objects being moved past said second imaging window.

5. A bioptical planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based object dimensioning, analysis and identification system comprising:

a pair of PLIIM-based object identification and attribute acquisition subsystems,

wherein each PLIIM-based object identification and attribute acquisition subsystem produces a multi-spectral planar laser illumination beam (PUB) for illuminating objects during imaging, and employs a linear electronic image detection array with image formation optics having a field of view (FOV) that is coplanar with said multi-spectral PLIB; and

wherein said bioptical PLIIM-based object identification and attribute acquisition subsystem is programmed to analyze captured images of objects and determine the shape/geometry, dimensions and/or color thereof.

6. A bioptical planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based object dimensioning, analysis and identification system comprising:

a pair of PLIIM-based object identification and attribute acquisition subsystems,

wherein each PLIIM-based object identification and attribute acquisition subsystem produces a multi-spectral planar laser illumination beam (PUB) for illuminating objects during imaging, and employs an area-type electronic image detection array with image formation optics having a field of view (FOV), through which said multi-spectral PLIB is automatically swept in a coplanar relationship during illumination and imaging operations; and

wherein said bioptical PLIIM-based object identification and attribute acquisition subsystem is programmed to analyze captured images of objects and determine the shape/geometry, dimensions and/or color thereof.

7. A bioptical planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based object dimensioning, analysis and identification system comprising a pair of PLIIM-based package identification and dimensioning subsystems, wherein each said subsystem employs a 2-D electronic image detection array and is programmed to analyze captured images of objects and determine the shape/geometry, dimensions and/or color thereof.

8. A bioptical planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based object identification, dimensioning and analysis system comprising a pair of PLIIM-based package identification systems arranged within a compact point-of-sale (POS) housing having bottom and side light transmission apertures, located beneath a pair of spatially-isolated imaging windows.