Hand-supportable imaging-based bar code symbol reader employing a tri-mode led-based illumination subsystem
First Claim
1. A hand-supportable digital imaging-based bar code symbol reading device having a working range, and comprising:
- a hand-supportable housing;
a multi-mode image formation and detection subsystem having image formation optics for producing a field of view (FOV) upon an object to be imaged and an area-type image sensing array for detecting imaged light reflected off the object during illumination operations in either (i) a narrow-area image capture mode in which a few central rows of pixels on the image sensing array are enabled, or (ii) a wide-area image capture mode in which substantially all rows of the image sensing array are enabled;
an automatic object presence and range detection subsystem for producing an object detection field spatially encompassing said FOV, detecting the presence of an object within a near-field or far-field portion of said FOV, generating a first control signal upon detection of an object to be imaged within the near-field portion of said FOV, and generating a second control signal upon detection of an object to be imaged within the far-field portion of said FOV;
a multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem for producing fields of narrow-band illumination from LED-based illumination arrays,wherein said multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem produces a field of narrow-area narrow-band illumination within said FOV when said multi-mode image formation and detection subsystem is operated in said narrow-area image capture mode, and said automatic object presence and range detection subsystem detects an object within said FOV;
wherein said multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem produces a field of wide-area narrow-band illumination within the near-field portion of said FOV when said multi-mode image formation and detection subsystem is operated in said wide-area image capture mode, and said automatic object presence and range detection subsystem detects an object within said near-field portion of said FOV;
wherein said multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem produces a field of wide-area narrow-band illumination within the far-field portion of said FOV when said multi-mode image formation and detection subsystem is operated in said wide-area image capture mode, and said automatic object presence and range detection subsystem detects an object within said far-field portion of said FOV;
an automatic light exposure measurement and illumination control subsystem for automatically measuring the light exposure incident upon a central portion of said FOV, and controlling the operation of said multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem;
an image capturing and buffering subsystem for capturing and buffering 2-D digital images detected by said multi-mode image formation and detection subsystem;
an image-processing based bar code symbol reading subsystem for processing 2-D digital images captured and buffered by said image capturing and buffering subsystem and reading 1D and 2D bar code symbols represented in said 2-D digital mages;
an input/output subsystem for outputting processed image data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device; and
a system control subsystem for controlling the operation of said subsystems during system operation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hand-supportable digital imaging-based bar code symbol reading device comprises: an ir-based object presence and range detection subsystem; a multi-mode area-type image formation and detection subsystem having a field of view (FOV) and narrow-area and wide area image capture modes of operation; a multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem having narrow-area and wide area illumination modes of operation; an automatic light exposure measurement and illumination control subsystem; an image capturing and buffering subsystem; an image-processing bar code symbol reading subsystem; and a system control subsystem. The LED-based multi-mode illumination subsystem produces three different fields of LED-based illumination in automatic response to the detection of different conditions within the FOV, by the automatic object presence and range detection subsystem.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A hand-supportable digital imaging-based bar code symbol reading device having a working range, and comprising:
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a hand-supportable housing; a multi-mode image formation and detection subsystem having image formation optics for producing a field of view (FOV) upon an object to be imaged and an area-type image sensing array for detecting imaged light reflected off the object during illumination operations in either (i) a narrow-area image capture mode in which a few central rows of pixels on the image sensing array are enabled, or (ii) a wide-area image capture mode in which substantially all rows of the image sensing array are enabled; an automatic object presence and range detection subsystem for producing an object detection field spatially encompassing said FOV, detecting the presence of an object within a near-field or far-field portion of said FOV, generating a first control signal upon detection of an object to be imaged within the near-field portion of said FOV, and generating a second control signal upon detection of an object to be imaged within the far-field portion of said FOV; a multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem for producing fields of narrow-band illumination from LED-based illumination arrays, wherein said multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem produces a field of narrow-area narrow-band illumination within said FOV when said multi-mode image formation and detection subsystem is operated in said narrow-area image capture mode, and said automatic object presence and range detection subsystem detects an object within said FOV; wherein said multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem produces a field of wide-area narrow-band illumination within the near-field portion of said FOV when said multi-mode image formation and detection subsystem is operated in said wide-area image capture mode, and said automatic object presence and range detection subsystem detects an object within said near-field portion of said FOV; wherein said multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem produces a field of wide-area narrow-band illumination within the far-field portion of said FOV when said multi-mode image formation and detection subsystem is operated in said wide-area image capture mode, and said automatic object presence and range detection subsystem detects an object within said far-field portion of said FOV; an automatic light exposure measurement and illumination control subsystem for automatically measuring the light exposure incident upon a central portion of said FOV, and controlling the operation of said multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem; an image capturing and buffering subsystem for capturing and buffering 2-D digital images detected by said multi-mode image formation and detection subsystem; an image-processing based bar code symbol reading subsystem for processing 2-D digital images captured and buffered by said image capturing and buffering subsystem and reading 1D and 2D bar code symbols represented in said 2-D digital mages; an input/output subsystem for outputting processed image data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device; and a system control subsystem for controlling the operation of said subsystems during system operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification