Device and method for the acquisition and automatic processing of data obtained from optical codes

• US 7,468,499 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Datalogic IP Tech S.r.l. (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Datalogic S.p.A.
• Inventors: Canini, Federico, Piva, Marco, Zocca, Rinaldo
• Primary Examiner(s): PYO, KEVIN K
• Application Number:
  US10/247,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20030164785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,286 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.1, 348307-309, 235/462.42, 235/454, 235/455, 23547201-47203, 23546201-46247, 235/462.11, 235/462.41
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10841 Particularities of the light-sensitive elements semiconductor devices H01L
• 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: G06V 10/22 by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof

Abstract

The device for the acquisition and automatic processing of data obtained from optical codes comprises a CMOS optical sensor; an analog processing unit connected to the optical sensor; an analog/digital conversion unit connected to the analog processing unit; a logic control unit connected to the CMOS optical sensor, the analog processing unit and the analog/digital conversion unit; and a data-processing unit connected to the logic control unit and the analog/digital conversion unit. The CMOS optical sensor and at least one of the analog processing, analog/digital conversion, logic control and data processing units are integrated in a single chip. The data processing unit processes the digital signals corresponding to the image acquired by the CMOS sensor and extracts the optically coded data.

Claims

1. A device for the acquisition of data obtained from reading at least one type of optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising:

means for generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image including a CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of pixels; and

acquisition means for acquiring electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to at least one configuration of at least one member selected from the group consisting of shape and dimension of each pixel of at least a portion of said plurality of pixels, said configuration being dependent on said type of optical code.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said CMOS optical sensor comprises a plurality of elementary pixels and said acquisition means comprises means for grouping elementary pixels together into pixels from said plurality of pixels such that each of said pixels comprises at least one elementary pixel, and

further comprising means for acquiring electric signals from said grouped elementary pixels.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein said at least one configuration comprises a first configuration in which each of said pixels has at least a first dimension, and at least a second configuration in which each of said pixels has at least a second dimension different from the first dimension.

36. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one configuration comprises a first configuration and at least a second configuration, said first and second configurations being different one from the other at least in one of shape and a dimension of the respective pixels.

3. A device for the acquisition of data obtained from reading at least one type of optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising:

means for generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image including a CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of pixels; and

acquisition means for acquiring electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to at least one configuration of at least one member selected from the group consisting of shape and dimension of each pixel of at least a portion of said plurality of pixels, said configuration being dependent on said type of optical code,

wherein each of said pixels has an active area corresponding to a sensing area and said acquisition means comprises means for modifying the active area of each of said pixels by selectively activating portions of said sensing area of each pixel, and further comprising means for acquiring electric signals from said pixels with a modified active area.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein said at least one configuration comprises a first configuration in which each of said pixels has at least a first dimension, and at least a second configuration in which each of said pixels has at least a second dimension different from the first dimension.

6. A device for the acquisition of data obtained from reading at least one optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising:

means for generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image including a CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of pixels; and

acquisition means for acquiring electric signals from said CMOS optical sensor according to at least one configuration of at least one member selected from the group consisting of shape and dimension of each pixel of at least a portion of said plurality of pixels, said configuration being dependent on a reading condition associated with the at least one optical code.

37. The device of claim 6, wherein said at least one configuration comprises a first configuration and at least a second configuration, said first and second configurations being different one from the other at least in one of shape and a dimension of the respective pixels.

40. The device of claim 6, wherein the reading condition associated with the at least one optical code is an inclination of the at least one optical code.

7. A device for the acquisition of data obtained from reading at least one optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising:

means for generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image including a CMOS optical sensor, said CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of sensing elements;

means for grouping elements of said sensing elements together into a corresponding number of macropixels such that each of said macropixels comprises at least one sensing element; and

means for acquiring electric signals from said macropixels according to at least one configuration of said sensing elements that is dependent on a reading condition associated with the at least one optical code.

9. A device according to claim 7, wherein said at least one configuration comprises a first configuration in which each of said macropixels has at least a first dimension, and at least one second configuration in which each of said macropixels has at least one second dimension that is different from the first dimension.

8. A device for the acquisition of data obtained from reading at least one optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising:

means for generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image including a CMOS optical sensor, said CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of sensing elements, each sensing element having an active area corresponding to a sensing area;

means for modifying the active area of each of said sensing elements by selectively activating portions of said sensing area of each pixel; and

means for acquiring electric signals from said sensing elements with a modified active area according to at least one configuration of said sensing elements that is dependent on a reading condition associated with the at least one optical code.

10. A device according to claim 8, wherein said at least one configuration comprises a first configuration in which each of said sensing elements has at least one first dimension, and at least one second configuration in which each of said sensing element has at least one second dimension that is different from the first dimension.

11. A device for the acquisition of data obtained from reading optical codes having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising:

means for generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image including a CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of pixels; and

acquisition means for acquiring electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to a first configuration of pixels when acquiring a linear bar code, and according to at least one second configuration of pixels different from the first configuration when acquiring a stacked code,

wherein said first and second configurations are different one from the other at least in one of shape and a dimension of the respective pixels.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein said CMOS optical sensor comprises a plurality of elementary pixels and said acquisition means comprises means for grouping said elementary pixels together into pixels from said plurality of pixels such that each of said pixels comprises at least one elementary pixel, and

further comprising means for acquiring electric signals from said grouped elementary pixels.

13. A device according to claim 11, wherein said CMOS optical sensor further comprises a plurality of sensing elements having an active area and said acquisition means comprises means for modifying said active area of said sensing elements;

and

means for acquiring electric signals from said sensing elements with a modified active area.

14. A device according to claim 11, wherein said CMOS optical sensor comprises a plurality of pixels and, when said acquisition means acquires said electric signals according to said first configuration, said pixels have at least a first dimension and, when said acquisition means acquires said electric signals according to said at least one second configuration, said pixels have at least a second dimension different from said first dimension.

15. A method for the acquisition and processing of data obtained from reading at least one optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising the steps of:

a) generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image obtained through a CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of pixels;

b) processing said electric signal;

wherein step a) comprises a step c) of configuring pixels of said CMOS optical sensor in acquiring electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to at least one configuration of at least one member selected from the group consisting of shape and dimension of each pixel of at least a portion of said plurality of pixels, said configuration being dependent on the type of optical code.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein said step c) further comprises the step of modifying the shape of said pixels.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein said step c) further comprises the step of modifying at least one dimension of said pixels.

38. The method of claim 15, wherein said at least one configuration comprises a first configuration and at least a second configuration, said first and second configurations being different one from the other at least in one of shape and a dimension of the respective pixels.

16. A method for the acquisition and processing of data obtained from reading at least one optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising the steps of:

a) generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image obtained through a CMOS optical sensor;

b) processing said electric signal;

wherein step a) comprises a step c) of acquiring electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to at least one configuration dependent on the type of optical code,

wherein said CMOS optical sensor comprises a plurality of elementary pixels, and wherein step c) comprises the steps of;

grouping elementary pixels together into pixels; and

acquiring electric signals from said grouped elementary pixels.

17. A method for the acquisition and processing of data obtained from reading at least one optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising the steps of:

a) generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image obtained through a CMOS optical sensor;

b) processing said electric signal;

wherein step a) comprises a step c) of acquiring electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to at least one configuration dependent on the type of optical code wherein said CMOS optical sensor comprises a plurality of sensing elements each having an active area corresponding to a sensing area, and step c) comprises the steps of;

selectively activating portions of said sensing area of each pixel to modify the active area of each of said sensing elements; and

acquiring electric signals from said sensing elements with a modified active area.

20. A method for the acquisition and processing of data obtained from reading at least one optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising the steps of:

a) generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image obtained through a CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of pixels; and

b) processing said electric signal;

wherein step a) comprises a step c) of configuring pixels of said CMOS optical sensor in acquiring electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to at least one configuration of at least one member selected from the group consisting of shape and dimension of each pixel of at least a portion of said plurality of pixels, said configuration being dependent on a reading condition associated with the at least one optical code.

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein said step c) further comprises modifying the shape of said pixels.

24. A method according to claim 20, wherein said step c) further comprises the step of modifying at least one dimension of said pixels.

39. The method of claim 20, wherein said at least one configuration comprises a first configuration and at least a second configuration, said first and second configurations being different one from the other at least in one of shape and a dimension of the respective pixels.

21. A method for the acquisition and processing of data obtained from reading at least one optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising the steps of:

a) generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image obtained through a CMOS optical sensor; and

b) processing said electric signal;

wherein step a) comprises a step c) of acquiring electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to at least one configuration that is dependent on a reading condition associated with the at least one optical code, wherein said CMOS optical sensor comprises a plurality of elementary pixels, and

wherein said step c) comprises the step of grouping elementary pixels together into pixels; and

said method further comprising the step of acquiring electric signals from said grouped elementary pixels.

22. A method for the acquisition and processing of data obtained from reading at least one optical code having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising the steps of:

a) generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image obtained though a CMOS optical sensor; and

b) processing said electric signal;

wherein step a) comprises a step c) of acquiring electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to at least one configuration that is dependent on a reading condition associated with the at least one optical code, wherein said CMOS optical sensor comprises a plurality of sensing elements each having an active area corresponding to a sensing area and wherein said step c) comprises the steps of;

selectively activating portions of said sensing area of each pixel to modify the active area of each of said sensing elements; and

acquiring electric signals from said sensing elements with a modified active area.

25. A method for the acquisition and processing of data obtained from reading optical codes having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising the steps of:

a) acquiring an image through a CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of pixels;

b) processing said image to extract optical coded data there from;

c) attempting a reading of said extracted optical coded data;

d) verifying whether the reading of said step c) has been successful;

e) if the verification of said step d) has not been successful, modifying the shape of said pixels and returning to step a).

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said step a) is preceded by a step i) of setting a height for said pixels;

and wherein the modification of said step e) comprises the step of reducing said pixel height.

27. A method according to claim 25, wherein at least one of said pixels comprises at least one elementary pixel, and step e) comprises varying the number of elementary pixels of said pixel.

28. A method according to claim 25, wherein at least one of said pixels has an active area, and said step e) comprises modifying the active area of said pixel.

29. A device for the acquisition and processing of data obtained from optical codes having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising:

means for generating an electric signal correlated to the brightness of an image including a CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of pixels;

means, connected to said means for generating said electric signal, for processing said electric signal; and

acquisition means for acquiring electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to a first pixel configuration for a first type of optical code and according to at least a second pixel configuration for at least one different type of optical code, said first and second configurations being different from each other at least in one of shape and dimension of the respective pixels.

30. A device according to claim 29, wherein, in said first configuration, each of said respective pixels has at least a first dimension and wherein, in said at least one second configuration, each of said respective pixels has at least a corresponding second dimension different from the first dimension.

31. A device according to claim 29, wherein, in said first configuration, each of said respective pixels has a first shape and in said at least one second configuration each of said respective pixels has second shape different from the first shape.

32. A device according to claim 29, wherein said CMOS optical sensor comprises a plurality of elementary pixels and said acquisition means comprises means for grouping elementary pixels together into said pixels such that each of said pixels comprises at least one elementary pixel and wherein in said first configuration, each of said respective pixels comprises a first number of elementary pixels and, in said at least one second configuration, each of said respective pixels comprises a second number of elementary pixels different from the first one.

33. A method for the acquisition and processing of data obtained from reading optical codes having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising the steps of:

a) acquiring a first image through a CMOS optical sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, said first image being acquired by acquisition of electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to a first configuration of at least a portion of said plurality of pixels;

b) processing said image to extract optical coded data there from;

c) attempting a reading of said extracted optical coded data;

d) verifying whether the reading of said step c) has been successful;

e) if the verification of said step d) has a negative result, acquiring a second image by acquisition of electric signals from said CMOS sensor according to a second configuration different from said first configuration at least in one of shape and dimension of the respective pixels.

34. A device for the acquisition of data obtained from optical codes having data coded therein by a combination of elements in accordance with pre-defined rules, comprising:

an image detector for generating signals correlated to the brightness of at least one image, said image detector comprising a CMOS optical sensor having a plurality of individual sensing elements; and

a control unit for supplying at least one control signal for acquiring signals from said CMOS optical sensor using a first array of pixels or at least a second array of pixels, said first array being suitable for acquiring a first type of optical code, each pixel in said first array of pixels comprising of one or more sensing elements from said plurality of sensing elements, said at least one second array being suitable for acquiring at least one second type of optical code different from the first type, each pixel in said second array of pixels comprising one or more sensing elements from said plurality of sensing elements, wherein said pixels from said first and second arrays are different from each other at least in one of a shape and dimension of the respective pixels.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein said first and second arrays include one or more of the same sensing elements.