Digital image capturing and processing system employing an area-type image sensing array exposed to narrow-band illumination from a narrow-band illumination subsystem for a time duration controlled using a photodetector operated independently from said area-type image sensing array
First Claim
1. A hand-supportable digital image capture and processing system comprising:
- a hand-supportable housing;
an image formation and detection subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and 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 an image capture mode in which rows of sensor elements in said area-type image sensing array are enabled so as to detect a 2D digital image of the object formed on said area-type image sensing array;
a narrow-band illumination subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and having an narrow-band illumination array for producing a field of narrow-band illumination within the FOV of said image formation and detection subsystem during the image capture mode, wherein said field of narrow-band illumination consists essentially of a narrow band of wavelengths of visible illumination produced from said narrow-band illumination subsystem;
a narrow-band transmission-type optical filter subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for transmitting substantially only the narrow band of wavelengths of visible illumination produced from said narrow-band illumination subsystem, and rejecting substantially all other optical wavelengths outside said narrow band generated by ambient illumination sources;
an automatic light exposure measurement subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, employing a photo-detector operated independently from said area-type image sensing array, for automatically measuring the light exposure incident upon a selected portion of said FOV, and producing an electrical signal representative of said light exposure measurement;
an automatic illumination control subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for automatically controlling the operation of said narrow-band illumination subsystem,wherein said automatic illumination control subsystem responds to said electrical signal and controls the duration of narrow-band illumination produced from said narrow-band illumination subsystem during said image capture mode;
an image capturing and buffering subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for capturing and buffering 2D digital images detected by said image formation and detection subsystem;
an image-processing subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for processing 2D digital images captured and buffered by said image capturing and buffering subsystem and producing processed image data; and
an input/output subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for outputting processed image data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device; and
a system control subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for controlling and/or coordinating the operation of one or more of the subsystems described above.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable digital image capturing and processing system comprising: an image formation and detection subsystem; a narrow-band illumination subsystem; a narrow-band transmission-type optical filter subsystem; an automatic light exposure measurement subsystem; and an automatic illumination control subsystem. The image formation and detection subsystem has an area-type image sensing array for detecting digital images of objects formed thereon by image formation optics providing a field of view (FOV) for the system. Within the FOV of the image formation and detection subsystem, the narrow-band illumination subsystem produces a field of narrow-band illumination consisting essentially of a narrow band of wavelengths of visible illumination. The narrow-band transmission-type optical filter subsystem transmits substantially only the narrow band of wavelengths of visible illumination produced from the narrow-band illumination subsystem, and rejects all other optical wavelengths outside the narrow band however generated by ambient illumination sources. The automatic light exposure measurement subsystem employs a photo-detector operated independently from the area-type image sensing array, for automatically measuring the light exposure incident upon a selected portion of the FOV, and producing an electrical signal representative of the light exposure measurement. The automatic illumination control subsystem responds to the electrical signal and controls the duration of narrow-band illumination produced from the narrow-band illumination subsystem.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A hand-supportable digital image capture and processing system comprising:
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a hand-supportable housing; an image formation and detection subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and 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 an image capture mode in which rows of sensor elements in said area-type image sensing array are enabled so as to detect a 2D digital image of the object formed on said area-type image sensing array; a narrow-band illumination subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and having an narrow-band illumination array for producing a field of narrow-band illumination within the FOV of said image formation and detection subsystem during the image capture mode, wherein said field of narrow-band illumination consists essentially of a narrow band of wavelengths of visible illumination produced from said narrow-band illumination subsystem; a narrow-band transmission-type optical filter subsystem, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for transmitting substantially only the narrow band of wavelengths of visible illumination produced from said narrow-band illumination subsystem, and rejecting substantially all other optical wavelengths outside said narrow band generated by ambient illumination sources; an automatic light exposure measurement subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, employing a photo-detector operated independently from said area-type image sensing array, for automatically measuring the light exposure incident upon a selected portion of said FOV, and producing an electrical signal representative of said light exposure measurement; an automatic illumination control subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for automatically controlling the operation of said narrow-band illumination subsystem, wherein said automatic illumination control subsystem responds to said electrical signal and controls the duration of narrow-band illumination produced from said narrow-band illumination subsystem during said image capture mode; an image capturing and buffering subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for capturing and buffering 2D digital images detected by said image formation and detection subsystem; an image-processing subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for processing 2D digital images captured and buffered by said image capturing and buffering subsystem and producing processed image data; and an input/output subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for outputting processed image data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device; and a system control subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for controlling and/or coordinating the operation of one or more of the subsystems described above. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A digital image capture and processing system comprising:
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a housing; an image formation and detection subsystem, disposed in said housing, and 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 an image capture mode in which rows of sensor elements in said area-type image sensing array are enabled so as to detect a 2D digital image of the object formed on said area-type image sensing array; a narrow-band illumination subsystem, disposed in said housing, and having an narrow-band illumination array for producing a field of narrow-band illumination within the FOV of said image formation and detection subsystem during the image capture mode, wherein said field of narrow-band illumination consists essentially of a narrow band of wavelengths of visible illumination produced from said narrow-band illumination subsystem; a narrow-band transmission-type optical filter subsystem, disposed in said housing, for transmitting substantially only the narrow band of wavelengths of visible illumination produced from said narrow-band illumination subsystem, and rejecting substantially all other optical wavelengths outside said narrow band generated by ambient illumination sources; an automatic light exposure measurement subsystem disposed in said housing, employing a photo-detector operated independently from said area-type image sensing array, for automatically measuring the light exposure incident upon a selected portion of said FOV, and producing an electrical signal representative of said light exposure measurement; an automatic illumination control subsystem disposed in said housing, for automatically controlling the operation of said narrow-band illumination subsystem, wherein said automatic illumination control subsystem responds to said electrical signal and controls the duration of narrow-band illumination produced from said narrow-band illumination subsystem during said image capture mode; and an image capturing and buffering subsystem disposed in said housing, for capturing and buffering 2D digital images detected by said image formation and detection subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification