Omni-directional digital image capturing and processing system comprising coplanar illumination and imaging stations automatically detecting object motion and velocity and adjusting exposure and/or illumination control parameters therewithin
First Claim
1. An omni-directional digital image capturing and processing system comprising:
- a system housing having an imaging window; and
a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations disposed in said system housing, and wherein each coplanar illumination and imaging station includes(i) a linear image detection array having optics providing a field of view (FOV) focused on said linear image detection array and projected through said imaging window and extending into a 3D imaging volume;
(ii) a linear illumination array including a linear array of light emitting devices configured together to produce a substantially planar illumination beam (PLIB) that extends substantially along the same plane as the FOV of said linear image detection array so that each said linear image detection array and corresponding linear array of light emitting devices produce a coplanar illumination and imaging plane that projects through said imaging window and into said 3D imaging volume, for capturing a series of linear digital images of an object intersecting therewith during system operation, and subsequent processing and recognition of information graphically represented in said linear digital images; and
(iii) an object motion and velocity detection subsystem for automatically detecting the motion and velocity of an object that passes through at least a portion of one said coplanar linear illumination and imaging plane, and automatically adjusting one or more parameters relating to exposure and/or illumination control within said coplanar illumination and imaging station; and
wherein said plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging planes project through and intersect within said 3D imaging volume, so as to produce a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes, for omni-directional imaging of objects passing through said 3D imaging volume.
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Abstract
An omni-directional digital image capturing and processing system comprising a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations for producing a plurality of coplanar linear illumination and imaging planes which intersect within a 3D imaging volume. Each coplanar illumination and imaging station includes a linear image detection array, a linear illumination array, and an object motion and velocity detection subsystem for automatically detecting the motion and velocity of an object that passes through at least a portion of one coplanar linear illumination and imaging plane, and automatically adjusting one or more parameters relating to the exposure and/or illumination control within the coplanar illumination and imaging station. By virtue of the present invention, it is possible to capture and process high quality digital images of objects passed through 3D imaging volumes, at point-of-sale (POS) retail stations and like environments.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An omni-directional digital image capturing and processing system comprising:
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a system housing having an imaging window; and a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations disposed in said system housing, and wherein each coplanar illumination and imaging station includes (i) a linear image detection array having optics providing a field of view (FOV) focused on said linear image detection array and projected through said imaging window and extending into a 3D imaging volume; (ii) a linear illumination array including a linear array of light emitting devices configured together to produce a substantially planar illumination beam (PLIB) that extends substantially along the same plane as the FOV of said linear image detection array so that each said linear image detection array and corresponding linear array of light emitting devices produce a coplanar illumination and imaging plane that projects through said imaging window and into said 3D imaging volume, for capturing a series of linear digital images of an object intersecting therewith during system operation, and subsequent processing and recognition of information graphically represented in said linear digital images; and (iii) an object motion and velocity detection subsystem for automatically detecting the motion and velocity of an object that passes through at least a portion of one said coplanar linear illumination and imaging plane, and automatically adjusting one or more parameters relating to exposure and/or illumination control within said coplanar illumination and imaging station; and wherein said plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging planes project through and intersect within said 3D imaging volume, so as to produce a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes, for omni-directional imaging of objects passing through said 3D imaging volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An omni-directional digital image capturing and processing system comprising:
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a system housing having an imaging window; and a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations disposed in said system housing, and wherein each coplanar illumination and imaging station includes (i) a linear imaging array having optics providing a field of view (FOV) on said linear imaging array that projects into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said imaging window; (ii) a linear array of light emitting devices configured together to produce a substantially planar illumination beam (PLIB) that extends substantially along the same plane as the FOV of said linear imaging array so as to provide a coplanar illumination and imaging plane that projects through said imaging window and into said 3D imaging volume, for capturing a series of linear digital images of an object intersecting therewith during system operation, and subsequent processing and recognition of information graphically represented in said linear digital images; and (iii) an object motion and velocity detection subsystem for automatically detecting the motion and velocity of an object that passes through at least a portion of one said coplanar linear illumination and imaging plane, and automatically adjusting one or more parameters relating to the exposure and/or illumination control within said coplanar illumination and imaging station; and wherein said plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging planes project through and intersect within said 3D imaging volume, so as to produce a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes, for omni-directional imaging of objects passing through said 3D imaging volume. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification