Digital image capturing and processing system employing a plurality of coplanar illuminating and imaging stations projecting a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging planes into a 3D imaging volume, and controlling operations therewithin using control data derived from motion data collected from the automated detection of objects passing through said 3D imaging volume
First Claim
1. A digital image capturing and processing system comprising:
- a system housing having an imaging window;
a complex of coplanar illuminating and imaging stations, disposed within said system housing, for generating plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging planes (PLIB/FOVs) that are projected through said imaging window and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said imaging window; and
an object motion detection subsystem for automatically detecting the motion of an object passing through said 3D imaging volume, and generating motion data representative of said detected object motion within said 3D imaging volume;
wherein each said coplanar illumination and imaging station includes(i) an illumination subsystem having a linear illumination array including a plurality of light emitting devices for producing a planar illumination beam (PLIB), and(ii) an image formation and detection subsystem including a linear image detection array having optics providing a field of view (FOV) on said linear image detection array, and extending substantially along said PLIB so as to form one said coplanar illumination and imaging plane (PLIB/FOV) that is projected through said imaging window and into said 3D imaging volume, for capturing linear (1D) digital images of objects moving through said 3D imaging volume, and subsequent processing to read information graphically represented in said linear digital images;
(iii) an automatic illumination control subsystem for controlling the production of illumination by said illumination subsystem into said 3D imaging volume, as objects are detected moving within said 3D imaging volume;
(iv) an image capturing and buffering subsystem for capturing and buffering linear digital images from said linear image detection array; and
(v) a local control subsystem for controlling operations within said coplanar illumination and imaging station using control data derived from said motion data generated by said object motion detection subsystem.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A 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 defined relative to an imaging window. An object motion detection subsystem for automatically detecting the motion of an object passing through the 3D imaging volume, and generating motion data representative of the detected object motion. Each station includes an illumination subsystem having a linear illumination array including a plurality of light emitting devices for producing a substantially planar illumination beam (PLIB), and (ii) an image formation and detection subsystem including a linear image sensing array having optics providing a field of view (FOV) on the linear image detection array, and extending substantially along the PLIB. Each station produces at least one coplanar illumination and imaging plane (PLIB/FOV) which is projected through the imaging window and into the 3D imaging volume, for capturing linear (1D) digital images of objects moving through the 3D imaging volume. Each station also includes an automatic illumination control subsystem for controlling the production of illumination by the illumination subsystem into the 3D imaging volume, as an object is detected moving within the 3D imaging volume. Within each station, an image capturing and buffering subsystem captures and buffers linear digital images produced from the linear image detection array, and a local control subsystem controls operations within the coplanar illumination and imaging station using control data derived from motion data generated by the object motion detection subsystem.
328 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A digital image capturing and processing system comprising:
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a system housing having an imaging window; a complex of coplanar illuminating and imaging stations, disposed within said system housing, for generating plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging planes (PLIB/FOVs) that are projected through said imaging window and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said imaging window; and an object motion detection subsystem for automatically detecting the motion of an object passing through said 3D imaging volume, and generating motion data representative of said detected object motion within said 3D imaging volume; wherein each said coplanar illumination and imaging station includes (i) an illumination subsystem having a linear illumination array including a plurality of light emitting devices for producing a planar illumination beam (PLIB), and (ii) an image formation and detection subsystem including a linear image detection array having optics providing a field of view (FOV) on said linear image detection array, and extending substantially along said PLIB so as to form one said coplanar illumination and imaging plane (PLIB/FOV) that is projected through said imaging window and into said 3D imaging volume, for capturing linear (1D) digital images of objects moving through said 3D imaging volume, and subsequent processing to read information graphically represented in said linear digital images; (iii) an automatic illumination control subsystem for controlling the production of illumination by said illumination subsystem into said 3D imaging volume, as objects are detected moving within said 3D imaging volume; (iv) an image capturing and buffering subsystem for capturing and buffering linear digital images from said linear image detection array; and (v) a local control subsystem for controlling operations within said coplanar illumination and imaging station using control data derived from said motion data generated by said object motion detection subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification