Automatic digital-imaging based bar code symbol reading system supporting a pass-through mode of system operation using automatic object direction detection and illumination control, and video image capture and processing techniques
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automatic digital-imaging based code symbol reading system supporting a pass-through mode of system operation, comprising:
- a housing supportable on a countertop surface at a point-of-sale (POS) station or other work environment, and including an imaging window;
a digital image formation and detection subsystem, disposed within said housing, and having (i) image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) from an area-type image detection array, through said imaging window, and upon an object to be imaged during object illumination and imaging operations, and (ii) said area-type image detection array detecting frames of digital video data of the object during said object illumination and imaging operations carried out while said automatic digital-imaging based code symbol reading system is configured in said pass-through mode of system operation;
an automatic object direction detection subsystem, disposed in said housing, for automatically detecting the presence and direction of movement of the object in said FOV, and in response thereto, generating a first signal indicating a triggering event and a second signal indicating the direction of movement of said object with respect to said FOV;
an illumination subsystem, disposed within said housing, and having an illumination array for producing and projecting a field of illumination within said FOV during said object illumination and imaging operations;
an automatic illumination control subsystem, disposed within said housing, for controlling said illumination array during said object illumination and imaging operations;
a digital image capturing and buffering subsystem, disposed within said housing, for capturing and buffering said frames of digital video data in memory, during said object illumination and imaging operations;
a digital image processing subsystem, disposed in said housing, for processing said frames of digital video data and reading one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols graphically represented in said frames of digital video data, and producing symbol character data representative of said read one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols;
an input/output subsystem, disposed in said housing, for transmitting said symbol character data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device; and
a system control subsystem, disposed in said housing, and responsive to said first signal, for controlling and/or coordinating the operation of said subsystems above.
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Abstract
An automatic digital-imaging based code symbol reading system supporting a presentation mode of system operation, automatic object direction detection and illumination control, and video image capture and processing techniques. By virtue of the present invention, the automatic digital-imaging based code symbol reading system ensures the reliable reading of code symbols graphically represented in digital images, in high-throughput point-of-sale and other environments.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An automatic digital-imaging based code symbol reading system supporting a pass-through mode of system operation, comprising:
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a housing supportable on a countertop surface at a point-of-sale (POS) station or other work environment, and including an imaging window; a digital image formation and detection subsystem, disposed within said housing, and having (i) image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) from an area-type image detection array, through said imaging window, and upon an object to be imaged during object illumination and imaging operations, and (ii) said area-type image detection array detecting frames of digital video data of the object during said object illumination and imaging operations carried out while said automatic digital-imaging based code symbol reading system is configured in said pass-through mode of system operation; an automatic object direction detection subsystem, disposed in said housing, for automatically detecting the presence and direction of movement of the object in said FOV, and in response thereto, generating a first signal indicating a triggering event and a second signal indicating the direction of movement of said object with respect to said FOV; an illumination subsystem, disposed within said housing, and having an illumination array for producing and projecting a field of illumination within said FOV during said object illumination and imaging operations; an automatic illumination control subsystem, disposed within said housing, for controlling said illumination array during said object illumination and imaging operations; a digital image capturing and buffering subsystem, disposed within said housing, for capturing and buffering said frames of digital video data in memory, during said object illumination and imaging operations; a digital image processing subsystem, disposed in said housing, for processing said frames of digital video data and reading one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols graphically represented in said frames of digital video data, and producing symbol character data representative of said read one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols; an input/output subsystem, disposed in said housing, for transmitting said symbol character data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device; and a system control subsystem, disposed in said housing, and responsive to said first signal, for controlling and/or coordinating the operation of said subsystems above. - 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)
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Specification