Automatic POS-based digital image capturing and processing system employing a plurality of area-type illumination and imaging zones intersecting within the 3D imaging volume of the system

• US 7,568,626 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Xiaoxun, Knowles, C. Harry, Xian, Tao, Good, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US11/809,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20080017716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.42, 235/462.43, 235/462.01, 235/462.09, 235/383
• US Class Current: 235/462.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10712 Fixed beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• 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: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 Control of illumination

Abstract

An automatic digital image capturing and processing system for use in a POS environment, comprising a system having a horizontal housing section, installable within a countertop surface at the POS environment, and supporting at least two area-type illumination and imaging stations for generating and projecting at least two area-type illumination and imaging zones within a 3D imaging volume definable relative to system housing. An object motion detection subsystem automatically detects the motion of objects passing through the 3D imaging volume, and generates motion data representative of detected object motion within the 3D imaging volume. A control subsystem, responsive to the object motion detection subsystem, automatically controls operations within the area-type illumination and imaging stations during system operation. The area-type illumination and imaging zones intersect within the 3D imaging volume, and support automated illumination and imaging of objects passing through the 3D imaging volume, so that digital area-type images of the objects are automatically generated as the objects pass through the area-type illumination and imaging zones within the 3D imaging volume during system operation.

Claims

1. An automatic digital image capturing and processing system for use in a point of sale (POS) environment, comprising:

a system housing having a horizontal housing section, installable within a countertop surface at said POS environment, and supporting at least two area-type illumination and imaging stations for generating and projecting at least two area-type illumination and imaging zones within a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said system housing,

wherein each said area-type illumination and imaging station includes;

(i) an illumination subsystem having an illumination array including a plurality of light emitting devices for producing an area-type illumination beam;

(ii) an image formation and detection subsystem including an area-type image detection array having optics providing a field of view (FOV) on said area-type image detection array, and spatially overlapping said area-type illumination beam;

(iii) an automatic illumination control subsystem for controlling the production of illumination by said illumination subsystem into said 3D imaging volume, as said object is detected moving within said 3D imaging volume; and

(iv) an image capturing and buffering subsystem for capturing and buffering area-type digital images from said area-type image detection array;

an object motion detection subsystem, disposed in said system housing, for automatically detecting the motion of said object passing through said 3D imaging volume, and generating motion data representative of said detected object motion within said 3D imaging volume;

a control subsystem, disposed in said system housing, and responsive to said object motion detection subsystem, for controlling operations within said area-type illumination and imaging stations; and

a digital image processing subsystem, disposed in said system housing, and cooperating with said image capturing and buffering subsystems, for processing said area-type digital images of said object and recognizing information graphically represented in said area-type digital images; and

wherein said at least two area-type illumination and imaging zones intersect within said 3D imaging volume, and support automated illumination and imaging of objects passing through said 3D imaging volume, so that area-type digital images of said objects are automatically generated as said objects pass through said area-type illumination and imaging zones within said 3D imaging volume during system operation.

2. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting devices comprises an array of incoherent light sources.

3. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 2, wherein said array of incoherent light sources comprises an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

4. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 1, wherein said area-type image detection array comprises an image sensing array selected from the group of a CMOS image sensing array and a CCD image sensing array.

5. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 1, wherein said object motion detection subsystem comprises one or more imaging-based motion detectors deployed within said automatic digital image capturing and processing system, for detecting the presence and motion of said object within said 3D imaging volume.

6. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 5, wherein each said imaging-based object motion detector comprises an area-type image acquisition subsystem and an embedded digital signal processing (DSP) chip to support high-speed digital image capture and processing operations required for real-time object motion detection in said automatic digital image capturing and processing system.

7. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 5, wherein each said imaging-based object motion detector comprises a linear-type image acquisition subsystem and an embedded digital signal processing (DSP) chip to support high-speed digital image capture and processing operations required for real-time object motion detection in said automatic digital image capturing and processing system.

8. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 1, wherein said object motion detection subsystem comprises at least one IR-based LIDAR subsystem having an embedded digital signal processing (DSP) chip to support high-speed digital image capture and processing operations required for real-time object motion detection in said automatic digital image capturing and processing system.

9. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 1, wherein said object motion detection subsystem comprises a plurality of IR-based object motion sensors each having an IR LED and optics for producing an amplitude modulated (AM) IR light beam within said 3D imaging volume, and an IR photodiode for synchronously detecting the IR light beam reflected from an object within said 3D imaging volume.

10. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 2, wherein said object motion detection subsystem comprises one or more imaging-based motion detectors, each being deployed at each said area-type illuminating and imaging station, for detecting the presence and motion of objects within said 3D imaging volume.

11. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 10, wherein said imaging-based object motion detector comprises an area-type image acquisition subsystem and an embedded digital signal processing (DSP) chip to support high-speed digital image capture and processing operations required for real-time object motion detection in said automatic digital image capturing and processing system.

12. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 10, wherein said imaging-based object motion detector comprises a linear-type image acquisition subsystem and an embedded digital signal processing (DSP) chip to support high-speed digital image capture and processing operations required for real-time object motion detection in said system.

13. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 2, wherein said object motion detection subsystem comprises an IR-based light detecting and imaging (LIDAR) subsystem deployed at each said area-type illuminating and imaging station, and having an embedded digital signal processing (DSP) chip to support high-speed digital image capture and processing operations required for real-time object motion detection at said area-type illuminating and imaging station.

14. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 1, wherein said object motion detection subsystem comprises an IR-based object motion detector deployed at each said area-type illuminating and imaging station, and having an IR LED and optics for producing an amplitude modulated (AM) IR light beam within said 3D imaging volume, and an IR photodiode for synchronously reflected signals reflected from objects within said 3D imaging volume.

15. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 1, wherein said digital image processor processes said area-type digital images of said object so as to read one or more code symbols graphically represented in said area-type digital images.

16. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 15, wherein said one or more code symbols comprise one or more bar code symbols selected from the group consisting of 1D bar code symbols, 2D bar code symbols and data matrix type bar code symbols.

17. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 1, wherein each said area-type illumination and imaging station has an imaging window through which one said area-type illumination and imaging zone is projected into said 3D imaging volume.

18. The automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 1, wherein each of said at least two said area-type illumination and imaging stations has an imaging window through which one said area-type illumination and imaging zone is projected into said 3D imaging volume, and at least two of said imaging windows are spatially separated.

19. A point of sale (POS) station, comprising said automatic digital image capturing and processing system of claim 1, and a cash register operably connected to said automatic digital image capturing and processing system.