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Automatic point-of-sale based code symbol reading system employing automatic object motion detection and illumination control, and digital video image capturing and processing techniques

  • US 7,637,432 B2
  • Filed: 06/01/2007
  • Issued: 12/29/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An automatic digital video image capturing and processing system for reading code symbols on objects presented at point of sale (POS) environment, comprising:

  • a housing having 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 video-imaging operations, and (ii) said area-type image detection array for detecting frames of digital video image data of the object during said object illumination and video-imaging operations;

    an automatic object motion detection subsystem, disposed in said housing, for automatically detecting the presence and at least one motion characteristic of the object in said FOV, and in response thereto, upon detection of the presence of said object within said FOV, automatically generating a first signal indicating a triggering event and also a second signal indicating at least one motion characteristic 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 video-imaging operations;

    an automatic illumination control subsystem, disposed within said housing, for controlling said illumination array during said object illumination and video-imaging operations;

    a digital video frame 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 video-imaging operations;

    a digital video image processing subsystem, disposed in said housing, for processing said frames of digital video image data and reading one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols graphically represented in said frames of digital video image 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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