Intelligent system for automatically recognizing objects at a point of sale (POS) station by omni-directional imaging of the objects using a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging subsystems
First Claim
1. A digital image capture and processing system for automatically recognizing objects at a point of sale (POS) station, comprising:
- a system housing having an imaging window, and containing a digital image capturing and processing engine including a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations, for generating and projecting a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes through said imaging window, and within a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said imaging window for omni-directional imaging of objects passing through said 3D imaging volume, and detecting digital linear images of each said object as said object intersects coplanar illumination and imaging planes within said 3D imaging volume during system operation;
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, which is projected through said imaging window and into said 3D imaging volume;
a database for storing one or more object libraries representing objects that can be recognized by said digital image capture and processing system; and
a digital image processing subsystem for automatically (i) processing digital linear images generated by said coplanar illumination and imaging stations, (ii) extracting object features from processed digital linear images, and (iii) recognizing objects which are represented by said object libraries and producing information representative of said recognized objects for display at said POS station.
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Abstract
A digital image capture and processing system for automatically recognizing objects at a point of sale (POS) station. The system comprising a system housing having an imaging window, and containing a digital image capturing and processing engine including a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations. The stations generate and project a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes through the imaging window, and within a 3D imaging volume definable relative to the imaging window for omni-directional imaging of objects passing through the 3D imaging volume, and generate digital linear images of the object as the object intersects coplanar illumination and imaging planes within the 3D imaging volume during system operation. A database is provided for storing one or more object libraries representing objects that can be recognized by the system. A digital image processing subsystem automatically (i) processes digital images generated by said coplanar illumination and imaging stations, (ii) extracts object features from processed digital images, and (iii) recognizes objects which are represented by the object libraries and producing information representative of recognized objects for display at the POS station.
295 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A digital image capture and processing system for automatically recognizing objects at a point of sale (POS) station, comprising:
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a system housing having an imaging window, and containing a digital image capturing and processing engine including a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations, for generating and projecting a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes through said imaging window, and within a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said imaging window for omni-directional imaging of objects passing through said 3D imaging volume, and detecting digital linear images of each said object as said object intersects coplanar illumination and imaging planes within said 3D imaging volume during system operation; 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, which is projected through said imaging window and into said 3D imaging volume; a database for storing one or more object libraries representing objects that can be recognized by said digital image capture and processing system; and a digital image processing subsystem for automatically (i) processing digital linear images generated by said coplanar illumination and imaging stations, (ii) extracting object features from processed digital linear images, and (iii) recognizing objects which are represented by said object libraries and producing information representative of said recognized objects for display at said POS station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A digital image capturing and processing system for automatically recognizing objects at a point of sale (POS) station, comprising:
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a system housing having an imaging window, and containing a digital image capturing and processing engine including a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations, for generating and projecting a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes through said imaging window, and within a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said imaging window for omni-directional imaging of objects passing through said 3D imaging volume, and detecting digital linear images of said object as said object intersects coplanar illumination and imaging planes within said 3D imaging volume during system operation; a database for storing one or more object libraries representing objects that can be recognized by said system; and a digital image processing subsystem for automatically (i) processing digital images generated by said coplanar illumination and imaging stations, (ii) extracting object features from processed digital images, and (iii) recognizing objects which are represented by said object libraries and producing information representative of said recognized objects for display at said POS station; 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 each object 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 each said object is detected moving within said 3D imaging volume; and (iv) an image capturing and buffering subsystem for capturing and buffering linear digital images from said linear image detection array. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification