Indicia reading terminal having spatial measurement functionality

• US 7,726,575 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ahearn, Kevin, Montoro, James, Havens, William H., Hussey, Robert M., Wang, Ynjiun P., Ehrhart, Michael A., Li, Jianhua, Deloge, Stephen P., Li, Jingquan, Koziol, Thomas J., Powilleit, Sven M. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODMAN, KEITH E
• Application Number:
  US11/891,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20090039167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.42, 235/462, 235/45, 356/627, 702/127, 702/155, 382/286
• US Class Current: 235/462.42
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/25 by projecting a pattern, e.g. one or more lines, moiré fringes on the object G01B11/255 takes precedence ; image analysis for depth or shape recovery G06T7/50

Abstract

There is provided in one embodiment an indicia reading terminal that can execute a spatial measurement mode of operation in which the indicia reading terminal can determine a dimension of an article in a field of view of the indicia reading terminal and/or determine other spatial information. In determining a dimension of an article, an indicia reading terminal can utilize setup data determined in a setup mode of operation and/or data determined utilizing the setup data.

Claims

1. An indicia reading terminal comprising:

an image sensor having a plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, wherein said indicia reading terminal has a field of view;

an imaging lens focusing an image of an article within said field of view onto said image sensor;

a light generating assembly projecting at least a first light formation onto said article for determining dimension information of said article, said first light formation being projected onto said article within said field of view of said indicia reading terminal;

wherein said indicia reading terminal is operable in a spatial measurement mode of operation in which said indicia reading terminal determines at least one of a width, length or height dimension of said article;

wherein said indicia reading terminal, when operating in said spatial measurement mode of operation processes a frame of image data including a representation of said article and determines a pixel position for a representation of said at least one formation; and

wherein said indicia reading terminal, further in said spatial measurement mode of operation utilizes at least one of setup data determined prior to said spatial measurement mode of operation being made active, and data determined utilizing said setup data, wherein said setup data includes pixel position data for representations of the first light formation at each of a first and second terminal to target distance.

2. The indicia reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said indicia reading terminal is configured to project first and second light formations onto said article.

3. The indicia reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said terminal is configured to project first and second formations onto said article, and wherein said setup data includes pixel position data for representations of said first and second light formations, at each of a first and second terminal to target distances.

4. The indicia reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said terminal is configured to project first and second light formations onto said article, and wherein said setup data includes pixel position data for representations of said first and second light formations, at each of a first and second terminal to target distances, and wherein said setup data further includes actual formation distances (the distance between the formations) at each of said first and second terminal to target distances.

5. The indicia reading terminal of claim 1, further including a display, wherein said indicia reading terminal is configured so that in said spatial measurement mode of operation said indicia reading terminal displays on said display a frame of image data being subjected to processing for determining measurement information, and further presents on said display indicators which may be moved by an operator to designate feature information of said frame of image data.

6. The indicia reading terminal of claim 1, wherein said indicia reading terminal is in communication with an article database, the article database including dimension information for various candidate article types, and wherein said indicia reading terminal is configured so that in said spatial measurement mode of operation said indicia reading terminal determines one or two of width, length, or height dimensions of said article by way of image processing, and utilizes said article database in for determining one or more of (a) an article type identifier;

(b) an article volume value; and

(c) missing dimension(s) of said article not determined by way of image processing.

7. An indicia reading terminal comprising:

an image sensor having a plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, wherein said indicia reading terminal has a field of view;

an imaging lens focusing an image of a article within said field of view onto said image sensor;

a light generating assembly projecting at least a first light formation onto said article for determining a distance of said indicia reading terminal to said article, said first light formation being projected onto said article within said field of view of said indicia reading terminal;

wherein said indicia reading terminal is operable in a spatial measurement mode of operation in which said indicia reading terminal determines a distance of said indicia reading terminal to said article;

wherein said indicia reading terminal, when operating in said spatial measurement mode of operation processes a frame of image data including a representation of said article and determines a pixel position for a representation of said at least one formation; and

wherein said indicia reading terminal, further while operating in said spatial measurement mode of operation to determine said distance of said indicia reading terminal to said article utilizes at least one of setup data determined prior to said spatial measurement mode of operation being made active, and data determined utilizing said setup data.

8. The indicia reading terminal of claim 7, wherein said indicia reading terminal is configured to project first and second light formations onto said article.

9. The indicia reading terminal of claim 7, further including a display, wherein said indicia reading terminal is configured so that in said spatial measurement mode of operation said indicia reading terminal displays on said display a frame of image data being subjected to processing for determining measurement information, and further presents on said display indicators which may be moved by an operator to designate edge positions of said frame of image data.

10. The indicia reading terminal of claim 7, wherein said indicia reading terminal is in communication with an article database, the article database including dimension information for various candidate article types, and wherein said indicia reading terminal is configured so that in said spatial measurement mode said indicia reading terminal determines one or two of width, length, or height dimensions of said article by way of image processing, and utilizes said article database in for determining one or more of (a) an article type identifier;

(b) an article volume value; and

(c) missing dimension(s) of said article not determined by way of image processing.

11. An indicia reading terminal comprising:

an image sensor having a plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, wherein said indicia reading terminal has a field of view;

an imaging lens focusing an image of an article within said field of view onto said image sensor;

a light generating assembly projecting at least a first light formation onto said article for determining dimension information of said article, said first light formation being projected onto said article within said field of view of said indicia reading terminal;

wherein said indicia reading terminal is operable in a spatial measurement mode of operation in which said indicia reading terminal determines at least one of a width, length or height dimension of said article;

wherein said indicia reading terminal, when operating in said spatial measurement mode of operation processes a frame of image data including a representation of said article, determines a pixel position for a representation of said at least one light formation and finds representations of edges of said article; and

wherein said indicia reading terminal, further in said spatial measurement mode of operation determines p_n, the pixel distance between said pixel position and one of (a) a pixel position corresponding to another light formation or (b) a reference pixel position, determines P_n, the pixel distance between said representations of edges of said article, and determines a dimension of said article selected from the group consisting of width, length, and height dimensions of said article utilizing said determined p_n, and P_n, values and d_n where d_n is an estimated present actual distance between said first light formation and (a) another light formation projected by said indicia reading terminal, and (b) a reference position.

12. The indicia reading terminal of claim 11, further including a display, wherein said indicia reading terminal is configured so that in said spatial measurement mode of operation said indicia reading terminal displays on said display a frame of image data being subjected to processing for dimensioning, and further presents on said display indicators which may be moved by an operator to designate edge positions of said frame of image data, wherein said indicia reading terminal in finding said representations of said edges reads said edge positions designated by said operator.

13. The indicia reading terminal of claim 11, wherein d_n is a predetermined value based on design specifications for said indicia reading terminal.

14. The indicia reading terminal of claim 11, wherein d_n is a calculated value calculated utilizing at least one of setup data recorded in a setup mode of operation and data determined utilizing said setup data.

15. The indicia reading terminal of claim 11, wherein said indicia reading terminal, when operating in said spatial measurement mode of operation applies the formula D=(P_n*d_n)/p_n where D is the dimension being determined.

16. The indicia reading terminal of claim 11, wherein said indicia reading terminal, for finding said representations of edges, reads edge positions that have been designated by an operator of said indicia reading terminal.

17. The indicia reading terminal of claim 11, wherein said indicia reading terminal, for finding said representations of edges utilizes feature information designated by an operator.

18. The indicia reading terminal of claim 11, wherein said indicia reading terminal for finding said representations of said edges utilizes edge detection image processing without utilizing any feature information designated by an operator.

19. The indicia reading terminal of claim 11, wherein said indicia reading terminal for finding said representations of said edges utilizes feature information designated by an operator and edge detection image processing.

20. An indicia reading terminal comprising:

an image sensor having a plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, wherein said indicia reading terminal has a field of view;

an imaging lens focusing an image of an article within said field of view onto said image sensor;

a light generating assembly projecting at least a first light formation onto said article for determining dimension information of said article, said first light formation being projected onto said article within said field of view of said indicia reading terminal;

wherein said indicia reading terminal is operable in a spatial measurement mode of operation in which said indicia reading terminal determines dimensions of said article;

wherein said indicia reading terminal is in communication with an article database, the article database including dimension information for various candidate article types; and

wherein said indicia reading terminal is configured so that in said spatial measurement mode said indicia reading terminal determines one or two of width, length, or height dimensions of said article by way of image processing, and utilizes said article database for determining one or more of (a) an article type identifier;

(b) an article volume value; and

(c) missing dimension(s) of said article not determined by way of image processing.

21. An indicia reading terminal of claim 20 wherein said indicia reading terminal, further in said spatial measurement mode of operation utilizes said article database for determining an article type identifier.

22. An indicia reading terminal of claim 20 wherein said indicia reading terminal, further in said spatial measurement mode of operation utilizes said article database for determining an article volume value without determining each of a width, length and height dimension of the article by way of image processing.

23. An indicia reading terminal of claim 20 wherein said indicia reading terminal, further in said spatial measurement mode of operation utilizes said article database for determining missing dimension(s) of said article not determined by way of image processing.

24. An indicia reading terminal of claim 20 wherein said article database correlates dimension information for candidate article types to at least one of article type identifiers and article type volumes.

25. An indicia reading terminal comprising:

an image sensor having a plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, wherein said indicia reading terminal has a field of view;

an imaging lens focusing an image of an article within said field of view onto said image sensor;

a light generating assembly projecting a first light formation and a second light formation onto said article for determining dimension information of said article, said first light formation and said second light formation being projected onto said article within said field of view of said indicia reading terminal;

wherein said indicia reading terminal is operable in a spatial measurement mode of operation in which said indicia reading terminal determines at least one of a width, length or height dimension of said article;

wherein said indicia reading terminal, when operating in said spatial measurement mode of operation processes a frame of image data including a representation of said article and determines a pixel distance between representations of said first and second light formations; and

wherein said indicia reading terminal, further in said spatial measurement mode of operation utilizes said pixel distance for determination of said at least one of a width, length, of height dimension of said article.

26. An indicia reading terminal comprising:

an image sensor having a plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, wherein said indicia reading terminal has a field of view;

an imaging lens focusing an image of an article within said field of view onto said image sensor;

a light generating assembly projecting at least a first light formation onto said article for determining dimension information of said article, said first light formation being projected onto said article within said field of view of said indicia reading terminal;

wherein said indicia reading terminal is operable in a spatial measurement mode of operation in which said indicia reading terminal determines at least one of a width, length or height dimension of said article;

wherein said indicia reading terminal, when operating in said spatial measurement mode of operation processes a frame of image data including a representation of said article and determines a pixel position for a representation of said at least one formation; and

wherein said indicia reading terminal is configured so that in said spatial measurement mode of operation said indicia reading terminal displays on said display a frame of image data being subjected to processing for determining measurement information, and further presents on said display indicators which may be moved by an operator to designate feature information of said frame of image data.

27. The indicia reading terminal of claim 26, wherein said indicia reading terminal is configured to project first and second light formations onto said article.

28. The indicia reading terminal of claim 26, wherein said terminal is configured to project first and second formations onto said article, and wherein said setup data includes pixel position data for representations of said first and second light formations, at each of a first and second terminal to target distances.

29. An indicia reading terminal comprising:

an image sensor having a plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, wherein said indicia reading terminal has a field of view;

an imaging lens focusing an image of an article within said field of view onto said image sensor;

a light generating assembly projecting at least a first light formation onto said article for determining dimension information of said article, said first light formation being projected so that said first light formation does not extend size (width, length or height) of said article, said first light formation being projected onto said article within said field of view of said indicia reading terminal;

wherein said indicia reading terminal is operable in a spatial measurement mode of operation in which said indicia reading terminal determines at least one of a width, length or height dimension of said article;

wherein said indicia reading terminal, when operating in said spatial measurement mode of operation processes a frame of image data including a representation of said article and determines a pixel position for a representation of said at least one formation; and

wherein said indicia reading terminal, further in said spatial measurement mode of operation utilizes at least one of setup data determined prior to said spatial measurement mode of operation being made active, and data determined utilizing said setup data, wherein said setup data includes pixel position data for representations of the first light formation at each of a first and second terminal to target distance.