Method of modifying and/or extending the standard features and functions of a digital image capture and processing system

• US 7,815,121 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Xiaoxun, Kotlarsky, Anatoly
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US11/981,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.43, 235/462.01, 235/462.09, 235/462.15
• US Class Current: 235/462.43
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• 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 7/10821 further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10831 Arrangement of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms optical elements per se G02B
• 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: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1426 Multi-level bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 locating of the code in an image

Abstract

A method of modifying and/or extending the standard features and functions of a digital image capture and processing system. The method involves providing the system with a set of standard features and functions, and a computing platform which includes (i) memory for storing pieces of original product code written by the original designers of the system, and (ii) a microprocessor for running one or more applications by calling and executing pieces of the original product code in a particular sequence, so as support the set of standard features and functions which characterize a standard behavior of the system. The one or more pieces of original product code have a set of place holders into which third-party product code can be inserted or plugged by third parties, including value-added resellers (VARs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and also end-users of the system. one or more pieces of third-party code are plugged into the set of place holders, so as operate to modify and/or extend the features and functions of the system, and thereby modify or extend the standard behavior of system into a custom behavior for the system.

Claims

1. A method of modifying and/or extending the standard features and functions of a digital image capture and processing system, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing said digital image capture and processing system having a set of standard features and functions, and a computing platform including (i) memory for storing one or more pieces of original product code written by original designers of said digital image capture and processing system, and (ii) a microprocessor for running one or more applications by calling and executing pieces of said original product code in a particular sequence, so as to support said set of standard features and functions which characterize a standard behavior of said digital image capture and processing system,

wherein said one or more pieces of original product code have a set of place holders into which one or more pieces of third-party product code can be inserted or plugged by third parties, including value-added resellers (VARs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and end-users of said digital image capture and processing system; and

(b) plugging one or more pieces of third-party product code into said set of place holders, so as operate to modify and/or extend the standard features and functions of said digital image capture and processing system, and thereby modifying and/or extending the standard behavior of said digital image capture and processing system into a custom behavior for said digital image capture and processing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more pieces of original product code and said third-party product code are maintained in one or more libraries.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said memory comprises a memory architecture having different kinds of memory, and wherein each said different kind of memory has a different access speed and performance characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises an end-user or third-party, such a value-added reseller (VAR) or an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), writing said one or more pieces of third-party product code according to specifications set by said original system designers, and said one or more pieces of third-party product code thereafter being plugged into said set of place holders, so as to extend the features and functions of said digital image capture and processing system, and thereby modifying the standard behavior of said digital image capture and processing system into said custom behavior for said digital image capture and processing system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein plugging said one or more pieces of third-party product code into said set of place holders, modifies and/or extends the features and functions of said digital image capture and processing system, and thereby modifying the standard behavior of said digital image capture and processing system into said custom behavior for said digital image capture and processing system, but without permanently modifying the standard features and functions of said digital image capture and processing system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises integrating or embodying said digital image capture and processing system into a third-party product, and thereafter performing step (b).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein during step (a), said third-party product is selected from the group consisting of image-processing based bar code symbol reading systems, portable data terminals (PDTs), mobile phones, computer mice-type devices, personal computers, keyboards, consumer appliances, automobiles, ATMs, vending machines, reverse-vending machines, retail POS-based transaction systems, 2D or 3D digitizers, and CAT scanning systems, automobile identification systems, package inspection systems, and personal identification systems.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said digital image capture and processing system in step (a) has a form factor of a digital imaging engine module that can be integrated into a third party product selected from the group consisting of image-processing based bar code symbol reading systems, portable data terminals (PDTs), mobile phones, computer mice-type devices, personal computers, keyboards, consumer appliances, automobiles, ATMs, vending machines, reverse-vending machines, retail POS-based transaction systems, 2D or 3D digitizers, and CAT scanning systems, automobile identification systems, package inspection systems, and personal identification systems.

9. The method of claim 8, which further comprises at least one printed circuit board that can be installed within a housing of a said third-party product along with said digital imaging engine module, and interfaced with said digital imaging engine module, and at least one component within the housing of said third-party product.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said original product code and said third-party product code each comprises executable binary code.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said digital image capture and processing system in step (a) comprises a digital camera subsystem and a digital image processing subsystem, and wherein said method further comprises after step (b), an end-user using said digital image capture and processing system to form and detect one or more digital images of an object with said digital camera subsystem.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said object bears a code symbol, and said digital image processing subsystem processes said 2D digital image so as to read the code symbol and produce symbol character data representative of said read code symbol.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said code symbol is a bar code symbol selected from the group consisting of a 1D bar code symbol, a 2D bar code symbol and a data matrix type code symbol structure.