Dual-tasking decoder for improved symbol reading

• US 7,852,519 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Longacre, Andrew Jr., Hussey, Robert M., Meier, Timothy P., Hawley, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II; Jerome
• Application Number:
  US11/702,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 382/306, 382/312, 382/313, 382/315, 382/318, 235/462.32, 235/462.39, 235/447, 235/440, 235/426.01, 358/474, 358/471, 358/505, 358/443, 358/448, 358/447
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning

Abstract

A symbol scanning and decoding device that is configured for capturing a series of images of a symbol over time and configured for providing a first (image processing) procedure that processes one or more of the series of images within a first period of time, and a second (image processing) procedure that processes one or more of the series of images within a second period of time, and where the first period of time is constrained to be less than or equal to, and the second period of time is not constrained to be less than or equal to, a period of time between a capture of an integral number of consecutive images of the series of images.

Claims

1. An apparatus for decoding a graphic symbol comprising:

a hand held imaging device including one or more processors and configured to capture a series of images according to a schedule of image capture over time, and wherein each said image can include a unique digital representation of at least a portion of at least one graphical symbol;

a first procedure that is configured to perform a first set of one or more actions during its execution while directing control of at least one of said one or more processors, said first set of one or more actions are configured for processing an image that can include at least a portion of a graphical symbol, and wherein said execution occurs during a first elapsed period of time;

a second procedure that is configured to perform a second set of one or more actions during its execution while directing control of at least one of said one or more processors, said second set of one or more actions are configured for processing an image that can include at least a portion of a graphical symbol, and wherein said execution occurs during a second elapsed period of time; and

wherein

a duration of said first elapsed period of time is constrained to be less than a first amount of time while a duration of said second elapsed period of time is not constrained to said first amount of time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first procedure is configured to execute with more frequency than said second procedure during a span of time within which a series of images can be captured.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first procedure is configured for processing, at least in part, more images than said second procedure during a span of time within which a series of images can be captured.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first elapsed period of time is constrained according to a schedule of image capture over time.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said actions for processing include at least a portion of an attempt to decode an image that may be included within said image.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first procedure processes, at least in part, each of said series of images until any one of said images is successfully decoded by said first or said second procedure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second procedure is performed upon at least one of said series of images until any one of said images is successfully decoded by said first procedure or said second procedure.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein information describing a performances of said first procedure upon any of said series of images is included within a communication that is accessible to said second procedure.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein an interruption of said second procedure is performed and wherein said information is communicated to said second procedure in association with said interruption.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said information includes a description of a contribution of actions towards at least a partial attempt of decoding at least a portion of said graphical symbol.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said contribution of actions describes results of one or more reads of at least a portion of said graphical symbol.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said contribution of actions describes a rating of at least a portion of said graphical symbol and wherein said rating is configured to have a correlation with a likelihood of successfully decoding said symbol.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first procedure completes a successful decode of said at least one graphical symbol and said contribution of actions describes said successful decode.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said second procedure elects to terminate or to not terminate in response to said communication of said successful decoding.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second procedure communicates an image processing summary that is accessible to said first procedure.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein execution of said first procedure is terminated and said first procedure ceases attempts to perform processing upon any other images within said series of images in response to said image processing summary that indicates a successful decode of an image of the series of images.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein execution of said first procedure is un-suspended and re-initiated to proceed to perform processing upon other images within said series of images in response to said processing summary that indicates an unsuccessful decode of an image of the series of images.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein information describing an image processing forecast is included within a communication from said second procedure that is accessible to said first procedure.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein execution of said first procedure is suspended or terminated and said first procedure ceases processing upon any other images within said series of images in response to said image processing forecast that indicates that there is a sufficiently high likelihood that said second procedure will successfully decode an image.

20. A method for decoding a graphic symbol comprising:

providing a hand held imaging device including one or more processors and configured to capture a series of images according to a schedule of image capture over time, and wherein each said image can include a unique digital representation of at least a portion of at least one graphical symbol;

configuring said imaging device to execute a first procedure that that is configured to perform a first set of one or more actions during its execution while directing control of at least one of said processors, said first set of actions are configured to include at least a portion of a set of actions that are directed for processing an image that can include at least a portion of a graphical symbol, and wherein said execution occurs during a first elapsed period of time;

configuring said imaging device to execute a second procedure that is configured to perform a second set of one or more actions during its execution while directing control of at least one of said processors, said second set of actions are configured to include at least a portion of a set of actions that are directed for processing an image that can include at least a portion of a graphical symbol, and wherein said execution occurs during a second elapsed period of time; and

wherein a timing of initiation and duration of said first elapsed period of time is constrained to be less than a first amount of time while a duration of said second elapsed period of time is not constrained to said first amount of time.