Digital image capture and processing engine employing optical waveguide technology for collecting and guiding LED-based illumination during object illumination and image capture modes of operation
First Claim
1. A digital image capture and processing engine comprising:
- an engine housing;
a digital image formation and detection subsystem, embodied within said engine housing, and having (i) image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) from an area-type image detection array, and upon an object to be imaged during object illumination and imaging operations, and (ii) said area-type image detection array for detecting one or more digital images of the object during object illumination and imaging operations in an image capture mode when detector elements in said image detection array are enabled so as to detect one or more digital images of the object formed on said area-type image detection array;
a LED-based illumination subsystem, embodied within said engine housing, and having an LED illumination array for producing and projecting a field of illumination within said FOV during object illumination and imaging operations;
an automatic illumination control subsystem, embodied within said engine housing, for controlling said LED illumination array during object illumination and imaging operations;
an automatic exposure measurement subsystem, embodied within said engine housing, and including an optical waveguide component arranged for collecting illumination scattered off an illuminated object present in said FOV, and guiding the collected illumination onto a photo-detector, operating independently from said area-type image detection array, for measuring the intensity of said collected illumination and producing an electrical signal representative of said measured intensity; and
an image capturing and buffering subsystem, embodied within said engine housing, for capturing and buffering said one or more digital images detected by the area-type image detection array.
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Abstract
Digital image capture and processing engine of modular design and employing an optical waveguide structure for collecting and guiding LED-based illumination during object illumination and imaging operations. The digital image capture and processing engine also includes apparatus for automatically controlling the duration of illumination produced from LED illumination arrays during object illumination and imaging operations. Such automatic illumination control involves measuring the amount of illumination to which the object be imaged has been exposed, and controlling the duration of illumination produced from the LED illumination arrays based on such measurements during each object illumination and imaging operation. By virtue of the present invention, the digital image capture and processing engine ensures the reliable formation and detection of high quality images in diverse application environments in the digital image capture and processing engine can be used.
295 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A digital image capture and processing engine comprising:
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an engine housing; a digital image formation and detection subsystem, embodied within said engine housing, and having (i) image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) from an area-type image detection array, and upon an object to be imaged during object illumination and imaging operations, and (ii) said area-type image detection array for detecting one or more digital images of the object during object illumination and imaging operations in an image capture mode when detector elements in said image detection array are enabled so as to detect one or more digital images of the object formed on said area-type image detection array; a LED-based illumination subsystem, embodied within said engine housing, and having an LED illumination array for producing and projecting a field of illumination within said FOV during object illumination and imaging operations; an automatic illumination control subsystem, embodied within said engine housing, for controlling said LED illumination array during object illumination and imaging operations; an automatic exposure measurement subsystem, embodied within said engine housing, and including an optical waveguide component arranged for collecting illumination scattered off an illuminated object present in said FOV, and guiding the collected illumination onto a photo-detector, operating independently from said area-type image detection array, for measuring the intensity of said collected illumination and producing an electrical signal representative of said measured intensity; and an image capturing and buffering subsystem, embodied within said engine housing, for capturing and buffering said one or more digital images detected by the area-type image detection array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification