Methods for illuminating barcodes

• US 7,886,979 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Microscan Systems Inc (Omron Corporation)
• Inventors: Lei, Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol; Paultep
• Application Number:
  US11/857,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20080105748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/462.06, 235/462.09, 235/462.1, 235/462.11, 235/462.41, 235/462.42, 235/462.45, 235/462.46
• US Class Current: 235/462.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method, which can comprise obtaining an image of a barcode. The image can be obtained via a barcode reader. The barcode reader can comprise a camera. The camera can define a camera axis. The barcode reader can comprise a lighting module that comprises set of lighting elements that emit light.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining one or more images of a two dimensional direct part marking barcode, the one or more images obtained via a barcode pistol grip barcode reader comprising;

a camera, the camera defining a camera axis,

an on-axis lighting module including a first set of light emitting diodes (LEDs) having a first emitted color, the on-axis lighting module adapted to direct light in an on-axis lighting direction that is collinear with the camera axis, and

an off-axis lighting module that is mirror-less, filter-less, and lens-less, a distance between the off-axis lighting module and the camera adjustable, the off-axis lighting module including a second set of LEDs having a second emitted color, the off-axis lighting module adapted to direct light in an off-axis lighting direction that intersects the camera axis at an adjustable angle, the adjustable angle less than fifty-five degrees.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first emitted color is red and the second emitted color is white or green.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the barcode reader is adapted to obtain a decodable image at a distance between one inch and four inches from the two dimensional direct part marking barcode.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the off-axis lighting module comprises a plurality of subsets of LEDs, each subset of the plurality of subsets of LEDs adapted to direct light energy that intersects the camera axis at a distinct angle relative to the camera axis, each distinct angle less than fifty five degrees.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the bar code reader further comprises a light controller coupled to the camera and to the off-axis lighting module to obtain a set of sequential images of the direct part marking barcode, each image of the set of sequential images obtained with the direct part marking barcode illuminated by only one subset of LEDs of the plurality of subsets of LEDs.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing the on-axis lighting module in a direction perpendicular to a surface comprising the two dimensional direct part marking barcode.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing the on-axis lighting module in a direction that is non-perpendicular to a surface comprising the two dimensional direct part marking barcode.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the image to a processor adapted to decode the image.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting information regarding the image to an information device via a wireless transceiver or a network.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising decoding at least one image of the one or more images, the image based upon a camera image obtained from an illumination of the two dimensional direct part marking barcode by the off-axis lighting module, the on-axis lighting module, or both the on-axis and off-axis lighting modules.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining one or more images comprises obtaining a first image, a second image, and a third image of the two dimensional direct part marking barcode, the first image obtained with only the on-axis lighting module illuminated, the second image obtained with only the off-axis lighting module illuminated, the third image obtained with both the on-axis lighting module and the off-axis lighting module illuminated simultaneously.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the barcode reader comprises a trigger on the pistol grip, the trigger adapted to cause at least the first set of LEDs to illuminate.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein, responsive to a pull of the trigger, the barcode reader adapted to automatically and sequentially obtain the first image, a second image, and a third image of the two dimensional direct part marking barcode, the first image obtained with only the on-axis lighting module illuminated, the second image obtained with only the off-axis lighting module illuminated, the third image obtained with both the on-axis lighting module and the off-axis lighting module illuminated simultaneously.

14. A machine-readable medium comprising machine instructions for activities comprising:

obtaining one or more images of a two dimensional direct part marking, the one or more images obtained via a barcode pistol grip barcode reader that comprises;

a camera, the camera defining a camera axis,

an on-axis lighting module that comprises first set of light emitting diodes (LEDs) having a first emitted color, the on-axis lighting module adapted to direct light on an on-axis lighting direction that is collinear with the camera axis, and

an off-axis lighting module that is minor-less, filter-less, and lens-less, the off-axis lighting module comprising a second set of LEDs having a second emitted color, the off-axis lighting module adapted to direct light in an off-axis lighting direction that intersects the camera axis at an adjustable angle, the adjustable angle less than fifty-five degrees.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions to obtain a decodable image at a distance between one inch and four inches from the two dimensional direct part marking barcode.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the off-axis lighting module comprises a plurality of subsets of LEDs, each subset of the plurality of subsets of LEDs adapted to direct light energy that intersects the camera axis at a distinct angle relative to the camera axis, each distinct angle less than fifty five degrees.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions to obtain a set of sequential images of the direct part marking barcode, each image of the set of sequential images obtained with the direct part marking barcode illuminated by only one subset of LEDs of the plurality of subsets of LEDs.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions to transmit at least one of the images to a processor adapted to decode images.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions to transmit information regarding the image to an information device via a wireless transceiver or a network.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions to decode at least one image of the one or more images, the image based upon a camera image obtained from an illumination of the two dimensional direct part marking barcode by the off-axis lighting module, the on-axis lighting module, or both the on-axis and off-axis lighting modules.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 14 wherein obtaining one or more images comprises obtaining a first image, a second image, and a third image of the two dimensional direct part marking barcode, the first image obtained with only the on-axis lighting module illuminated, the second image obtained with only the off-axis lighting module illuminated, the third image obtained with both the on-axis lighting module and the off-axis lighting module illuminated simultaneously.