Systems, devices, and/or methods for managing data matrix lighting

• US 8,011,583 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Microscan Systems Inc (Omron Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jason J, Lei, Ming, Long, Richard G.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US12/147,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20100282847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 235/438, 235/462.09, 235/462.1, 235/468, 235/454, 235/494
• US Class Current: 235/438
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10712 Fixed beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10792 Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a method, which can comprise causing a report to be automatically generated. The report can be indicative of a result of a read of a mark. The result can be automatically determined to pass a verification test. The verification test can be performed on an image obtained via an imaging system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing a report to be automatically generated, said report indicative of a result of a read of a Data Matrix mark, said result automatically determined to pass a verification test, said verification test performed on an image obtained via a selected light configuration of a plurality of predetermined light configurations, said plurality of light configurations used to sequentially illuminate said Data Matrix mark in a determined order, said verification test adapted to determine that said read of said Data Matrix mark has resulted in a minimum passing grade of a user-selected industry standard, said plurality of predetermined light configurations utilizing a set of light sources, said set of light sources comprising a first light source adapted to illuminate said Data Matrix mark via light rays that are substantially parallel to an axis of view of a camera, a second light source adapted to illuminate said Data Matrix mark via light rays that define an angle of approximately 30 degrees relative to a plane that is substantially perpendicular to said axis of view of said camera, and a third light source adapted to illuminate said Data Matrix mark via light rays that define an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to said plane, said camera adapted to obtain said image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a predetermined set of said plurality of light configurations is used to illuminate said Data Matrix mark, said predetermined set automatically selected based upon a user selected mark type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of said plurality of light configurations is used to sequentially illuminate said Data Matrix mark only until a light configuration has resulted in said minimum passing grade.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of said plurality of light configurations is used to sequentially illuminate said Data Matrix mark, said result having a best determined grade of a set of grades, each of said set of grades determined for a corresponding light configuration of said plurality of light configurations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said determined order is user changeable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said determined order is automatically adjusted based upon a previous verification test.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said selected light configuration is provided by a user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said selected light configuration is determined automatically.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing an automatic illumination of an object comprising said Data Matrix mark.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing an automatic selection of said selected light configuration, said selected light configuration utilizing a subset of said set of light sources.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing an illumination of said Data Matrix mark to be automatically changed.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a set of images of said Data Matrix mark to be automatically rendered, each of said set of images corresponding to an illumination provided by one of said plurality of predetermined light configurations, said set of images comprising said image.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said predetermined order of said plurality of predetermined light configurations from a user.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based upon a previous set of verification tests, automatically changing an order of said plurality of predetermined light configurations used to illuminate said Data Matrix mark.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

normalizing said camera for each of said plurality of predetermined light configurations.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a duration of illumination of a light source used in said selected light configuration to be controlled.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calibrating said camera for each of said plurality of predetermined light configurations.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a sequential illumination of light sources in said selected light configuration, said sequential illumination comprising at least one substantially non-simultaneous illumination of a first light source and a second light source.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a video to be rendered, said video adapted to provide information to a user regarding placement of an object comprising said Data Matrix mark in a field of view of a camera, said camera adapted to obtain said image.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing readability index report to be rendered, said readability index report comprising a readability index adapted to predict a level of difficulty associated with reading said Data Matrix mark.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a target fixture, said target fixture comprising an outline adapted to direct a user in placement of a bottom housing of a camera, said camera adapted to obtain said image, said target fixture comprising marks indicative of an extent of a field of view of said camera, said target fixture comprising marks indicative of a center of said field of view of said camera.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said result is determined to be a best result of a plurality of results obtained in attempting to perform quality verification of said Data Matrix mark.

23. A machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for activities comprising:

causing a report to be automatically generated, said report indicative of a result of a read of a Data Matrix mark, said result automatically determined to pass a verification test, said verification test performed on an image obtained via an automatically selected light configuration of a plurality of predetermined light configurations, said plurality of light configurations used to illuminate said Data Matrix mark sequentially in a user changeable predetermined order, said verification test adapted to determine that said read of said Data Matrix mark has resulted in a minimum passing grade of a user-selected Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility DPM-1-206 standard, said standard one of a plurality of predetermined user-selectable standards.

24. A system, comprising:

a Data Matrix mark processor adapted to read a Data Matrix mark, said read automatically determined to pass a verification test, said verification test performed on an image obtained via an automatically selected light configuration of a plurality of predetermined light configurations, said plurality of light configurations used to sequentially illuminate said Data Matrix mark in a user changeable predetermined order, said verification test adapted to determine that said read of said Data Matrix mark has resulted in a minimum passing grade of a user-selected industry standard.