Apparatus comprising image sensor

• US 8,104,686 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hawley, Thomas P., Ehrhart, Michael A., Longacre, Andrew Jr., Hussey, Robert M., Meier, Timothy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US12/645,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20100140356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.06, 235/462.2, 235/462.21, 235/462.32, 235/462.33, 235/462.42
• US Class Current: 235/462.2
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus having an image sensor is provided. An image sensor of the apparatus can include a two dimensional image sensor. A lens assembly can be provided in combination with an image sensor. In one aspect, an apparatus can attempt to decode a decodable symbol representation. In one aspect an apparatus can output a frame of image data.

Claims

1. A bar code decoding device comprising:

a portable housing;

a lens assembly focusing an image onto a two dimensional image sensor;

an illumination assembly;

a control circuit in communication with said illumination assembly and said imaging assembly, wherein said control circuit is configured to operate in a “

decode mode” and

a “

picture taking mode;

” and

a user interface facilitating selection between said decode mode and said picture taking mode;

wherein said control circuit, when operating in said “

decode mode”

loads a “

decode mode”

initial exposure period value, captures a frame of image data utilizing said “

decode mode”

initial exposure period value, builds a histogram summarizing said captured frame, evaluates said histogram according to a “

decode mode”

histogram evaluation criteria, and adjusts said initial exposure period value depending on an outcome of said evaluation;

wherein said control circuit, when operating in said “

picture taking”

mode loads a “

picture taking mode”

initial exposure period value, captures a frame of image data utilizing said initial “

picture taking mode”

initial exposure period value, builds a histogram summarizing said captured frame, evaluates said histogram according to a “

picture taking mode”

histogram evaluation criteria, and adjusts said initial exposure period value depending on an outcome of said evaluation,

wherein said “

decode mode”

initial exposure period value is less than said “

picture taking mode”

initial exposure period value.

2. The bar code decoding device of claim 1, wherein said control circuit is further configured to operate in an improvement mode in which said control circuit improves a visual output quality of a last captured image captured by said bar code decoding device independent of whether said last captured image was captured in a “

decode mode”

or in a “

picture taking mode.”

3. The bar code decoding device of claim 1, wherein said control circuit in accordance with said “

decode mode”

histogram evaluation criteria determines whether a predetermined near-peak gray scale value of said histogram is above or below a middle range gray scale value.

4. The bar code decoding device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to operate in a user selectable “

movie mode,” and

wherein the control circuit, when operating in the “

movie mode”

captures a frame of image data utilizing the “

movie mode”

initial exposure period value.

5. An optical reader comprising:

a portable housing;

an illumination assembly;

an imaging assembly;

a control circuit;

a user interface enabling selection between modes of operation;

a picture taking mode executable by said control circuit in which said optical reader captures a frame of image data and without attempting to decode decodable symbol therein outputs said frame of image data;

a decode mode executable by said control circuit in which said optical reader captures a frame of image data and decodes a decodable symbol represented therein;

a picture improvement mode in which said optical reader improves a visual output quality of a last captured frame, wherein said optical reader is configured to be driven into said picture improvement mode irrespective of the mode of operation of the optical reader during a most recent frame capture period.

6. The optical reader of claim 5, wherein said control circuit in said picture improvement mode decreases a value of light pixel values and increases a value of dark pixel values.

7. The optical reader of claim 5, wherein said control circuit is operative to output a frame of image data that has been subject to improvement.

8. The optical reader of claim 5, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface.

9. The optical reader of claim 5, wherein the picture improvement mode is selectable by actuation of a displayed icon.

10. An optical reader comprising:

a two dimensional image sensor including pixels;

a lens assembly;

an aiming and illumination system comprising at least one aiming light source and at least one illumination light source, wherein said reader is configured so that actuation of said at least one aiming light source projects an aiming pattern, and further so that actuation of said at least one illumination light source projects an illumination pattern, wherein said aiming pattern and said illumination pattern at least partially overlap;

a control circuit in communication with said two dimensional image sensor and said illumination system, said control circuit configured to operate in linear decode mode in which, during a frame exposure period, said aiming and illumination system projects said aiming pattern without projecting said illumination pattern.

11. The optical reader of claim 10, wherein said aiming pattern consists of a horizontal aiming line.

12. The optical reader of claim 11, wherein said aiming and illumination system and said control circuit are configured so that said control circuit preferentially processes image data corresponding to an area illuminated by said horizontal aiming line.

13. The optical reader of claim 10, wherein said control circuit in preferentially processing image data clocks out and captures a partial frame of image data corresponding to said area illuminated by said horizontal aiming line.

14. The optical reader of claim 10, wherein said lens assembly is configured so that said optical reader has a fixed best focus distance of less than two feet.

15. The optical reader of claim 10, wherein said optical reader is configured to automatically cease operating in said linear decode mode if said control circuit fails to decode a symbol while operating in said linear decode mode.

18. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 14, wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus is configured so that said portable bar code reading apparatus preferentially processes image data corresponding to an area of a substrate illuminated according to said aiming pattern.

19. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 18, wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus in preferentially processing image data clocks out and captures a partial frame of image data corresponding to said aiming pattern, said aiming pattern consisting of a horizontal aiming line.

21. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 14, wherein said lens assembly is configured so that said portable bar code reading apparatus has a fixed best focus distance of less than two feet.

22. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 14, wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus is configured to automatically cease operating in said operating mode if said portable bar code reading apparatus fails to decode a symbol while operating in said operating mode.

24. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 21, wherein said second light pattern consist of a horizontal aiming line.

25. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 21, wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus is configured so that said portable bar code reading apparatus preferentially processes image data corresponding to an area of a substrate illuminated according to said second light pattern.

26. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 21, wherein said first light pattern defines a single contiguous shape.

27. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 21, wherein said second light pattern defines a single contiguous shape.

28. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 21, wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus in preferentially processing image data clocks out and captures a partial frame of image data corresponding to said area illuminated by said second light pattern.

16. A portable bar code reading apparatus comprising:

a two-dimensional image sensor including pixels;

a lens assembly;

at least one aiming light source;

at least one illumination light source;

wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus is configured so that when said at least one aiming light source is turned ON said portable bar code reading apparatus projects an aiming pattern, and further so that when said at least one illumination light source is turned ON said portable bar code reading apparatus projects an illumination pattern;

wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus is configured to operate in an operating mode in which, during a succession of frame exposure periods, said portable bar code reading apparatus projects said aiming pattern without projecting said illumination pattern, wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus is configured so that said portable bar code reading apparatus, when operating in said operating mode, utilizes image data corresponding to image signals affected by light from said at least one aiming light source for attempting to decode a bar code symbol.

17. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 16, wherein said aiming pattern consists of a horizontal aiming line.

20. The portable bar code reading apparatus of claim 16, wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus in preferentially processing image data launches a scan line relative to pixel values representing an area of a substrate illuminated according to said aiming pattern.

23. A portable bar code reading apparatus comprising:

a two-dimensional image sensor including pixels;

a lens assembly;

a first pattern light source for use in projecting a first light pattern over a first area;

a second pattern light source for use in projecting a second light pattern over a second area, the second area being smaller than the first area;

wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus is configured so that when said first pattern light source is turned ON said portable bar code reading apparatus projects said first light pattern, and further so that when said second pattern light source is turned ON said portable bar code reading apparatus projects said second light pattern;

wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus is configured to operate in an operating mode in which, during a succession of frame exposure periods, said portable bar code reading apparatus projects said second light pattern without projecting said first light pattern, wherein said portable bar code reading apparatus is configured so that said portable bar code reading apparatus, when operating in said operating mode, utilizes image data corresponding to image signals affected by light from said second pattern light source for attempting to decode a bar code symbol.