System and method of optical reading employing virtual scan lines

• US 8,113,428 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2010
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datalogic Adc, Inc. (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Datalogic Adc, Inc. (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Rudeen, Robert W., Olmstead, Bryan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Thien
• Application Number:
  US12/786,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20100308114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.13, 235/462.11, 235/462.22, 235/462.1, 235/472.01, 235/472.03, 235/454
• US Class Current: 235/462.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence

Abstract

Optical reading system and methods having multiple modes of operation, for example: omnidirectional and single-code picking; fixed and handheld reading; 1D and 2D code reading. In one configuration, an image-based system obtains input data via an area sensor (e.g., a 2D CCD array) with only data corresponding to a pattern of virtual scan lines being stored and processed. A user may implement different operating modes such as a first mode reading codes in any location or orientation and a second mode reading only a code oriented along a particular virtual scan line or group thereof. Alternately, the data reader is operable to switch between handheld mode selecting a first pattern of virtual scan lines to process and/or decode and a fixed mode selecting a second pattern of virtual scan lines to process and/or decode. Virtual scan patterns in either mode can change within or between frames.

Claims

1. A method for reading optical codes with a data reader, comprising the steps of:

acquiring a first two-dimensional image of a scan region, and storing, in memory, pixel data of the first two-dimensional image that has been acquired;

via a processor, processing said pixel data from the first two-dimensional image along a first pattern of virtual scan lines to detect decodable data;

using the decodable data to determine a type of optical code detected in the decodable data;

selecting a second pattern of virtual scan lines for subsequent processing depending upon the type of optical code detected;

processing said pixel data from the first two-dimensional image along the second pattern of virtual scan lines to detect decodable data.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising

changing the virtual scan pattern being applied to the first two-dimensional image acquired according to a predefined sequence of virtual scan patterns.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising

changing the virtual scan pattern on a subsequent two-dimensional image acquired based on content of the decodable data of the virtual scan lines of a previously acquired two-dimensional image.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising

acquiring a second two-dimensional image of the scan region;

processing data from the second two-dimensional image along the second pattern of virtual scan lines to detect decodable data.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising

changing the virtual scan pattern from frame to frame according to a predefined sequence of virtual scan patterns.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of acquiring a first two-dimensional image comprises acquiring said image into a sensor array, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of virtual scan line buffers with one virtual scan line buffer corresponding to each virtual scan line.

7. A method for reading optical symbols with a data reader, comprising the steps of:

acquiring a first two-dimensional image of a scan region, and storing, in memory, pixel data of the first two-dimensional image that has been acquired;

in a first frame, selecting portions of said pixel data of the first two-dimensional image along a virtual scan pattern according to a first pattern of virtual scan lines;

via a processor, processing said pixel data from the virtual scan lines of the first pattern to find decodable data;

changing the virtual scan pattern to a second pattern of virtual scan lines based upon results of processing data from the virtual scan lines of the first pattern;

selecting portions of said pixel data of the first two-dimensional image along a second virtual scan pattern according to the second pattern of virtual scan lines;

processing said pixel data from the virtual scan lines of the second pattern to find decodable data;

wherein both the first and second patterns are acquired from the first two dimensional image.

8. A method according to claim 7 further comprising

changing the virtual scan pattern from frame to frame from a predefined sequence of virtual scan patterns.

9. A method according to claim 7 further comprising

changing the virtual scan pattern on a subsequent frame based on content of the decodable data of the virtual scan lines of the previous frame.

10. A method according to claim 7 wherein the step of acquiring a first two-dimensional image comprises acquiring said image into a sensor array, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of virtual scan line buffers with one virtual scan line buffer corresponding to each virtual scan line.