Systems and methods for forming a composite image of multiple portions of an object from multiple perspectives
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An imaging system for forming image data from an object bearing an optical code in a viewing volume, the imaging system comprising:
- a camera comprising an imager and a lens, wherein the imager comprises a set of pixel imaging elements arranged in a two-dimensional imaging plane, and wherein the lens is positioned in front of the imager so as to focus a field of view onto substantially all of the pixel imaging elements of the imager;
a first set of a plurality of fixed mirrors comprising at least a first set first mirror and a first set second mirror placed in the field of view, wherein the mirrors in the first set split the field of view into different first and second imager portions of the pixel imaging elements of the imager and redirect said first and second imager portions in different directions away from the first set of mirrors;
a second set of fixed mirrors comprising at least(a) second set first mirror subset of mirrors placed in said first portion of the field of view as redirected by the first set first mirror and positioned to redirect said first portion of the field of view into the viewing volume from at least first and second perspectives, to thereby provide 2D images of at least first and second portions of the object from said first and second perspectives on the first imager portion of the pixel imaging elements of the imager and(b) second set second mirror subset of mirrors placed in said second portion of the field of view as redirected by the first set second-mirror and positioned to redirect said second portion of the field of view into the viewing volume from at least third and fourth perspectives, to thereby provide 2D images of at least third and fourth portions of the object from said third and fourth perspectives on the second imager portion of the pixel imaging elements of the imager; and
a decoder interfaced to the camera and configured to decode the optical code imaged by the imager.
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Abstract
Various improved imager-based optical code readers and associated methods are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, an imager-based method reads an optical code (which may be, for example, a linear optical code such as a bar code) on an object in a viewing volume. The method comprises dividing an image plane into a plurality of strip-shaped sections, viewing the object in the viewing volume from a plurality of perspectives, forming a plurality of strip-shaped images corresponding to the plurality of perspectives, respectively, thereby creating a composite image containing data from a plurality of perspectives, and processing at least a portion of the composite image so as to ascertain the information encoded in the optical code on the object in the viewing volume. Certain embodiments can mimic the performance of a laser-based scanner without a laser or moving parts but instead utilizing an electronic imaging device such as an imager.
124 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An imaging system for forming image data from an object bearing an optical code in a viewing volume, the imaging system comprising:
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a camera comprising an imager and a lens, wherein the imager comprises a set of pixel imaging elements arranged in a two-dimensional imaging plane, and wherein the lens is positioned in front of the imager so as to focus a field of view onto substantially all of the pixel imaging elements of the imager; a first set of a plurality of fixed mirrors comprising at least a first set first mirror and a first set second mirror placed in the field of view, wherein the mirrors in the first set split the field of view into different first and second imager portions of the pixel imaging elements of the imager and redirect said first and second imager portions in different directions away from the first set of mirrors; a second set of fixed mirrors comprising at least (a) second set first mirror subset of mirrors placed in said first portion of the field of view as redirected by the first set first mirror and positioned to redirect said first portion of the field of view into the viewing volume from at least first and second perspectives, to thereby provide 2D images of at least first and second portions of the object from said first and second perspectives on the first imager portion of the pixel imaging elements of the imager and (b) second set second mirror subset of mirrors placed in said second portion of the field of view as redirected by the first set second-mirror and positioned to redirect said second portion of the field of view into the viewing volume from at least third and fourth perspectives, to thereby provide 2D images of at least third and fourth portions of the object from said third and fourth perspectives on the second imager portion of the pixel imaging elements of the imager; and a decoder interfaced to the camera and configured to decode the optical code imaged by the imager. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An imaging system for forming image data from an object bearing an optical code in a viewing volume, the imaging system comprising:
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an imager comprising a set of pixel imaging elements arranged in a two-dimensional imaging plane having N different regions; and a set of non-moving mirrors arranged to collect N two-dimensional views of the viewing volume from different perspectives and to reflect the N two-dimensional views onto the imaging plane, wherein each of the N two-dimensional views is reflected onto, and a two-dimensional view thereof is acquired by, a corresponding one of the N different regions of the imaging plane, wherein N>
8. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An imager-based reader having illumination capability for machine vision of an object in a viewing volume, the reader comprising:
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a solid state imager comprising a surface having a plurality of closely spaced pixel imaging elements; a set of fixed mirrors positioned in a field of view of the imager and arranged to divide the imager'"'"'s field of view into multiple distinct pieces and to direct each of the multiple distinct pieces to portions of the viewing volume from different directions, the imager acquiring, onto corresponding different regions of the imager, two-dimensional images of the multiple distinct pieces; and an illumination source configured to shine light into the viewing volume by way of reflection via at least one mirror in the set of fixed mirrors.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeDatalogic Adc, Inc. (Datalogic S.p.A.)
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Original AssigneeDatalogic Adc, Inc. (Datalogic S.p.A.)
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InventorsOlmstead, Bryan L.
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Primary Examiner(s)Le, Thien M
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Assistant Examiner(s)LY, TOAN C
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Application NumberUS12/370,497Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,433 DaysField of Search235/462.24, 235/462.41US Class Current235/462.41CPC Class CodesG06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagat...G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affi...
