Imaging terminal having image sensor and lens assembly

• US 8,596,539 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Havens, William H., Meier, Timothy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US13/600,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20120318867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 23546201-47203
• US Class Current: 235/462.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10752 Exposure time control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

There is set forth herein an imaging terminal having and image sensor including an image sensor array having a plurality of pixels. In one embodiment the imaging terminal can include a lens assembly for focusing light on the image sensor array. In one embodiment the lens assembly is a variable setting lens assembly having a first lens setting at which the terminal has a first plane of optimum focus and a second lens setting at which the terminal has a second plane of optimum focus. The imaging terminal can execute one or more process for determining an operating parameter of the imaging terminal.

Claims

1. An imaging terminal comprising:

an image sensor including an image sensor array having a plurality of pixels;

a variable setting lens assembly for focusing light on the image sensor array, the variable setting lens assembly having a first lens setting at which the terminal has a first plane of optimum focus and a second lens setting at which the terminal has a second plane of optimum focus;

wherein the imaging terminal is operative to capture a succession of frames, the succession of frames including a first frame, a second frame, a third frame and a fourth frame, the second frame having an exposure period subsequent to an exposure period of the first frame, the third frame having an exposure period subsequent to an exposure period of second frame, the fourth frame having an exposure period subsequent to an exposure period of the third frame;

wherein the imaging terminal is operative so that the first frame and the third frame are exposed with the lens assembly at the first lens setting and is further operative so that the second frame and the fourth frame are exposed with the lens assembly at the second lens setting;

wherein there is associated with the first lens setting a first exposure determination process in a manner that the first exposure determination process is active for determination of exposure periods of the first and third frames during which the lens assembly is at the first lens setting, and wherein there is associated with the second lens setting a second exposure determination process in a manner that the second exposure determination process is active for determination of exposure periods of the second and fourth frames during which the lens assembly is at the second lens setting; and

a processing unit for use in execution of the first exposure determination process and the second exposure determination process.

2. The imaging terminal of claim 1, wherein the imaging terminal is further operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia by processing at least one of the first frame and second frame.

3. The imaging terminal of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia by processing the first frame and the second frame.

4. The imaging terminal of claim 1, wherein the first frame and the second frame are successive frames.

5. The imaging terminal of claim 1, wherein the imaging terminal is hand held.

6. The imaging terminal of claim 1, wherein the imaging terminal is operative so that the succession of frames are captured responsively to an actuation of an actuator by an operator.

7. The imaging terminal of claim 1, wherein the imaging terminal is hand held and includes an actuator, wherein the processing unit is operative to execute a first processing thread for executing the first exposure determination process and a second processing thread for execution of the second exposure determination process, and wherein the imaging terminal is operative so that the succession of frames are captured responsively to an actuation of the actuator by an operator.

8. The imaging terminal of claim 7, wherein the imaging terminal is further operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia by processing at least one of the first frame and second frame.

9. The imaging terminal of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is operative to execute a first processing thread for executing the first exposure determination process and a second processing thread for execution of the second exposure determination process.

10. An imaging terminal comprising:

an image sensor including an image sensor array having a plurality of pixels;

a variable setting lens assembly for focusing light on the image sensor array, the variable setting lens assembly having a first lens setting at which the terminal has a first plane of optimum focus and a second lens setting at which the terminal has a second plane of optimum focus;

wherein the imaging terminal is operative to capture a succession of frames, the succession of frames including a first frame, a second frame, a third frame and a fourth frame, the second frame having an exposure period subsequent to an exposure period of the first frame, the third frame having an exposure period subsequent to an exposure period of second frame, the fourth frame having an exposure period subsequent to an exposure period of the third frame;

wherein the imaging terminal is operative so that the first frame and the third frame are exposed with the lens assembly at the first lens setting and is further operative so that the second frame and the fourth frame are exposed with the lens assembly at the second lens setting;

wherein there is associated with the first lens setting a first gain determination process in a manner that the first gain determination process is active for determination of gain of the first and third frames exposed with the lens assembly is at the first lens setting, and wherein there is associated with the second lens setting a second gain determination process in a manner that the second gain determination process is active for determination of gain of the second and fourth frames exposed with the lens assembly is at the second lens setting, and wherein the first gain determination process and second gain determination process determine a level of amplification of signals output by the image sensor array; and

a processing unit for use in execution of the first gain determination process and the second gain determination process.

11. The imaging terminal of claim 10, wherein the imaging terminal is further operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia by processing at least one of the first frame and second frame.

12. The imaging terminal of claim 10, wherein the processing unit is further operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia by processing the first frame and the second frame.

13. The imaging terminal of claim 10, wherein the first frame and the second frame are successive frames.

14. The imaging terminal of claim 10, wherein the imaging terminal is hand held.

15. The imaging terminal of claim 10, wherein the imaging terminal is operative so that the succession of frames are captured responsively to an actuation of an actuator by an operator.

16. The imaging terminal of claim 10, wherein the imaging terminal is hand held and includes an actuator, wherein the processing unit is operative to execute a first processing thread for executing the first gain determination process and a second processing thread for execution of the second gain determination process, and wherein the imaging terminal is operative so that the succession of frames are captured responsively to an actuation of the actuator by an operator.

17. The imaging terminal of claim 16, wherein the imaging terminal is further operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia by processing at least one of the first frame and second frame.

18. The imaging terminal of claim 10 wherein the processing unit is operative to execute a first processing thread for executing the first gain determination process and a second processing thread for execution of the second gain determination process.

19. An imaging terminal comprising:

an image sensor including an image sensor array having a plurality of pixels;

a lens assembly for focusing light on the image sensor array,

wherein the imaging terminal is operative in a first operator selectable operating state and a second operator selectable operating state;

wherein the imaging terminal responsively to initiation of frame capture by an operator with the first operator selectable operating state active is operative to capture a first succession of frames and is further operative to apply a common gain to frames of the first succession of frames;

wherein the imaging terminal responsively to initiation of frame capture by an operator with the second operator selectable operating state active is operative to capture a second succession of frames and is further operative to apply a variable gain to frames of the second succession of frames.

20. The imaging terminal of claim 19, wherein the lens assembly is a variable setting lens assembly having a first lens setting at which the terminal has a first plane of optimum focus and a second lens setting at which the terminal has a second plane of optimum focus.

21. The imaging terminal of claim 19, wherein the imaging terminal is further operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia by processing a frame of the first succession of frames.

22. The imaging terminal of claim 19, wherein the imaging terminal is further operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia by processing a frame of the second succession of frames.

23. The imaging terminal of claim 19, wherein the imaging terminal is further operative to attempt to decode a decodable indicia by processing a frame of the first succession of frames and a frame of the second succession of frames.

24. The imaging terminal of claim 19, wherein the imaging terminal is hand held and wherein the imaging terminal includes a user interface that allows selection of the first operator selectable operating state and the second operator selectable operating state.