Image capture apparatus and method

• US 8,794,522 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2013
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc., Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ehrhart, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): St Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/892,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20130313326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/462.12, 235/462.14, 235/462.25, 235/462.41, 235/462.45, 235/472, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10712 Fixed beam scanning
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• 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

There is provided an image capture apparatus and method. An image capture device can be used in the decoding of a decodable indicia, e.g., bar code symbols and/or text characters and can further be used in the capture of one or more images that may or may not be subjected to decoding processes. In one embodiment, an image captured with use of an image capture device is an image of an item bearing a decodable indicia. In one embodiment, an image capture device can have a plurality of user selectable modes of operation.

Claims

1. A method for decoding decodable indicia using an imaging device, said method comprising:

capturing a frame of image data corresponding to a scene using said imaging device, said scene having first decodable indicia which said imaging device is presently equipped to decode, and second decodable indicia which said imaging device is not presently equipped to decode;

decoding said frame of image data at said imaging device to produce a first decoded-out message corresponding to said first decodable indicia;

transmitting image data of said frame of image data to an external processor assembly for decoding of said second decodable indicia by said external processor assembly; and

receiving at said imaging device from said external processor assembly a decoded-out message corresponding to said second decodable indicia.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting is performed responsively to a user request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting is performed automatically.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting image data includes transmitting the frame of image data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the external processor assembly is a remote processor assembly.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is a portable imaging device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first decodable indicia is a decodable symbol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second decodable indicia is a decodable character.

9. A method for decoding decodable indicia using an imaging device, said method comprising:

capturing a frame of image data corresponding to a scene using said imaging device, said scene having first decodable indicia which said imaging device is presently equipped to decode, and second decodable indicia which said imaging device is not presently equipped to decode;

decoding said frame of image data at said imaging device to produce a first decoded-out message corresponding to said first decodable indicia;

transmitting a request to an external processor assembly to download to said imaging device resources for decoding said second decodable indicia; and

receiving at said imaging device the resources for decoding of said second decodable indicia so that said imaging device is configured to decode said second decodable indicia represented in said frame of image data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said frame of image data is a frame of image data just written to a memory location of said imaging device at a time of said receiving.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the method includes attempting to decode the second decodable indicia at the imaging device responsively to the receiving.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the imaging device is a portable imaging device.

13. The method of claim 9, further including storing said frame of image data to a frame storage location.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the external processor assembly is a remote processor assembly.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the first decodable indicia is a decodable symbol.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the second decodable indicia is a decodable character.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the resources comprise program code.