Apparatus operative for capture of image data

• US 9,224,023 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Havens, William H., Barber, Charles P., Gannon, Colleen, Gardiner, Robert C., Hennick, Robert J., Pettinelli, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US14/093,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20140076974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10821 further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10841 Particularities of the light-sensitive elements semiconductor devices H01L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1465 using several successive scans of the optical code

Abstract

There is set forth an apparatus for capturing image data. In one embodiment, an apparatus is operative for capture of a first frame of image data and a second frame of image data. In one embodiment, an apparatus is operative for processing the first frame of image data and the second frame of image data.

Claims

1. An optical reader, comprising:

an image sensor operative to capture frames comprising decodable indicia;

a first light source operative to project light;

a second light source operative to project light;

wherein the first light source and the second light source are positioned at different distances from the image sensor;

wherein the optical reader is operative to project light with the first light source and capture a first frame comprising a decodable indicia via the image sensor;

wherein the optical reader is operative to process the captured first frame to determine whether the captured first frame is saturated, thereby indicating excessive illumination; and

wherein the optical reader is operative to project light with the second light source and capture a second frame comprising the decodable indicia via the image sensor.

2. The optical reader of claim 1, comprising a hand held housing, wherein the image sensor, the imaging optics, the first light source, and the second light source are within the hand held housing.

3. The optical reader of claim 1, wherein the image sensor comprises a color image sensor.

4. The optical reader of claim 1, wherein the first light source comprises a plurality of LEDs.

5. The optical reader of claim 1, wherein the second light source comprises a plurality of LEDs.

6. The optical reader of claim 1, comprising:

a first imaging module comprising the image sensor and the first light source; and

a second imaging module comprising a second image sensor and the second light source.

7. The optical reader of claim 1, wherein the optical reader is configured for:

processing the captured first frame to determine whether the captured first frame is saturated; and

in response to the processing of the captured first frame, projecting light with the second light source and capturing a second frame via the image sensor.

8. The optical reader of claim 1, wherein the optical reader is configured for:

attempting to decode the captured first frame; and

in response to a failed attempt to decode the first frame, projecting light with the second light source and capturing a second frame via the image sensor.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a first image sensor operative to generate a first image signal, the first image sensor having a first image axis extending in a first direction, wherein a portion of the first image signal is representative of decodable indicia;

a first light source operative to project light;

a second image sensor operative to generate a second image signal, the second image sensor having a second image axis extending in a second direction that is different than the first direction, wherein a portion of the second image signal is representative of decodable indicia;

a second light source operative to project light;

a first converter operative to convert image signals generated by the first image sensor into first image data;

a second converter operative to convert image signals generated by the second image sensor into second image data;

a system bus;

a random access memory coupled to the system bus;

an integrated circuit coupled to the system bus, the integrated circuit comprising;

a first frame grabber for receiving the first image data and transmitting the first image data to the random access memory; and

a second frame grabber for receiving the second image data and transmitting the second image data to the random access memory;

wherein the apparatus is operative to;

project light with the first light source;

process a first frame of the first image data generated while the first light source is projecting light to determine whether the first frame is saturated, thereby indicating excessive illumination, wherein the first frame comprises a decodable indicia;

project light with the second light source; and

capture a second frame of the second image data generated while the second light source is projecting light, wherein the second frame comprises the decodable indicia.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the first image sensor comprises an area image sensor; and

the second image sensor comprises a linear image sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first image sensor comprises a color area image sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first direction is divergent relative to the second direction.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first direction is convergent relative to the second direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is configured for attempting to decode the first frame or the second frame.

15. An optical reader, comprising:

a first image sensor operative to generate first image data, the first image sensor having a first image axis extending in a first direction, wherein a portion of the first image signal is representative of decodable indicia;

a second image sensor operative to generate second image data, the second image sensor having a second image axis in a vertical plane with the first image axis and extending in a second direction that is different than the first direction, wherein a portion of the second image signal is representative of decodable indicia;

a first light source operative to project light along a first path;

a second light source operative to project light;

wherein the reader is operative to;

project with the first light source;

while projecting light with the first light source, generate first image data with the first image sensor, wherein the first image data comprises data representative of a decodable indicia;

process a first frame of the first image data to determine whether the first frame is saturated, thereby indicating excessive illumination;

project light with the second light source; and

while projecting light with the second light source, generate second image data with the second image sensor, wherein the second image data comprises data representative of the decodable indicia.

16. The optical reader of claim 15, wherein the first image sensor comprises a CMOS image sensor.

17. The optical reader of claim 15, wherein the second light source projects light along a second path.

18. The optical reader of claim 15, wherein:

the first image sensor comprises a one-dimensional image sensor; and

the second image sensor comprises a two-dimensional image sensor.

19. The optical reader of claim 15, wherein the optical reader is operative to:

project light with the first light source;

while projecting light with the first light source, generate first image data with the first image sensor;

attempt to decode the generated first image data;

while projecting light with the first light source, generate second image data with the second image sensor; and

attempt to decode the generated second image data.

20. The optical reader of claim 15, wherein the second light source projects light along a second path that is different from the first path.