Barcode reader

• US 9,286,502 B1
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Code Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Ashby, Mark, Lei, Ming, Hoobler, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US14/717,247
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.25, 235/462.01, 235/462.24, 235/454, 235/462.41
• 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 7/10752 Exposure time control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10792 Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned
• 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 7/146 the method including quality enhancement steps
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1465 using several successive scans of the optical code

Abstract

A barcode reader may perform image processing functions to generate distinct image data records from the frame of image data of a barcode, select an image data record from the distinct image data records and decode the selected image data record. Each image data record may be generated by applying a distinct image processing function to the frame of image data. The barcode reader may capture multiple frames of image data in sequence based on image capture parameters. At least one of the multiple frames of image data may be captured with a distinct parameter value. The image capture parameters may include an exposure setting, a gain setting, a resolution setting, and/or an illumination setting.

Claims

1. A barcode reader, comprising:

a lens for focusing an image of a barcode onto an image sensor array, wherein the image sensor array comprises a plurality of rows of pixels, and each pixel comprises an active photosensitive region which accumulates charge over a duration of an exposure period;

a first circuitry configured to;

sequentially commence exposure for each row of pixels from a first row to a last row of the image sensor array, wherein each row of pixels is exposed for an exposure period commencing at an exposure start time for the row and ending at an exposure end time for the row;

for each row of pixels, at the exposure end time, measure, and transfer to a first memory at a first read-out speed, digital values representative of intensity of illumination accumulated on each pixel within the row during the exposure period; and

receive image capture parameter values and capture multiple frames of image data in sequence based on the image capture parameter values, wherein at least one of the multiple frames of image data is captured with an image capture setting set to an image capture parameter value that is distinct from the image capture setting for at least one other frame of image data;

a second circuitry configured to transfer the digital values from the first memory to a second memory at a second read-out speed, wherein the second row read-out speed is slower than the first row read-out speed; and

a processor configured to decode the barcode represented by the digital values stored in the second memory.

2. The barcode reader of claim 1, wherein the first memory is large enough to hold an entire frame of image data, and the digital values are read-out of the first memory after the entire frame of image data is put into the first memory.

3. The barcode reader of claim 1, wherein the image capture parameter values include at least one of an exposure setting value, a gain setting value, a resolution setting value, or an illumination setting value.

4. The barcode reader of claim 1, wherein a subset of the multiple frames of image data is transferred to the second memory.

5. The barcode reader of claim 1, wherein the first circuitry and the first memory are within a first system package, and the processor and the second memory are within a second system package.

6. A barcode reader, comprising:

a lens for focusing an image of a barcode onto an image sensor array, wherein the image sensor array comprises a plurality of rows of pixels and each pixel comprises an active photosensitive region which accumulates charge over a duration of an exposure period;

a first circuitry configured to sequentially read-out rows of pixels from a first row to a last row at a first read-out speed, store one of a frame of image data or a derivative of the frame of image data in a first memory, and receive image capture parameter values and capture multiple frames of image data in sequence based on the image capture parameter values, wherein at least one of the multiple frames of image data is captured using an image capture setting set to an image capture parameter value that is distinct from the image capture setting for at least one other frame of image data;

a second circuitry configured to transfer the one of the frame of image data or the derivative of the frame of image data to a second memory at a second read-out speed, wherein the second row read-out speed is slower than the first row read-out speed; and

a processor configured to decode the frame of image data or the derivative of the frame of image data stored in the second memory.

7. The barcode reader of claim 6, wherein the first memory is large enough to hold an entire frame of image data.

8. The barcode reader of claim 7, wherein the frame of image data is read-out of the first memory after the entire frame of image data is put into the first memory.

9. The barcode reader of claim 6, wherein the image capture parameter values include at least one of an exposure setting value, a gain setting value, a resolution setting value, or an illumination setting value.

10. The barcode reader of claim 6, wherein a subset of fewer than all of the multiple frames of image data is transferred to the second memory.

11. The barcode reader of claim 6, wherein the first circuitry and the first memory are within a first system package, and the processor and the second memory are within a second system package.

12. A method of operating a barcode reader, the method comprising:

focusing an image of a barcode onto an image sensor array, wherein the image sensor array comprises a plurality of rows of pixels, and each pixel comprises an active photosensitive region which accumulates charge over a duration of an exposure period;

commencing exposure sequentially for each row of pixels of the image sensor array from a first row to a last row;

reading out rows of pixels sequentially from the first row to the last row at a first read-out speed, and storing one of a frame of image data or a derivative of the frame of image data in a first memory;

receiving image capture parameter values;

capturing multiple frames of image data in sequence based on the image capture parameters, wherein at least one of the multiple frames of image data is captured with an image capture setting set to an image capture parameter value distinct from the image capture setting for at least one other frame of image data;

transferring the one of the frame of image data or the derivative of the frame of image data to a second memory at a second read-out speed, wherein the second row read-out speed is slower than the first row read-out speed; and

decoding the one of the frame of image data or the derivative of the frame of image data stored in the second memory.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first memory is large enough to hold an entire frame of image data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the frame of image data is read-out of the first memory and transferred to the second memory after the entire frame of image data is put into the first memory.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the image capture parameter values include at least one of an exposure setting value, a gain setting value, a resolution setting value, or an illumination setting value.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein a subset of the multiple frames of image data is transferred to the second memory.