Capturing a graphic information presentation

• US 9,521,331 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2015
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Bessettes, Vincent, Thebault, Patrice
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US14/691,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20160316124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/455, 235/462.01, 235/462.14, 235/462.25, 235/462.42, 235/462.45, 235/462.49, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10752 Exposure time control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1095 the scanner comprising adaptations for scanning a record carrier that is displayed on a display-screen or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/72 Combination of two or more compensation controls

Abstract

A process is disclosed for scanning a graphic medium scan target. An image of the scan target is captured over an exposure duration. An illumination of the scan target is actuated over an illumination duration brief relative to the exposure duration. The illumination of the scan target is deactivated upon an expiration of the illumination duration. The capturing the image step continues over a significant portion of the exposure duration persisting after the expiration of the illumination duration.

Claims

1. A method for scanning a graphic medium scan target, the method comprising the steps of:

capturing a single image of the scan target over an exposure duration;

actuating an illumination of the scan target at the beginning of the exposure duration over an illumination duration that is less than the exposure duration; and

deactivating the illumination of the scan target upon an expiration of the illumination duration;

wherein the exposure duration persists for a period comprising a positive multiple of the illumination duration after expiration of the illumination duration.

2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the capturing the image of the scan target over the exposure duration step comprises the steps of:

actuating a sensor operable for detecting the image; and

actuating a shutter operable for exposing the actuated sensor to the scan target over the exposure duration.

3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the graphic medium comprises one or more of an electronic display, a self-lit medium, or a print based medium.

4. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the captured image comprises one or more of a two dimensional (2D) geometric pattern or a barcode, wherein the illumination duration is between 200-400 ms.

5. The method as described in claim 4, further comprising evaluating a quality related characteristic of the captured image relative to a target quality metric.

6. The method as described in claim 5 wherein one or more of the quality related characteristic of the captured image, or the target quality metric, comprises an image quality measurement relating to one or more of a grey level, a saturation level, or a blackness level.

7. The method as described in claim 5 wherein the image quality measurement is determined globally in relation to the captured image.

8. The method as described in claim 5 wherein the image quality measurement is determined locally in relation to at least a portion of the captured image.

9. The method as described in claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

determining, based on the evaluating step, that the quality related characteristic of the captured image does not at least meet the target quality value, wherein the captured image comprises a first captured image; and

increasing the exposure duration to one or more increased exposure duration values;

repeating the capturing, actuating, and deactivating steps iteratively over the one or more increased exposure duration values wherein one or more subsequent corresponding images are captured; and

repeating the evaluating step iteratively over the one or more subsequent captured images until;

the quality related characteristic of at least one of the subsequent corresponding evaluated captured images at least meets the target quality value;

or

a maximum increased exposure duration value has been reached.

10. The method as described in claim 9 wherein the illumination duration comprises a first set illumination duration and wherein, upon reaching the maximum increased exposure duration value, the method further comprises the steps of:

resetting the illumination duration from the first set

illumination duration to one or more increased illumination durations;

repeating the capturing step iteratively over the one or

more increased illumination durations wherein one or more subsequent corresponding second images are captured; and

repeating the evaluating step iteratively over the one or more subsequent captured second images until;

the quality related characteristic of at least one of the subsequent corresponding evaluated captured second images at least meets the target quality value;

or

a maximum increased illumination time duration time has been reached.

11. A system for scanning a graphic medium scan target, the system comprising:

a detector component operable, upon actuating an exposure, for capturing a single image the scan target over a duration of the exposure actuation;

a light source component operable, upon actuating an illumination, for illuminating the scan target at the beginning of the exposure duration over an illumination duration that is less than the exposure duration, and upon an expiration of the illumination duration, for deactivating the illumination of the scan target;

an exposure regulating component operable for setting the exposure duration and for the actuating the exposure for a period comprising a positive multiple of the illumination duration after expiration of the illumination duration;

an illumination regulating component operable for setting the illumination duration time and for the actuating, and the deactivating, the illumination; and

a controller component operable for controlling exchanging data signals with the detector component, the exposure regulating component and the illumination regulating component, for controlling one or more functions of the detector component, the exposure regulating component, and the illumination regulating component based on the data signals exchanged each therewith, and for directing the scanning over the graphic medium scan target based on the controlling the one or more functions of the detector component, the exposure regulating component, and the illumination regulating component.

12. The system as described in claim 11, further comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions wherein one or more of the controller component, the exposure regulating component or the illumination regulating component are operable for executing the instructions and performing a process corresponding thereto, the process comprising:

the capturing the image of the scan target over the exposure duration;

the actuating the illumination of the scan target over the illumination duration, wherein the illumination duration is between 200-400 ms; and

the deactivating the illumination of the scan target upon the expiration of the illumination duration.

13. The system as described in claim 11 wherein the detector component comprises:

a sensor device operable, upon the actuating the exposure, for the capturing the image of the scan target; and

a shutter device operable for exposing the sensor device, upon the actuating the exposure.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the shutter device is actuated electromechanically, wherein the exposing the sensor device comprises opening the shutter device, or electro-optically, wherein the exposing the sensor device comprises the shutter assuming a transparent optical state.

15. The system as described in claim 11 wherein the graphic medium comprises one or more of an electronic display, a self-lit medium, or a print based medium.

16. The system as described in claim 11 wherein the captured image comprises one or more of a 2D geometric pattern or a barcode.

17. The system as described in claim 11 wherein the controller component is further operable for evaluating a quality related characteristic of the captured image in relation to a target quality metric.

18. A method for capturing graphic data presented with a scan target related to one or more of a printed medium or a self-lit electronic display medium, the method comprising the steps of:

fixing a duration and an intensity related to an illumination;

taking a single image of the scan target with the fixed illumination related duration and intensity over a first exposure duration wherein the fixed illumination related duration begins at the beginning of the exposure duration, the first exposure duration comprising a positive multiple of the fixed illumination related duration after expiration of the fixed illumination related duration;

evaluating the taken image in relation to a quality related characteristic thereof;

adjusting the exposure duration relative to the first exposure duration; and

repeating the steps of taking the image and evaluating the image with the adjusted exposure duration until the evaluated quality related image characteristic at least equals a value of a quality related target.

19. The method as described in claim 18 wherein the fixed illumination related duration is between 200-400 ms and wherein, upon the adjusting the exposure duration step, the exposure duration reaches a maximum adjustment value, the method further comprising the steps of:

resetting a fixedness of the fixed illumination related duration wherein the illumination related duration is adjusted to an adjusted illumination duration greater than the fixed illumination related duration; and

repeating the steps of taking the image and evaluating the image with the adjusted illumination duration until the evaluated quality related image characteristic at least equals the value of the quality related target.

20. The method as described in claim 19 wherein, upon the repeating the steps of taking the image and evaluating the image with the adjusted illumination duration wherein the illumination duration reaches a maximum adjustment value and wherein the evaluated quality related image characteristic fails to at least equal the value of the quality related target, the method further comprising accepting an image having an evaluated quality related characteristic value thereof closest to the quality related target.