Optical reading of external segmented display
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for optical reading of a segmented display using a reading device, the method comprising:
- a camera viewing the segmented display and displaying a real time image of the segmented display on a video screen of the reading device, the camera connected to the reading device;
the segmented display being part of an external segmented display device, the segmented display comprising a number of character segments configured to be selectively activated to collectively display a plurality of alphanumeric characters, the activated and displayed character segments each forming at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of characters and having a length, position and orientation on at least one of the alphanumeric characters specific to the segmented display;
the reading device comprising a data reading application and one or more configuration parameters specific to the external segmented display device being read, and the data reading application performing a method, comprising;
capturing and storing one or more still captured images from the viewing of the segmented display;
while the camera is viewing and displaying the real time image of the segmented display on the video screen, the reading device generating one or more partial optical character recognition (OCR) result readings of at least a portion of an alphanumeric character formed by the activated character segments of the external segmented display device for each of the one or more still captured images of the segmented display, the generating comprising processing each of the one or more still captured images using the one or more configuration parameters specific to the external segmented display device being read and recognizing one or more character segments of the segmented display;
based at least in part on the generated one or more partial OCR result readings, the reading device providing one or more real time feedback cues on the reading device, wherein the one or more real time feedback cues comprise the reading device displaying, along with the real time image of the segmented display, an alphanumeric value indicating the generated one or more partial OCR result readings of the segmented display; and
the reading device determining a final OCR result reading of the segmented display using the one or more partial OCR result readings generated from the one or more stored still captured images of the segmented display.
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Abstract
The present invention includes a method for optical character recognition of external segmented displays using a camera connected to a reading device and a data reading application on the reading device.
60 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for optical reading of a segmented display using a reading device, the method comprising:
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a camera viewing the segmented display and displaying a real time image of the segmented display on a video screen of the reading device, the camera connected to the reading device; the segmented display being part of an external segmented display device, the segmented display comprising a number of character segments configured to be selectively activated to collectively display a plurality of alphanumeric characters, the activated and displayed character segments each forming at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of characters and having a length, position and orientation on at least one of the alphanumeric characters specific to the segmented display; the reading device comprising a data reading application and one or more configuration parameters specific to the external segmented display device being read, and the data reading application performing a method, comprising; capturing and storing one or more still captured images from the viewing of the segmented display; while the camera is viewing and displaying the real time image of the segmented display on the video screen, the reading device generating one or more partial optical character recognition (OCR) result readings of at least a portion of an alphanumeric character formed by the activated character segments of the external segmented display device for each of the one or more still captured images of the segmented display, the generating comprising processing each of the one or more still captured images using the one or more configuration parameters specific to the external segmented display device being read and recognizing one or more character segments of the segmented display; based at least in part on the generated one or more partial OCR result readings, the reading device providing one or more real time feedback cues on the reading device, wherein the one or more real time feedback cues comprise the reading device displaying, along with the real time image of the segmented display, an alphanumeric value indicating the generated one or more partial OCR result readings of the segmented display; and the reading device determining a final OCR result reading of the segmented display using the one or more partial OCR result readings generated from the one or more stored still captured images of the segmented display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for optical reading of one or more alphabetic or numeric characters on an external electronic display using a reading device, the method comprising:
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a camera viewing the external electronic display and displaying a real time image of the external electronic display on a video screen of the reading device, the camera connected to the reading device, wherein the real time image displayed by the camera comprises one or more alphabetic or numeric characters appearing on the external electronic display; the reading device performing a method, comprising; capturing and storing a plurality of still captured images from the viewing of the external electronic display, the plurality of still captured images comprising a first still captured image and a second still captured image, wherein the second still captured image is more recent than the first captured still image; while the camera is viewing and displaying on the video screen the real time image of the external electronic display, the reading device generating a partial optical character recognition (OCR) result reading for each of the first and second still captured images of the external electronic display, wherein each of the result readings comprises one or more alphabetic or numeric characters corresponding to one or more characters of the external electronic display viewed by the camera; and while the real time image of the external electronic display is displayed on the video screen, the reading device displaying on the video screen the partial OCR result reading for the first still captured image and subsequently displaying the partial OCR result reading for the more recent second still captured image, thereby allowing comparison of the real time image of the external electronic display with the plurality of partial OCR readings. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for optical reading of an alphabetic or numeric characters on an external electronic display using a reading device, the method comprising:
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a camera viewing the external electronic display and displaying a real time image of the external electronic display on a video screen of the reading device, the camera connected to the reading device, wherein the real time image displayed by the camera comprises one or more alphabetic or numeric characters appearing on the external electronic display; the reading device performing a method, comprising; capturing and storing a plurality of still captured images from the viewing of the external electronic display, the plurality of still captured images comprising a first still captured image and a second still captured image, wherein the second still captured image is more recent than the first captured still image; while the camera is viewing and displaying on the video screen the real time image of the external electronic display, the reading device generating a partial optical character recognition (OCR) result reading for each of the first and second still captured images of the external electronic display, wherein each of the result readings comprises one or more alphabetic or numeric characters corresponding to one or more characters of the external electronic display viewed by the camera; determining if a given proportion of the plurality of the most recent partial OCR result readings match; and if the given proportion of the most recent partial OCR result readings match, selecting the matching partial OCR result reading as the final OCR result reading; and while the real time image of the external electronic display is displayed on the video screen, the reading device displaying on the video screen the final OCR result reading. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification