Digital-imaging based code symbol reading system employing a micro-computing platform supporting an event-driven multi-tier modular software architecture

• US 20070145145A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Xiaoxun, Liu, Yong, Kotlarsky, Anatoly, Tao, Xi, Russell, Garrett, Au, Ka, Knowles, C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,407,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.450
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• 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

Abstract

Digital-imaging based code symbol reading system employing a micro-computing platform supporting an event-driven multi-tier modular software architecture the system comprises: an image formation and detection subsystem; an illumination subsystem; an illumination control subsystem; an image processing subsystem; an input/output subsystem; and a system control subsystem. The image formation and detection subsystem has an area-type image sensing array for detecting digital images of objects formed thereon by image formation optics providing a field of view (FOV) for the system. Within the FOV of the image formation and detection subsystem, the illumination subsystem produces a field of illumination that illuminates the object during the image capture mode of operation, and one or more 2d digital images thereof are detected by an area-type image sensing array. A micro-computing platform is provided for implementing the digital image processing subsystem, the input/output subsystem and the system control subsystem. The micro-computing platform includes a microprocessor, a memory architecture, and a three-tier modular software architecture characterized by an operating system layer, a system core layer, and an application layer and responsive to the generation of a triggering event within the digital-imaging based code symbol reading system. Triggering events can be generated by an automatic object detector or a manually actuated trigger switch.

Claims

1. A digital-imaging based code symbol reading system comprising:

a housing having a light transmission window;

an image formation and detection subsystem, disposed in said housing, and having (i) image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through said light transmission window and upon an object to be imaged in said FOV, and (ii) an area-type image sensing array for detecting imaged light reflected off the object during illumination operations in an image capture mode in which rows of sensor elements in said area-type image sensing array are enabled so as to detect one or more 2D digital images of the object formed on said area-type image sensing array;

an illumination subsystem, disposed in said housing, and having an illumination array for producing and projecting a field of illumination through said light transmission window and within said FOV during the image capture mode;

an illumination control subsystem disposed in said housing, for controlling the operation of said illumination subsystem during said image capture mode;

an image capturing and buffering subsystem disposed in said housing, for capturing and buffering said one or more 2D digital images detected by said image formation and detection subsystem;

a digital image processing subsystem disposed in said housing, for processing said one or more 2D digital images captured and buffered by said image capturing and buffering subsystem, so as to read one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols graphically represented therein, and producing symbol character data representative of said read one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols;

an input/output subsystem disposed in said housing, for outputting said symbol character data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device;

a system control subsystem disposed in said housing, for controlling and/or coordinating the operation of the subsystem components described above; and

a micro-computing platform, disposed in said housing, for implementing said digital image processing subsystem, said input/output subsystem and said system control subsystem,

said micro-computing platform including a microprocessor, a memory architecture, and a three-tier modular software architecture characterized by an Operating System (OS) layer, a System CORE (SCORE) layer, and an application layer and responsive to the generation of a triggering event within said digital-imaging based code symbol reading system;

wherein said OS layer includes one or more software modules selected from the group consisting of an OS kernel module, an OS file system module, and device driver modules;

wherein said SCORE layer includes one or more of software modules selected from the group consisting of a tasks manager module, an events dispatcher module, an input/output manager module, a user commands manager module, the timer subsystem module, an input/output subsystem module and an memory control subsystem module;

wherein said application layer includes one or more software modules selected from the group consisting of a code symbol decoding module, a function programming module, an application events manager module, a user commands table module, and a command handler module.

2. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein, prior to reading one or more code symbols on an object, said microprocessor rapidly initializes said micro-computing platform by performing the following operations:

(1) accessing one or more software modules from said OS layer and executing code contained therein;

(2) accessing one or more software modules from said SCORE layer and executing code contained therein; and

(3) accessing one or more software modules from said application layer and executing code contained therein.

3. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 2, wherein, after said computing platform has been initiated, and in response to the generation of said triggering event;

(4) said illumination subsystem automatically produces said field of illumination which illuminates the object within said FOV;

(5) said area-type image sensing array automatically detects said one or more 2D digital images of the illuminated object while said object is being illuminated by said field of illumination;

(6) said image capturing and buffering subsystem automatically captures and buffers the detected one or more 2D digital images of the object;

(7) said image-processing subsystem automatically processes the captured and buffered 2D digital image, so as to so as to read one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbol graphically represented therein, and producing symbol character data representative of said read one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols, and

(8) said input/output subsystem outputs said symbol character data to said external host system or other information receiving or responding device.

4. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said field illumination comprises narrow-band illumination produced from an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

5. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 1, which further comprises an automatic object detection subsystem disposed in said housing, for automatically detecting the presence of the object in said FOV, and in response thereto, generating a trigger signal indicative of said triggering event.

6. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said housing has a trigger switch integrated with said housing, and wherein said trigger switch is manually actuatable by an operator of said digital image capturing and processing system so as to generate a trigger signal indicating said triggering event.

7. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 6, wherein said housing is a hand-supportable housing.

8. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 1, which further comprises an automatic object detection subsystem disposed in said housing, for automatically detecting the presence of the object in said FOV, and in response thereto, generating a trigger signal indicating said triggering event;

and wherein said housing is a hand-supportable housing and adapted for support on a counter-top surface and operation in a hands-free presentation mode of operation.

9. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said area-type image sensing array comprises a CMOS image sensing array.

10. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said object bears a code symbol, and said image-processing subsystem processes said digital images so as to read the code symbol and producing symbol character data representative of said read code symbol.

11. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said code symbol is a bar code symbol selected from the group consisting of a 1D bar code symbol, a 2D bar code symbol and a data matrix type code symbol structure.

12. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said housing is a hand-supportable housing.

13. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 11, wherein upon the generation of said triggering event, said triggering event is automatically received by said device driver module in said OS layer, wherein said triggering event is then dispatched by said events dispatcher module in said SCORE layer, and then said trigger event is managed by said events manager module in said application layer, which ultimately executes a main task that is managed by said tasks manager module in said SCORE layer.

14. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 13, wherein said main task controls and/or coordinates said subsystems and manages the following sequence of events:

(i) illuminating said FOV;

(ii) capturing a digital image of the object in said FOV;

(iii) processing of said digital image so as to read a code symbol represented in said processed digital image;

(iv) upon successfully reading a code symbol graphically represented in said processed digital image, then sending symbol character data representative of said read code symbol, to said external host system or other information receiving or responding device; and

(vi) then exiting said main task.

15. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 13, wherein upon successful reading of one or more said 1D and/or 2D code symbols, and prior to executing said data output procedure, said main task analyzes the symbol character data for a programming command or a sequence of commands;

and if said command or sequence of commands are detected, then said main task executes a system programming task for configuring system parameters in said digital image capturing and processing system.

16. The digital-imaging based code symbol reading system of claim 1, wherein said input/output subsystem automatically outputs said symbol character data to said external host system or other information receiving or responding device.