Bar code reading device having partial frame image capture operating mode

• US 7,428,079 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2005
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, George S. II, Barber, Charles P., Gerst, Carl W. III, Hussey, Robert M., Pankow, Matthew, Gardiner, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II; Jerome
• Application Number:
  US11/238,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20060126129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.45, 235/462.09, 235/462.1, 235/462.11, 235/462.12, 235/462.25, 235/454, 235/462.08, 358/473, 358/474
• US Class Current: 358/473
• 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 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/42 by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors

Abstract

There is described a bar code reading device capable of operating in a first image capture operating mode and a second image capture operating mode. The bar code reading device has a faster frame rate when operating in the first image capture operating mode than when operating in the second image capture operating mode.

Claims

1. A bar code reading device for reading a bar code symbol disposed within an area, said bar code reading device comprising:

(a) an imaging assembly comprising a two dimensional image sensor having a plurality of pixels, said plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows of pixels, said image sensor having a set of pixels that generate electrical signals representing light incident on said image sensor when said bar code reading device operates in a full frame image capture mode, said imaging assembly having optics focusing an image onto said image sensor; and

(b) a control circuit coupled to said imaging assembly wherein said control circuit is configured to operate according to a first image capture operating mode and a second image capture operating mode;

(c) wherein said control circuit when operating according to said first image capture operating mode captures a partial frame of image data, said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode having image data corresponding to light incident at less than all pixels of said set of pixels of said image sensor, wherein said control circuit further captures at least one parameter determination frame of image data for processing to establish at least one operating parameter of said bar code reading device, said at least one parameter determination frame of image data also having image data corresponding to light incident at less than all pixels of said set of pixels of said image sensor;

(d) wherein said control circuit when operating according to said second image capture operating mode captures a frame of image data having image data representing a larger portion of said area than said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when operating according to said first image capture operating mode;

(e) wherein a frame rate of said bar code reading device when executing said first image capture operating mode is faster than a frame rate of said bar code reading device when executing said second image capture operating mode; and

(f) wherein said control circuit is configured to attempt to decode said bar code symbol utilizing both image data captured by said control circuit in said first image capture operating mode and image data captured by said control circuit in said second image capture operating mode.

2. The bar code reading device of claim 1, wherein said two dimensional image sensor is a two dimensional CCD image sensor.

3. The bar code reading device of claim 1, wherein said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode corresponds to at least one of said rows of pixels of said image sensor.

4. The bar code reading device of claim 1, wherein said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode corresponds to a two dimensional grouping of pixels at or near a center of said image sensor.

5. The bar code reading device of claim 1, wherein said at least one operating parameter is selected from the group consisting of an exposure parameter, and illumination intensity parameter, an illumination on-time parameter, and a gain parameter.

6. The bar code reading device of claim 1, wherein said control circuit captures a full frame of image data when operating in said second image capture operating mode.

7. The bar code reading device of claim 1, wherein said bar code reading device is incorporated in a hand graspable housing.

8. The bar code reading device of claim 1, wherein said set of pixels includes each of said image sensor'"'"'s pixels.

9. A bar code reading device for reading a bar code symbol disposed within an area, said bar code reading device comprising:

(a) an imaging assembly comprising a two dimensional image sensor having a plurality of pixels, said plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows of pixels, said image sensor having a set of pixels that generate electrical signals representing light incident on said image sensor when said bar code reading device operates in a full frame image capture mode, said imaging assembly having optics focusing an image onto said image sensor; and

(b) a control circuit coupled to said imaging assembly wherein said control circuit is configured to operate according to a first image capture operating mode and a second image capture operating mode;

(c) wherein said control circuit when operating according to said first image capture operating mode captures a partial frame of image data, said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode having image data corresponding to light incident at less than all pixels of said set of pixels of said image sensor, said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode corresponding to at least one of said rows of pixels of said image sensor;

(d) wherein said control circuit when operating according to said second image capture operating mode captures a frame of image data having image data representing a larger portion of said area than said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when operating according to said first image capture operating mode;

(e) wherein a frame rate of said bar code reading device when executing said first image capture operating mode is faster than a frame rate of said bar code reading device when executing said second image capture operating mode; and

(f) wherein said control circuit is configured to attempt to decode said bar code symbol utilizing both image data captured by said control circuit in said first image capture operating mode and image data captured by said control circuit in said second image capture operating mode.

10. The bar code reading device of claim 9, wherein said control circuit captures a full frame of image data when operating in said second image capture operating mode.

11. The bar code reading device of claim 9, wherein said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode corresponds to a row of pixels at or near a center of said image sensor.

12. The bar code reading device of claim 9, wherein said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode corresponds to a plurality of spaced apart rows of pixels of said image sensor.

13. The bar code reading device of claim 9, wherein said control circuit is configured to switch from said first image capture operating mode to said second image capture operating mode if a processing of image data captured when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode indicates that decodable bar code symbol representation is likely to be represented in image data captured by said control circuit operating in said second image capture operating mode.

14. The bar code reading device of claim 9, wherein said control circuit is configured to switch from said first image capture operating mode to said second image capture operating mode if a processing of image data captured when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode does not result in a bar code symbol being successfully decoded.

15. The bar code reading device of claim 9, wherein said frame of image data captured by said control circuit when operating according to said second image capture operating mode has a size that is responsive to a processing of image data captured by said control circuit while operating in said first image capture operating mode.

16. The bar code reading device of claim 9, wherein said frame of image data captured by said control circuit when operating according to said second image capture operating mode has a position that is responsive to a processing of image data captured by said control circuit while operating in said first image capture operating mode.

17. The bar code reading device of claim 9, wherein said frame of image data captured by said control circuit when operating according to said second image capture operating mode has a shape that is responsive to a processing of image data captured by said control circuit while operating in said first image capture operating mode.

18. The bar code reading device of claim 9, wherein said bar code reading device is incorporated in a hand graspable housing.

19. The bar code device of claim 9, wherein said control circuit is configured to automatically switch from operating in said first image capture operating mode to operating in said second image capture operating mode.

20. The bar code device of claim 9, wherein said control circuit is configured to operate in said second image capture operating mode subsequent to operating in said second image capture operating mode when operating to decode a bar code symbol that is not decoded when said bar code reading device operates in said first image capture operating mode.

21. A bar code reading device for reading a bar code symbol disposed within an area, said bar code reading device comprising:

(a) an imaging assembly comprising a two dimensional image sensor having a plurality of pixels, said plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows of pixels, said image sensor having a set of pixels that generate electrical signals representing light incident on said image sensor when said bar code reading device operates in a full frame image capture mode, said imaging assembly having optics focusing an image onto said image sensor; and

(b) a control circuit coupled to said imaging assembly wherein said control circuit operates according to a first image capture operating mode and a second image capture operating mode;

(c) wherein said control circuit when operating according to said first image capture operating mode captures a partial frame of image data, said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode having image data corresponding to light incident at less than all pixels of said set of pixels of said image sensor, said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode corresponding to two dimensional grouping of pixels at or near a center of said image sensor;

(d) wherein said control circuit when operating according to said second image capture operating mode captures a frame of image data having image data representing a larger portion of said area than said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when operating according to said first image capture operating mode;

(e) wherein a frame rate of said bar code reading device when executing said first image capture operating mode is faster than a frame rate of said bar code reading device when executing said second image capture operating mode; and

(f) wherein said control circuit is configured to attempt to decode said bar code symbol utilizing both image data captured by said control circuit in said first image capture operating mode and image data captured by said control circuit in said second image capture operating mode.

22. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said control circuit captures a full frame of image data when executing said second image capture operating mode.

23. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode corresponds to a grouping of pixels comprising less than all rows of pxiels of said image sensor.

24. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode corresponds to a grouping of pixels comprising less than all columns of pixels of said image sensor.

25. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode corresponds to a grouping of pixels that is not rectangular.

26. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said control circuit captures a full frame of image data when executing said second image capture operating mode.

27. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said control circuit is configured to switch from said first image capture operating mode to said second image capture operating mode if a processing of image data captured when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode indicates that decodable bar code symbol representation is likely to be represented in image data captured by said control circuit operating in said second image capture operating mode.

28. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said control circuit is configured to switch from said first image capture operating mode to said second image capture operating mode if a processing of image data captured when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode does not result in a bar code symbol being successfully decoded.

29. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said frame of image data captured by said control circuit when operating according to said second image capture operating mode has a size that is responsive to a processing of image data captured by said control circuit while operating in said first image capture operating mode.

30. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said frame of image data captured by said control circuit when operating according to said second image capture operating mode has a position that is responsive to a processing of image data captured by said control circuit while operating in said first image capture operating mode.

31. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said frame of image data captured by said control circuit when operating according to said second image capture operating mode has a shape that is responsive to a processing of image data captured by said control circuit while operating in said first image capture operating mode.

32. The bar code reading device of claim 21, wherein said bar code reading device is incorporated in a hand graspable housing.

33. The bar code device of claim 21, wherein said control circuit is configured to automatically switch from operating in said first image capture operating mode to operating in said second image capture operating mode.

34. The bar code device of claim 21, wherein said control circuit is configured to operate in said first image capture operating mode subsequent to operating in said second image capture operating mode when operating to decode a bar code symbol that is not decoded when said bar code reading device operates in said first image capture operating mode.

35. A bar code reading device for reading a bar code symbol disposed within an area, said bar code reading device comprising:

(a) an imaging assembly comprising a two dimensional image sensor having a plurality of pixels, said plurality of pixels formed in a plurality of rows of pixels, said image sensor having a set of pixels that generate electrical signals representing light incident on said image sensor when said bar code reading device operates in a full frame image capture mode, said imaging assembly having optics focusing an image onto said image sensor; and

(b) a control circuit coupled to said imaging assembly wherein said control circuit operates according to a first image capture operating mode and a second image capture operating mode;

(c) wherein said control circuit when operating according to said first image capture operating mode captures a partial frame of image data, said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode having image data corresponding to light incident at less than all pixels of said set of pixels of said image sensor, said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode corresponding to at least one angularly oriented line grouping of pixels of said image sensor;

(d) wherein said control circuit when operating according to said second image capture operating mode captures a frame of image data having image data representing a larger portion of said area than said partial frame of image data captured by said control circuit when operating according to said first image capture operating mode;

(e) wherein a frame rate of said bar code reading device when executing said first image capture operating mode is faster than a frame rate of said bar code reading device when executing said second image capture operating mode; and

(f) wherein said control circuit is configured to attempt to decode said bar code symbol utilizing both image data captured by said control circuit in said first image capture operating mode and image data captured by said control circuit in said second image capture operating mode.

36. The bar code reading device of claim 35, wherein said control circuit captures a full frame of image data when operating in said second image capture operating mode.

37. The bar code reading device of claim 35, wherein said control circuit is configured to switch from said first image capture operating mode to said second image capture operating mode if a processing of image data captured when said control circuit operates according to said first image capture operating mode does not result in a bar code symbol being successfully decoded.

38. The bar code reading device of claim 35, wherein said at least one angularly oriented line grouping of pixels is a plurality of angularly oriented line groups of pixels.

39. The bar code reading device of claim 35, wherein said at least one angularly oriented line grouping of pixels is more than one pixel wide.

40. The bar code reading device of claim 35, wherein said bar code reading device is incorporated in a hand graspable housing.