Network of digital image capturing systems installed at retail POS-based stations and serviced by a remote image processing server in communication therewith

• US 7,819,326 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Xiaoxun, Knowles, C. Harry, Good, Timothy, Schmidt, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US11/810,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20080023558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.42, 235/462.41, 235/462.01, 235/462.09
• US Class Current: 235/462.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10712 Fixed beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• 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: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 Control of illumination

Abstract

Digital image capturing and processing network for use in a retail POS environment, comprising a plurality of digital image capturing systems, and a remote image processing server. Each digital image capturing system is installed at a POS station and includes a system housing having an imaging window and containing a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations, for generating and projecting a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes through the imaging window, and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to the imaging window, and producing digital images of objects passed through the 3D imaging volume. The remote image processing server is arranged in two-way data communication with each digital image capturing system, for (i) receiving and processing digital images produced by each digital image capturing system, (ii) performing at least one information abstraction process on the digital images, and (iii) transmitting information back to the POS station regarding said information abstraction process.

Claims

1. A digital image capturing and processing network for use in a POS retail environment, comprising:

a plurality of digital image capturing systems, wherein each said digital image capturing system is installed at a POS station and includes a system housing having an imaging window for supporting imaging of objects passing through a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said imaging window, and producing digital images of said objects passed through said 3D imaging volume; and

a remote image processing server, in two-way data communication with each said digital image capturing system, for (i) receiving and processing digital images produced by each said digital image capturing system, (ii) performing at least one information abstraction process on said digital images, and (iii) transmitting information back to said POS station regarding said information abstraction process;

wherein each said digital image capturing system includes a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations, for generating and projecting a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes through said imaging window, and into said 3D imaging volume;

wherein each said coplanar illumination and imaging station includes;

(i) an array of planar illumination modules (PLIMs) for producing a substantially planar illumination beam (PLIB), wherein each said PLIM includes at least one illumination source and optics for producing said PLIB, and

(ii) a linear image detection array having a field of view (FOV) on said linear image detection array and extending in substantially the same plane as said PLIB, and providing a coplanar illumination and imaging plane that is projected through said 3D imaging volume, for capturing linear digital images of each object passing through said 3D imaging volume.

2. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 1, wherein said at least one information abstraction process is selected from the group consisting of imaging-based bar code symbol reading and optical character recognition (OCR), and said information transmitted back to said POS station is symbol character data representative of information graphically encoded within a bar code symbol structure or an alphanumeric string, respectively.

3. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 1, wherein said plurality of digital image capturing systems comprises an omni-directional image capturing system, for supporting omni-directional imaging of objects passing through said 3D imaging volume, by producing digital images of objects within said 3D imaging volume.

4. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 1, wherein each said illumination source comprises an incoherent light source, and a plurality of PLIBs are generated by an array of said incoherent light sources.

5. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 4, wherein said array of incoherent light sources comprises an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

6. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 1, wherein each said illumination source comprises a coherent light source, and a plurality of PLIBs are generated by an array of said coherent light sources.

7. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 6, wherein said array of coherent light sources comprises an array of visible laser diodes (VLDs).

8. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 1, wherein said linear image detection array comprises an imaging array selected from the group of a CMOS image sensing array and a CCD image sensing array.

9. A digital image capturing and processing network for use in a POS retail environment, comprising:

a digital image capturing system installed in a POS retail station, and arranged in two-way digital data communication with a remote image processing server;

wherein said digital image capturing system includes a system housing having an imaging window for supporting digital imaging of objects passing through a 3D imaging volume by producing digital images of objects detected within said 3D imaging volume; and

wherein a remote image processing server (i) receives and processes said digital images, (ii) performs at least one information abstraction process on said digital images, and (iii) transmits information back to said POS station regarding the results of said information abstraction process;

wherein said digital image capturing system includes a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations, for generating and projecting a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes through said imaging window, and into said 3D imaging volume; and

wherein each said coplanar illumination and imaging station includes;

(i) an array of planar illumination modules (PLIMs) for producing a substantially planar illumination beam (PLIB), wherein each said PLIM includes at least one illumination source and optics for producing said PLIB, and

(ii) a linear image detection array having a field of view (FOV) on said linear image detection array and extending in substantially the same plane as said PLIB, and providing a coplanar illumination and imaging plane that is projected through said 3D imaging volume, for capturing linear digital images of each object passing through said 3D imaging volume.

10. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 9, wherein said at least one information abstraction process is selected from the group consisting of imaging-based bar code symbol reading and optical character recognition (OCR), and said information transmitted back to said POS station is symbol character data representative of information graphically encoded within a bar code symbol structure or an alphanumeric string, respectively.

11. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 9, wherein said digital image capturing system comprises an omni-directional image capturing system, including a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations, for supporting omni-directional imaging of objects passing through said 3D imaging volume, by producing digital images of objects within said 3D imaging volume.

12. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 9, wherein each said illumination source comprises an incoherent light source, and a plurality of PLIBs are generated by an array of said incoherent light sources.

13. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 12, wherein said array of incoherent light sources comprises an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

14. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 9, wherein each said illumination source comprises a coherent light source, and a plurality of PLIBs are generated by an array of said coherent light sources.

15. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 14, wherein said array of coherent light sources comprises an array of visible laser diodes (VLDs).

16. The digital image capturing and processing network of claim 9, wherein said linear image detection array comprises an imaging array selected from the group of a CMOS image sensing array and a CCD image sensing array.