IPC분류정보
| 국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
| 국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
| 출원번호 |
UP-0700737
(2007-01-31)
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| 등록번호 |
US-7575167
(2009-08-31)
|
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Kotlarsky, Anatoly
- Au, Ka Man
- Zhu, Xiaoxun
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| 출원인 / 주소 |
- Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
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| 대리인 / 주소 |
Perkowski, Esq., P.C., Thomas J.
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| 인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
243 |
초록
▼
A method employing automated real-time analysis of the exposure quality of captured digital images and automated reconfiguration of system control parameters (relating to illumination and exposure control operations) based on the results of such exposure quality analysis, so as to achieve improved s
A method employing automated real-time analysis of the exposure quality of captured digital images and automated reconfiguration of system control parameters (relating to illumination and exposure control operations) based on the results of such exposure quality analysis, so as to achieve improved system functionality and/or performance in diverse environments.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. A method of dynamically managing system control parameters in a digital image capture and processing system used in a particular application, said method comprising the steps of: (a) in the presence of an object to be illuminated and imaged, providing a digital image ca
The invention claimed is: 1. A method of dynamically managing system control parameters in a digital image capture and processing system used in a particular application, said method comprising the steps of: (a) in the presence of an object to be illuminated and imaged, providing a digital image capture and processing system including (1) a digital image formation and detection subsystem having an area-type image detection array for detecting digital images of an object within a field of view (FOV) during object illumination and imaging operations, and being characterized by one or more system control parameters (SCPs) selected from a first group of SCPs, (2) an illumination subsystem having an illumination array for producing and projecting a field of illumination within said FOV during said object illumination and imaging operations, and being characterized by one or more system control parameters (SCPs) selected from a second group of SCPs, (3) an automatic illumination control subsystem for controlling said illumination array during said object illumination and imaging operations, (4) a digital image capturing and buffering subsystem for capturing and buffering said digital images in memory, during said object illumination and imaging operations, (5) a digital image processing subsystem for processing said digital images and (i) measuring the exposure quality of said digital images, and (ii) reading one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols graphically represented in said digital images, and producing symbol character data representative of said read one or more 1D and/or 2D code symbols, (6) an input/output subsystem for transmitting said symbol character data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device, and (7) a system control system for managing exposure quality threshold (EQT) parameters and said SCPs in memory, and also controlling and/or coordinating the operation of said subsystems identified above; (b) initializing said digital image capture and processing system by setting an initial or default set of SCPs; (c) resetting a SCP reconfiguration (SCPR) flag to a first value, indicating that said digital image capture and processing system should not be reconfigured; (d) calculating and setting exposure quality threshold (EQT) parameters in said digital image capture and processing system; (e) upon the occurrence of a trigger event signal generated within said digital image capture and processing system, performing the following operations: (1) determining whether or not said SCPR flag should be set to said first value, or a second value indicating that said digital image capture and processing system should be reconfigured; (2) if said SCPR flag is set to said second value, indicative that said digital image capture and processing system should be reconfigured, then reconfiguring said digital image capture and processing system using a new set of SCPs; and if said SCPR flag is set to said second value, then maintaining said digital image capture and processing system using the current set of SCPs; (3) illuminating said object using a method of illumination indicated by the current set of SCPs, and capturing a digital image of said object; (4) analyzing the captured digital image for exposure quality; (5) if the measured exposure quality does not satisfy the exposure quality threshold (EQT) parameters, then calculating a new set of SCPs and setting said SCPR flag to said second value indicating that said digital image capture and processing system should be reconfigured prior to acquiring a digital image during the next image acquisition cycle in said system; otherwise, maintaining said digital image capture and processing system using the current set of SCPs; (6) if reading a bar code symbol in said digital image is required in said particular application, then said digital image processing subsystem attempting to process said digital image and reading a barcode symbol graphically represented in said digital image; (7) if said digital image processing subsystem fails to read a barcode symbol in said digital image, or if barcode reading is not required by said particular application, and said digital image processing subsystem determined that said exposure quality does not satisfy said exposure quality threshold parameters, then said digital image capture and processing system returns to substep (2) above; (8) if said digital image processing subsystem successfully reads a barcode symbol in said digital image, then said input/output subsystem transmits symbol character data and/or said digital image to a host system; and (9) if required by said particular application, said input/output subsystem transmits said digital image to said host system, or stores said digital image in memory aboard said digital image capture and processing system. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first group of SCPs are selected from the group consisting of: (i) a shutter mode of image sensor parameter, (ii) an electronic gain parameter, (iii) a programmable exposure time parameter, for each block of pixels detected in said image detection array, (iv) an image capture mode parameter, and (v) an image capture control parameter. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second group of SCPs are selected from the group consisting of: (i) an illumination mode parameter, (ii) an automatic illumination control parameter, (iii) an illumination field type parameter; and (iv) automatic object detection mode parameter. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein said shutter mode of image sensor parameter is selected from the group consisting of a single frame shutter mode parameter, a rolling shutter mode parameter, and a video mode parameter. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein said illumination mode parameter is selected from the group consisting of OFF, continuously ON, and strobe/flash values. 6. The method of claim 3, wherein said automatic illumination control parameter is selected from the group consisting of ON and OFF values. 7. The method of claim 3, wherein said illumination field type parameter is selected from the group consisting of narrow-area field of illumination, and wide-area field of illumination. 8. The method of claim 3, wherein said image capture mode parameter is selected from the group consisting of narrow-area image capture, and wide-area image capture. 9. The method of claim 3, wherein said image capture control parameter is selected from the group consisting of single frame and video frame. 10. The method of claim 3, wherein said automatic object detection mode parameter is selected from the group consisting of ON and OFF values. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said exposure quality threshold (EQT) parameters are selected from the group consisting of brightness level and image saturation. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein said digital image capture and processing system further comprises an automatic object detection subsystem for detecting the presence of the object within said FOV, and generating said triggering event signal in response to the detection of said object within said FOV. 13. The method of claim 1 wherein said system further comprises a manually-actuatable trigger switch for generating said triggering event signal in response to the manual activation of said trigger switch. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said digital image capture and processing system is realized in the form of a hand-supportable digital-imaging based bar code symbol reader. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein said digital image capture and processing system is realized in the form of a presentation-type digital-imaging based bar code symbol reader. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein said digital image capture and processing system is realized in the form of a digital-imaging based bar code symbol reading engine integrated in said host system or with said external device.
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