Barcode reader

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10769400-B2
Application number	US-201816195437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2018
Priority date	Apr 28, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

A barcode reader may perform image processing functions to generate distinct image data records from the frame of image data of a barcode, select an image data record from the distinct image data records and decode the selected image data record. Each image data record may be generated by applying a distinct image processing function to the frame of image data. The barcode reader may capture multiple frames of image data in sequence based on image capture parameters. At least one of the multiple frames of image data may be captured with a distinct parameter value. The image capture parameters may include an exposure setting, a gain setting, a resolution setting, and/or an illumination setting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A barcode reader, comprising:
a lens for focusing an image of a barcode onto a two-dimensional array of photosensitive diodes;
image read-out circuitry coupled to the two-dimensional array of photosensitive diodes and configured to generate a frame of image data, wherein the frame of image data is a sequence of values, each value representing intensity of illumination focused onto one of the photosensitive diodes;
image processing circuitry configured to receive the sequence of values of the frame of image data and perform at least two image processing functions to generate at least two distinct image data records from the frame of image data, the image processing circuitry comprising a plurality of image processing circuits implemented in hardware, the at least two image processing functions being performed by at least two different image processing circuits, each image data record being a derivative of the frame of image data and representing the image of the barcode;
non-transient computer readable media for storing the at least two distinct image data records; and
a processor configured to select an image data record from the at least two distinct image data records and decode the selected image data record.

2. The barcode reader of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to select the image data record from the at least two distinct image data records by analyzing a portion of each image data record representing the image of the barcode, wherein the portion representing the image of the barcode includes at least one dark mark and at least one light mark, and selecting the image data record with a superior contrast profile as between parts of the portion of the image data record that are dark marks and parts of the portion of the image data record that are light marks.

3. The barcode reader of claim 2 , wherein the superior contrast profile means at least one of: (i) a greater maximum amplitude between portions of an image within a subset that are dark marks of the barcode and portions of the image within the subset that are light marks of the barcode; and (ii) more distinct transitions between the portions of the image within the subset that are dark marks of the barcode and the portions of the image within the subset that are light marks of the barcode.

4. The barcode reader of claim 2 , wherein each of the at least two distinct image data records is generated by applying at least two distinct image processing convolution kernels to one of: i) the frame of image data; and ii) a reduced resolution image resulting from reducing resolution of the frame of image data by sub-sampling or binning.

5. The barcode reader of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to select the image data record from the at least two distinct image data records by:
extracting, from each of the at least two distinct image data records, a subset of the image data record that represents the image of the barcode, wherein the subset includes at least one dark mark and at least one light mark; and
analyzing each subset of the image data record and selecting a subset with a superior contrast profile as between parts of the subset of the image data record that are dark marks and parts of the subset of the image data record that are light marks;
wherein the selected image data record is the image data record from which the selected subset is extracted.

6. The barcode reader of claim 5 , wherein the superior contrast profile means at least one of: (i) a greater maximum amplitude between portions of an image within a subset that are dark marks of the barcode and portions of the image within the subset that are light marks of the barcode; and (ii) more distinct transitions between the portions of the image within the subset that are dark marks of the barcode and the portions of the image within the subset that are light marks of the barcode.

7. The barcode reader of claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional array of photosensitive diodes and the image read-out circuitry are within a first system package, and the image processing circuitry, the non-transient computer readable media, and the processor are within a second system package.

8. The barcode reader of claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional array of photosensitive diodes, the image read-out circuitry, the image processing circuitry, and the non-transient computer readable media are within a first system package, and the processor is within a second system package.

9. The barcode reader of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to decode the selected image data record by transferring at least a portion of the selected image data record to second non-transient computer readable media associated with the second system package.

10. The barcode reader of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to decode the selected image data record directly from the non-transient computer readable media in the first system package.

11. A barcode reader, comprising:
a camera system for generating a frame of image data comprising an image of a barcode within a field of view of the camera system;
an image processing system for receiving the frame of image data and generating at least two distinct image data records, each of the at least two distinct image data records being a derivative of the frame of image data and representing the image of the barcode, the image processing system generating the at least two distinct image data records using at least two different image processing circuits implemented in hardware;
non-transient computer readable media for storing the at least two distinct image data records; and
a processor configured to select an image data record from the at least two distinct image data records and decode the selected image data record.

12. The barcode reader of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to select the image data record from the at least two distinct image data records by analyzing a portion of each image data record representing the image of the barcode, wherein the portion representing the image of the barcode includes at least one dark mark and at least one light mark, and selecting the image data record with a superior contrast profile as between parts of the portion of the image data record that are dark marks and parts of the portion of the image data record that are light marks.

13. The barcode reader of claim 12 wherein the superior contrast profile means at least one of: (i) a greater maximum amplitude between portions of an image within a subset that are dark marks of the barcode and portions of the image within the subset that are light marks of the barcode; and (ii) more distinct transitions between the portions of the image within the subset that are dark marks of the barcode and the portions of the image within the subset that are light marks of the barcode.

14. The barcode reader of claim 11 , wherein each of the at least two distinct image data records is generated by applying at least two distinct image processing convolution kernels to one of: i) the frame of image data; and ii) a reduced resolution image resulting from reducing resolution of the frame of image data by sub-sampling or binning.

15. The barcode reader of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to select the image data record from the at least two distinct image data records by:
extracting, from each of the at least two distinct image data records, subsets of the image data record that represent the image of the barcode, wherein the subset of the image data record that represents the image of the barcode includes at least one dark mark and at le

Assignees

• Code Corp

Inventors

• Lei Ming
• Ashby Mark
• Hoobler Ryan

Classifications

• G06K7/1465 Primary

  using several successive scans of the optical code · CPC title

• G06K7/10752

  Exposure time control · CPC title

• G06K7/10722

  Photodetector array or CCD scanning · CPC title

• G06K7/10792

  Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned · CPC title

• G06K7/10732

  Light sources · CPC title