Using a defect pattern in an image sensor to verify license entitlement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11138398-B2
Application number	US-201916252912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2019
Priority date	Sep 19, 2016
Publication date	Oct 5, 2021
Grant date	Oct 5, 2021

Abstract

A mobile device may include a camera assembly, a processor, memory, and a barcode-reading application. The camera assembly may include an image sensor. Pixels in a predetermined location of the image sensor may be defective pixels that provide the same output values regardless of actual characteristics of incident light. The barcode-reading application may be stored in the memory. The barcode-reading application may be executable by the processor to enable at least one enhanced mode of operation of the barcode-reading application conditional upon confirming that the image sensor comprises the defective pixels in the predetermined location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A barcode-reading application for a mobile device that comprises a processor, memory, and a camera assembly that includes an image sensor, the barcode-reading application comprising executable code that, when stored in the memory and executed by the processor:
determines whether the image sensor comprises a set of pixels that provide predetermined output values regardless of actual characteristics of incident light;
determines whether the set of pixels is in a predetermined location; and
activates at least one barcode-reading function of the barcode-reading application only if the image sensor comprises the set of pixels in the predetermined location.

2. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the image sensor comprises the set of pixels in the predetermined location comprises determining whether output values of pixels in the predetermined location of the image sensor correspond to the predetermined output values.

3. The barcode-reading application of claim 2 , wherein the memory comprises a predetermined output values parameter identifying the predetermined output values.

4. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the image sensor comprises the set of pixels in the predetermined location comprises determining that first output values of the set of pixels in the predetermined location in a first image captured under first illumination conditions correspond to second output values of the set of pixels in the predetermined location in a second image captured under second illumination conditions.

5. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein the set of pixels comprises an entire row of pixels.

6. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein:
the image sensor comprises a central portion that is positioned between an upper portion and a lower portion, the central portion being larger than the upper portion and the lower portion; and
the set of pixels is not located in the central portion of the image sensor.

7. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein activating the at least one barcode-reading function comprises at least one of:
activating a decoder function that decodes a barcode symbology that the barcode-reading application is restricted from decoding in a base mode of operation; or
removing a restriction function under which the barcode-reading application operates in the base mode of operation.

8. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein the barcode-reading application verifies license entitlement based at least in part on whether the set of pixels is in the predetermined location of the image sensor.

9. The barcode-reading application of claim 3 , wherein the memory further comprises a predetermined location parameter identifying the predetermined location of the image sensor.

10. The barcode-reading application of claim 9 , wherein the barcode-reading application:
accesses the predetermined output values parameter to identify the predetermined output values;
accesses the predetermined location parameter to identify the predetermined location of the image sensor;
causes an image to be captured; and
analyzes image data to determine whether output values of pixels corresponding to the predetermined location of the image sensor match the predetermined output values.

11. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein:
the barcode-reading application determines whether the image sensor comprises the set of pixels that provide the predetermined output values when the barcode-reading application is in a base mode of operation;
the base mode of operation is distinct from an enhanced mode of operation;
the enhanced mode of operation requires at least one license entitlement that the base mode of operation does not require; and
the barcode-reading application transitions from the base mode of operation to the enhanced mode of operation only if the image sensor comprises the set of pixels in the predetermined location that provide the predetermined output values.

12. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined output values are determined before the barcode-reading application is stored in the memory.

13. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined location of the image sensor is determined before the barcode-reading application is stored in the memory.

14. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein the barcode-reading application cannot decode a barcode without activating the at least one barcode-reading function.

15. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein activating the at least one barcode-reading function comprises unlocking access to the at least one barcode-reading function.

16. The barcode-reading application of claim 1 , wherein the barcode-reading application is restricted from accessing the at least one barcode-reading function unless the at least one barcode-reading function is activated.

17. The barcode-reading application of claim 7 , wherein the barcode-reading application determines whether the image sensor comprises the set of pixels that provide the predetermined output values when the barcode-reading application is in the base mode of operation and wherein activating the at least one barcode-reading function comprises enabling an enhanced mode of operation distinct from the base mode of operation.

18. The barcode-reading application of claim 17 , wherein the barcode-reading application is restricted from accessing the at least one barcode-reading function while operating in the base mode of operation.

Assignees

• Code Corp

Inventors

• Powell George
• Hoobler Ryan

Classifications

• G06K7/10881 Primary

  constructional details of hand-held scanners · CPC title

• H04N23/667

  Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• G06K7/10732

  Light sources · CPC title

• G06K7/10564

  Light sources · CPC title