Method, apparatus, and system for characterizing an optical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020401774-A1
Application number	US-202017010515-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 2, 2020
Priority date	Jan 5, 2018
Publication date	Dec 24, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques for characterizing an optical system (for example, a printer verifier) are provided. In this regard, the optical system may be characterized for scanning a printed image. The characterization of the optical system includes determining an effective aperture size of the optical system, and correspondingly an effective resolution at which the optical system can be configured to scan a portion of the printed image according to verification requirements.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A computer-implemented method for improving an image processing efficiency of an optical system, the computer-implemented method comprising:
accessing characteristic data of an image to be printed on a print media; identifying at least a first region and a second region of a printed image based on the characteristic data; and scanning the first region in the printed image at a first resolution and the second region in the printed image at a second resolution that is different from the first resolution.

22 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , wherein the characteristic data includes one or more resolution requirements to identify at least the first region and the second region of the image.

23 . The computer-implemented method of claim 22 , wherein the resolution requirements correspond to a minimum resolution at which the optical system is operable to effectively scan the respective region.

24 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , further comprising visually demarcating or flagging each of the first region and the second region in the printed image depending upon a resolution activity associated with each region.

25 . The computer-implemented method of claim 24 further comprising, flagging the first region as a “low-resolution activity region” based on determining that no specific text analysis is required to be performed at the first region and where a lower resolution scan is suitable for printer diagnostics functions.

26 . The computer-implemented method of claim 24 wherein, flagging the second region as a “high-resolution activity region” based on determining the second region requires high resolution image processing and decoding of data upon scanning of the second region due to the presence of small feature size data in the second region.

27 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 further comprising, extending a boundary of the first or second region to a full width of a label of the print media when property information pertaining to the first or second region is greater than 80% of a full width of the label.

28 . The computer-implemented method of claim 27 , wherein the property information includes at least bar width growth percentages.

29 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , wherein the optical system includes one or more optical sensors.

30 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , wherein scanning the first region of the image utilizes default resolution settings and scanning the second region comprises adjusting the default resolution settings.

31 . The computer-implemented method of claim 30 , wherein adjusting the default resolution settings comprises combining the output of the one or more optical sensors.

32 . The computer-implemented method of claim 31 , wherein combining the output of the one or more optical sensors reduces by half the default resolution settings across a width and length of the printed image.

33 . An optical system with an improved image processing efficiency, the optical system comprising:
one or more optical sensors to capture an image of a printed media; a processing circuitry in electronic communication with the optical sensor, the processor being configured to:
receive a print job defining specification of an image to be printed;
derive characteristic data of the image to be printed on a print media from the print job;
identify at least a first region and a second region of a printed image based on the characteristics data; and
scan the first region in the printed image at a first resolution and the second region in the printed image at a second resolution that is different from the first resolution.

34 . The optical system of claim 33 , wherein the characteristic data includes one or more resolution requirements to identify at least, the first region and the second region of the image.

35 . The optical system of claim 34 , wherein the resolution requirements correspond to a minimum resolution at which the optical system is operable to effectively scan the respective region.

36 . The optical system of claim 33 , wherein the processing circuitry derives the characteristic data by analyzing one or more print jobs defining specification of the image to be printed.

37 . The optical system of claim 33 , wherein the processing circuitry scans the first region of the image at a default resolution settings and scans the second region by adjusting the default resolution settings.

38 . The optical system of claim 37 , wherein the processing circuitry adjusts the default resolution settings by combining the output of the one or more optical sensors.

39 . The optical system of claim 38 , wherein the processing circuitry combines the output of the one or more optical sensors to reduce by half the default resolution settings across a width and length of the printed image.

40 . The optical system of claim 37 , wherein the processing circuitry adjusts the default resolution settings by combining partial output values of the one or more optical sensors.

Assignees

• Datamax Oneil Corp

Inventors

• Ackley H Sprague
• Qian Si
• Celinder Thomas Axel Jonas
• D'Armancourt Sebastien

Classifications

• H04N1/0402

  Scanning different formats; Scanning with different densities of dots per unit length, e.g. different numbers of dots per inch (dpi); Conversion of scanning standards (H04N1/00283 takes precedence; picture signal circuits for modification of image resolution H04N1/3935, H04N1/40068) · CPC title

• G06K5/00 Primary

  Methods or arrangements for verifying the correctness of markings on a record carrier; Column detection devices · CPC title

• G06K19/06009

  with optically detectable marking (G06K19/063, G06K19/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• G06K7/10851

  Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device (basic electronic circuitry H03) · CPC title

• H04N1/00334

  with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like (arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00) · CPC title