EP0571913A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for transformed target image acquisition
Assignee: United Parcel Service of America Inc
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Filing: 1993-05-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-05-24
Abstract
Abstract The camera system (10,100) of the present invention simultaneously searches for a number of differing optical acquisition targets (44). Upon detecting an acquisition target (44) it decodes according to corresponding differing decoding algorithms. To facilitate this operation there is a system bus (170) as well as a dedicated data bus (172) for applying a scan signal of an optical scanning device (154) to differing detection circuitry. This system may decode, for example, both bar codes and concentric rings. The scan signal is constantly adjusted according to both a dark reference for correcting offset and a white reference for correcting gain. The gain is also corrected according to the scanning rate as well as the amount of illumination present. A measure of this illumination may be applied directly to the optical scanning device (154) by way of a fiber optic cable (402) which transmits light from the illumination source (15). When detecting concentric rings the system of the present invention uses stored templates which represent a number of transformations of the target (44), for example, a number of magnifications. When the transformation of a target (44) is determined, the corresponding stored template is correlated with the scan signal from the optical scanning device (154). To detect concentric rings the scan signal is applied to interleaving circuitry (180) which correlates more than one scan at a time to provide constant throughput even though the stages of the detector operate at different speeds. Optical calibration is eliminated by fixed optics wherein all optical elements are rigidly mounted at very close tolerances. The illumination source (15) is disposed on one focus (22) of an ellipse (18) wherein the other focus (24) is disposed at the maximum scanning distance and the reflector (14) is formed to define the illumination ellipse (18) to maximize the light applied to the object (42). The various heat producing elements are disposed in sealed compartments (40a,b,c) which are cooled by forced air which is circulated through a heat exchanger. A real time focusing system is provided wherein the distance from the scanning device to an opposing surface is constantly monitored and the system is constantly focused according to the distance.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory P. Skinger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:41
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/10851; G06K7/10554; G06K7/10594; G06K7/14; G06K7/1404; G06K7/1439; G06K7/1443; G06K2207/00; G06K2207/1013
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 57
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A system for acquiring a selected optical target (44) including image means (50) for providing a selected target image representative of said selected optical target (44) wherein a plurality of differing target transforms are applied to said selected optical target (44) to provide a plurality of transformed target images for said selected optical target, comprising: a plurality of template images representative of said plurality of transformed target images; means (240,242,248) for providing a detection signal in accordance with said selected template image and a selected transformed target image of said plurality of transformed target images.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 1, further comprising means for determining a target transform.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 2, further comprising selecting means (254) for selecting a template image of said plurality of template images in accordance with said determined target transform.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 3, further comprising comparing means (240,242) for comparing said determined target image and said selected template image and providing said detection signal in accordance with said comparing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 1, further comprising means for acquiring said selected optical target in accordance with said detection signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 3, wherein said differing target transforms comprise differing target magnifications.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 6, wherein said selecting means (254) further comprises means for selecting a template image of said plurality of template images in accordance with a determined magnification of said selected optical target.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 7, wherein said selected optical target is disposed a selected target distance from said image means further comprising means (260,258) for determining said magnification by determining said selected target distance.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 8, further comprising a conveyor surface (20) for disposing an object (42) upon said conveyor surface (20) to process said object (42) according to encoded information disposed upon said object wherein said means (258,260) for determining said magnification comprises means for determining the distance from said image means to said object.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 9, further comprising: means (190,194) for decoding said encoded information disposed upon said object; and, means for diverting said object in accordance with said decoded information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 1, wherein said image (50) means comprises means (154) for providing electrical signals representative of two-dimensional information associated with said selected optical target.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 11, wherein template images of said plurality of template images are two-dimensional representations of said selected target further comprising means (180) for performing a two-dimensional comparison of said template images and said selected target image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 12, wherein said image means (50) comprises means for providing a plurality of one-dimensional images representative of said selected target.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 13, comprising means for providing a two-dimensional representation in accordance with said plurality of one-dimensional representations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 14, wherein the number of one-dimensional representations forming said two-dimensional representation is independent of said target transforms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 14, including means (20) for moving said target (44) past said image means at a target speed wherein the number of one-dimensional representations forming said two-dimensional representation is independent of said target speed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 1, wherein said selected optical target (44) is formed of a circle and said template image is formed of an ellipse.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 1, wherein said differing target transforms comprise differing angles between said selected optical target and an optical scanning axis of said image means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 18, wherein said plurality of template images are representative of optical targets disposed at said differing angles with respect to said optical scanning axis.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system for acquiring an optical target of Claim 3, wherein said differing target transforms comprise differing target warping.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for acquiring a selected optical target (44) wherein a plurality of differing target transforms are applied to said selected optical target to provide a plurality of transformed target images of said selected optical target, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a selected target image representative of said selected optical target; (b) providing a plurality of template images representative of said plurality of transformed target images; (c) selecting a template image of said plurality of template images in accordance with a selected target transform; (d) comparing said selected target image and said selected template image; and, (e) providing a detection signal in accordance with the comparing of step (d).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method for acquiring an optical target (44) of Claim 21, comprising the further step of determining said selected target transform and performing the selection of step (c) in accordance with said determined target image.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method for acquiring an optical target (44) of Claim 21, wherein said differing target transforms comprise differing target magnifications.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method for acquiring an optical target (44) of Claim 21, wherein said differing target transforms comprise disposing said selected optical target (44) at differing angles with respect to image means (50) for scanning said selected optical target.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method for acquiring an optical target of Claim 21, wherein said differing target transforms comprise differing target warping.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method for acquiring an optical target of Claim 21, including the step of providing a conveyor surface (20) and disposing an object (42) upon said conveyor surface (20) to process said object (42) according to optically encoded information disposed upon said object (42) wherein step (c) comprises selecting said template image in accordance with the distance between said object (42) and object image (50) means for providing said selected target image.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method for acquiring an optical target of Claim 26, comprising the further steps of: (f) decoding said encoded information disposed upon said object; and, (g) diverting said object in accordance with said decoded information.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method for acquiring an optical target (44) of Claim 21, wherein step (a) comprises the step of providing electrical signals representative of two-dimensional information associated with said selected optical target.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method for acquiring an optical target of Claim 28, wherein said template images are two-dimensional representations of said selected target (44) and step (d) comprises the step of performing a two-dimensional comparison.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method for acquiring an optical target of Claim 21, wherein said selected optical target (44) is formed of a circle and said selected template image is formed of an ellipse.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
144 words
A system for detecting an optical acquisition target (44) having an optical scanning device (154) for providing pixel data representative of a plurality of scan images, comprising: pixel input means (200,202) for receiving said pixel data from said optical scanning device; pixel switching means (225) for receiving and switching said pixel data; first pixel shift means (200,204) for receiving said pixel data from said pixel input means (200,202) at a first shifter input data rate and applying said pixel data to said pixel switching means (225) at a second switch input data rate; second pixel shift means (228) for receiving said pixel data from said pixel switching means at a third shifter input data rate; and, correlator means (240,242) for receiving said pixel data from said second pixel shift means (228) and determining whether said pixel data is representative of said optical acquisition target.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 31, wherein said first shifter input data rate and said second switch input data rate and said third shifter input data rate are equal.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 32, wherein said first pixel shift means (204,206) comprises separate third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206).
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 33, wherein said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) each receive said pixel data at input data rates differing from said first shifter input data rate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
56 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 34, wherein said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) each receive a respective fractional portion of said input pixel data and the input data rates of said third and fourth pixel shift means are said respective fractional portion of said first shifter input data rate.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 35, wherein said respective fractional portions are one-half whereby said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) each receive one-half of said pixel data at one-half of said first shifter input data rate.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 35, wherein the combined data rate of said input data rates of said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) is equal to said second switch input data rate.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 33, wherein said switching means (225) further comprises a plurality of pixel receiving means (208,210,212,214) and said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) are adapted to apply said pixel data to differing pixel receiving means of said plurality of pixel receiving means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 35, comprising means for applying input pixel data to only one of said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) at a time.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 39, wherein said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) both apply pixels to said pixel switching means (225) simultaneously.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 33, wherein said pixel input means (200,202) comprises means adapted for applying data to said third and fourth pixel shift means to provide current scan information in one of said third and fourth pixel shift means and previous scan information in the other.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 41, wherein said pixel input means (200,202) comprises odd pixel input means (200) and even pixel input means (202).
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 42, wherein said pixel switching means (225) comprises means (225a,b) for merging said odd and even pixels into serial order.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
71 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 31, including a plurality of differing target transforms for applying said differing target transforms to said target to provide a plurality of transformed target images, further comprising: a plurality of template images representative of said plurality of transformed target images; and, means (254) for selecting a template image of said plurality of template images in accordance with a selected target transform.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 31, wherein said correlator means (240,242) is provided with a template image representative of said target for correlating said pixel data with said template image.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 45, further comprising first and second scan correlator means (240;242) for comparing said pixel data with said template means.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 46, where said first scan correlator means (240) receives pixel data representative of a current scan image of said optical scanning device and said second scan correlator means (242) receives pixel data representative of a previous scan image of said optical scanning device.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 47, wherein both said current scan image and said previous scan image are compared against the same template image.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for detecting an optical acquisition target (44) having an optical scanning device (154) for providing pixel data representative of a plurality of scan images, comprising the steps of: (a) first receiving said pixel data from said optical scanning device by pixel input means (200,202); (b) second receiving said pixel data from said pixel input means by first pixel shift means (204,206) at a first shifter input data rate; (c) applying said pixel data to pixel switching means (225) at a second switch input data rate; (d) switching said pixel data by said pixel switching means (225); (e) third receiving said pixel data from said pixel switching means by second pixel shift means (228) at a third shifter input data rate; and, (f) fourth receiving said pixel data from said second pixel shift means (228) by correlator means (240,242) for determining whether said pixel data is representative of said optical acquisition target.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 49, wherein said first shifter input data rate and said second switch input data rate and said third shifter input data rate are equal.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 49, wherein said first pixel shift means (204;206) comprises separate third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206).
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 51, wherein said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) each receive a respective fractional portion of said input pixel data and the input data rates of said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) are said respective fractional portion of said first shifter input data rate.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 52, wherein the combined data rate of said input data rates of said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) is equal to said second switch input data rate.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 52, wherein said switching means further comprises a plurality of pixel receiving means (208,210,212,214) and said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) are adapted to apply said pixel data to differing pixel receiving means of said plurality of pixel receiving means.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 51, further comprising the step of applying input pixel data to only one of said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) at a time.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 55, comprising the step of applying pixels to said pixel switching means (225) by said third and fourth pixel shift means (204;206) simultaneously.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method for detecting an optical acquisition target of Claim 49, wherein said pixel input means (200,202) includes odd pixel input means (200) and even pixel input means (202) and said pixel switching means (225) comprises means (225a,b) for merging said odd and even pixels into serial order.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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