Barcode detection method and barcode detection system for increasing detection efficiency by using gray level flip counts

A barcode detection system comprising:

• a camera configured to capture an image;
• a processor coupled to the camera and configured to process the image in order to generate a barcode format detection result;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor and configured to buffer image processing data;
• wherein the processor acquires a horizontal gradient and a vertical gradient of each pixel within a range of the image, generates a gradient phase and a gradient magnitude of the each pixel according to the horizontal gradient and the vertical gradient, performs a binarization process to the gradient magnitude of the each pixel within the range of the image for generating a binarized image, vertically samples the binarized image by using V vertical scan lines for generating V gray level flip counts of the binarized image in a vertical direction, saves the V gray level flip counts to the memory, horizontally samples the binarized image by using H horizontal scan lines for generating H gray level flip counts of the binarized image in a horizontal direction, saves the H gray level flip counts to the memory, locates an image region of a barcode according to the V gray level flip counts and the H gray level flip counts saved in the memory, acquires a plurality of gradient phases of all pixels within the image region for generating a gradient phase distribution, and generates the barcode format detection result according to the gradient phase distribution, two adjacent vertical scan lines are separated by N pixels, two adjacent horizontal scan lines are separated by M pixels, and N, M, V and H are four positive integers greater than or equal to one.