Apparatus, method and system for extracting pixel data from an image capture device
AssigneeNCR Corporation
InventorSik Piu Kwan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image capture device, method and system where pixel data captured by the image capture device is read from the device in logical pixel rows. A logical pixel row is an externally defined row of pixels where the pixels that comprise the logical pixel row are read from parts of multiple physical rows of pixels. Logical pixel rows are at an angle to the physical rows of pixels that comprise the pixel array of the image capture device.
Claims13
An image capture device comprising:
- a pixel array organized as a plurality of rows and columns where each pixel represents a portion of a captured image;
- an external interface for receiving and sending commands and data to the image capture device;
- timing and control logic to receive commands from the external interface and control the image capture device;
- and
- wherein a single command to read a logical pixel row causes the timing and control logic to identify and transfer to the external interface a plurality of pixels comprising the logical pixel row, where the plurality of the pixels are read from a plurality of rows and columns in the pixel array and where over the plurality of rows at least one different column is read.
A computer implemented method for use in an image capture device to read an entire logical pixel row, the method comprising:
- receiving a command to read an entire logical pixel row from a pixel array in the image capture device where the pixels of the pixel array are organized in rows and columns and pixels that comprise the logical pixel row reside within a plurality of rows and columns and where over the plurality of rows at least one different column is read;
- identifying in a pixel array the first pixel comprising the logical pixel row;
- transferring the data of the first pixel to an external interface;
- and
- identifying in the pixel array a subsequent pixel that comprises the logical pixel row, transferring the data of the subsequent pixel to the external interface and repeating the step until all pixels that comprise the logical pixel row are identified and transferred to the external interface.
A image scanning system for reading optical codes, the system comprising:
- a store server computer;
- a network connected to the store server computer;
- and
- an optical code image scanner connected to the network, the optical code image scanner comprises:
- an image capture device to capture an image of the optical code, the device comprising:
- a pixel array organized as a plurality of rows and columns where each pixel represents a portion of a captured image;
- an external interface for receiving and sending commands and data to the image capture device;
- timing and control logic to receive commands from the external interface and control the image capture device;
- and
- wherein a single command to read a logical pixel row causes the timing and control logic to identify and transfer to the external interface a plurality of pixels comprising the logical pixel row, where the plurality of the pixels are read from a plurality of rows and columns in the pixel array and where over the plurality of rows at least one different column is read.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.