# US 2019/0174086 A1 · Image reader comprising cmos based image sensor array

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- Number: US 2019/0174086 A1
- Document ID: US20190174086A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/204,077
- Filed: 2018-11-29
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2005-03-11
- Assignees: Hand Held Products, Inc.
- Applicants: Hand Held Products, Inc.
- Inventors: Ynjiun P. Wang; William H. Havens
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190174086A1

## CPC

- G06K 7/10722: {Photodetector array or CCD scanning}
- G06K 7/1439: {including a method step for retrieval of the optical code}
- H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
- H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means
- H04N 23/63: by using electronic viewfinders
- H04N 23/631: {Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters}
- H04N 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
- H04N 23/73: by influencing the exposure time
- H04N 25/70: SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
- H04N 25/745: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals}
- H04N 25/75: Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
- H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
- H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals}
- H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

The invention features an image reader and a corresponding method for capturing a sharp distortion free image of a target, such as a one or two-dimensional bar code. In one embodiment, the image reader comprises a two-dimensional CMOS based image sensor array, a timing module, an illumination module, and a control module. The time during which the target is illuminated is referred to as the illumination period. The capture of the image by the image sensor array is driven by the timing module that, in one embodiment, is able to simultaneously expose substantially all of the pixels in the array. The time during which the pixels are collectively activated to photo-convert incident light into charge defines the exposure period for the sensor array. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the exposure period occurs during the illumination period.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-15. (canceled)

### Claim 16

An imaging device comprising:
a two-dimensional image sensor array comprising a plurality of rows of pixels;
means for exposing pixels of two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels simultaneously;
at least one illumination source; and
means for coordinating exposure of the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels with illumination from the at least one illumination source, such that the exposure and the illumination are interdependent.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The imaging device of claim 16, further comprising means for detecting a two-dimensional bar code in image data captured by the two-dimensional image sensor array.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The imaging device of claim 17, wherein the means for detecting the two-dimensional bar code comprises an autodiscrimination module configured to search the image data for one or more markers from a plurality of detectable markers indicative of a presence of at least one bar code symbol.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The imaging device of claim 17, wherein the means for detecting the two-dimensional bar code is configured to differentiate between a plurality of bar code types including the two-dimensional bar code.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The imaging device of claim 17, wherein the means for detecting the two-dimensional bar code is configured to search the image data and determine the presence of one or more bar codes, including the two dimensional bar code, in the image data.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The imaging device of claim 17, further comprising means for decoding the two-dimensional bar code in the image data.

### Claim 22 (depends on 16)

The imaging device of claim 16, further comprising means for decoding a two-dimensional bar code in image data captured by the two-dimensional image sensor array.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The imaging device of claim 22, wherein the means for decoding the two-dimensional bar code is configured to decode the image data in accordance with a decoding algorithm associated with at least one marker in the image data.

### Claim 24 (depends on 16)

The imaging device of claim 16, further comprising a processor and a non-transitory memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:
search image data collected by the two-dimensional image sensor array for one or more markers from a plurality of detectable markers indicative of the presence of at least one bar code symbol; and
decode, in an instance in which at least one marker of the one or more markers is detected, the image data in accordance with a decoding algorithm associated with the at least one marker.

### Claim 25 (depends on 16)

The imaging device of claim 16, wherein the means for exposing the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels simultaneously comprises circuitry configured to expose the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels in response to an exposure control timing pulse in a global shutter mode of operation.

### Claim 26 (depends on 16)

The imaging device of claim 16, wherein the means for exposing the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels simultaneously comprises a global shutter module.

### Claim 27 (depends on 16)

The imaging device of claim 16, wherein the means for coordinating exposure of the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels with illumination from the at least one illumination source comprises timing circuitry in electrical communication with the two-dimensional image sensor array and the at least one illumination source.

### Claim 28 (depends on 16)

The imaging device of claim 16, wherein the means for exposing the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels simultaneously comprises means for exposing all or substantially all of the rows of pixels in the two-dimensional image sensor array.

### Claim 29 (depends on 16)

The imaging device of claim 16, further configured to operate the at least one illumination source at a substantially peak power level during at least a portion of the exposure of the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels and deactivate the at least one illumination source during another portion of the exposure of the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels.

### Claim 30 (depends on 16)

The imaging device of claim 16, wherein the at least one illumination source is substantially bright and the imaging device is configured to expose the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels for a sufficiently short time so as to be configured to enable collection of non-distorted image data.

### Claim 31 (depends on 16)

The imaging device of claim 16, further comprising means for reading out a set of digital values corresponding to incident light on the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels to capture image data.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The imaging device of claim 31, further comprising means for searching the image data for markers indicative of the presence of at least one decodable indicia.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The imaging device of claim 32, wherein the means for searching the image data for markers comprises means for extracting one or more features from the image data such that at least one of a finder pattern and a quiet zone is identifiable in the image data.

### Claim 34

An imaging device for capturing and decoding at least a two-dimensional bar code comprising:
an image sensor array comprising plurality of pixels in a two-dimensional array;
means for exposing the pixels of the two-dimensional array simultaneously in a global shutter mode of operation;
means for detecting the presence of one or more decodable indicia, including a two-dimensional bar code, in image data captured by the two-dimensional array; and
means for decoding the one or more decodable indicia, including the two-dimensional bar code, in an instance in which the one or more decodable indicia is detected in the image data.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The imaging device of claim 34, further comprising:
at least one illumination source; and
means for coordinating exposure of the pixels of the two or more rows of the plurality of rows of pixels with illumination from the at least one illumination source, such that the exposure and the illumination are interdependent.