Apparatus and method for reading a coded pattern
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsDavid J. Nelson, Joshua M. Cobb
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for reading a coded pattern, symbol or indict such as a barcode. The apparatus and method improves captured resolution with a marker or fiducial input closed loop system. In the present invention, a pre-scan of the pattern, such as a barcode, is performed and fiducials of the barcode are identified. Calculations from these fiducial locations are used to determine the minimum field of view that will substantially capture the fiducials. In an embodiment of the invention, a variable magnification system of the apparatus can be actuated to this minimum field of view and a full resolution final image of the pattern is then captured.
Claims20
A method for reading a coded pattern, the method comprising the steps of:
- using a reader having a variable magnification imaging system set at a widest field of view to perform a pre-scan on the pattern, said pattern having a pre-coded marker arrangement thereon;
- identifying the pre-coded marker arrangement on the pattern;
- determining a minimum field of view that will substantially capture said pre-coded marker arrangement;
- actuating the variable magnification imaging system to said minimum field of view;
- and
- capturing a full resolution final image of the pattern.
An apparatus for reading a coded pattern, the apparatus comprising:
- an illumination source for illuminating a pattern within a field of view, said pattern having a pre-coded marker arrangement thereon;
- a sensor onto which the pattern is imaged;
- imaging optics which image the pattern onto said sensor at a first magnification;
- and
- a processing unit adapted to receive a signal from said sensor indicative of the imaged pattern, perform a pre-scan of the imaged pattern with said imaging optics being set at a widest field of view, and locate said pre-coded marker arrangement on the pre-scanned pattern, said processing unit controlling said imaging optics to provide for a minimum field of view that will substantially capture said pre-coded marker arrangement and set a second magnification so as to perform a final scan on said imaged pattern at said second magnification.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.