Internet-based remote monitoring, configuration and service (RMCS) system capable of monitoring, configuring and servicing a planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based network

A planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based network comprising:

• one or more nodes installed in a work environment, for performing object identification and attribute acquisition functions therein, each said node including a PLIIM-based subsystem operably connected to a digital communications network interconnectable to the infrastructure of the Internet;
• and
• an Internet-based remote monitoring, configuration and service (RMCS) system capable of monitoring, configuring and servicing the nodes in said PLIIM-based network, said RMCS system including
• monitoring means for remotely monitoring a set parameters associated with said PLIIM-based network, said set of parameters relating to network, system and/or subsystem characteristics;
• analyzing means for remotely analyzing said parameters to diagnose performance failures in said PLIIM-based network, as well as the operation and performance of said PLIIM-based network;
• and
• control means for remotely controlling one or more of said parameters so as to modify the operation and/or performance of said PLIIM-based network and/or provide service thereto from a remote location;
• and
• wherein each said PLIIM-based subsystem includes
• an image formation and detection module having imaging optics with a field of view (FOV) focused at an image detecting array, and
• a planar laser illumination array having a plurality of planar laser illumination modules for producing a plurality of substantially planar laser beam components which are combined to produce a composite substantially planar laser illumination beam having substantially planar spatial distribution characteristics that extend through said field of view so that laser light reflected off an object illuminated by said composite substantially planar laser illumination beam is focused along said field of view and onto said image detecting array to form an image of said illuminated object.

An object identification and attribute acquisition network comprising:

• one or more nodes installed in a work environment, for performing object identification and attribute acquisition functions therein, each said node including a PLIIM-based object identification subsystem operably connected to a digital communications network interconnectable to the infrastructure of the Internet;
• and
• an Internet-based remote monitoring, configuration and service (RMCS) system capable of monitoring, configuring and servicing the nodes in said object identification and attribute acquisition network, said Internet-based RMCS system including
• monitoring means for remotely monitoring a set parameters associated with said object identification and attribute acquisition network, said set of parameters relating to network, system and/or subsystem characteristics of said object identification and attribute acquisition network;
• analyzing means for remotely analyzing said parameters to diagnose performance failures in said object identification and attribute acquisition network, as well as the operation and performance of said object identification and attribute acquisition network;
• and
• control means for remotely controlling one or more of said parameters so as to modify the operation and/or performance of said object identification and attribute acquisition network, and/or provide service thereto from a remote location;
• wherein each said PLIIM-based object identification subsystem includes
• an image formation and detection module having imaging optics with a field of view (FOV) focused at an image detecting array, and
• a planar laser illumination array having a plurality of planar laser illumination modules for producing a plurality of substantially planar laser beam components which are combined to produce a composite substantially planar laser illumination beam having substantially planar spatial distribution characteristics that extend through said field of view so that laser light reflected off an object illuminated by said composite substantially planar laser illumination beam is focused along said field of view and onto said image detecting array to form an image of said illuminated object.