HAND-SUPPORTABLE PLANAR LASER ILLUMINATION AND IMAGING (PLIIM) DEVICE EMPLOYING A PAIR OF LINEAR LASER DIODE ARRAYS MOUNTED ABOUT AN AREA IMAGE DETECTION ARRAY, FOR ILLUMINATING AN OBJECT TO BE IMAGED WITH A PLURALITY OF OPTICALLY-COMBINED SPATIALLY-INCOHERENT PLANAR LASER ILLUMINATION BEAMS (PLIBS) SCANNED THROUGH THE FIELD OF VIEW (FOV) OF SAID AREA IMAGE DETECTION ARRAY, AND REDUCING THE SPECKLE-PATTERN NOISE POWER IN DETECTED 2-D IMAGES BY TEMPORALLY-AVERAGING DETECTED SPECKLE-NOISE PATTERNS
View Patent ↗A hand-supportable area-type planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based device comprising an area-type image formation and detection (IFD) module having a 2-D array of image detection elements. The IFD module also includes image formation optics having a 3-D field of view (FOV). The 3-D FOV focuses a 2-D image of said object onto the 2-D array of image detection elements. A pair of planar laser illumination arrays (PLIAs) are arranged on opposite sides of the linear image formation and detection module, and produce a plurality of spatially-incoherent planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) components that are optically combined with respect to other PLIB components so as to produce a composite PLIB. The composite PLIB is automatically swept through the 3-D field of view so that the composite PLIB is arranged in a coplanar relationship with at least a portion of the 3-D FOV.
1. A hand-supportable area-type planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based device, comprising:
a hand-supportable housing having a light transmission aperture;
a support platform mounted within said hand-supportable housing;
an area-type image formation and detection module mounted on said support platform, and having a 2-D array of image detection elements and also image formation optics having a 3-D field of view (FOV) projectable through said light transmission aperture and into a space definable external to said hand-supportable housing, and in which an object can be presented for illumination and imaging, and a 2-D image of said object within said 3-D FOV is formed onto said 2-D array of image detection elements;
a pair of planar laser illumination arrays (PLIAs) arranged on opposite sides of said area-type image formation and detection module and mounted within said hand-supportable housing, each said planar laser array (PLIA) producing a plurality of spatially-incoherent planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) components that are optically combined with respect to other said PLIB components so as to produce a composite planar laser illumination beam (PLIB);
each said PLIA including a plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs) arranged together in a linear manner, and each said PLIM including a laser diode and beam focusing and diverging optics for producing one of said plurality of spatially-incoherent PLIB components;
a planar laser beam folding/sweeping mirror arrangement, mounted within said hand-supportable housing for folding and sweeping said composite PLIB so that the optical path of said composite PLIB is oriented in said predetermined imaging direction that is coplanar with a section of said 3-D FOV as said composite PLIB is swept through said 3-D FOV during object illumination and imaging operations,
whereby the object is illuminated by said composite PLIB and imaged within said 3-D FOV, and a series of linear digital images of said object are sequentially detected by said area-type image formation and detection module over the photo-integration time period thereof so as to detect a two-dimensional digital image of said object and also a number of substantially different individual speckle noise patterns at said 2-D array of image detection elements during the photo-integration time period thereof; and
wherein the level of speckle noise power observed at said 2-D array of image detection elements is reduced through temporal averaging of said substantially different individual speckle noise patterns at said 2-D array of image detection elements during said photo-integration time period.
2. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 1 , which further comprises:
an image frame grabber for grabbing two-dimensional digital images formed and detected by said area-type image formation and detection module;
an image data buffer for buffering said grabbed two-dimensional digital images;
an image processing computer operably associated with said image data buffer, for processing said buffered two-dimensional digital images; and
a camera control computer for controlling said area-type image formation and said detection module, and said pair of PLIAs.
3. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 2 , wherein:
said image processing computer performs one or more image processing algorithms (e.g. bar code symbol decoding algorithms) and operators on said two-dimensional digital images.
4. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 1 , wherein said image forming optics have a fixed focal distance and a fixed focal length providing a fixed 3-D field of view (FOV).
5. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 1 , wherein said image forming optics have a variable focal distance and a fixed focal length providing a fixed 3-D field of view (FOV).
6. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 1 , wherein said image forming optics have a variable focal distance and a variable focal length providing a variable 3-D field of view (FOV).
7. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 1 , wherein said 2-D array of image detection elements comprise a 2-D array of photo-electronic detectors.
8. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 1 , wherein said pair of PLIAs are mounted on said support platform.
9. A hand-supportable area-type planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based device comprising:
a hand-supportable housing having a light transmission aperture;
a support platform mounted within said hand-supportable housing;
an area-type image formation and detection module mounted on said support platform, and having a 2-D array of image detection elements and also image formation optics having a 3-D field of view (FOV) projectable through said light transmission aperture and into a space definable external to said hand-supportable housing, and in which an object can be presented for illumination and imaging, and a 2-D image of said object within said 3-D FOV is focused onto said 2-D array of image detection elements;
a stationary field of view folding mirror, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for folding said 3-D FOV in a predetermined imaging direction with respect to said light transmission aperture;
a pair of planar laser illumination arrays (PLIAs) arranged on opposite sides of said area-type image formation and detection module and mounted within said hand-supportable housing, each said planar laser array (PLIA) producing a plurality of spatially-incoherent planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) components that are optically combined with respect to other said PLIB components so as to produce a composite planar laser illumination beam (PLIB);
each said PLIA including a plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs) arranged together in a linear manner, and each said PLIM including a laser diode and beam focusing and diverging optics for producing one of said plurality of spatially-incoherent PLIB components;
a planar laser beam folding/sweeping mirror arrangement, mounted within said hand-supportable housing for folding and sweeping said composite PLIB so that the optical path of said composite PLIB is oriented in said predetermined imaging direction that is coplanar with a section of said 3-D FOV as said composite PLIB is swept through said 3-D FOV during object illumination and imaging operations,
whereby the object is illuminated by said composite PLIB and imaged within said 3-D FOV, and a series of linear digital images of said object are sequentially detected by said area-type image formation and detection module over the photo-integration time period thereof so as to detect a two-dimensional digital image of said object and also a number of substantially different individual speckle noise patterns at said 2-D array of image detection elements during the photo-integration time period thereof; and
wherein the level of speckle noise power observed at said 2-D array of image detection elements is reduced through temporal averaging of said substantially different individual speckle noise patterns at said 2-D array of image detection elements during said photo-integration time period.
10. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 9 , which further comprises:
an image frame grabber for grabbing two-dimensional digital images formed and detected by said area-type image formation and detection module;
an image data buffer for buffering said grabbed two-dimensional digital images;
an image processing computer operably associated with said image data buffer, for processing said buffered two-dimensional digital images; and
a camera control computer for controlling said area-type image formation and said detection module, and said pair of PLIAs.
11. The band-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 10 , wherein said image processing computer performs one or more image processing algorithms (e.g. bar code symbol decoding algorithms) and operators on said two-dimensional digital images.
12. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 9 , wherein said image forming optics have a fixed focal distance and a fixed focal length providing a fixed 3-D field of view (FOV).
13. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 9 , wherein said image forming optics have a variable focal distance and a fixed focal length providing a fixed 3-D field of view (FOV).
14. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 9 , wherein said image forming optics have a variable focal distance and a variable focal length providing a variable 3-D field of view (FOV).
15. The hand-supportable area-type PLIIM based device of claim 9 , wherein said pair of PLIAs are mounted on said support platform.
16. An area-type planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based engine for use in a host system, said area-type PLIIM based engine comprising:
an engine housing having a light transmission aperture;
a support platform mounted within said engine housing;
an area-type image formation and detection module mounted on said support platform, and having a 2-D array of image detection elements and also image formation optics having a 3-D field of view (FOV) projectable through said light transmission aperture and into a space definable external to said band-supportable housing, and in which an object can be presented for illumination and imaging, and a 2-D image of said object within said 3-D FOV is focused onto said 2-D array of image detection elements;
a pair of planar laser illumination arrays (PLIAs) arranged on opposite sides of said area-type image formation and detection module and mounted within said hand-supportable housing, each said planar laser array (PLIA) producing a plurality of spatially-incoherent planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) components that are optically combined with respect to other said PLIB components so as to produce a composite planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) during object illumination and imaging operations;
each said PLIA including a plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs) arranged together in a linear manner, and each said PLIM including a laser diode and beam focusing and diverging optics for producing one of said plurality of spatially-incoherent PLIB components;
a planar laser beam folding/sweeping mirror arrangement, mounted within said hand-supportable housing for folding and sweeping said composite PLIB so that the optical path of said composite PLIB is oriented in a direction that is coplanar with a section of said 3-D FOV as said composite PLIB is swept through said 3-D FOV during object illumination and imaging operations;
whereby the object is illuminated by said composite PLIB and imaged within said 3-D FOV, and a series of linear digital images of said object are sequentially detected by said area-type image formation and detection module over the photo-integration time period thereof so as to detect a two-dimensional digital image of said object, and also a number of substantially different individual speckle noise patterns are detected at said 2-D array of image detection elements during the photo-integration time period thereof; and
wherein the level of speckle noise power observed at said 2-D array of image detection elements is reduced through temporal averaging of said substantially different individual speckle noise patterns at said 2-D array of image detection elements during said photo-integration time period.
17. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 16 , which further comprises:
an image frame grabber for grabbing two-dimensional digital images formed and detected by said area-type image formation and detection module;
an image data buffer for buffering said grabbed two-dimensional digital images;
an image processing computer operably associated with said image data buffer, for processing said buffered two-dimensional digital images; and
a camera control computer for controlling said area-type image formation and said detection module, and said pair of PLIAs.
18. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 16 , wherein said processing computer performs one or more image processing algorithms (e.g. bar code symbol decoding algorithms) and operators on said two-dimensional digital images.
19. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 16 , wherein said image forming optics have a fixed focal distance and a fixed focal length providing a fixed 3-D field of view (FOV).
20. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 16 , wherein said image forming optics have a variable focal distance and a fixed focal length providing a fixed 3-D field of view (FOV).
21. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 16 , wherein said image forming optics have a variable focal distance and a variable focal length providing a variable 3-D field of view (FOV).
22. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 16 , wherein said image detection elements comprise a 2-D array of photo-electronic detectors.
23. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 16 , wherein said pair of PLIAs are mounted on said support platform.
24. An area-type planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based engine for use in a host system, said area-type PLIIM based engine comprising:
an engine housing having a light transmission aperture;
a support platform mounted within said engine housing;
an area-type image formation and detection module mounted on said support platform, and having a 2-D array of image detection elements and also image formation optics having a 3-D field of view (FOV) projectable through said light transmission aperture and into a space definable external to said hand-supportable housing, and in which an object can be presented for illumination and imaging, and a 2-D image of said object within said 3-D FOV is focused onto said 2-D array of image detection elements;
a stationary field of view folding mirror, disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for folding said 3-D FOV of said area-type image formation and detection module in a predetermined imaging direction with respect to said light transmission aperture;
a pair of planar laser illumination arrays (PLIAs) arranged on opposite sides of said area-type image formation and detection module and mounted within said hand-supportable housing, each said planar laser array (PLIA) producing a plurality of spatially-incoherent planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) components that are optically combined with respect to other said PLIB components so as to produce a composite planar laser illumination beam (PLIB);
each said PLIA including a plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs) arranged in a linear manner, and each said PLIM including a laser diode and beam focusing and diverging optics for producing one of said plurality of spatially-incoherent PLIB components;
a planar laser beam folding/sweeping mirror arrangement, mounted within said hand-supportable housing for folding and sweeping said composite PLIB so that the optical path of said composite PLIB is oriented in a predetermined imaging direction that is coplanar with a section of said 3-D FOV of said area-type image formation and detection module as said composite PLIB is swept through said 3-D FOV during object illumination and imaging operations,
whereby the object is illuminated by said composite PLIB and imaged within said 3-D FOV, and a series of linear digital images of said object are sequentially detected by said area-type image formation and detection module over the photo-integration time period thereof so as to detect a two-dimensional digital image of said object, and also a number of substantially different individual speckle noise patterns at said 2-D array of image detection elements during the photo-integration time period thereof; and
wherein the level of speckle noise power observed at said 2-D array of image detection elements is reduced through temporal averaging of said substantially different individual speckle noise patterns at said 2-D array of image detection elements during said photo-integration time period.
25. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 24 , which further comprises:
an image frame grabber for grabbing two-dimensional digital images formed and detected by said area-type image formation and detection module;
an image data buffer for buffering said grabbed two-dimensional digital images;
an image processing computer operably associated with said image data buffer, for processing said buffered two-dimensional digital images; and
a camera control computer for controlling said area-type image formation and said detection module, and said pair of PLIAs.
26. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 24 , wherein said image processing computer performs one or more image processing algorithms (e.g. bar code symbol decoding algorithms) and operators on said two-dimensional digital images.
27. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 24 , wherein said image forming optics have a fixed focal distance and a fixed focal length providing a fixed 3-D field of view (FOV).
28. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 24 , wherein said image forming optics have a variable focal distance and a fixed focal length providing a fixed 3-D field of view (FOV).
29. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 24 , wherein said image forming optics have a variable focal distance and a variable focal length providing a variable 3-D field of view (FOV).
30. The area-type PLIIM based engine of claim 24 , wherein said pair of PLIAs area mounted on said support platform.