POS-centric digital imaging system
A POS-centric digital imaging system for installation at a retail point of sale (POS) station having a countertop surface. The POS-centric digital imaging system includes a system housing having at least one imaging window, and providing a cashier side and a customer side for the POS-centric digital imaging system. An omni-directional digital image capturing and processing subsystem is disposed in the system housing, for generating a 3D imaging volume adjacent the imaging window. A cashier/customer terminal is integrated within the system housing, for simultaneously supporting (i) cashier product scanning/imaging and checkout operations on said cashier side, and (ii) customer payment and other services on said customer side.
1 . A POS-centric digital imaging system for installation at a retail point of sale (POS) station having a countertop surface, said POS-centric digital imaging system comprising:
a system housing having at least one imaging window, and providing a cashier side and a customer side for said POS-centric digital imaging system;
an omni-directional digital image capturing and processing subsystem disposed in said system housing, for generating a 3D imaging volume adjacent said imaging window; and
a cashier/customer terminal integrated within said system housing, for simultaneously supporting (i) cashier product scanning/imaging and checkout operations on said cashier side, and (ii) customer payment and other services on said customer side.
2 . The POS-centric digital imaging system of claim 1 , wherein said omni-directional digital image capturing and processing subsystem comprises:
a plurality of area-type illumination and imaging stations for generating and projecting a plurality of coextensive illumination and imaging zones into said 3D imaging volume, for digitally imaging objects passed therethough and generating digital images thereof; and
a digital image processing subsystem for processing said digital images so as to read one or more code symbols graphically encoded within said digital images.
3 . The POS-centric digital imaging system of claim 1 , wherein said omni-directional digital image capturing and processing subsystem comprises:
a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations for generating and projecting a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging planes into said 3D imaging volume, for digitally imaging objects passed therethough and generating digital images thereof; and
a digital image processing subsystem for processing said digital images so as to read one or more code symbols graphically encoded within said digital images.