Expedited image processing method
View Patent ↗A method for expediting the barcode interpretation process implemented on conventional optical imaging barcode readers. The method involves interrupting the mainline processing of the conventional barcode detection, obtaining a copy of the captured image, scaling the image, locating the barcode in the scaled image, scaling the image back to normal proportions, calculating the location of the barcode in the scaled up image, and reporting the barcode location back to the mainline processing for decoding of only the region of interest. The mainline processing of the optical imager may then proceed with barcode interpretation in the area identified by the method of the present invention without wasting time applying complicated decoding algorithms to areas within the image that do not contain any barcode information.
1. A method for improved barcode decoding, comprising the steps of:
sending a command from a microcontroller to an optical imager having a barcode decoder to capture an image of a target region;
obtaining a copy of said captured image from said optical imager by exporting it from said barcode decoder to said microcontroller prior to said barcode decoder of said imager engaging in decoding operations;
scaling said captured image by a predetermined value to form a scaled image;
locating at least two coordinates defining a region of interest in said scaled image;
calculating a corresponding region of interest in said captured image based on the region of interest in said scaled image; and
sending a command from said first microcontroller to said barcode decoder of said imager to decode just said corresponding region of interest.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining a copy of said captured image comprises a second predetermines command from said microcontroller to said optical imager.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of scaling said captured image to form a scaled image comprises reducing a pixel dimension of said captured image by at least one third.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of locating at least two coordinates defining a region of interest in said scaled image comprises applying a threshold to convert said scaled image into binary format.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said threshold is dynamically determined by calculating a brightness of said scaled image and selecting a threshold representing a predetermined percentage of pixels in said scaled image.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of locating at least two coordinates defining a first region of interest in said scaled image further comprises summing individual pixel rows in said scaled image.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of locating at least two coordinates defining a first region of interest in said scaled image further comprises locating said at least two coordinates based on the summing of the individual pixel rows in said scaled image.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating a corresponding region of interest in said captured image based on the region of interest in said scaled image comprises multiplying said at least two coordinates by said predetermined value to obtain scaled coordinates.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of sending a command to decode just said corresponding region of interest comprises sending a predetermined command containing said scaled coordinates.
10. A barcode image control device, comprising:
an interface interconnected to an optical imager;
a microcontroller interconnected to an optical imager having a barcode decoder, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to send a command through said interface to said imager to create a captured image of a target region, obtain a copy of said captured image through said interface from said imager prior to said barcode decoder of said imager decoding any information in said image, scale said captured image by a predetermined value to form a scaled image, locate at least two coordinates defining a region of interest in said scaled image, calculate a corresponding region of interest in said captured image based on the region of interest in said scaled image; and send a command through said interface to said imager to have said barcode decoder of said imager decode just said corresponding region of interest.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein said microcontroller is further programmed to scale said captured image to form a scaled image by reducing a pixel dimension of said captured image by at least one third.
12. The device of claim 10 , wherein said microcontroller is further programmed to locate at least two coordinates defining a region of interest in said scaled image by applying a threshold to convert said scaled image into binary format.
13. The device of claim 11 , wherein said microcontroller is further programmed to set said threshold dynamically by calculating the brightness of said scaled image and selecting a threshold representing a predetermined percentage of pixels in said scaled image.
14. The device of claim 10 , wherein said microcontroller is further programmed to locate said at least two coordinates defining a first region of interest in said scaled image by summing individual pixel rows in said scaled image.
15. The device of claim 10 , wherein said microcontroller is further programmed to calculate a corresponding region of interest in said captured image based on the first region of interest in said scaled image by multiplying said at least two coordinates by said predetermined value to obtain scaled coordinates.
16. The device of claim 10 , wherein said microcontroller is further programmed to send a command to decode just said corresponding region of interest by sending a predetermined command containing said scaled coordinates.
17. A method for improved barcode decoding, comprising the steps of:
sending a first predetermined command from a microcontroller to an optical imager having a barcode decoder to instruct said image to capture an image;
sending a second predetermined command from said microcontroller to said optical imager to instruct said imager to export said captured image prior to said barcode decoder of said imager decoding any information in said image;
reducing the pixel dimension of said captured image by a predetermined value;
applying a threshold to convert said scaled image into binary format;
locating at least two coordinates defining a first region of interest in said scaled image by summing individual pixel rows in said scaled image;
calculating a corresponding region of interest in said captured image by multiplying said at least two coordinates by said predetermined value to obtain scaled coordinates;
sending a third predetermined command containing said scaled coordinates from said microcontroller to said imager to instruct said barcode decoder of said imager to decode only said corresponding region of interest.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said step of applying a threshold to convert said scaled image into binary format comprises dynamically determining said threshold by calculating a brightness of said scaled image and selecting said threshold as representing a predetermined percentage of pixels in said scaled image.