Camera system with color display and processor for Reed-Solomon decoding
A camera system including: a substrate having a coding pattern printed thereon and a handheld digital camera device. The camera device includes: a digital camera unit having a first image sensor for capturing images and a color display for displaying captured images to a user; an integral processor configured for: controlling operation of the first image sensor and color display; decoding an imaged coding pattern printed on a substrate, the printed coding pattern employing Reed-Solomon encoding; and performing an action in the handheld digital camera device based on the decoded coding pattern. The decoding includes the steps of: detecting target structures defining the extent of the data area; determining the data area using the detected target structures; and Reed-Solomon decoding the coding pattern contained in the determined data area.
1. A portable handheld camera system comprising:
a coded media displaying a coded pattern employing Reed-Solomon encoding, said coded pattern including a data block with a plurality of target structures and a data area containing encoded information, the target structures providing orientation information for decoding the encoded information in the data area; and
a portable handheld camera device comprising:
a first image sensor configured for capturing an image of at least part of the coded pattern and generating a digital representation of said image;
a second image sensor configured to generate signals carrying data relating to an image sensed by the second image sensor; and
an integral processor including:
a first image sensor interface communicatively coupling the first image sensor to the integral processor; and
a second image sensor interface communicatively coupling the second image sensor to the integral processor, wherein:
the integral processor, the first image sensor interface and the second image sensor interface share a common wafer substrate, and
the integral processor is configured for:
controlling operation of the first image sensor and the second image sensor;
processing the digital representation of the coded pattern to decode the coded pattern by Reed-Solomon decoding and generate decoded information; and
performing an action in said portable handheld camera device based on the decoded information from the coded pattern, wherein said processing includes:
detecting the target structures providing orientation information;
determining the data area using the detected target structures; and
Reed-Solomon decoding the determined data area.
2. The portable handheld camera system of claim 1 , wherein said first image sensor and said second image sensor are configured for capturing stereoscopic digital images.
3. The portable handheld camera system of claim 1 , wherein said integral processor is configured to perform said Reed-Solomon decoding in less than 0.32 seconds.
4. The portable handheld camera system of claim 1 , wherein said decoding comprises the further step of:
determining one or more control blocks in the data area, said control blocks containing encoded information required for subsequent Reed-Solomon decoding.
5. The portable handheld camera system of claim 4 , wherein each control block contains encoded information regarding a size of data to be extracted from the data area.
6. The portable handheld camera system of claim 1 , wherein said Reed-Solomon decoding corrects for one or more errors in the imaged coded pattern.
7. The portable handheld camera system of claim 6 , wherein said error is due to image blurring.
8. The portable handheld camera system of claim 6 , wherein said error is due to physical damage of the coded media.
9. The portable handheld camera system of claim 1 , wherein the coded pattern is comprised of black and white dots.
10. The portable handheld camera system of claim 1 , wherein the action performed in said portable handheld camera device is an image-warping effect.
11. The portable handheld camera system of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is a CCD or CMOS image sensor.
12. The portable handheld camera system of claim 1 , wherein the coded media is a substrate.