Indicia reading terminal with color frame processing
An indicia reading terminal can comprise an image sensor integrated circuit having a two-dimensional image sensor, a hand held housing encapsulating the two-dimensional image sensor, and an imaging lens configured to focus an image of a target decodable indicia onto the two-dimensional image sensor. The two-dimensional image sensor can include a plurality of pixels arranged in repetitive patterns. Each pattern can include at least one pixel sensitive in a first spectrum region, at least one pixel sensitive in a second spectrum region, and at least one pixel sensitive in a third spectrum region. The image sensor integrated circuit can be configured to capture a frame of image data by reading out a plurality of analog signals. Each read out analog signal can be representative of light incident on a group of two or more pixels of the plurality of pixels. The image sensor integrated circuit can be further configured to convert the plurality of analog signals to a plurality of digital signals and to store the plurality of digital signals in a memory. The indicia reading terminal can be operative to process the frame of image data for attempting to decode for decodable indicia.
1. A method comprising:
providing an image sensor integrated circuit having a two-dimensional image sensor, said two-dimensional image sensor including a plurality of pixels arranged in repetitive patterns, each pattern of said repetitive patterns including at least one pixel sensitive in a first spectrum region, at least one pixel sensitive in a second spectrum region, and at least one pixel sensitive in a third spectrum region;
reading out a plurality of analog signals, each analog signal of said plurality of analog signals being representative of light incident on a group of pixels of said plurality of pixels, said plurality of analog signals being representative at least two groups of pixels, wherein said at least two groups of pixels overlap, and wherein the reading out comprises transferring charges of pixels of a plurality of rows of pixels of said two-dimensional image sensor to an output register prior to shifting pixel charges from the output register to an analog amplifier;
converting said plurality of analog signals to a plurality of digital signals; and
processing said frame of image data for attempting to decode for decodable indicia.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first spectrum region is provided by a red spectrum region, said second spectrum region is provided by a green spectrum region, and said third spectrum region is provided by a blue spectrum region.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said group of two or more pixels is provided by a group of four pixels including a pixel sensitive in said first spectrum region, two pixels sensitive in said second spectrum region, and a pixel sensitive in said third spectrum region.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said group of two or more pixels is provided by one of a group of N×N adjacent pixels, wherein N is a positive integer and a group of M×N adjacent pixels, wherein M and N are positive integers.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said each analog signal is equal to one of: a sum of analog signals representative of light incident on one or more pixels of said group of pixels, an average of analog signals representative of light incident one or more pixels of said group of pixels.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said each analog signal is equal to a sum of analog signals representative of light incident on two or more pixels of said group of pixels.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said each analog signal is equal to an average of analog signals representative of light incident on two or more pixels of said group of pixels.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of analog signals represents a subset of pixels of said image sensor.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of analog signals represents substantially all pixels of said image sensor if a resolution of said frame of image data is sufficient to decode said target decodable indicia; and
wherein said plurality of analog signals represents a subset of pixels of said image sensor if said resolution of said frame of image data is insufficient to decode said target decodable indicia.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of analog signals represents a group of adjacent pixels centered at a center of said image sensor.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said group of two or more pixels is provided by a group of two or more pixels sensitive in one spectrum region.