Fixed retail scanner with translator to convert embedded non-video data as video data and related methods of using histogram data
The disclosure includes a fixed retail scanner and related method for converting embedded register statistical data from one or more images into pixel data that is combined with image pixel data that is sent to the system processor for a fixed retail scanner. Such statistical data may include histogram data, image statistics, and other related information.
1 . A fixed retail scanner including a data reader, comprising: at least one imager configured to capture one or more images having the form of a data packet including: a first portion corresponding to register data and/or statistical data having a data type defined as embedded data; a second portion corresponding to image data or video data having a data type defined as image data or video data; a system processor configured to decode one or more indicia; and an image processor operably coupled between the at least one imager and the system processor, the image processor including a data translator configured to: convert the data type for the register data and/or the statistical data of the first portion of the data packets of the one or more images from being defined as embedded data into pixel data is defined as image data or video data; combine the first portion of the data packet with a modified data type with image pixel data of the second portion of the data packet that is sent to the system processor as a modified data packet for additional processing and decoding.
2 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 1 , wherein the embedded register and/or statistical data includes at least one of histogram data or image statistics.
3 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 2 , wherein the system processor is configured to detect a presence of an object based on the histogram data, wherein the presence of an object includes detecting item entry into a scan volume and item exit from the scan volume.
4 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 2 , wherein the system processor is configured to detect a presence of an object based on the histogram data, wherein the system processor is further configured to perform one or more of item detection, item tracking, double read control, illumination control, image or video acquisition control, image or video output control, read rate increase, loss prevention tasks, or video analytics based on the detected presence of the object.
5 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 1 , wherein the data translator is further configured to calculate a real-time histogram from the one or more images and inject the real-time histogram as pixel data having a data type of image data or video data into the modified data packet to be sent to the system processor with the image data captured by the at least one imager.
6 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imager includes an imager located within a base unit of a bi-optic scanner, an imager located within a top-down reader of the bi-optic scanner, or an imager located within a peripheral camera of a system including the bi-optic scanner, and wherein the at least one imager includes at least one of a monochrome imager or a color imager.
7 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is an FPGA.
8 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 1 , wherein the data translator is configured to convert the data type by modifying a packet header associated with the first portion of the data packets while not modifying other content of the first portion of the data packets.
9 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 1 , wherein the data packet further includes a third portion corresponding to histogram data having a data type defined as embedded data, and wherein the data translator is configured to convert the data type of the third portion of the data packets from being defined as embedded data into pixel data that is defined as image data or video data.
10 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 9 , wherein the data translator is configured to convert the data type of the third portion by modifying a packet header associated with the third portion of the data packets and also rewriting the original histogram data generated by the imager with the new histogram data determined by the data translator.
11 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 10 , wherein the system processor is configured to:
perform decoding of the second portion of the data packets while ignoring the first and third portions of the data packets; and
performing one or more of item detection, item tracking, double read control, illumination control, image or video acquisition control, image or video output control, read rate increase, loss prevention tasks, or video analytics based on a detected presence of the object from analysis of the first portion and/or the third portion of the data packets while ignoring the second portion of the data packets.
12 . A fixed retail scanner including a data reader, comprising:
at least one imager configured to capture one or more images;
a system processor configured to decode one or more indicia; and
an image processor operably coupled between the at least one imager and the system processor, the image processor including a data translator configured to convert embedded register data and/or statistical data from one or more images into pixel data that is combined with image pixel data that is sent to the system processor as a modified data packet for additional processing and decoding,
wherein the at least one imager includes a plurality of imagers that each capture images such that a combined image is formed from time-correlated views of the plurality of imagers, and
wherein the data translator is configured to calculate a separate real-time histogram associated with each imager from the combined image and inject the real-time histograms as pixel data into image data for the combined image that is sent to the system processor.
13 . The fixed retail scanner of claim 12 , wherein the data translator is configured to read in the combined image row by row and count pixels to determine which portion of the row is associated with each imager when calculating the histogram.
14 . A method of pre-processing image data for a fixed retail scanner, the method comprising:
capturing one or more images as a data packet via at least one imager of a fixed retail scanner, the images having the form of a data packet including:
a first portion corresponding to register data and/or statistical data having a data type defined as embedded data; and
a second portion corresponding to image data or video data having a data type defined as image data or video data;
converting, via a data translator implemented in an image processor operably coupled between the at least one imager and the system processor, the data type for the register data and/or the statistical data from the first portion of the data packets of the one or more images from being defined as embedded data into pixel data that is defined as image data or video data
combining the first portion with its modified data type with image pixel data of the second portion;
sending the combined pixel data as a modified data packet from the image processor to the system processor; and
decoding one or more indicia from the one or more images based on the modified data packet via a system processor of the fixed retail scanner.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the embedded register and/or statistical data is received as an embedded data type and translated to an image data type by the data translator.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein histogram data in a data packet captured by the at least one imager is received as an embedded data type with the data packet.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising the data translator sampling a real-time histogram of the one or more images and injecting the real-time histogram data into the modified data packet as an image data type.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein injecting the real-time histogram into the modified data packet includes replacing the histogram data originating from the at least one imager with the real-time histogram data sampled by the data translator.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising performing one or more of item detection, item tracking, double read control, illumination control, image or video acquisition control, image or video output control, read rate increase, loss prevention tasks, or video analytics based on a detected presence of the object from the real-time histogram data from the modified data packet.
20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising ignoring portions of the modified data packet associated with the register and statistical data and the real-time histogram data during the decoding.