Method of reading bar code symbols on objects at a point-of-sale station by passing said objects through a complex of stationary coplanar illumination and imaging planes projected into a 3D imaging volume
Digital image capture and processing systems and methods for generating and projecting coplanar illumination and imaging planes and/or coextensive area-type illumination and imaging zones, through one or more imaging windows, and into a 3D imaging volume in a retail POS environments, while employing automatic object motion and/or velocity detection, real-time image analysis and other techniques to capture and processing high-quality digital images of objects passing through the 3D imaging volume, and intelligently controlling and/or managing the use of visible and invisible forms of illumination, during object illumination and imaging operations, that might otherwise annoy or disturb human operators and/or customers working and/or shopping in such retail environments.
1. A method of automatically reading one or more bar code symbols on objects presented at a point of sale (POS) station, comprising the steps of
(a) providing a digital image capturing and processing system installed at a point of sale (POS) station having a countertop surface, wherein said digital image capturing and processing system includes a system housing supported in or on said countertop surface, and having an imaging window, and containing a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations, and a digital image processor;
(b) said plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations generating and projecting a complex of stationary coplanar illumination and imaging planes through said imaging window, and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said imaging window and said countertop surface;
(c) said plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations generating digital linear images of said object as said object is passed through said 3D imaging volume in a pass-through manner, and intersects one or more of said complex of stationary coplanar illumination and imaging planes within said 3D imaging volume as said object is passed through said 3D imaging volume; and
(d) said digital image processor processing said digital linear images and automatically reading one or more bar code symbols graphically represented in said digital linear images of said object being presented at said POS station.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises:
(b)(1) each said coplanar illumination and imaging station including an illumination subsystem producing a planar illumination beam (PLIB), and providing a field of view (FOV) extending substantially along said PLIB so as to form one said stationary coplanar illumination and imaging plane (PLIB/FOV) which is projected through said imaging window and into said 3D imaging volume, for capturing digital linear images of the object moving through said 3D imaging volume.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein step (b) further comprises:
(b)(2) each said coplanar illumination and imaging station controlling the production of illumination by said illumination subsystem into said 3D imaging volume, as objects are detected moving within said 3D imaging volume, and capturing and buffering digital linear images of said object as said object is passed through said 3D imaging volume.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (d) comprises:
(d)(1) combining a sequence of said digital linear images of said object, to form one or more 2D digital images of said object, and then processing said one or more 2D digital images to read one or more bar code symbols on said object being passed through said 3D imaging volume.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (d) comprises automatically reading one or more bar code symbols selected from the group consisting of 1D bar code symbols, 2D bar code symbols, and data matrix type code symbols.
6. A method of automatically reading one or more bar code symbols on objects presented at a point of sale (POS) station, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a digital image capturing and processing system installed at a point of sale (POS) station having a countertop surface, wherein said digital image capturing and processing system includes a system housing supported in or on said countertop surface, and having an imaging window, and containing a plurality of coextensive illumination and imaging stations, and a digital image processor;
(b) said plurality of coextensive illumination and imaging stations generating and projecting a plurality of stationary coextensive illumination and imaging zones through said imaging window, and into a 3D imaging volume definable relative to said imaging window and said countertop surface;
(c) said plurality of coextensive illumination and imaging stations generating 2D digital images of said object as said object is passed through said 3D imaging volume and intersects one or more of said plurality of coextensive illumination and imaging zones as said object is passed through said 3D imaging volume; and
(d) said digital image processor processing said 2D digital images and automatically reading one or more bar code symbols graphically represented in said 2D digital images of said object being presented at said POS station.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein step (b) comprises:
(b)(1) each said coextensive illumination and imaging station including an illumination subsystem producing an illumination beam, and providing a field of view (FOV) extending substantially coextensive with the illumination beam so as to form one said coextensive illumination and imaging zone which is projected through said imaging window and into said 3D imaging volume, for capturing digital images of the object moving through said 3D imaging volume.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein step (b) further comprises:
(b)(2) each said coextensive illumination and imaging station controlling the production of illumination by said illumination subsystem into said 3D imaging volume, as objects are detected moving within said 3D imaging volume, and capturing and buffering 2D digital images of said object as said object is passed through said 3D imaging volume.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein step (d) comprises automatically reading one or more bar code symbols selected from the group consisting of 1D bar code symbols, 2D bar code symbols, and data matrix type code symbols.