Scanner Automatic Dirty/clean Window Detection

Abstract

An image from a window of a scanner is taken and analyzed to determine whether the image is relevant to dirt or debris on the window. When the image is relevant to dirt or debris, the size and amount of the dirt or debris is compared to a threshold and when the threshold is exceeded an alert is raised to have the window cleaned of the dirt or debris.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to automatic detection of dirty / clean windows of scanners. Background technique [0002] Imaging barcode scanners operate in environments that are constantly exposed to dust, debris, and other contaminants. The above-mentioned dust and the like will adhere to one or more optical windows of the scanner, which will inevitably reduce the quality of images captured by the scanner. In turn, reduced image quality naturally detracts from the performance of the scanning device. [0003] In an imaging barcode scanner, light travels from an imaging object through one or more optical components to one or more image sensors. Optical components perform best when they are free of dust, grease, and any other contaminants that can scatter, absorb, or break down the light reflected from an object to the sensor. Barcode scanners operating in point-of-sale (POS) systems are typically continuously exposed to environmental dust, etc., some ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

All in all, this dust can then blur the image where the dust intervenes between the object and the sensor

An additional complicating factor is that dust enters the image sensor in different ways depending on whether the dust is caused by backlight provided by ambient lighting or by frontlight provided by the scanner's own lighting

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