Image Decoding via Anchor Marking Location Derivation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for decoding encoded data markings on objects require significant processing resources and often necessitate the use of external specialized circuitry or multiple processors, leading to increased complexity, expense, and power consumption, especially in high-throughput environments like conveyor belts.
Innovation Solution
A decoding system that utilizes a processor to analyze images captured by cameras, identifying anchor markings to derive the location of target markings within a normalized coordinate system, allowing for efficient decoding without the need for external specialized circuitry, and employing machine learning to refine the identification process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If specialized circuitry (ASIC or FPGA) is used to offload processing operations from the processor, then processing efficiency is improved, but device complexity and expense increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of anchor marking identification and target marking identification into a single integrated processing system. The processor executes unified code that performs both identification tasks sequentially, eliminating the need for separate specialized circuitry for each function and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining processing efficiency.
2Productivity
If multiple processors are used to distribute processing work, then processing capacity is improved, but power consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing task into distinct phases: first identifying anchor markings, then using their locations to guide the search for target markings. This segmentation allows a single processor to handle the entire workflow efficiently by breaking down the complex task into manageable steps, avoiding the need for multiple processors and reducing power consumption.
3Device complexity
If a single processor handles all processing operations, then device complexity is reduced, but processing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary identification of anchor markings before searching for target markings. By first locating the anchor markings and using their positions to define search regions for target markings, the system reduces the overall search space and accelerates processing speed while maintaining a simple single-processor architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A decoding device includes a processor configured to: analyze a captured image having a 2D captured image coordinate system to identify an instance of a type of anchor marking therein; derive an orientation thereof relative to the captured image coordinate system; correlate the type of anchor marking to a relative location of a corresponding type of target marking within a 2D normalized coordinate system; employ the location and orientation of the instance of the type of anchor marking within the captured image coordinate system, and the relative location of the type of target marking within the normalized coordinate system to derive a location of an instance of the type of target marking within the captured image coordinate system; attempt interpretation of the instance of the type of target marking at the derived location to decode data thereat; and in response to a successful decode, transmit the data to another device.