Color Image Sensor Barcode Scanning via Greyscale Conversion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current barcode scanners are limited by their greyscale imaging capabilities, as they are not compatible with color image sensors, which have advanced in resolution and light sensitivity, making it costly and computationally intensive to design color barcode decoders.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that converts color image values from color image sensors into greyscale image values for processing with conventional greyscale barcode decoders, using image calibration to achieve color balancing through predefined sensor sensitivity profiles and coefficients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If color barcode decoders are designed to process color images directly, then barcode scanning capability is improved, but computational complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary conversion process that transforms color image data into greyscale representation before barcode decoding. This mediator (color-to-greyscale conversion) allows the system to utilize advanced color sensors while maintaining compatibility with simpler greyscale barcode decoding algorithms, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and computational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter space by converting color image data (multiple channels) into greyscale data (single channel). This parameter transformation reduces the dimensionality and complexity of the decoding problem while preserving the essential barcode information, enabling efficient processing without requiring complex color-specific decoders.
2Measurement precision
If color image sensors are used for barcode scanning, then image quality and light sensitivity are improved, but compatibility with existing greyscale barcode decoders deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The conversion process acts as an intermediary layer between color image sensors and greyscale barcode decoders. It receives high-quality color data from advanced sensors and transforms it into a format compatible with existing greyscale decoders, thereby maintaining both image quality and decoder compatibility simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The color-to-greyscale conversion module serves multiple functions: it enables compatibility with existing greyscale decoders, preserves image quality from color sensors, and can potentially support both color and greyscale processing modes. This multi-functionality resolves the compatibility issue while maintaining the advantages of color sensing.
3Loss of information
If color barcode decoding is implemented, then color information is utilized, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential luminance information from color images, discarding the chrominance components that are not necessary for barcode decoding. This extraction process retains sufficient information for accurate barcode recognition while significantly reducing computational requirements and processing time compared to full color processing.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of processing all color information, the patent applies partial processing by converting only to greyscale, which uses a portion of the color data (luminance channel) sufficient for barcode decoding. This partial action approach achieves the necessary decoding accuracy without the excessive computational burden of full color processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided for barcode scanning for a target barcode comprising: receiving color image values for a captured image of the target barcode from at least one color image sensor; and extracting luminosity values for each pixel of the captured image from the color image values to define greyscale image values corresponding to the color image values. Once the luminosity values are defined, they are provided as greyscale image values to a greyscale barcode decoder for subsequent processing thereof.