Monochrome Sensor Color Code Reading via RGB Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional monochrome image sensors are unable to effectively read and decode color optical codes due to their inability to differentiate between colors that reflect similar light intensities, limiting their application in high-speed decoding and high-resolution imaging of color barcodes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using a monochrome image sensor with an artificial light source that produces a sequence of colored light, such as an RGB sequence, to generate monochrome image-sensor data that can represent and decode color optical codes, by illuminating an object with pulsed colored light and dynamically switching between monochrome-capture and color-capture modes based on the optical code's characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a monochrome image sensor is used to read optical codes, then high-speed decoding and high-resolution imaging are achieved, but the ability to differentiate between colors is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by sequentially illuminating the optical code with different colored lights (e.g., red, green, blue) in time-separated intervals. The monochrome image sensor captures multiple monochrome images during this periodic illumination sequence, each corresponding to a different color illumination. This temporal separation allows the system to extract color information through intensity comparisons across multiple captures, enabling color optical code reading while maintaining high-speed decoding capability.
2Measurement precision
If a color sensitive image sensor is used to read color optical codes, then color differentiation capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the illumination conditions rather than changing the sensor type. Specifically, the system changes the wavelength parameter of the illumination light sequentially (e.g., red→green→blue) and captures multiple monochrome images under these different illumination parameters. By processing and comparing the intensity values across these images, the system derives color information without requiring a complex color-sensitive sensor, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining color differentiation capability.
3Measurement precision
If multiple images are captured sequentially with different colored lights, then color information is obtained, but reading time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-synchronizing the illumination sequence with the image sensor's capture timing. The system prepares a predetermined sequence of colored light emissions and coordinates the sensor's exposure timing in advance to match this sequence. This synchronization ensures that each color illumination phase is immediately captured without unnecessary delays, and the processed images are ready for rapid decoding, thereby minimizing the overall reading time despite capturing multiple images.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the reading and decoding of color optical codes with high-speed and high-resolution imaging capabilities, maintaining the advantages of monochrome image sensors while effectively differentiating between colors, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional monochrome image sensors.
Implementation Method 1
The sequence of colored light is reflected from an optical code and received by the monochrome image sensor to produce monochrome image-sensor data for each color of light in the sequence
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed for producing color-image data representative of a color optical code or other color objects, particularly with a monochrome imager. Monochrome image-sensor data is produced by receiving a sequence of colored light emitted by an artificial light source and reflected from the color object. The sequence of colored light may be a red, green, and blue sequence of colored light emitting diode lights according to some embodiments. The monochrome imager produces the monochrome image-sensor data based at least in part on the portion of the reflected sequence of colored light. The monochrome image-sensor data is processed to produce color-image data representing the color optical code.