Scanner Illumination System Dynamic Light Control for Smartphone Barcode Decoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional scanners face decoding failures when scanning barcodes on smartphone screens due to specular reflection, which causes excessive brightness and interferes with the imager's ability to capture accurate image signals.
Innovation Solution
A scanner with a plurality of illumination devices that adjust their illumination status based on detected light intensity, either closing, opening, or sequentially opening/closing devices to prevent excessive illumination and mitigate specular reflection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the illumination component provides strong illumination to enable sufficient light reflection from the barcode, then the barcode can be illuminated adequately for imaging, but specular reflection occurs on smartphone screens causing excessive brightness and decoding failure
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system is divided into multiple independent illumination devices (first, second, third, and fourth illumination devices) positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows selective activation of specific illumination devices based on scanning conditions, enabling control over illumination angles to minimize specular reflection while maintaining sufficient illumination intensity for barcode decoding.
2Reliability
If multiple illumination devices are used to control illumination angles and avoid specular reflection, then decoding success on screens improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system implements dynamic control where the controller selectively activates different illumination devices based on real-time scanning conditions. The system can adaptively switch between different illumination devices or adjust their intensity levels, providing dynamic optimization of illumination angles and intensity to prevent specular reflection while maintaining decoding reliability across various scanning scenarios.
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
Effectively avoids specular reflection, allowing for successful barcode decoding on smartphone screens by dynamically controlling the illumination to manage light intensity and prevent excessive brightness.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of illumination devices in the illumination system illuminate a label
Implementation Method 2
the case where brightness is too high will occur in the field of view of the imager because of specular reflection
Implementation Method 3
Diffusively reflected light is reflected at many angles, rather than only reflecting at a single angle like specular reflection
Implementation Method 4
a detector, which detects the intensity of light reflected from the label
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a scanner with an illumination system, including: a plurality of illumination devices in the illumination system, wherein the plurality of illumination devices illuminate a label; an imager, which captures an image signal reflected from the label and decodes the image signal; and a detector, which detects the intensity of light reflected from the label, wherein if the light intensity is higher than a predetermined threshold, an illumination status of one or more of the plurality of illumination devices is changed. The scanner with an illumination system according to the present disclosure can effectively avoid specular reflection when scanning a barcode on a smartphone screen.