Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.

Other

John H Dowling

Howard K Stern

Harry R McKinley

Luis A Figarella

Philip E McKinley

William T Plummer

Stephen D Fantone

Jason J Lee

David A Imrie

Jon E Van Tassell

Stefanus Petrus Bezuidenhout

Steve Meister

Arthur Woodbury

An optical apparatus relates to the field of optical magnification and stereoscopy, more specifically to the problem of optically magnifying an area stereoscopically and displaying this information to an operator in a comfortable manner.

Stereo video microscope

A roller assembly for supporting a moving belt and including at least one roller mounted for rotation about a roller axis; and a support arrangement, the roller assembly being mounted on the support arrangement for pivotal displacement about a pivot point, characterized in that the belt tracking regulator includes guide means operable, in use, to constrain the pivotal displacement of the roller assembly to move in a plane containing the pivot and tilted at an acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane defined through the pivot point.

Belt tracking regulator

A hand-held imager which is capable of reading both linear and two dimensional symbologies, which can perform focusing and illuminating steps quickly and accurately so as to eliminate variation in the position of the imager relative to the code becoming a negative factor, in which can operate in environment where the imager is anywhere from 1.5 inches to 16 inches from the code. The imager includes an imaging system having a focusing system, an illumination system, and a two-dimensional photodetector which forms an image of the coded symbology. After achieving targeting of the coded symbology, the scanning system adjusts the focus between multiple different focuses, and utilizes a portion of the two-dimensional photodetector to determine the optimum focus. Upon the determination of optimum focus, the focusing system is returned to the focusing configuration established in the initial focusing step, and an image is created using the entire two-dimensional photodetector. Optimum illumination is determined using the same two-dimensional photodetector.

Optical symbologies imager

Diffuse &ldquo;dark field&rdquo; illumination and &ldquo;bright field&rdquo; illumination are each provided for a hand-held encoded symbology imager/reader; to be projected therefrom upon symbology disposed on a target (component part, goods, package, etc.). The imager/reader is encased in a housing ergonomically configured to be griped in more then one manner and to thus facilitate holding the imager/reader steady. The symbology to be imaged is targeted by a line that not only spots the symbology, but by extending a length commensurate with that of the symbology, indicates that the symbology is in the field of view of the imager/reader. A CCD, disposed to receive light reflected from the symbology, has its readout controlled so that only selected portions of the CCD need be analyzed for illumination and focusing purposes. To optimize imaging and decoding time, and to optimize use of power, readout from some portions of the CCD is accomplished in relatively rapid time by speeding up the readout of the CCD in some of its active area; while reverting back to a slower readout for data to be analyzed for illumination and focusing control and decoding purposes. In addition, special application of entropy principles facilitate determining the optimum focus and illumination conditions for the imager/reader.

Symbology imaging and reading apparatus and method

A method of operating a charge coupled device in an accelerated mode is provided, and in particular in connection with an optical symbology imager, so as to minimize variations in the position of the imager relative to the code. The CCD has two horizontal shift registers, each receiving every other scan line so that the output of each horizontal shift register equals the number of scan lines for normal television signals,The method skips through multiple lines of image data, then provides a black reference signal then images a series of lines at a slower speed, these lines being the lines of interest for focusing and illumination operations in the optical symbology imager. Finally, the remaining lines are passed through quickly. The imager goes back into reset mode after either normal or fast mode operation, and is thereby immediately ready to perform another scan. The fast mode operation enables the imager to obtain the approximately ten lines of image data of concern in only approximately 5.5 milliseconds, a significant time savings. This operation can be performed for some or all of the multiple optical positions.

Method of operating a charge coupled device in an accelerated mode, and in conjunction with an optical symbology imager

Growing community of inventors

Nashua, NH, United States of America

John H Dowling