Optoelectronics Co., Ltd.

Cypress Semiconductor Corporation

Kazukuni Hosoi

Haruo Matsuoka

Ikuo Kikuchi

Takashi Aoki

Shigeki Horiguchi

The present invention provides an apparatus for reading a color symbol, which comprises a matrix of color filters arranged in front of a detector. Light received from the filters of some colors is used to locate the color symbol, while light received from all the filters is used to read and decode the located symbol. Preferably, the filters used for locating the symbol are of the colors to which the detector is most sensitive. Preferably, the filters for locating the symbol are dominant in number.

Apparatus for reading a color symbol

An image capture device and method of assembling same is disclosed which provides an improved technique of mounting a CMOS detector and also isolates the optics for image capture from the optics for illumination, thereby simplifying the adjustment process. An exemplary arrangement using the camera module is also shown.

Camera module and method of assembling same

A method for encoding a symbol such as a barcode with a finder of a known pattern, comprises steps of determining a potential point on the finder edge and tracing and verifying a path representing the finder edge by checking the color of each point on the path against a threshold. The threshold is preferably reevaluated at least every several pixel movements along the path. The method may decode the barcode directly from the gray image displayed on a LCD screen without a need of a whole characterized image.

Method of decoding a symbol with a low contrast

An optical scanning system in which plural scan lines are sequentially scanned, and parameters association with the scanning are monitored. If one or more parameters change during the scanning operation, the system automatically begins rescanning, rather than continuing to scan the entire frame. This results in a system that operates more quickly than prior art systems, which have to waste an entire frame.

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Saitama Pref., Japan

Kazukuni Hosoi