Patent · US Expired

Exposure control apparatus for use with optical readers

US5831254A · kind A · utility

251Cited by
23References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 18, 1995
Grant dateNov 3, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06K7/10752
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An exposure control apparatus for use with optical readers, such as bar code readers, which utilize photosensitive image sensors. An illumination signal generating circuit generates an illumination signal having a magnitude that varies in accordance with the time averaged value of the illumination level at the image sensor. A window detecting circuit periodically samples the illumination signal to determine if that signal is or is not within a window of acceptability. Exposure period determining circuitry uses the output of the window detecting circuit to upwardly or downwardly adjust the value of a control variable as necessary to cause the illumination signal to approach, enter and remain within the window of acceptability.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.