Abstract: An illumination optical system of an image capturing device that is compact and low cost and that achieves a reduction in specular noise is provided. An illumination optical system 20 of an image capturing device applies light to an object 11 to be imaged to capture an image by receiving reflected light from the object 11 to be imaged by means of an image sensor 12. The illumination optical system comprises a plurality of LEDs 14 arranged around the image sensor 12, and a ring-shaped prism plate 22 with a prism surface 24 facing the plurality of LEDs 14 in order to apply light from the plurality of LEDs 14 to the object 11 to be imaged, wherein the prism surface has a row of prisms comprising a number of radially arranged edge lines 23 formed circumferentially.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus illuminates an object and captures an image of the object using the reflected light from the object. The image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor for capturing an image of the object by receiving reflected light, distance-measuring light-emitting devices for irradiating the object with spot light, and a control circuit for driving the distance-measuring light-emitting devices, detecting the spot light positions of the distance-measuring light-emitting devices from an image captured by the image sensor, and obtaining the distance to the object. The image sensor provided for capturing an image of the object can be used as a photodetector device for distance measurement. With this, it becomes unnecessary to separately provide a photodetector device for distance measurement, which enables miniaturization of the image capturing apparatus, as well as cost reduction.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image capturing apparatus for illuminating and capturing an image of an object using reflected light therefrom, and is objective to a miniaturized construction and simplified assembly. A plurality of light-emitting devices is mounted around an image sensor, and a light guide member guides the light of the light-emitting devices to an image capturing region for illumination. The image capturing apparatus having the closely disposed image capturing system and illumination system, the miniaturized image capturing apparatus is assembled by pressing a projection of the light guide member to the lower end of the hood for cutting outside lights from the image capturing range and by pressing the upper end of the hood to the filter. Thus, it becomes possible to assemble with less adhesion points and improve working ability of assemble of the image capturing apparatus to make defect ratios of productions low and improve production efficiency.

Abstract: The optical path of the light having spread at each point of an object to be shot is limited by an iris unit of a density filter. Since the density filter unit has a desired transmittance characteristic, the amount of the light passing through the density filter unit continuously changes from the center of the luminous flux toward the periphery. After the luminous flux forms an image on the image forming surface, it spreads toward the light-receptive surface of an image sensor, and becomes an image spreading on the light-receptive surface in a predetermined range.

Abstract: A position Z of an image sensor is moved to an initial position A (image forming position) in a Z axis direction. An exposing operation is performed at a position A, and it is determined whether or not an exposing time counted by a timer has reached ta. If the exposing time has reached ta, an image sensor 27 is moved to a position B. The exposing operation is performed at the position, and it is determined whether or not a total exposing time has reached ta+tb. If the total exposing time t has reached ta+tb, the image sensor is moved to a position C, and the exposing operation is performed at the position. Thus, the output distribution of the image sensor can be assigned a desired low pass filter characteristic.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel includes an iris unit for limiting the incident range of light from an object to be shot, and a filter unit for assigning a exposure energy distribution varying with the position to incident light whose incident range is limited by the iris unit. The control unit controls the ON time and the OFF time of each pixel of the liquid crystal panel, and then a low pass filter operation on the captured image as an image processing can be optically replaced.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus illuminate and captures an image of an object using reflected light from the object. In the apparatus, a plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted in the periphery of an image sensor, and the light of the plurality of light-emitting devices is guided to an image capturing region by a light guide member for illumination. On the image capturing apparatus having the image capturing system disposed close to the illumination system, a hood is provided for optically intercepting the image capturing system from the illumination system, with a flange disposed thereon. The light reflected on the upper face of a filter can be intercepted from being incident on an image capturing system unit. Accordingly, output light not irradiating the object and causing an image capturing noise can be intercepted, which is effective for a clear photographed image.

Abstract: A plurality of bar-code candidate areas are calculated from scan data that is acquired by scanning a bar code. Feature data, which represents a specific feature, is calculated for each of the bar-code candidate areas. The bar-code candidate areas are evaluated based on their feature data to thereby determine a bar-code candidate area that has the highest probability of being a bar code. The specific feature includes any one or more of length of a differential waveform, average energy, and number of peaks in the differential waveform.

Abstract: A bar code reader includes a first circuit board on which a photodiode, which receives light reflected from a bar code, is installed and a second circuit board on which a processing unit that processes a signal output from the photodiode. The position at which the first circuit board is placed can be decided irrespective of the position at which the second circuit board is placed. The first circuit board is placed at a position that is most suitable for receiving light reflected from the bar code.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus illuminates an object and captures an image of the object using the reflected light from the object. On a circuit substrate mounted an image sensor, a plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted in the peripheral positions of the image sensor. By means of a ring-shaped light guide member, the light from the plurality of light-emitting devices is guided to an image capturing range, so as to illuminate the object. With this, by mounting a light receiving system and a light emitting system on an identical substrate, miniaturization can be achieved, and the image capturing range can be illuminated by substantially uniform light. Also, using the ring-shaped light guide member, an optical unit is housed inside the ring, thus enabling further miniaturization.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image capturing apparatus for illuminating and capturing an image of an object using reflected light therefrom, and is objective to a miniaturized construction and simplified assembly. A plurality of light-emitting devices is mounted around an image sensor, and a light guide member guides the light of the light-emitting devices to an image capturing region for illumination. The image capturing apparatus having the closely disposed image capturing system and illumination system, the miniaturized image capturing apparatus is assembled by pressing a projection of the light guide member to the lower end of the hood for cutting outside lights from the image capturing range and by pressing the upper end of the hood to the filter. Thus, it becomes possible to assemble with less adhesion points and improve working ability of assemble of the image capturing apparatus to make defect ratios of productions low and improve production efficiency.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus illuminate and captures an image of an object using reflected light from the object. In the apparatus, a plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted in the periphery of an image sensor, and the light of the plurality of light-emitting devices is guided to an image capturing region by a light guide member for illumination. On the image capturing apparatus having the image capturing system disposed close to the illumination system, a hood is provided for optically intercepting the image capturing system from the illumination system, with a flange disposed thereon. The light reflected on the upper face of a filter can be intercepted from being incident on an image capturing system unit. Accordingly, output light not irradiating the object and causing an image capturing noise can be intercepted, which is effective for a clear photographed image.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus illuminates an object and captures an image of the object using the reflected light from the object. The image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor for capturing an image of the object by receiving reflected light, distance-measuring light-emitting devices for irradiating the object with spot light, and a control circuit for driving the distance-measuring light-emitting devices, detecting the spot light positions of the distance-measuring light-emitting devices from an image captured by the image sensor, and obtaining the distance to the object. The image sensor provided for capturing an image of the object can be used as a photodetector device for distance measurement. With this, it becomes unnecessary to separately provide a photodetector device for distance measurement, which enables miniaturization of the image capturing apparatus, as well as cost reduction.

Abstract: A time for replacement of a laser diode is decided based on a value of operating current of the laser diode and a value of intensity of laser light output from the laser diode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to goods purchase information processing method and system whereby a goods purchaser can enter goods purchase information into a processing device they own. It allows automatic input of product purchase information into the processing device. Mobile terminals, such as information terminals or mobile telephones (1), which are available to the ordinary consumer, are used. A store sends product purchase information from a settlement device (2, 3) to the mobile terminal (1)—The information is stored in the mobile terminal (1). The user therefore holds electronic data relating to the product purchase information (receipt) in their mobile terminal (1) and when they return home or to the office, the user can automatically enter this information into a processing device (4) such as an accounting system.

Abstract: Management information, which is information about hardware in or software installed in the bar-code reader, is stored in a storage unit in the bar-code reader. The management information may be acquired from an external unit or read from a bar code.

Abstract: A signal obtained by optically scanning a bar code is subjected to differentiation to obtain differential data. Peak-to-peak distances are calculated from the differential data. When a peak-to-peak ?Tx distance is y times of a basic width, frequency f(x,y) will be, f(x,y)=y/?Tx. A frequency map is prepared from the frequencies calculated. Transition routes in which one frequency each is selected. from each of the peak-to-peak distances, are formed. A transition route for which an error in frequencies is the least is taken as the most suitable transition route. An average of the frequencies included in the transition route is taken as a frequency f0 of the basic width.

Abstract: An extractor extracts a part that is apparently a bar-code signal from a signal that is subjected to opto-electric conversion. A narrow-band differential processor forms a waveform of an edge by differentiating by using a module frequency. The module point extractor extracts the module point from the waveform. The maximum likelihood judgment processor 5f performs ternarizing based on a maximum likelihood method by using broader information.

Abstract: A signal fetching unit fetches a signal that includes binarized information disposed with a predetermined information length, from a barcode. A module-frequency extracting unit extracts a module frequency equivalent to a basic unit length in the binarized information from the signal. A frequency shifting unit shifts a frequency to 0 Hz based on the module frequency for the signal. A low pass filter passes a low frequency component included in an output signal from the frequency shifting unit. A module-point extracting unit extracts a module point synchronized with the signal and that has the module frequency, based on the module frequency extracted and an output signal of the low pass filter. A demodulating unit demodulates a character of the barcode based on the module point extracted.

Abstract: A bar code reader has an arrangement to communicate with a host apparatus. The bar code reader includes a read unit that reads a bar code attached to an article, and outputs bar code information corresponding to the read bar code; a term information acquisition unit that acquires term information included in the bar code information; and a term expiration check unit that checks whether the term of the article has expired based on the term information. A notification unit notifies that the term of the article has expired upon determination by the term expiration check unit that the term of the article has expired.