Abstract: A method of capturing processing digital images of an object, using a hand-supportable digital image capture and processing system having a trigger switch, an imaging window and a field of view (FOV) projected therethrough and onto an area-type image detection array. The method involves automatically detecting an object within the FOV, and generating a first trigger event indicative of automatic object detection within the FOV. In response to the generation of the first trigger event signal, the object targeting illumination subsystem automatically generates and projects a visible targeting illumination beam within the FOV. The human operator aligns the visible targeting illumination beam with the object in the FOV, and then manually actuates the trigger switch to generate a second trigger event signal.

Abstract: A wireless sensor communication network supporting a plurality of electronic-ink display sensor devices adapted for use in environments where a local source of electrical power is not available at the point of sensing/monitoring, and there is a need to display sensed data at the point of sensing/monitoring, and minimize the level of servicing required to maintain the wireless sensors. The wireless sensor communication network includes a network gateway device, one or more wireless network routers, a plurality of wireless electronic-ink display sensor devices, and a network coordinator. Each wireless electronic-ink display sensor device comprises: an addressable electronic-ink based display module providing a display surface on which to display graphics.

Abstract: A wireless communication network for programming and monitoring a plurality of network-managed devices, including electronic-ink based display devices, comprising a network management computer system, a network gateway device, one or more wireless network routers, a plurality of network-managed devices, and a network coordinator. The wireless communication network of the present invention bridges the gap between wireless display networks, wireless sensor networks, and the worlds of passive, active and partially-active RFID and real-time locating systems. The wireless communication network of the present invention allows conventional communication network protocols to operate in more flexible ways in dynamic, diverse, and heterogeneous application environments, in fields including retail, healthcare, transport, logistics, manufacturing, education, etc. At the same time, the wireless communication network of the present invention is preferably based on the IEEE 802.15.

Abstract: A polysesquioxane composition, comprising (i) a polysesquioxane matrix comprising sesquioxane moieties comprising a metallic element; (ii) a hydrophilic component; and (iii) a proton-conducting component, is provided. The metallic element can be silicon, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, germanium, or a mixture of two or more thereof. The hydrophilic component can comprise an imidazole moiety, a pyrazole moiety, a benzimidazole moiety, a silanol moiety, a cyclodextrin, or two or more thereof, and the hydrophilic component can be covalently bonded to the polysesquioxane matrix. The proton-conducting component can comprise an inorganic Brønsted acid moiety. The polysesquioxane composition can be used as a proton exchange membrane in a fuel cell; as a component of a membrane electrode assembly; or as a sensor assembly in a potentiometric sensor.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system having single printed circuit (PC) board with light transmission aperture, wherein a first linear array of visible light emitting diodes (LEDs) are mounted on the rear side of the PC board for producing a linear targeting illumination beam, and wherein a second linear array of visible light emitting diodes (LEDs) are mounted on the front side of the PC board for producing a field of visible illumination within the field of view (FOV) of the system. The linear targeting illumination beam is centrally disposed within the field of visible illumination.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system including a housing having an imaging window; and an image formation and detection subsystem with an area-type image detection array having a periodic snap shot mode of the operation supporting the periodic occurrence of snap-shot type image acquisition cycles at a high-repetition rate, during object illumination and imaging operations. The system also includes an illumination subsystem, with a LED illumination array, for producing a field of illumination within the FOV, and illuminating the object detected in the FOV.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system includes a housing having an imaging window with an illumination-focusing lens structure integrated therewithin. A printed circuit (PC) board is mounted in the housing and has a front surface, a rear surface, and a light transmission aperture spatially aligned with the imaging window. An area-type image detection array is mounted on the rear surface of the PC board. A linear array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is mounted on the front surface of the PC board, adjacent the light transmission aperture and aligned with the illumination-focusing lens structure. The LEDs produce a plurality of illumination beams which are transmitted through the illumination-focusing ens structure to generate a field of illumination that is projected within the FOV of the system. Illumination reflected and/or scattered off an object within the FOV is retransmitted through the imaging window and the light transmission aperture, and detected by the area-type image detection array.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system having single printed circuit (PC) board with light transmission aperture, wherein a first linear array of visible light emitting diodes (LEDs) are mounted on the rear side of the PC board for producing a targeting illumination beam, and wherein a second linear array of visible light emitting diodes (LEDs) are mounted on the front side of the PC board for producing a field of visible illumination within the field of view (FOV) of the system. The targeting illumination beam is centrally disposed within the field of visible illumination.

Abstract: A method of capturing processing digital images of an object, using a hand-supportable digital image capture and processing system having a trigger switch, an imaging window and a field of view (FOV) projected therethrough and onto an area-type image detection array. The method involves automatically detecting an object within the FOV, and generating a first trigger event indicative of automatic object detection within the FOV. In response to the generation of the first trigger event signal, the object targeting illumination subsystem automatically generates and projects a visible targeting illumination beam within the FOV. The human operator aligns the visible targeting illumination beam with the object in the FOV, and then manually actuates the trigger switch to generate a second trigger event signal.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system supporting automatic communication interface testing/detection and system configuration parameter programming. The digital image capture and processing system includes a housing having a port for receiving a standard connector associated with a flexible communication interface cable, and a multi-interface I/O subsystem disposed in the housing, and having an I/O port. The multi-interface I/O subsystem supports a software-controlled automatic communication interface test/detection process carried out over the flexible communication interface cable physically connecting the I/O ports of the digital image capture and processing subsystem and the designated host system. The digital image capture and processing system also supports automatic programming of multiple system configuration parameters (SCPs), associated with a particular communication interface (CI) detected by the multi-interface I/O subsystem, without reading programming-type bar codes.

Abstract: A hand-supportable digital image capture and processing system including a hand-supportable housing having an imaging window. A printed circuit (PC) board is mounted in the hand-supportable housing, and has front and rear surfaces and a light transmission aperture formed centrally therethrough. An image formation and detection subsystem has image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through the imaging window and upon an object within the FOV, and an area-type image detection array for forming and detecting 2D digital images of the object during object illumination and imaging operations. A first FOV folding mirror is supported above the rear surface of the PC board over the light transmission aperture, and a second FOV folding mirror is supported above the rear surface of said PC board and over said area-type image detection array. These mirrors fold and project the FOV through the light transmission aperture and the imaging window.

Abstract: A hand-supportable digital image capture and processing system including a hand-supportable housing having an imaging window, and an area-type image formation and detection subsystem having image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through the imaging window and an area type image detection array having a snap-shot mode of operation for forming and detecting a 2D digital image of the object during each image acquisition cycle of the image detection array. The system includes a manual trigger switch integrated with the hand-supportable housing, for generating a trigger event, indicative that a code symbol on the detected object is aligned with the visible targeting illumination beam and is ready for illumination and imaging. The system includes an object targeting illumination subsystem for generating and projecting a visible targeting illumination beam within the FOV, in response to the generation of the trigger event signal.

Abstract: A hand-supportable digital image capture and processing system including a hand-supportable housing having an imaging window, and an area-type image formation and detection subsystem having image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through the imaging window and upon an object within the FOV, and forming and detecting 2D digital images of the object on an area-type image detection array. The system includes an object presence detection subsystem for automatically detecting an object within the FOV, and generating a first trigger event indicative of automatic object detection within the FOV. The system also includes an object targeting illumination subsystem for generating and projecting a visible targeting illumination beam within the FOV, in response to the generation of the first trigger event signal.

Abstract: A hand-supportable digital image capture and processing system including a hand-supportable housing having an imaging window. A printed circuit (PC) board is mounted in the hand-supportable housing, and has front and rear surfaces and a light transmission aperture formed centrally therethrough. An image formation and detection subsystem has image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through the imaging window and upon an object within the FOV, and an area-type image detection array for forming and detecting 2D digital images of the object during object illumination and imaging operations. A first FOV folding mirror is supported above the rear surface of the PC board over the light transmission aperture, and a second FOV folding mirror is supported above the rear surface of the PC board and over the area-type image detection array. These mirrors fold and project the FOV through the light transmission aperture and the imaging window.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system including a housing having an imaging window; and an image formation and detection subsystem supporting a periodic snap shot mode of the operation. The system includes image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through said imaging window and upon an object within the FOV, and forming an image of the object on an area-type image detection array having a plurality of rows of image detection elements, and detecting 2D digital images of the object while object illumination and imaging operations. The system also includes an LED-based illumination subsystem, with a LED illumination array, for producing a field of narrow-band illumination within the FOV, and illuminating the object detected in the FOV, so that the illumination reflects off the object and is transmitted back through the light transmission aperture and onto the image detection array to form the 2D digital image of the object.

Abstract: A method of illuminating objects on a countertop surface using an automatically-triggered digital image capture and processing system having a single array of LEDs disposed near and behind the upper edge portion of its imaging window, which is provided with an illumination-focusing lens structure integrated therein.

Abstract: A method of illuminating objects on a countertop surface using an automatically-triggered digital image capture and processing system installed thereupon, and having a single array of LEDs disposed behind the upper edge portion of its imaging window, above which a light ray blocking shroud portion is provided. During object detection, illumination and imaging operations above the countertop surface, typically at a retail point of sale (POS) station, visible illumination rays are generated by the LEDs and projected substantially within the field of view (FOV) of the system, while the light ray blocking shroud blocks a portion of illumination rays generated from the single array of LEDs and projected above and beyond the FOV of the system, and thus prevents such blocked illumination rays from striking the eyes of the system operator or nearby consumers during system operation.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system including a housing having an imaging window. An area-type image formation and detection subsystem is disposed in the housing, and has image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through the imaging window and onto an area-type image detection array, for forming and detecting 2D digital images of an object in the FOV, during object illumination and imaging operations. The housing also includes a multi-mode LED-based illumination subsystem having (i) a near-field LED array for producing a field of wide-area narrow-band illumination over a near field region of said FOV, and (ii) a far-field LED array for producing a field of wide-area narrow-band illumination over a far field region of the FOV. During object illumination and imaging operations, illumination from illumination arrays reflects off the object and is transmitted back through the imaging window and onto the area-type image detection array to form 2D digital images of the object.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system including a housing having an imaging window; and an image formation and detection subsystem supporting a snap-shot mode of the operation and a video mode of operation. The system includes image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through said imaging window and upon an object within the FOV, and forming an image of the object on an area-type image detection array having a plurality of rows of image detection elements, and detecting 2D digital images of the object while object illumination and imaging operations. The system also includes an illumination subsystem, with an illumination array, for producing a field of illumination within the FOV, and illuminating the object detected in the FOV, so that the illumination reflects off the object and is transmitted back through the light transmission aperture and onto the image detection array to form the 2D digital image of the object.

Abstract: A digital image capture and processing system capable of illuminating the entire field of view (FOV) of the system using a linear LED-based illumination array. The system includes a housing having an imaging window with a refractive-type illumination-focusing lens component integrated therewithin. The area-type image formation and detection subsystem, also disposed in the housing, has image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through the imaging window and onto an area-type image detection array, for forming and detecting 2D digital images of an object in the FOV, during object illumination and imaging operations. The linear LED-based illumination array is disposed immediately behind the refractive-type illumination-focusing lens component, for producing a field of wide-area illumination illuminating substantially the entire FOV over the working distance of the system.