Patent ID: 6830185
Filing Date: 2004-12-14
Classification: G02B,G06K,H01S

Abstract:
A method of automatically producing digital images of a moving object, with pixels having a substantially uniform white level independent of the velocity of the moving object, said method comprising the steps of:a) determining the velocity of an object moving relative to a planar light illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based imaging system having a linear image detection array with a field of view (FOV) projectable onto the moving object, a planar light illumination array (PLIA) with a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a linear array, for producing a planar light illumination beam (PLIB) coplanar with the FOV of said linear image detection array, and a micro-controller for controlling the operation of the PLIIM based imaging system; b) using the detected velocity determined in step (a) to compute the optical power which each said light emitting diode (LED) must produce in order that each digital image of the object, formed by illuminating said object with said computed optical power, will have pixels with substantially uniform white level independent of the velocity of said object moving relative to said PLIIM-based imaging system; c) transmitting the computed optical power value(s) to said micro-controller; and d) said micro-controller using said computed optical power value to drive each said light emitting diode (LED) so that it produces a planar light illumination beam (PLIB) having the computed optical power level within said FOV, whereby the PLIB illuminates said object as said object moves through said FOV, and said PLIIM-based imaging system automatically produces a digital image of the moving object, with pixels having a substantially uniform white level, independent of the velocity of the moving object.