Patent ID: 6971577

Claim:
A method of automatically producing digital linear images of a moving object, containing pixels having a substantially square aspect-ratio, independent of the range and/or velocity of the moving object, said method comprising the steps of: a) determining the range of an object moving relative to a planar light illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based linear imaging system; b) determining the velocity of said object moving relative to said PLIIM based linear 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) for producing a planar light illumination beam (PLIB) coplanar within the FOV of said linear image detection array, and a micro-controller for controlling the operation of the PLIIM based linear imaging system; c) using the range and velocity parameters determined in steps (a) and (b) respectively, to determine a photo-integration time period parameter for the linear image detection array which ensures that said PLIIM based linear imaging system produces digital linear images of said moving object, containing pixels having a substantially square (i.e. 1:1) aspect-ratio, independent of the measured object range and/or velocity; and d) using said photo-integration time period determined in step (c) to control the photo-integration time period of the linear image detection array of said PLIIM based linear imaging system; whereby the PLIB illuminates said object as said object moves through said FOV, and said linear image detection array automatically produces digital linear images of the moving object, containing pixels having a substantially square aspect-ratio, independent of the measured range and/or velocity of the moving object.