JP3008791B2 - Image scanner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image scanner, and more particularly, to an image scanner which reads characters and images using a one-dimensional image sensor, converts the characters and images into digital data, and displays the digital data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image scanners that have been widely used include a flatbed image scanner in which an original is placed on a transparent plate and an image sensor scans under the original, and a device is mounted on the original surface. Hand-held image scanner that scans the image sensor with your hand
A typical example is a camera-type image scanner that indirectly reads a document while keeping a distance between the document and the image scanner.

[0003] Of these, camera-type image scanners are:
Documents with irregularities, thick books, white boards, etc.
It can read almost vertically installed objects,
Compared to other image scanners, there is an advantage that there are fewer restrictions on the subject such as size, orientation, and flatness.

Further, there are two typical types of camera-type image scanners currently on the market, depending on the type of the original. That is,
The first form is a form that has a stand for fixing the scanner unit and a dedicated platen, and reads from the platen, and the second form uses a whiteboard or landscape as the main subject. It is attached to a desk or a tripod to perform reading. Both are camera-type image scanners that read images at a predetermined distance between the subject image and the image scanner.

[0005] Therefore, compared with other image scanners in which the apparatus is brought into close contact with the original, it is necessary to devise a position of the original to be read such as a range of the image to be read or where to place the image in the readable range.

As an example of a camera-type image scanner capable of reading not only a general manuscript but also a whiteboard or landscape, there is an image scanner of model number "CP-1000" sold by Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
This image scanner can be placed on a desk or mounted on a tripod and used to capture the scenery with a commonly used camera. In particular, one of the applications is to read a whiteboard or blackboard at a distance.

FIG. 5 shows a configuration of a conventional camera type image scanner and an operation explanatory diagram for reading an original on a desk by using the configuration. The camera-type image scanner 30 includes a housing 31
A one-dimensional image sensor 32, a sub-scanning mechanism 33 for moving the one-dimensional image sensor 32 in the sub-scanning direction A, a flip-up screen 34, a mirror 35, a lens 36 disposed below the mirror 35, and a finder 37 are incorporated therein. And lens 3
6, a window 38 is formed below. A document 40 is arranged at a distance from the camera-type image scanner 30.

The one-dimensional image sensor 32 is a sensor in which a plurality of light receiving elements for reading are integrated in an array. The lens 36 is provided on the surface of the one-dimensional image sensor 32 so as to form an image of a document 40 as a subject. The sub-scanning mechanism 33 includes the one-dimensional image sensor 3
This is a mechanism for sequentially scanning the two-dimensional image of the read original 40 in the sub-scanning direction A while changing the position where the image is projected on the document 2.

To confirm the range of the subject, a fogging glass that can be flipped up is provided as a flip-up screen 34 on the surface scanned by the one-dimensional image sensor 32, and the subject image projected thereon is reflected by a mirror 35, This is performed by the user looking into the finder 37 in the apparatus. Therefore, the user adjusts the position of the reading range 41 by moving the image scanner 30 or the original 40 while watching the projected image reflected on the mirror 35, and gives an instruction to start reading to the image scanner 30 after the adjustment is completed. .

[0010] As another image scanner using a dedicated platen among other camera type image scanners, a model number "DS-300" sold by Chinon Co., Ltd.
0 "image scanner. FIG. 6 shows the configuration of another example of the conventional camera-type image scanner. The camera-type image scanner 50 has a one-dimensional image sensor 52, a lens 53, a reflecting mirror 54, and a sub-scanning mechanism 55 built in a housing 51, and the housing 51 has an arm 57 mounted on a dedicated document table 56. , And is fixed at a predetermined height from the document table 56.

In this camera type image scanner 50,
A reading range is set in advance in a frame 58 drawn on a dedicated document table 56, and the document is aligned according to the frame 58. Alternatively, the position of the original is adjusted by placing a magnetic marker on the original placed on the original platen 56 and detecting the position of the marker using a sensor provided on the original platen 56. After the alignment of the original, reading of one original is performed, and the read original is displayed on a display device.

It is difficult to completely eliminate the deviation between the position specified on the original platen 56 and the portion where the image sensor 52 performs sub-scanning. Due to this deviation, the actual image position relative to the original reading position specified by the user is reduced. The position read by the sensor 52 may be different. When re-reading, the original must be re-aligned and read again.

Next, the operation until reading by these two camera type image scanners 30 and 50 will be described with reference to FIG.
It will be described together with the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 7A is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image scanner, and FIG. 7B is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the user. When the user starts the operation of the camera-type image scanner 30 or 50, the camera-type image scanner 30 or 50 initializes a numerical value in the apparatus so as to have a read range prepared in advance (step 201), A designation is performed (step 202).

On the other hand, the user aligns the document (step 301). In the case of the camera type image scanner 30, the position of the document 40 is adjusted while looking through the finder 37. In the case of the camera-type image scanner 50, the original is aligned with the position specified on the original platen 56 to perform the alignment. Subsequently, the user issues a read / display start command to the device (step 302).

The apparatus is in a state of waiting for an input of a start command after the processing in steps 201 and 202 (step 20).
3) When the issuance of the above start command is detected, normal reading / display is performed (step 204). In the “large format immediate shooting” of the camera-type image scanner 30, the image is not displayed on the viewfinder 37 during reading, but is displayed by being printed on paper. In the case of the camera type image scanner 50, the image is displayed on a separately connected display device.

Upon completion of the reading and displaying operations for one sheet in the apparatus, the user checks whether the read image is within an appropriate range (step 303). If the read range is not appropriate, the user re-aligns the document and issues a read / display start command again (steps 301 and 302). As a result, the apparatus again makes settings relating to the specification of the range of the document (step 20).
2) Perform a reading and displaying operation (steps 203 and 20)
4).

The above reading / display starting operation and operation are as follows.
This is repeated until the read image reaches an appropriate range.
When the read image falls within an appropriate range, the user performs an operation to end the operation (step 304), whereby the apparatus ends the operation by confirming the operation end notification (step 205).

On the other hand, there is a method in which provisional reading is performed to reduce the repetitive work of starting reading and displaying as described above. The one that performs the temporary reading operation uses a flatbed type image scanner, and before reading at the desired resolution,
The provisional reading for reading at a coarser resolution is possible. FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining a reading operation of the conventional image scanner which performs the temporary reading. FIG.
3A is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image scanner, and FIG. 3B is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the user.

The user roughly adjusts the position of the original (step 501) and makes settings for provisional reading in the apparatus (step 401). Subsequently, when the user issues a temporary reading / display start command (step 502),
In response, the apparatus starts provisional reading / display (steps 402 and 403). When one temporary reading / display is completed, the user judges from the displayed image whether the temporary reading position is appropriate or not (step 503). If not, the above operation is repeated again. A range for reading / display is set (steps 504 and 401), and a normal read / display start command is issued (step 50).
5).

When the apparatus determines that the input read / display start command is a normal read / display start command (step 402), the apparatus starts a normal read / display operation (step 404). As a result, the user determines whether the displayed image is in an appropriate range desired by the user (step 506). If the displayed image is not appropriate, the user again sets the range for normal reading / display (step 504). , 401), a normal read / display start command is reissued (step 505), and the normal read / display operation is performed again (step 404).

As described above, when the image obtained by the normal reading / display operation falls within an appropriate range, the user issues a work end command (step 507). The apparatus ends the operation by inputting the operation end command (step 405).

[0022]

However, the above-described conventional image scanner employs a document position adjusting method in which the position of the read document is confirmed on a display device after the reading is completed. Alternatively, it is necessary to repeatedly set a reading range and issue a reading / display start command until an appropriate reading range is reached between operations of moving the position of the image scanner and checking the display to check the display. Requires work.

In the conventional flat-bed image scanner and the conventional camera-type image scanner 50 shown in FIG. 6, a dedicated platen (in the case of the flat-bed type), a place where a document is set in order to position the document is set. Transparent glass plate) is required, and the entire device becomes exaggerated,
There is a problem that hinders space saving.

Further, in the conventional image scanner 30, since the reading range can be confirmed by using optical means, the user can use the finder 37 and the mirror 35.
When the direction in which the user views the flip-up screen 34 via the screen is changed, the image projected on the flip-up screen 34 looks distorted although the relationship between the image scanner 30 and the document 40 does not change. As a result, there is a problem that a difference occurs between the projected image viewed by the user and the actually read image.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image scanner capable of eliminating a complicated operation and a document table when adjusting the position of a document with respect to a reading range.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image scanner capable of reducing an alignment error.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an image scanner which can make the alignment work faster.

[0028]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a one-dimensional image sensor for main-scanning a part of an image to be read and converting it into an electric signal, and a housing in the same housing as the one-dimensional image sensor. And is held by the stand at a desired distance from the image position to be read, and the partial images obtained by scanning the image to be read in the sub-scanning direction are sequentially input to the one-dimensional image sensor. Sub-scanning means, a display device for displaying an electric signal of a partial image converted by the one-dimensional image sensor as a display image, a stop instruction receiving means for receiving a stop instruction during an image input operation, and a screen by the sub-scanning means When the input of one image has been completed, it is determined whether or not the stop command has been received by the stop command receiving means. The operation is continued, and the electric signal input from the one-dimensional image sensor is converted into a signal form suitable for display and supplied to the display device. a signal processing unit for determining whether stop instruction has been received by the stop instruction reception means, reading image array direction of the one-dimensional image sensor
When thinning out and inputting one screen of the sub-scanning means
By making the single sub-scanning speed faster than usual,
Sub-scanning faster than normal reading
High-speed reading and high-speed display on the display device faster than the display of
And a display means . Where
No. processing unit is one screen with high-speed reading and high-speed display means
When the image input for the minute has been completed,
Determines whether a stop command has been accepted and accepts the stop command
Sub-scanning operation by high-speed reading and high-speed display
High-speed reading and high-speed operation and operation
Stops every time image input for one screen by the display means is completed.
Determines whether a stop command has been received by the stop command
If you decide that the stop command has been accepted,
Sub-scan at least at normal speed by sub-scanning means
Power of one screen image input from the original image sensor
The air signal is converted into a signal form suitable for display and supplied to the display device.
Pay.

[0029]

[0030]

According to the present invention, the signal processing section determines whether or not the stop command is received by the stop command receiving means when the image input for one screen is completed by the sub-scanning means. Since the operation of the display device is continued, the position of the read image can be adjusted to the optimum range by merely moving the original or the one-dimensional image sensor having the read image while looking at the display image of the display device. When the position is adjusted within the optimal range, the operation can be completed only by accepting the stop command by the stop command receiving means.

Further, in the present invention, the signal processing unit determines whether or not a stop command has been received when the image input for one screen has been completed by the high-speed reading / high-speed display means.・ Because the sub-scanning operation and the display operation by the high-speed display means are continued, the time required for inputting and displaying an image of one screen by normal reading without thinning out until the stop command is received is shorter. The read image can be displayed in time.

Further, in the present invention, by applying the present invention to a camera-type image scanner, it is possible to eliminate the need for positioning based on an indirect display image as in a conventional camera-type image scanner in which a document is positioned by optical means. In addition, positioning can be performed based on a direct display image displayed on the display device.

[0033]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention. The camera-type image scanner 10 according to the present embodiment includes a one-dimensional image sensor 12 that converts an image of a document into an electric signal in a scanner unit box 11 that is a housing, and a one-dimensional image sensor that collects light from the document. A lens 13 for forming an image on the mirror 12, a reflecting mirror 14 for reflecting light from the original in a desired direction, and a rotating mirror 14 for sequentially inputting an image to the one-dimensional image sensor 12 in the sub-scanning direction A. Sub-scanning mechanism 15 is built in.

Further, the camera type image scanner 10
A signal processing unit 16 for processing an electric signal obtained by main-scanning an image to be read by the one-dimensional image sensor 12 in the array direction and converting the signal into display image data; a display device 17 for displaying the converted display image data And a stop command receiving means 18 for inputting a stop command for image input, and a predetermined range (for example, 5 cm to 5
In this configuration, a stand 20 for holding the scanner unit box 11 is provided at a position separated by a desired distance B within (00 cm).

The signal processing unit 16 is, for example, the one shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the digital camera comprises an A / D conversion circuit 23 for converting an analog electric signal from the one-dimensional image sensor 12 into a digital signal, a writable and readable line memory 24, and a central processing unit (CPU) 25. The output signals of the one-dimensional image sensor 12 and the stop command receiving means 18 are received as input signals, and the operation of the sub-scanning mechanism 15 is controlled to display an image on the display device 17.

That is, the signal processing section 16 converts the photoelectric conversion analog signal of the read image input from the one-dimensional image sensor 12 into a digital signal by the A / D conversion circuit 23, and writes the digital signal into the line memory 24 once. After that, the CPU 2 converts the image data into line units.
Transfer to 5. The sub-scanning mechanism 15 receives the control signal from the CPU 25 and responds to the one-line transfer
Is rotated by a predetermined angle, and the original 21 is scanned in the sub-scanning direction A while changing the reflection angle on the one-dimensional image sensor 12 to project an image. The scanning position information of the sub-scanning mechanism 15 is C
This is fed back to the PU 25.

The display device 17 performs display by inputting display image data in line units from the CPU 25 via a bus. The stop command receiving means 18 waits for the user to issue the stop command, and when the stop command is issued, the command is stored until the reading of one document is completed. Then, when the step enters a step in which the stop command becomes valid, the reading is stopped.

In this embodiment, the one-dimensional image sensor 12
An image sensor (model number PD3733) manufactured by NEC Corporation having a 2088-bit CCD (charge coupled device) array element is used. The lens 13 provided for forming an image on the light receiving surface of the one-dimensional image sensor 12 has a focal length of 40 mm and a diameter of 1
A 6 mm glass lens is used. Further, as the sub-scanning mechanism 15, a mechanism combining a DC motor and a speed reduction mechanism, a reflecting surface rotating means described in JP-A-6-133079, and the like can be applied.

According to the present embodiment having such a configuration, as described below, even when the document 21 is placed on the table 19 of FIG. The reading range can be adjusted.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 3A is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image scanner 10, and FIG. 3B is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the user. When the user instructs the image scanner 10 to start the operation, the image scanner 10 starts the operation. First, the initialization and the signal processing unit 16 of the sub-scanning mechanism 15 are prepared in preparation for the reading start.
Is initialized (step 101). The initialization of the sub-scanning mechanism 15 is to set the angle of the reflecting mirror 14 that rotates with scanning to an initial angle. The initialization of the signal processing unit 16 resets each memory and register.

After initialization, the image scanner 10
1 is read and displayed (step 102). That is, the light from the original 21 is reflected by the reflecting mirror 14, condensed by the lens 13, formed into an image on the light receiving surface of the one-dimensional image sensor 12, and converted into an electric signal line by line. The electric signal is supplied to the signal processing unit 16, converted into image data suitable for display, and displayed by the display device 17.

The sub-scanning mechanism 1 corresponds to the processing for each line.
5 rotates the reflecting mirror 14 to form an image of the next line on the one-dimensional image sensor 12. This operation is repeated one after another (for example, if the number of arrays of the one-dimensional image sensor 12 is 2000 × 3000 lines, it is repeated about 3000 times), data of one screen is read, and the display device 17 is read.
Transfer to When the transfer of one screen has been completed, the image scanner 10 checks whether a stop command has been received from the stop command receiving means 18 (step 1).
03). If the stop command has not been received, the process returns to step 102 again to read one screen of data again and display it on the display device 17.

On the other hand, after instructing the image scanner 10 to start the operation, the user positions the document 21 (step 151), and sees the above-mentioned display of one screen to determine whether the reading range is appropriate. Judge (Step 15
2). If the reading range is not appropriate, the positioning is performed again with reference to the displayed image (step 151). If the reading range is appropriate, the user uses the stop command receiving means 18 to input the end of the work as a stop command to the apparatus (step 153).

The image scanner 10 determines that the stop command has been received from the stop command receiving means 18 (step 10).
After confirming in step 3, the operation is completed. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the reading of the data of one screen of the document 21 and the display of the read data are repeated until the stop command is input, so that the display of the read data is performed. It is possible to correct the position of the document 21 while looking at the image until an optimum reading range is found, so that each time reading and displaying are started repeatedly, not only the complicated operation conventionally required is unnecessary, but also a special document is required. The table can be eliminated.

Next, the operation of another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the present embodiment, the hardware of the image scanner 10 is the same as in FIGS. 1 and 2, but the operation is performed according to FIG. FIG.
3A is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image scanner 10, and FIG. 3B is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the user. The same reference numerals are given to the same processing steps as those in FIG. 3, and the description thereof will be omitted. That is, in the present embodiment, the operation process of the user shown in FIG. 4B is the same as the operation process of the user shown in FIG.

On the other hand, in response to the operation start instruction, the image scanner 10 first prepares for the start of reading by the sub-scanning mechanism 15.
And the signal processing unit 16 are initialized (step 111). Next, the image of one screen of the document 21 shown in FIG. 1 is read at a high speed by thinning out, and the read data is displayed on the display device 17 (step 112).
Subsequently, the signal processing unit 16 determines whether or not there is a stop command between high-speed reading and display (step 113).
If there is no stop instruction, it is determined that the reading range of the document is not appropriate, and the process returns to step 111 again. The image of one screen of the document 21 is read at a high speed by thinning out, and the read data is displayed on the display device 17.

When it is determined in step 113 that there is a stop command, the image scanner 10 performs normal reading without thinning out the image of one screen of the document 21 and sends it to the display device 17 for confirmation. Display (Step 1
14). In step 114, only reading may be performed and no display may be performed. This is because the stop instruction has already been input in step 152 as a result of the determination that the read range is appropriate, and it is not necessary to display the stop instruction again, and it takes time to perform normal display.

At the time of high-speed reading and display processing in step 112, the amount of image data to be read needs to be smaller than the amount of normal image data. For this reason, one method is to perform thinning during reading. The thinning-out reading is performed by thinning-out reading of the one-dimensional image sensor 12 in the array direction and thinning-out in the sub-scanning direction which is a direction perpendicular to this.

As a method of thinning out in the array direction,
A method of thinning the array direction by reducing the sampling rate of a signal output from the one-dimensional image sensor 12 or a method of sampling a signal output from the one-dimensional image sensor 12 at a normal sampling rate. A method of transferring data in the array direction by thinning it out when transferring data is a general method.

In the method of thinning out in the sub-scanning direction, the reflecting mirror 14 is rotated at a speed higher than the speed of the sub-scanning mechanism 15 which is used for normal reading, and a line clock is output for every line exceeding one line. By inputting the signal to the one-dimensional image sensor 12, reading can be performed at a higher speed in the sub-scanning direction than in normal reading. The line clock signal is a clock signal that is input to the one-dimensional image sensor 12 so that the one-dimensional image sensor 12 outputs one line of data.

According to the present embodiment, the image data in the array direction and the sub-scanning direction of the one-dimensional image sensor 12 are read out by thinning out, the signal processing is performed, and the image data thinned out by the display device 17 is displayed. It is possible to read and display the data of one screen in a shorter time than the normal reading and displaying. Therefore, by combining this means for repeatedly reading and displaying at high speed with the means for aligning the document 21, the position of the document 21 can be more quickly adjusted while viewing the display image on the display device 17. .

Although the above embodiment has been described with respect to a camera type image scanner, the present invention can be applied to other types of image scanners. Also, the first document alignment may be performed immediately before issuing the operation start command of the apparatus.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The position of the read image can be adjusted to an optimum range by simply moving the position of the original or the one-dimensional image sensor with the read image while viewing the display image on the display device. When adjusting the position of the range, the work can be completed only by receiving the stop command by the stop command receiving means, so that the reading and displaying can be performed without giving a command to repeatedly start reading and displaying to the apparatus, and the position of the document can be compared with the conventional case. The aligning operation can be facilitated, and the platen can be eliminated.

Further, according to the present invention, the high-speed reading / high-speed display means for performing the sub-scanning faster than the normal reading until the stop command is accepted and causing the display device to read the read image faster than the normal display. In addition, since the read image is displayed in a shorter time than the time required for inputting and displaying an image of one screen by normal reading without thinning, the document alignment operation can be performed quickly.

Further, according to the present invention, the positioning based on the direct display image displayed on the display device is performed instead of the positioning based on the indirect display image as in the conventional camera-type image scanner. As a result, there is no difference between the indirect display image and the projected image seen by the user, the alignment error can be reduced, and the original document in which the range frame is set in the original alignment A table is not required, and space can be saved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a signal processing unit illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a conventional camera-type image scanner and an original reading operation.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of another example of a conventional camera-type image scanner.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a reading operation of an example of a conventional image scanner.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a reading operation of another example of the conventional image scanner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Camera type image scanner 11 Scanner unit box 12 One-dimensional image sensor 13 Lens 14 Reflector 15 Sub scanning mechanism 16 Signal processing unit 17 Display device 18 Stop command receiving means 20 Stand 23 A / D conversion circuit 24 Line memory 25 Central processing unit (CPU)

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI H04N 1/387 G06F 15/64 340A H04N 1/10 (58) Investigated field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/04-1 / 207

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A one-dimensional image sensor for main-scanning a part of an image to be read and converting it into an electric signal; and a one-dimensional image sensor housed in the same housing as the one-dimensional image sensor.
A stand is held at a desired distance from the position of the image to be read by a stand, and partial images obtained by scanning the image to be read in the sub-scanning direction are sequentially input to the one-dimensional image sensor. Scanning means, a display device for displaying an electric signal of the partial image converted by the one-dimensional image sensor as a display image, a stop instruction receiving means for receiving a stop instruction during the image input operation, and the sub-scanning means When the image input for one screen is completed, it is determined whether or not a stop command is received by the stop command receiving means, and the operations of the sub-scanning means and the display device are continued until the stop command is received. An electric signal input from the original image sensor is converted into a signal form suitable for display and supplied to the display device, and the screen is displayed by the sub-scanning means. A signal processing unit for image input sheets stop instruction by the stop instruction reception means to determine whether accepted for each complete, the array direction of reading pixels of the one-dimensional image sensor
When inputting one screen of the sub-scanning means while thinning
By making the single sub-scanning speed faster than usual,
Sub-scanning faster than normal reading
High-speed reading by the display device faster than the display of
Possess a high-speed display unit, the signal processing unit reading the fast
・ The image input for one screen by the high-speed display means is completed.
The stop command is received by the stop command receiving means
Judgment was made before the stop command was accepted.
Sub-scanning operation and display by high-speed reading and high-speed display means
The operation is continued and the high-speed reading / high-speed display means is provided.
Stop instruction every time image input for one screen is completed
Judge whether the stop instruction has been received by the receiving means,
When it is determined that the stop command has been accepted,
At least at the normal speed, the sub-scanning means
One screen image input from one-dimensional image sensor
Converting the electric signal into a signal form suitable for display and displaying
An image scanner, which is supplied to an apparatus .