Document scanner

Claim 2

The document scanner of claim 1 further comprising: image memory means for storing the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region and image data relating to images of the second color in the second region outputted by the first quantizing means; and optical character recognition means for performing an optical character recognition process on the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region outputted by the second quantizing means.

Claim 3

The document scanner of claim 1 wherein: the first quantizing means comprises: threshold level control means for generating the first threshold value; and binarizing means for binarizing the image data output from the image scanning means on the basis of the first threshold value generated by the first threshold level control means; and the second quantizing means comprises: threshold level control means for generating the second threshold value; and binarizing means for binarizing the image data output from the image scanning means on the basis of the second threshold value generated by the threshold level control means.

Claim 4

The document scanner of claim 3 further comprising: image memory means for storing the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region and image data relating to images of the second color in the second region outputted by the first quantizing means; and optical character recognition means for performing an optical character recognition process on the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region outputted by the second quantizing means.

Claim 5

The document scanner of claim 3 wherein: the first quantizing means further comprises: an isolated point filter comprising at least one input, and an output for providing the output of the first quantizing means; and a set of at least one delay means connected in series with other delay means of the set, each of the delay means of the set having a delay corresponding to the time to scan one line of the document and comprising an input coupled (a) to a prior one-line delay means when said delay means is not a first delay means in the series and (b) to an output from the binarizing means of the first quantizing means when said delay means is a first one of the series, and an output coupled to a separate one of the at least one inputs of the isolated point filter; and the second quantizing means further comprises: faded character compensation means comprising at least one input, and an output coupled to an input of the optical character recognition means; and a set of at least one delay means connected in series, each of the delay means of the set of delay means having a delay corresponding to the time to scan one line of the document and comprising an input coupled (a) to the a prior delay means when said delay means is not a first delay means in the series and (b) to an output from the second binarizing means of the second quantizing means when said delay means is a first one of the series, and an output coupled to a separate one of the at least one inputs of the faded character compensation means.

Claim 6

The document scanner of claim 5 further comprising: image memory means for storing the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region and image data relating to images of the second color in the second region outputted by the first quantizing means; and optical character recognition means for performing an optical character recognition process on the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region outputted by the second quantizing means.

Claim 7

The document scanner of claim 1 wherein the image scanning means comprises: illuminating means for illuminating the document to be scanned; sensor means for detecting images illuminated by the illuminating means and reflected from the document, and converting the detected images into representative electrical image output signals; and an optical system for focussing light reflected from the document onto the sensor means.

Claim 8

The document scanner of claim 7 further comprising a color compensation filter disposed between the optical system and the sensor means for providing a match between a sensitivity value of the document scanner and a reflectivity of background or ink on the document.

Claim 9

A document scanner comprising: illuminating means for illuminating a document to be scanned; image scanning means for scanning and converting images on a document that comprises a first region of images of a first color and a second region of images of a second color that differs from the color of the first region to image output signals; first quantizing means that uses a first threshold value for extracting image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region from among the image output signals from the image scanning means; and second quantizing means that uses a second threshold value for extracting both image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region and image data relating to the images of the second color in the second region from among the image output signals from the image scanning means.

Claim 10

The document scanner of claim 9 further comprising: image memory means for storing the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region and image data relating to images of the second color in the second region outputted by the first quantizing means; and optical character recognition means for performing an optical character recognition process on the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region outputted by the second quantizing means.

Claim 11

The document scanner of claim 9 wherein: the first quantizing means comprises: threshold level control means for generating the first threshold value; and binarizing means for binarizing the image data output from the image scanning means on the basis of the first threshold value generated by the first threshold level control means; and the second quantizing means comprises: threshold level control means for generating the second threshold value; and binarizing means for binarizing the image data output from the image scanning means on the basis of the second threshold value generated by the threshold level control means.

Claim 12

The document scanner of claim 11 further comprising: image memory means for storing the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region and image data relating to images of the second color in the second region outputted by the first quantizing means; and optical character recognition means for performing an optical character recognition process on the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region outputted by the second quantizing means.

Claim 13

The document scanner of claim 11 wherein: the first quantizing means further comprises: an isolated point filter comprising at least one input, and an output for providing the output of the first quantizing means; and a set of at least one delay means connected in series with other delay means of the set, each of the delay means of the set having a delay corresponding to the time to scan one line of the document and comprising an input coupled (a) to a prior one-line delay means when said delay means is not a first delay means in the series and (b) to an output from the binarizing means of the first quantizing means when said delay means is a first one of the series, and an output coupled to a separate one of the at least one inputs of the isolated point filter; and the second quantizing means further comprises: faded character compensation means comprising at least one input, and an output coupled to an input of the optical character recognition means; and a set of at least one delay means connected in series, each of the delay means of the set of delay means having a delay corresponding to the time to scan one line of the document and comprising an input coupled (a) to the a prior delay means when said delay means is not a first delay means in the series and (b) to an output from the second binarizing means of the second quantizing means when said delay means is a first one of the series, and an output coupled to a separate one of the at least one inputs of the faded character compensation means.

Claim 14

The document scanner of claim 13 further comprising: image memory means for storing the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region and image data relating to images of the second color in the second region outputted by the first quantizing means; and optical character recognition means for performing an optical character recognition process on the image data relating to the images of the first color in the first region outputted by the second quantizing means.

Claim 15

The document scanner of claim 9 wherein the image scanning means comprises: sensor means for detecting images illuminated by the illuminating means and reflected from the document, and converting the detected images into representative electrical image output signals; and an optical system for focussing light reflected from the document onto the sensor means.

Claim 16

The document scanner of claim 15 further comprising a color compensation filter disposed between the optical system and the sensor means for providing a match between a sensitivity value of the document scanner and a reflectivity of background or ink on the document.