US5687010A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Dual motion scanning method and apparatus therefor
Assignee: Canon Production Printing Netherlands BV
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Filing: 1996-02-15
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Granted: 1997-11-11
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Expires: 2016-02-15
Abstract
Abstract A scanner device, and the method it embodies, for scanning a document. The scanning includes a pre-scan and a subsequent main scan, with the pre-scan generating data related to the document. The scanner device includes: a scanning assembly having a platen against which the document is positioned and a mobile portion movable along the platen; a document moving device for moving a document in a first direction onto the platen; a mobile-portion-moving device for moving the mobile portion of the scanning assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a controller for controlling the document moving device and the mp-moving device, and for controlling the scanning assembly to scan the document while the document and the portion of the scanning assembly are both moving. This, for example, substantially reduces instances in which the mobile portion is moving without scanning taking place. When incorporated into a copier device, the controller controls the mobile-portion-moving device and the scanning assembly to perform a main scan as a function of the pre-scan. Such a copier has a reproducing device for reproducing a document based upon an image generated during the main scan.
Inventors
- 👤 Cornelis Van Tilborg
- 👤 Yue Peng
- 👤 Eduardus Josephus Willibrordus Van Vliembergen
- 👤 Gerardus Gertruda Johannes Catharina Kessels
- 👤 Jacobus Johannes Kandelaars
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/04; H04N1/19; H04N1/10; H04N1/1013; H04N1/1026; H04N1/1017; H04N1/1039; H04N1/1043; H04N1/12; H04N1/191; H04N1/192; H04N1/193; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/04; H04N2201/0402; H04N2201/0416
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of scanning a document in a scanning device, the scanning device including a scanning assembly having a platen against which the document is positioned and a mobile portion movable along the platen, the scanning including a pre-scan and a subsequent main scan, the pre-scan generating data related to the document, the method comprising the steps of: a) moving a first document in a first direction onto the platen; b) moving the mobile portion of the scanning assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and c) pre-scanning the document while the document and the mobile portion of the scanning assembly are both moving.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of scanning a document in a scanning device, the scanning device including a scanning assembly having a platen against which the document is positioned and a mobile portion movable along the platen, the scanning including a pre-scan and a subsequent main scan, the pre-scan generating data related to the document, the method comprising the steps of: a) moving a first document in a first direction onto the platen; b) moving the mobile portion of the scanning assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and c) pre-scanning the document while the document and the mobile portion of the scanning assembly are both moving.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein: the steps a), b), and c) are coordinated relative to a point in time, t1, at which a leading edge of the document enters onto the platen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the step a) includes: a1) stopping the document when a trailing edge thereof reaches a predetermined position P0 on the platen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
A method as in claim 3, wherein the method further comprises: d) moving the mobile portion of the scanning assembly, during the main scan and while the document is at rest, along the first document from the position P0; e) stopping, at the end of the main scan, the mobile portion of the scanning assembly at a position P4 substantially corresponding to the leading edge of the first document; and f) selecting position P4 as the starting position for movement of the mobile portion of the scanning assembly during the next pre-scan.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method as in claim 3, wherein the step b) includes: b1) determining the length of the document before the trailing edge of the document reaches the platen; and b2) modifying a speed of the mobile portion as a function of the length of the document so that the mobile portion of the scanning assembly and the trailing edge of the document reach the position P0 at substantially the same time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
101 words
A method as in claim 3, wherein: the step b) includes: b1) moving the portion of the scanning assembly towards the position P0; wherein, if the trailing edge of the document reaches the position P0 before the mobile portion of the scanning assembly, then the step c) includes: c1) pre-scanning until the mobile portion of the scanning assembly reaches the position P0; and wherein, if the mobile portion of the scanning assembly reaches the position P0 before the trailing edge of the document, then the step c) includes: c2) pre-scanning until the trailing edge of the document reaches the position P0.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein: the document is moved at a first constant speed; and wherein the mobile portion of the scanning assembly is moved at a second constant speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein: the document is moved at a first speed; wherein the mobile portion of the scanning assembly is moved at a second speed; wherein the pre-scanning is performed at a relative scanning speed that is a combination of the first and second speeds; wherein the scanning assembly has a sampling frequency; wherein the step c) includes: c1) adjusting the sampling frequency as a function of the relative scanning speed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
118 words
A scanner apparatus for scanning a document, the scanning including a pre-scan and a subsequent main scan, the pre-scan generating data related to the document, the apparatus comprising: a scanning assembly having a platen against which the document is positioned and a mobile portion movable along the platen; document moving means for moving a document in a first direction onto the platen; mobile-portion-moving means for moving the mobile portion of the scanning assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a controller for controlling the document moving means and the mobile-portion-moving means, and for controlling the scanning assembly to pre-scan the document while the document and the portion of the scanning assembly are both moving.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
118 words
A scanner apparatus for scanning a document, the scanning including a pre-scan and a subsequent main scan, the pre-scan generating data related to the document, the apparatus comprising: a scanning assembly having a platen against which the document is positioned and a mobile portion movable along the platen; document moving means for moving a document in a first direction onto the platen; mobile-portion-moving means for moving the mobile portion of the scanning assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a controller for controlling the document moving means and the mobile-portion-moving means, and for controlling the scanning assembly to pre-scan the document while the document and the portion of the scanning assembly are both moving.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein: the controller coordinates the document moving means, the mobile-portion-moving means, and the scanning relative to a point in time, t1, at which a leading edge of the document enters onto the platen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein: the document moving means stops the document when a trailing edge thereof reaches a predetermined position P0 on the platen.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
93 words
An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein: the mobile-portion-moving means moves the mobile portion of the scanning assembly, during the main scan, along the first document from the position P0; wherein the mobile-portion-moving means stops, at the end of the main scan, the mobile portion of the scanning assembly at a position P4 substantially corresponding to the leading edge of the first document; and wherein the controller selects the position P4 as the starting position for movement of the mobile portion of the scanning assembly by the mobile-portion-moving means during the next pre-scan.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising: determination means for determining the length of the document before the trailing edge of the document reaches the platen; wherein the controller modifies a speed of the mobile portion as a function of the length of the document so that the mobile-portion-moving means moves the mobile portion of the scanning assembly to reach the position P0 at substantially the same time as the trailing edge of the document.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
102 words
An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein: the mobile-portion-moving means moves the mobile portion of the scanning assembly towards the position P0; wherein, if the trailing edge of the document reaches the position P0 before the mobile portion of the scanning assembly, then the controller causes the pre-scanning to continue until the mobile portion of the scanning assembly reaches the position P0; and wherein, if the mobile portion of the scanning assembly reaches the position P0 before the trailing edge of the document, then the controller causes the pre-scanning to continue until the trailing edge of the document reaches the position P0.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein: the document moving means moves the document at a first constant speed; and wherein mobile-portion-moving means moves the mobile portion of the scanning assembly at a second constant speed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
80 words
An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein: the document moving means moves the document at a first speed; wherein the mobile-portion-moving means moves the mobile portion of the scanning assembly at a second speed; wherein the pre-scanning is performed at a relative scanning speed that is a combination of the first and second speeds; the scanning assembly has a sampling frequency; the apparatus further comprising: adjusting means for adjusting the sampling frequency as a function of the relative scanning speed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
69 words
An apparatus as in claim 9, further comprising: reverse loop means, arranged at an end of the platen, for reversing a document such that both sides of the document can be scanned in subsequent scan cycles; and edge detector means, arranged near the same end of the platen as the reverse loop means, for detecting at least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge of the document.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as in claim 9, further comprising: length detector means for detecting the length of the document prior to the document coming to rest on the platen.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
157 words
A copier apparatus for reproducing a document via scanning, the scanning including a pre-scan and a subsequent main scan, the pre-scan generating data related to the document, the apparatus comprising: a scanning assembly having a platen against which the document is positioned and a mobile portion movable along the platen; document moving means for moving a document in a first direction onto the platen; mobile-portion-moving means for moving the mobile portion of the scanning assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a controller for controlling the document moving means and the mobile-portion-moving means, and for controlling the scanning assembly to pre-scan the document while the document and the portion of the scanning assembly are both moving, wherein the controller controls the mobile-portion-moving means and the scanning assembly to perform a main scan as a function of the pre-scan; and reproducing means for reproducing a document based upon an image generated during the main scan.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
157 words
A copier apparatus for reproducing a document via scanning, the scanning including a pre-scan and a subsequent main scan, the pre-scan generating data related to the document, the apparatus comprising: a scanning assembly having a platen against which the document is positioned and a mobile portion movable along the platen; document moving means for moving a document in a first direction onto the platen; mobile-portion-moving means for moving the mobile portion of the scanning assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a controller for controlling the document moving means and the mobile-portion-moving means, and for controlling the scanning assembly to pre-scan the document while the document and the portion of the scanning assembly are both moving, wherein the controller controls the mobile-portion-moving means and the scanning assembly to perform a main scan as a function of the pre-scan; and reproducing means for reproducing a document based upon an image generated during the main scan.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
70 words
A copier apparatus as in claim 19, further comprising: reverse loop means, arranged at an end of the platen, for reversing a document such that both sides of the document can be scanned in subsequent scan cycles; and edge detector means, arranged near the same end of the platen as the reverse loop means, for detecting at least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge of the document.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
A copier apparatus as in claim 19, further comprising: length detector means for detecting the length of the document prior to the document coming to rest on the platen.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
A copier apparatus as in claim 19, wherein: the controller coordinates the document moving means, the mobile-portion-moving means, and the scanning relative to a point in time, t1, at which a leading edge of the document enters onto the platen.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
A copier apparatus as in claim 19, wherein: the document moving means stops the document when a trailing edge thereof reaches a predetermined position P0 on the platen.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
94 words
A copier apparatus as in claim 23, wherein: the mobile-portion-moving means moves the mobile portion of the scanning assembly, during the main scan, along the first document from the position P0; wherein the mobile-portion-moving means stops, at the end of the main scan, the mobile portion of the scanning assembly at a position P4 substantially corresponding to the leading edge of the first document; and wherein the controller selects the position P4 as the starting position for movement of the mobile portion of the scanning assembly by the mobile-portion-moving means during the next pre-scan.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
77 words
A copier apparatus as in claim 23, further comprising: determination means for determining the length of the document before the trailing edge of the document reaches the platen; wherein the controller modifies a speed of the mobile portion as a function of the length of the document so that the mobile-portion-moving means moves the mobile portion of the scanning assembly to reach the position P0 at substantially the same time as the trailing edge of the document.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
103 words
A copier apparatus as in claim 23, wherein: the mobile-portion-moving means moves the mobile portion of the scanning assembly towards the position P0; wherein, if the trailing edge of the document reaches the position P0 before the mobile portion of the scanning assembly, then the controller causes the scanning to continue until the mobile portion of the scanning assembly reaches the position P0; and wherein, if the mobile portion of the scanning assembly reaches the position P0 before the trailing edge of the document, then the controller causes the scanning to continue until the trailing edge of the document reaches the position P0.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
37 words
A copier apparatus as in claim 19, wherein: the document moving means moves the document at a first constant speed; and wherein mobile-portion-moving means moves the mobile portion of the scanning assembly at a second constant speed.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
81 words
A copier apparatus as in claim 19, wherein: the document moving means moves the document at a first speed; wherein the mobile-portion-moving means moves the mobile portion of the scanning assembly at a second speed; whereby the scanning is performed at a relative scanning speed that is a combination of the first and second speeds; the scanning assembly has a sampling frequency; the apparatus further comprising: adjusting means for adjusting the sampling frequency as a function of the relative scanning speed.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-11-10 | 2001-05-12 | 2001-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-11-10 | 2005-05-12 | 2005-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-11-10 | 2009-05-12 | 2009-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |