Patent US5847884A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5847884A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image reading apparatus
Assignee: Minolta Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-07-09
•
Granted: 1998-12-08
•
Expires: 2017-07-09
Abstract
Abstract An image reading apparatus which reads document surfaces of open book-like documents placed on a document platen in a face upward condition, the image reading apparatus comprises; a first detector which detects a height distribution of a document surface in a main scanning direction, a second detector which detects a height distribution of the document surface in a sub-scanning direction, and a direction discrimination device for discriminating whether a placement direction of the document is a main scanning direction or a sub-scanning direction based on the height distributions.
Inventors
- 👤 Koichi Kamon
- 👤 Shinya Matsuda
- 👤 Noriyuki Okisu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:21
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00795; H04N1/00798; H04N1/00801; H04N1/00809; G; G02; G02B; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/10; G02B26/101; H04N1/024; H04N1/02409; H04N1/04; H04N1/10; H04N1/1013; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/04; H04N2201/0402; H04N2201/0416; H04N2201/0434
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
An image reading apparatus which reads a document surface of an open book-like document placed on a document platen in a face upward condition, said image reading apparatus comprising: first detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a main scanning direction; second detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a sub-scanning direction; and direction discrimination means for discriminating whether a placement direction of said document is the main scanning direction or a sub-scanning direction based on the height distribution in the main scanning direction and the height distribution in the sub-scanning direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
An image reading apparatus which reads a document surface of an open book-like document placed on a document platen in a face upward condition, said image reading apparatus comprising: first detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a main scanning direction; second detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a sub-scanning direction; and direction discrimination means for discriminating whether a placement direction of said document is the main scanning direction or a sub-scanning direction based on the height distribution in the main scanning direction and the height distribution in the sub-scanning direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: third detecting means for detecting a portion which forms a V-shaped distribution in the height distributions detected by the first and the second detecting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination means determines that the placement direction is the main scanning direction when the V-shaped distribution is in the height distribution by the first detecting means, and determines that the placement direction is sub-scanning direction when the V-shaped distribution is in the height distribution by second detecting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first detecting means and said second detecting means detect a portion which forms peaked distribution in the height distributions detected by the first and the second detecting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination means determines that the placement direction is the main scanning direction when a peaked distribution is detected by the first detecting means, and determines that the placement direction is the sub-scanning direction when the peaked distribution is detected by the second detecting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
136 words
An image reading apparatus which reads a document surface of an open book-like document placed on a document platen in a face upward condition, said image reading apparatus comprising: a sensor which converts a document image to electrical signals; first detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a main scanning direction; second detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a sub-scanning direction; focusing means for focusing the document image on said sensor; and focus control means which controls said focusing means in accordance with the height distribution in the sub-scanning direction when the document placement direction is the sub-scanning direction, and controls said focusing means in accordance with the height distribution in the main scanning direction when the document placement direction is the main scanning direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
136 words
An image reading apparatus which reads a document surface of an open book-like document placed on a document platen in a face upward condition, said image reading apparatus comprising: a sensor which converts a document image to electrical signals; first detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a main scanning direction; second detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a sub-scanning direction; focusing means for focusing the document image on said sensor; and focus control means which controls said focusing means in accordance with the height distribution in the sub-scanning direction when the document placement direction is the sub-scanning direction, and controls said focusing means in accordance with the height distribution in the main scanning direction when the document placement direction is the main scanning direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The image reading apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first detecting means includes a reflecting panel being extended in the main scanning direction which reflects an edge surface of the document to the sensor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image reading apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said second detecting means includes a reflecting panel being extended in the sub-scanning direction which reflects an edge surface of the document to the sensor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
146 words
An image reading apparatus which reads a document surface of an open book-like document placed on a document platen in a face upward condition, said image reading apparatus comprising: a sensor which converts a document image to electrical signals; first detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a main scanning direction; second detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a sub-scanning direction; image processing means for correcting distortion of a read image caused by a curvature of the document surface; and correction control means for controlling said image processing means in accordance with the height distribution in the sub-scanning direction when a document placement direction is the sub-scanning direction, and controlling said image processing means in accordance with the height distribution in the main scanning direction when the document placement direction is the main scanning direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
146 words
An image reading apparatus which reads a document surface of an open book-like document placed on a document platen in a face upward condition, said image reading apparatus comprising: a sensor which converts a document image to electrical signals; first detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a main scanning direction; second detecting means for detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a sub-scanning direction; image processing means for correcting distortion of a read image caused by a curvature of the document surface; and correction control means for controlling said image processing means in accordance with the height distribution in the sub-scanning direction when a document placement direction is the sub-scanning direction, and controlling said image processing means in accordance with the height distribution in the main scanning direction when the document placement direction is the main scanning direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The image reading apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first detecting means includes a reflecting panel being extended in the main scanning direction which reflects an edge surface of the document to the sensor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image reading apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said second detecting means includes a reflecting panel being extended in the sub-scanning direction which reflects an edge surface of the document to the sensor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
140 words
An image reading apparatus which reads a document surface of an open book-like document placed on a document platen in a face upward condition, said image reading apparatus comprising: a sensor which converts a document image to electrical signals; a first reflecting panel being extended in a main scanning direction which reflects an edge surface of an open-faced document to the sensor; a second reflecting panel being extended in a sub-scanning direction which reflects the edge surface of the open-faced document to the sensor; direction discrimination means for discriminating whether a placement direction of said document is main scanning direction or a sub-scanning direction based on image reading information of said edge surface in each said direction expressing the state of curvature of the document surface; and changing means for changing a reading condition in accordance with the placement direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
140 words
An image reading apparatus which reads a document surface of an open book-like document placed on a document platen in a face upward condition, said image reading apparatus comprising: a sensor which converts a document image to electrical signals; a first reflecting panel being extended in a main scanning direction which reflects an edge surface of an open-faced document to the sensor; a second reflecting panel being extended in a sub-scanning direction which reflects the edge surface of the open-faced document to the sensor; direction discrimination means for discriminating whether a placement direction of said document is main scanning direction or a sub-scanning direction based on image reading information of said edge surface in each said direction expressing the state of curvature of the document surface; and changing means for changing a reading condition in accordance with the placement direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
86 words
An image reading method for reading a document surface of an open book-like document placed on a document platen in a face upward condition by said image reading method comprising the steps of: detecting a height distribution of a document surface in a main scanning direction; detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a sub-scanning direction; and discriminating whether a placement direction of said document is a main scanning direction or a sub-scanning direction based on the height distributions detected by the detecting steps.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
86 words
An image reading method for reading a document surface of an open book-like document placed on a document platen in a face upward condition by said image reading method comprising the steps of: detecting a height distribution of a document surface in a main scanning direction; detecting a height distribution of the document surface in a sub-scanning direction; and discriminating whether a placement direction of said document is a main scanning direction or a sub-scanning direction based on the height distributions detected by the detecting steps.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
63 words
The image reading method according to claim 13, further comprising: adjusting a first image reading condition in accordance with the height distribution in the sub-scanning direction when the document placement direction is the sub-scanning direction; and adjusting a second image reading condition in accordance with the height distribution in the main scanning direction when the document placement direction is the main scanning direction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
81 words
The image reading method according to claim 13, further comprising: correcting a distortion of a read image caused by a curvature of the document surface in accordance with the height distribution in the sub-scanning direction when a document placement direction is the sub-scanning direction; and correcting the distortion in a read image caused by a curvature of the document surface in accordance with the height distribution in the main scanning direction when the document placement direction is the main scanning direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5003167A
Cited
US5276530A
Cited
US5585926A
Cited
US5362958A
Cited
US5416609A
Cited
US5616914A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-12-07 | 2002-06-08 | 2002-12-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-12-07 | 2006-06-08 | 2006-12-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-12-07 | 2010-06-08 | 2010-12-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |