US6124950A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for detecting book document along the longitudinal edge
Assignee: Minolta Co Ltd
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Filing: 1998-04-15
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Granted: 2000-09-26
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Expires: 2018-04-15
Abstract
Abstract An image reading apparatus is disclosed which reads from above a book document mounted as opened upwardly. This image reading apparatus decides the positions of face terminal parts of the document by detecting longitudinal edges in accordance with differences in luminance contrasts which occur in the face part of document and the lateral face part of document in the lateral direction of an image and further detecting the pattern of longitudinal edges due to the overlap of pages in the lateral face part of document and the amount of change of the position of the upper side edge of the document. The apparatus, therefore, is capable of accurately detecting the face of the document and the lateral face of the document and producing exclusively the image of the face of the document in spite of the presence of an index, a pattern of black frame, or a black background in the terminal parts of the face of the document.
Inventors
- 👤 Takashi Honda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:19
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00795; H04N1/00798; H04N1/00816; H04N1/38; H04N1/04; H04N1/10; H04N1/1013; H04N1/19; H04N1/191; H04N1/192; H04N1/193; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/04; H04N2201/0402; H04N2201/0416; H04N2201/0434
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 56
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
An image reading apparatus for reading a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upward, comprising: an image reading device for reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; a memory device for storing the output image; a longitudinal edge detecting device for detecting a longitudinal edge in the stored image; a pattern detecting device for detecting a prescribed pattern formed by the detected longitudinal edge; and an image reading area deciding device for deciding an area to be read by said image reading device based on the detected pattern.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
99 words
An image reading apparatus for reading a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upward, comprising: an image reading device for reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; a memory device for storing the output image; a longitudinal edge detecting device for detecting a longitudinal edge in the stored image; a pattern detecting device for detecting a prescribed pattern formed by the detected longitudinal edge; and an image reading area deciding device for deciding an area to be read by said image reading device based on the detected pattern.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said longitudinal edge detecting device detects the longitudinal edge in the image by detecting in a lateral direction of the image a position at which luminance contrast exceeds a prescribed value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said longitudinal edge detecting device detects the longitudinal edge in the image by detecting in the lateral direction of the image a position at which luminance contrast exceeding a prescribed value continues to exist for a length not less than a prescribed length in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pattern detecting device detects a pattern in which longitudinal edges in the image exist in a number not less than a prescribed number as spaced at a fixed interval.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image reading area deciding device selects as a boundary between an image reading area and a non-image reading area a longitudinal edge that most closely approximates the center of the image among longitudinal edges present in the detected pattern.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
80 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises: an upper and lower edge detecting device for detecting in the image such an edge as corresponds to one of an upper side edge and a lower side edge of the book document; and a change point detecting device for detecting a point of change in the detected edge, and wherein said image reading area deciding device decides the image reading area based on the detected point of change.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said change point detecting device detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which an amount of change in the longitudinal direction of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said image reading area deciding device selects the detected point of change as a boundary between an image reading area and a non-image reading area.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said change point detecting device detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which a rate of change in the longitudinal direction of a position of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said prescribed pattern is a two dimensional matrix.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
121 words
An image reading apparatus for reading a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upward, comprising: an image reading device for reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; a memory device for storing the output image; an upper and lower edge detecting device for detecting in the memorized image such an edge as corresponds to one of an upper side edge and a lower side edge of the book document; a change point detecting device for detecting a point of change in the detected edge; and an image reading area deciding device for deciding an area to be read by said image reading device based on the detected point of change.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
121 words
An image reading apparatus for reading a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upward, comprising: an image reading device for reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; a memory device for storing the output image; an upper and lower edge detecting device for detecting in the memorized image such an edge as corresponds to one of an upper side edge and a lower side edge of the book document; a change point detecting device for detecting a point of change in the detected edge; and an image reading area deciding device for deciding an area to be read by said image reading device based on the detected point of change.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said change point detecting device detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which an amount of change in a longitudinal direction of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said image reading area deciding device adopts the detected point of change as a boundary between an image reading area and a non-image reading area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said change point detecting device detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which a rate of change in a longitudinal direction of a position of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
138 words
An image reading apparatus for reading a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upward, comprising: an image reading device for reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; a memory device for storing the output image; and a boundary detecting device for detecting from the memorized image a boundary between a face part and a lateral face part of the book document, wherein said boundary detecting device is provided with a longitudinal edge detecting device for detecting a longitudinal edge in the memorized image and a pattern detecting device for detecting a prescribed pattern formed by the detected longitudinal edge, said boundary detecting device being adapted to detect the boundary between the face part of document and the lateral face part of document based on the detected pattern.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
138 words
An image reading apparatus for reading a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upward, comprising: an image reading device for reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; a memory device for storing the output image; and a boundary detecting device for detecting from the memorized image a boundary between a face part and a lateral face part of the book document, wherein said boundary detecting device is provided with a longitudinal edge detecting device for detecting a longitudinal edge in the memorized image and a pattern detecting device for detecting a prescribed pattern formed by the detected longitudinal edge, said boundary detecting device being adapted to detect the boundary between the face part of document and the lateral face part of document based on the detected pattern.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said longitudinal edge detecting device detects the longitudinal edge in the image by detecting in a lateral direction of the image, a position at which luminance contrast exceeds a prescribed value.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said longitudinal edge detecting device detects the longitudinal edge in the image by detecting in the lateral direction of the image a position at which luminance contrast exceeding a prescribed value continues to exist for a length not less than a prescribed length in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said pattern detecting device detects a pattern in which longitudinal edges in the image exist in a number not less than a prescribed number as spaced at a fixed interval.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
50 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said boundary detecting device selects as the boundary between the face part of document and the lateral face part of document a longitudinal edge that most closely approximates the center of the image among longitudinal edges present in the detected pattern.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
93 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said boundary detecting device further comprises: an upper and lower edge detecting device for detecting in the image such an edge as corresponds to one of an upper side edge and a lower side edge of the book document; and a change point detecting device for detecting a point of change in the detected edge, and wherein said boundary detecting device detects the boundary between the face part of document and the lateral face part of document based on the detected point of change.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said change point detecting device detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which an amount of change in the longitudinal direction of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said boundary detecting device adopts the detected point of change as the boundary between the face part of document and the lateral face part of document.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
48 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said change point detecting device detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which a rate of change in the longitudinal direction of a position of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said prescribed pattern is a two dimensional matrix.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
160 words
An image reading apparatus for reading a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upward, comprising: an image reading device for reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; a memory device for storing the output image; and a boundary detecting device for detecting from the memorized image a boundary between a face part and a lateral face part of the book document, wherein said boundary detecting device is provided with an upper and lower edge detecting device for detecting from the memorized image such an edge as corresponds to one of an upper side edge and a lower side edge of the book document and a change point detecting device for detecting a point of change in the detected edge, said boundary detecting device being adapted to detect the boundary between the face part of document and the lateral face part of document based on the detected point of change.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
160 words
An image reading apparatus for reading a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upward, comprising: an image reading device for reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; a memory device for storing the output image; and a boundary detecting device for detecting from the memorized image a boundary between a face part and a lateral face part of the book document, wherein said boundary detecting device is provided with an upper and lower edge detecting device for detecting from the memorized image such an edge as corresponds to one of an upper side edge and a lower side edge of the book document and a change point detecting device for detecting a point of change in the detected edge, said boundary detecting device being adapted to detect the boundary between the face part of document and the lateral face part of document based on the detected point of change.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
45 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said change point detecting device detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which an amount of change in the longitudinal direction of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
35 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said boundary detecting device adopts the detected point of change as the boundary between the face part of document and the lateral face part of document.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
48 words
An image reading apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said change point detecting device detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which a rate of change in the longitudinal direction of a position of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for reading an image of a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upwardly, comprising the steps of: reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; memorizing the output image; detecting a longitudinal edge in the memorized image; detecting a prescribed pattern formed by the detected longitudinal edge; and deciding an area to be read by an image reading device based on the detected pattern.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for reading an image of a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upwardly, comprising the steps of: reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; memorizing the output image; detecting a longitudinal edge in the memorized image; detecting a prescribed pattern formed by the detected longitudinal edge; and deciding an area to be read by an image reading device based on the detected pattern.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 29, wherein said step of detecting a longitudinal edge detects the longitudinal edge in the image by detecting in a lateral direction of the image a position at which luminance contrast exceeds a prescribed value.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 30, wherein said step of detecting a longitudinal edge detects the longitudinal edge in the image by detecting in the lateral direction of the image a position at which luminance contrast exceeding a prescribed value continues to exist for a length not less than a prescribed length in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 29, wherein said prescribed pattern is a two dimensional matrix.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 29, wherein said step of detecting a pattern detects a pattern in which longitudinal edges in the image exist in a number not less than a prescribed number as spaced at a fixed interval.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 29, wherein said step of deciding an image reading area selects as a boundary between an image reading area and a non-image reading area a longitudinal edge that most closely approximates the center of the image among longitudinal edges present in the detected pattern.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for reading an image of a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upwardly, comprising the steps of: reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; memorizing the output image; detecting in the memorized image such an edge as corresponds to one of an upper side edge and a lower side edge of the book document; detecting a point of change in the detected edge; and deciding an image reading area based on the detected point of change.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for reading an image of a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upwardly, comprising the steps of: reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; memorizing the output image; detecting in the memorized image such an edge as corresponds to one of an upper side edge and a lower side edge of the book document; detecting a point of change in the detected edge; and deciding an image reading area based on the detected point of change.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 35, wherein said step of detecting a point of change detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which an amount of change in a longitudinal direction of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 35, wherein said step of deciding an image reading area adopts the detected point of change as a boundary between an image reading area and a non-image reading area.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 35, wherein said step of detecting a point of change detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which a rate of change in a longitudinal direction of a position of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for reading an image of a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upwardly, comprising the steps of: reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; memorizing the output image; detecting a longitudinal edge in the memorized image; detecting a prescribed pattern formed by the detected longitudinal edge; and detecting a boundary between a face part and a lateral face part of the book document based on the detected pattern.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for reading an image of a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upwardly, comprising the steps of: reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; memorizing the output image; detecting a longitudinal edge in the memorized image; detecting a prescribed pattern formed by the detected longitudinal edge; and detecting a boundary between a face part and a lateral face part of the book document based on the detected pattern.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 39, wherein said step of detecting a longitudinal edge detects the longitudinal edge in the image by detecting in a lateral direction of the image a position at which luminance contrast exceeds a prescribed value.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 40, wherein said step of detecting a longitudinal edge detects the longitudinal edge in the image by detecting in the lateral direction of the image a position at which luminance contrast exceeding a prescribed value continues to exist for a length not less than a prescribed length in the longitudinal direction.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 39, wherein said step of detecting a pattern detects a pattern in which longitudinal edges in the image exist in a number not less than a prescribed number as spaced at a fixed interval.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 42, wherein said step of detecting a boundary between a face part and a lateral face part of the book document selects as the boundary between the face part of document and the lateral face part of document a longitudinal edge that most closely approximates the center of the image among longitudinal edges present in the detected pattern.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 39, wherein said prescribed pattern is a two dimensional matrix.
Claim 52
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for reading an image of a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upwardly, comprising the steps of: reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; memorizing the output image; detecting from the memorized image an edge that corresponds to one of an upper side edge and a lower side edge of the book document; detecting a point of change in the detected edge; and detecting a boundary between a face part and a lateral face part of the book document based on the detected point of change.
Claim 53
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for reading an image of a book document mounted on a document stand as opened upwardly, comprising the steps of: reading the document mounted on the document stand and producing an image as an output; memorizing the output image; detecting from the memorized image an edge that corresponds to one of an upper side edge and a lower side edge of the book document; detecting a point of change in the detected edge; and detecting a boundary between a face part and a lateral face part of the book document based on the detected point of change.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 45, wherein said step of detecting a point of change detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which an amount of change in the longitudinal direction of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 45, wherein said step of detecting a boundary between a face part and a lateral face part of the book document selects the detected point of change as the boundary between the face part of document and the lateral face part of document.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method for reading an image according to claim 45, wherein said step of detecting a point of change detects the point of change by detecting a lateral position at which a rate of change in the longitudinal direction of a position of the detected edge in the image exceeds a prescribed amount.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-09-26 | 2004-03-27 | 2004-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-09-26 | 2008-03-27 | 2008-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-09-26 | 2012-03-27 | 2012-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |