Patent US6198546B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6198546B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Image processing device
Assignee: NEC Corp
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Filing: 1998-02-10
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Granted: 2001-03-06
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Expires: 2018-02-10
Abstract
Abstract An image processing device comprises an image reader section, an A/D converter section, a speed detection roller, an encoder, and an image information precision control section. The image reader section detects the intensity of one or more colors on a subject on which the image reader section moves, and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity. The A/D converter section quantizes the electric signal to a digital signal. The movement speed of the image reader section which is moving on the subject is detected by the speed detection roller and the encoder. The image information precision control section controls quantization precision of the digital signal according to the movement speed detected by the speed detection roller and the encoder. According to the image processing device, the amount of data which is outputted to an external device such as a personal computer via an interface is automatically limited adequately according to the movement speed, thereby precise and relatively high quality images can be obtained constantly regardless of the movement speed, without causing image contraction, disappearance of pixel image information, or wrong colors.
Inventors
- 👤 Masaya Shimanaka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:58
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/04; H04N1/047; H04N1/10; H04N1/107; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/04; H04N2201/047; H04N2201/04701; H04N2201/04715; H04N2201/04724; H04N2201/04734
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A image processing device comprising: an image reader for detecting the intensity of one or more colors on a subject on which the image reader moves, and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the detected intensity; a quantizer for quantizing the electrical signal to a digital signal; a speed detector for detecting the movement speed of the image reader as it is moving on the subject; and a quantization precision controller for controlling quantization precision of the digital signal according to the movement speed detected by the speed detector; wherein the quantization precision controller outputs the most significant n bits of the digital signal with which the quantization precision controller is supplied, when the quantization precision controller sets the quantization precision at n-bits.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A image processing device comprising: an image reader for detecting the intensity of one or more colors on a subject on which the image reader moves, and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the detected intensity; a quantizer for quantizing the electrical signal to a digital signal; a speed detector for detecting the movement speed of the image reader as it is moving on the subject; and a quantization precision controller for controlling quantization precision of the digital signal according to the movement speed detected by the speed detector; wherein the quantization precision controller outputs the most significant n bits of the digital signal with which the quantization precision controller is supplied, when the quantization precision controller sets the quantization precision at n-bits.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the quantization precision controller outputs a precision change signal when the quantization precision controller varies the quantization precision.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the image reader executes black-and-white image reading and detects the intensity of white on the subject.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the image reader executes color image reading and detects the intensity of red, green and blue of corresponding pixels on the subject.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
151 words
A image processing device comprising: an image reader for detecting the intensity of one or more colors on a subject on which the image reader moves, and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the detected intensity; a quantizer for quantizing the electrical signal to a digital signal; a speed detector for detecting the movement speed of the image reader as it is moving on the subject; and a quantization precision controller for controlling quantization precision of the digital signal according to the movement speed detected by the speed detector; wherein: the quantization precision controller sets the quantization precision when the movement speed detected by the speed detector is lower than a threshold value, and the quantization precision controller sets the quantization precision at a precision which is lower than the highest precision of the quantizer when the movement speed detector by the speed detector is not lower than the threshold value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
151 words
A image processing device comprising: an image reader for detecting the intensity of one or more colors on a subject on which the image reader moves, and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the detected intensity; a quantizer for quantizing the electrical signal to a digital signal; a speed detector for detecting the movement speed of the image reader as it is moving on the subject; and a quantization precision controller for controlling quantization precision of the digital signal according to the movement speed detected by the speed detector; wherein: the quantization precision controller sets the quantization precision when the movement speed detected by the speed detector is lower than a threshold value, and the quantization precision controller sets the quantization precision at a precision which is lower than the highest precision of the quantizer when the movement speed detector by the speed detector is not lower than the threshold value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the speed detector includes a speed detection roller and the movement speed of the image reader on the subject is detected by rotation of the speed detection roller.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the quantization precision controller classifies the movement speed detected by the speed detector into three or more levels using two or more threshold values, and sets the quantization precision according to the classified level so that the quantization precision becomes higher as the classified level becomes lower.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the quantization precision controller outputs the most significant n bits of the digital signal with which the quantization precision controller is supplied, when the quantization precision controller sets the quantization precision at n-bits.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the quantization precision controller outputs a precision change signal when the quantization precision controller varies the quantization precision.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the image reader executes black-and-white image reading and detects the intensity of white on the subject.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the image reader executes color image reading and detects the intensity of red, green and blue of corresponding pixels on the subject.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
137 words
A image processing device comprising: an image reader for detecting the intensity of one or more colors on a subject on which the image reader moves, and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the detected intensity; a quantizer for quantizing the electrical signal to a digital signal; a speed detector for detecting the movement speed of the image reader as it is moving on the subject; and a quantization precision controller for controlling quantization precision of the digital signal according to the movement speed detected by the speed detector; wherein the quantization precision controller classifies the movement speed detected by the speed detector into three or more levels using two or more threshold values, and sets the quantization precision according to the classified level so that the quantization precision becomes higher as the classified level becomes lower.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
137 words
A image processing device comprising: an image reader for detecting the intensity of one or more colors on a subject on which the image reader moves, and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the detected intensity; a quantizer for quantizing the electrical signal to a digital signal; a speed detector for detecting the movement speed of the image reader as it is moving on the subject; and a quantization precision controller for controlling quantization precision of the digital signal according to the movement speed detected by the speed detector; wherein the quantization precision controller classifies the movement speed detected by the speed detector into three or more levels using two or more threshold values, and sets the quantization precision according to the classified level so that the quantization precision becomes higher as the classified level becomes lower.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the speed detector includes a speed detection roller and the movement speed of the image reader on the subject is detected by rotation of the speed detection roller.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the quantization precision controller outputs the most significant n bits of the digital signal with which the quantization precision controller is supplied, when the quantization precision controller sets the quantization precision at n-bits.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the quantization precision controller outputs a precision change signal when the quantization precision controller varies the quantization precision.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the image reader executes black-and-white image reading and detects the intensity of white on the subject.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
An image processing device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the image reader executes color image reading and detects the intensity of red, green and blue of corresponding pixels on the subject.
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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) | 2004-03-05 | 2004-09-04 | 2005-03-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-03-05 | 2008-09-04 | 2009-03-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-03-05 | 2012-09-04 | 2013-03-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |