Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
An image reading method comprising the steps of: reading an original image photoelectrically under a plurality of reading conditions different in light quantity; obtaining image characteristic values of said original image for said individual reading conditions from image signals read under said individual reading conditions; and absorbing differences in signal level of said image signals under said individual reading conditions using said image characteristic values obtained under said individual reading conditions to thereby align the signal level of said image signals under said individual reading conditions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
An image reading method comprising the steps of: reading an original image photoelectrically under a plurality of reading conditions different in light quantity; obtaining image characteristic values of said original image for said individual reading conditions from image signals read under said individual reading conditions; and absorbing differences in signal level of said image signals under said individual reading conditions using said image characteristic values obtained under said individual reading conditions to thereby align the signal level of said image signals under said individual reading conditions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The image reading method according to claim 1 , wherein said image characteristic values include at least one of an average value in a specified range and a specified point value in a cumulative histogram of said image signals, and an average value of said image signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The image reading method according to claim 1 , wherein said differences in said signal level of said image signals are those in the light quantity between said reading conditions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The image reading method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of a number of reading and a color for reading said original image several times is changed over in accordance with an original type of said original image as said reading conditions for reading said original image several times.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The image reading method according to claim 1 , wherein a line sensor is used to read said original image photoelectrically under said plurality of reading conditions different in the light quantity to thereby read it with an exposure time that is different between specified lines.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The image reading method according to claim 5 , wherein said differences in the signal level of said image signals are positional offsets between said lines due to said line sensor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
The image reading method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of: selecting one optimal corrected image signal to be output or at least two corrected image signals being combined to be output from a plurality of corrected image signals obtained by aligning the signal level of said image signals under said individual reading conditions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The image reading method according to claim 1 , wherein reading said original image photoelectrically under the plurality of reading conditions different in the light quantity to thereby align the signal level of said image signals under said individual reading conditions is performed in prescan prior to fine scan that reads said original image photoelectrically to obtain output image signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
70 words
The image reading method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of: determining at least one of reading conditions for said fine scan and image processing conditions for image processing schemes to be performed on fine scanned image signals obtained by said fine scan by using corrected prescanned image signals obtained by aligning the signal level of said image signals under said individual reading conditions in said prescan.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
The image reading method according to claim 9 , further comprising the step of: selecting one optimal corrected image signal to be output or at least two corrected image signals being combined to be output from a plurality of corrected image signals as said corrected prescanned image signals, which are obtained by aligning the signal level of said image signals under said individual reading conditions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The image reading method according to claim 1 , wherein said image signals are digital density signals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
104 words
An image reading method for reading an original image photoelectrically, comprising the steps of: performing prescan under a plurality of reading conditions different in light quantity prior to fine scan for obtaining output image signals; using image characteristic values of an image obtained by said prescan to absorb differences of prescanned image signals due to said different reading conditions; and determining at least one of reading conditions for said fine scan and image processing conditions for image processing schemes to be performed on the image signals obtained by said fine scan using corrected prescanned image signals having adsorbed the differences of said image signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
104 words
An image reading method for reading an original image photoelectrically, comprising the steps of: performing prescan under a plurality of reading conditions different in light quantity prior to fine scan for obtaining output image signals; using image characteristic values of an image obtained by said prescan to absorb differences of prescanned image signals due to said different reading conditions; and determining at least one of reading conditions for said fine scan and image processing conditions for image processing schemes to be performed on the image signals obtained by said fine scan using corrected prescanned image signals having adsorbed the differences of said image signals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
The image reading method according to claim 12 , wherein said image characteristic values include at least one of an average value of said image signals between two specified % points in a histogram, a specified % point value of said image signals in the histogram, and an average value of said image signals.