Patent Application
20050073732
Several peripheral and walk-up devices have scanning capabilities so that hard copy documents or electronic image files can be created from existing media (text and/or graphics documents, photographs, etc.). For example, scanners, photocopiers, and multifunction peripheral (MFP) devices are each capable of scanning such media.
Today various initial processing is often performed on scanned image data to automatically determine various scanning settings to be implemented during a final scan of the media. For instance, processing related to automatic copy type detection (black and white versus color), automatic document size detection, automatic skew detection, zoning analysis, and so forth may be performed. From the information gleaned from that processing, higher quality results can be obtained, often in less time. For example, if the user wishes to scan a 4 inch by 6 inch photograph initial, processing can be used to limit the area of the platen that is scanned at high-resolution.
Current processes for processing scanned image data have attendant disadvantages including the length of time required to complete such processing. Therefore, desirable would be a system and method for effectively scanning media with reduced processing time to accommodate higher throughput.
The disclosed systems and methods can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale.
As described above, current processes for processing scanned image data have attendant disadvantages. As described in the following, however, such processing can be performed on preview images captured using a dedicated preview image sensor that is adapted to capture relatively low-resolution images. In such a case, faster processing, and therefore scanning in general, can be achieved.
Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,
As indicated in
The printing unit 104 comprises the various components used to generate hard copy documents. Therefore, the printing unit 104 comprises the print mechanism of the imaging device 100. The print mechanism includes a charging apparatus 114, such as a charge roller, that is used to charge the surface of a photoconductor member (e.g., drum) 116 to a predetermined voltage. By way of example, the photoconductor member 116 comprises an organic photoconductor (OPC). A laser diode (not shown) is provided within a laser emitter 118 that emits a laser beam 120 that is pulsed on and off as it is swept across the surface of the photoconductor member 116 to selectively discharge the surface of the photoconductor member. In the orientation shown in
The developing roller 122 can, for instance, include an internal magnet (not shown) that magnetically attracts the toner 124 from the print cartridge 128 to the surface of the developing roller. As the developing roller 122 rotates (clockwise in
Recording media 132, for instance sheets of paper, are loaded from an input tray 134 by a pickup roller 136 into a conveyance path of the device 100. Each recording medium 134 is individually drawn through the device 100 along the conveyance path by drive rollers 138 such that the leading edge of each recording medium is synchronized with the rotation of the region on the surface of the photoconductor member 116 that comprises the developed toner image. As the photoconductor member 116 rotates, the toner adhered to the member contacts the recording medium 132, which has been charged by a transfer roller 140, such that the toner particles are moved away from the surface of the photoconductor member and onto the surface of the medium. Typically, the transfer of toner particles from the surface of the photoconductor member 116 to the surface of the recording medium 132 is not completely efficient. Therefore, if toner particles remain on the surface of the photoconductor member 116, those toner particles are removed by a cleaning blade 142 and deposited in a toner waste hopper 144. As the recording medium 132 moves along the conveyance path past the photoconductor member 106, a conveyer 146 may deliver the recording medium to a fusing system 148 that, for example, comprises a fuser roller 150 and a pressure roller 152 that apply heat and pressure to the recording medium 132 so as to fuse the toner to the surface of the recording medium. After fusing is completed, output rollers 154 draw the recording medium 132 out of the fusing system 148 and deliver the medium to an output tray 156.
As identified in
In addition to providing the print data stream to the laser emitter 118, the controller 160 controls a high voltage power supply (not shown) that supplies voltages and currents to the components used in the device 100 including the charge apparatus 114, the developing roller 122, and the transfer roller 140. The controller 160 further controls a drive motor (not shown) that drives the printer gear train (not shown) as well as the various clutches and feed rollers (not shown) necessary to move recording media 132 through the conveyance path of the device 100. A power control circuit 164 controls the application of power to the fusing system 148. Although the imaging device 100 has been described as comprising a laser print mechanism, the device can, alternatively, comprise an ink jet print mechanism.
The final scanning module 206 comprises a light source 212, such as an illumination lamp, that is used to expose the media placed on the platen to facilitate image capture. The light reflected off of the media may be reflected by a reflector 214, such as a mirror, to a high-resolution image sensor 216. By way of example, the image sensor 216 comprises a linear photosensor array such as a liner charge-coupled device (CCD) having a resolution in the range of approximately 600-1200 points per inch (ppi). In the embodiment of
The image data collected by the image sensor 216 is provided to the image processor 210. The image processor 210 may comprise a microprocessor or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that is specifically designed to perform various image processing and to store and/or transmit image data. In the embodiment of
Similar to the final scanning module 204, the dedicated preview scanning module 208 comprises an image sensor 226 and an associated optical system 228 (represented by a single lens). The image sensor 226 and the optical system 228 can, optionally, be mounted to a base or carriage 230. In some embodiments, the scanning module 208, and therefore its image sensor 226 and optical system 228, is fixed in place within the scanning unit 200. Such an arrangement may be desirable in that media placed on the platen 202 can be captured (i.e., scanned) quickly without the latency associated with physically moving an image sensor back and forth. In some cases, the image sensor 226 can capture an image of the platen 202 (and the media placed thereon) in similar manner to taking a picture using a digital camera. In such a case, all image data is captured at substantially the same time. Notably, use of a wide angle lens in the optical system 228 may facilitate such instantaneous image capture. In other embodiments, however, the scanning module 208 may be laterally or axially displaceable for purposes of enabling scanning of the entire platen 202 in cases in which such scanning is not possible using a fixed image sensor. As with the image sensor 216 of the final scanning module 204, the image sensor 226 of the preview scanning module 208 is in communication with the image processor 210 so that image data captured by the image sensor 226 may be provided to the processor. In the case of the image sensor 226, however, pre-processing (described below) is performed on a preview image prior to final scanning of the media.
The image sensor 226 may comprise a two-dimensional photosensor array (e.g., two-dimensional CCD), or a linear photosensor array (e.g., linear CCD) in cases in which the sensor is laterally and/or axially translated to enable scanning of the entire platen 202. To obtain relatively-low resolution images for purposes of conducting the pre-processing, the image sensor 226 has a relatively low-resolution as compared to the image sensor 216 of the final scanning module 204. By way of example, the image sensor 226 has a resolution in the range of approximately 30-150 ppi, with 30-75 ppi being satisfactory in some embodiments. Optionally, the resolution of the captured preview image can vary, for example, if the optical characteristics are different for a document placed on the platen by a user versus a document fed through an automatic document feeder (ADF). Furthermore, the resolution of the image sensor 226 is selected so as to comprise a multiple of the resolution of the image sensor 216 of the final scanning module 204 for purposes of convenient scaling. Therefore, if the image sensor 216 has a resolution of 600 ppi, the image sensor 226 could have a resolution of 75 ppi (i.e., ⅛ of 600 ppi). Such an arrangement reduces the amount of data collected by a factor of {fraction (1/64)} and results in two orders of magnitude reduction in processing time. Notably, because of the relatively-low resolution of the image sensor 226, inclusion of the sensor does not add appreciably to the total manufacturing costs of the imaging device 100. This is particularly the case in situations in which a stationary image sensor can be used to capture the entire platen 202 because no additional hardware may be necessary to perform the preview scan.
As is further indicated in
Because of the angled configuration of the preview scanning module 308, additional elements may be necessary to achieve scanning of the entire platen 302. For example, as indicated in
As is apparent from
An example method for scanning media using a system described above is provided in the flow diagram of
Beginning with block 400 of
Specific embodiments for the preview scanning module 110 have been described in relation to
With reference next to block 404, the image data collected by the dedicated preview scanning module 110 is received, for instance by the image processor 112. At this point, the various pre-processing that is to be performed can be conducted, as indicated in block 406. The pre-processing comprises any processing that is needed to automatically determine one or more settings to be applied when finally scanning the media. For example, the pre-processing may pertain to one or more of automatic copy type detection (black and white versus color), automatic document size detection, automatic skew detection, zoning analysis, background/foreground determination, document classification, template (foreground and/or background) matching, an ink requirement, and the like. Because the media has been scanned at relatively low resolution (e.g., 30-150 ppi), the amount of data to pre-process is relatively small, thereby significantly reducing the amount of time required to complete that pre-processing.
In addition to the information obtained after conducting the aforementioned pre-processing, commands pertinent to the final scanning may be provided by the user. For example, the user may wish to crop the image to be captured to exclude certain portions of content (e.g., portions of a photograph). In addition, the user may specify a particular resolution at which to complete the final scanning. Notably, the user's determination to input such commands may, in some embodiments, be made after the user views the preview image (e.g., on the user's PC or with a display associated with the imaging device 100).
With reference to decision block 408, it is determined whether any such user commands have been received. If not, flow continues down to block 412 described below. If so, however, flow continues to block 410 at which the image device 100, and more particularly the image processor 112 of the device, stores data pertinent to the received command(s).
At this point, all data pertinent to performing the final scanning of the media has been received. Therefore, by way of example, all information related to the copy type, document size, document skew, document zones, cropping, scanning resolution, etc. has been received and may be applied when, as indicated in block 412, the media is scanned using the final scanning module 108. Because the final scanning module 108 comprises a high-resolution image sensor, the scanned image will typically have a resolution higher than that of the preview image (even if the user selected a relatively low resolution for the final scan). Regardless, the scanning is conducted relative to any information obtained from the pre-processing (block 406) and/or to the command(s) received from a user (block 410).
As the final scanning is performed (or thereafter), relatively high-resolution image data is received by the image processor 112, as indicated in block 414. At this point, any further actions desired by the user may be performed. For instance, if the imaging device 100 comprises a printing unit 104, the image processor 112 may provide the received image data to the formatter 158 for the purpose of generating one or more hard copy documents that comprise the image data. Alternatively, the image data collected by the image processor 112 can be transmitted to a user PC for viewing and/or storage. In yet another alternative, the image data may be transmitted via email or a facsimile transmission to a desired recipient.
Scanning in the manner described in relation to
