Facsimile Illumination Control Patents (Class 358/475)
  • Patent number: 9118785
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of scanning a physical medium by an image scanner comprising a first image sensor having a plurality of image sensor elements that provide an image, and a first light source associated with the first image sensor, the method comprising: guiding light from the first light source towards a first group of image sensor element(s); recording a first light calibration value using the first group of image sensor element(s). The method further comprises repeating the above step by using a second group of image sensor element(s) thus resulting in a second light calibration value; generating a first compensation signal for image sensor elements positioned between the first and the second group of image sensor element(s) by processing the first and the second light calibration value together; compensating said image signals provided by the first image sensor using the first compensation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Contex A/S
    Inventors: Gerard Verhaegh, Troels Pedersen, Lars Errebo Larsen, Jens Kærgaard Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9094562
    Abstract: A reflection reading light guide that emits light of a reflection reading light source, from a reflected light emission surface to bill S; a transmission reading light guide that emits light of a transmission reading light source, from a transmitted light emission surface to bill S; a rod-lens array that focuses reflected light from the bill S and/or transmitted light transmitted through bill S; a light receiving element that receives light collected by the rod-lens array; and a frame including a housing portion that houses the reflection reading light guide are disclosed. A light blocking portion that protrudes from the reflected light emission surface of the reflection reading light guide toward optical axis Z of the rod-lens array is included in the housing portion, and includes a positioning reference surface for the reflection reading light guide. Influence of stray light is reduced, and accuracy of read image is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: CANON COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Horiguchi, Hidemasa Yoshida, Akifumi Fujiwara, Hidehisa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9088684
    Abstract: An image reading device including an illumination unit that has a light guide body guiding light of a light source that is facing one longitudinal end surface of the light guide body to an object to be read; and an image forming optical device that is parallel to the light guide body, has a lens array with an incidence surface in which lens surfaces are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the light guide body, and condenses reflected light from the object which is incident on the incidence surface, thereby forming an erect equal-magnification image on a sensor. The image reading device further includes a frame on which is disposed the image forming optical device. A second frame projects in a direction away from the first frame and connects to the first frame, or the frame connects to an H-shaped cross-section frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hidekazu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9065961
    Abstract: A circuit board of an image sensor unit of this invention includes a substrate, a first circuit pattern portion formed on the substrate, and a second circuit pattern portion formed continuously from the first circuit pattern portion. A light source is connected to the second circuit pattern portion. The light source is arranged facing an incident surface by bending the second circuit pattern portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: CANON COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventor: Shuuichi Shimoda
  • Publication number: 20150146268
    Abstract: An optical scanner includes a substrate, and a tunable laser on the substrate, wherein the tunable laser is configured to emit light, and to sweep a wavelength of the emitted light through a waveband. The optical scanner further includes a grating over a top surface of the substrate, the grating configured to diffract light emitted from the tunable laser, and an angled reflective surface configured to reflect the diffracted light from the grating. The optical scanner further includes a refractive element configured to receive the reflected light from the angled reflective surface. The refractive element is configured to focus the reflected light in a first direction and to diverge the reflected light in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tien-Yu HUANG, Ying-Hao KUO, Kuo-Chung YEE
  • Patent number: 9041986
    Abstract: A sheetfed film scanning correction method includes: using a film holding member as a film feeding carrier, wherein the film holding member is fixed and does not move during film feeding, and wherein after the film holding member is inserted into a work position in a scanner, a scanning module of the scanner collects a first correction information under a filmless scanning state and corrects a subsequent scan result according to the first correction information; and setting sheet-feeding rollers of the scanner in idle running as if under a real film scanning state during or prior to collection of the first correction information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: QISDA (SUZHOU) Co., LTD
    Inventors: Yong-Xiang Yi, Shan-Shan Tang
  • Patent number: 9041984
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a light source, an imaging section, and a controller. The light source includes a plurality of light emitting elements. The light source irradiates light to an original document, while moving relative to the original document. The imaging section obtains scan data read from the original document by light irradiated to the original document from the light source. The controller controls the light source and the imaging section. The controller determines a read target region and a non-read target region in the original document, turns on a light emitting element out of the plurality of light emitting elements, which corresponds to the read target region, and turns off a light emitting element out of the plurality of light emitting elements, which corresponds to the non-read target region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Haruki Sayama
  • Patent number: 9041985
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a casing that blocks ambient light and has an opening portion in a bottom surface, an image capturing unit that captures an image of a medium exposed to an internal portion of the casing in the opening portion, and a plurality of light sources that are arranged on the internal portion of the casing and irradiate light toward the opening portion. The plurality of light sources irradiate light to different areas on a plane in the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Yuki Kasahara, Masahiko Kobako, Masaya Takamori
  • Publication number: 20150138612
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a document sheet cover, a pressing portion, and a light irradiating portion. The document sheet cover is openable and closable with respect to a document sheet mounting surface. The pressing portion is provided in a recess formed in a counter surface of the document sheet cover that faces the document sheet mounting surface. The pressing portion is biased in a direction to project from the counter surface. When the document sheet cover is closed, the pressing portion contacts a document sheet placed on the document sheet mounting surface and is housed in the recess. The light irradiating portion is configured to irradiate light, toward the document sheet mounting surface, from a gap formed between a side wall of the recess and the pressing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Minoru Tokonami
  • Publication number: 20150138611
    Abstract: The present application discloses methods and systems for calibrating a scanning system. The scanning system comprises a light-transmissive platen defining a top surface and a bottom surface, a controller, a document handler, and a scanner bar for recording image data from documents at various document heights. In one embodiment, the calibration method proposes the use of two calibration strips in a document scanning system that has both platen scanning and Constant Velocity Transport (CVT) scanning modes. In another embodiment, a scanner is disclosed with a dual calibration target or a single calibration target that is manufactured with two (2) different heights to correct the illumination profile at the CVT scanning height or at the platen scanning height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul Simon GOLDING, Michael John WILSHER
  • Patent number: 9036220
    Abstract: A contact image sensing device includes a housing, a light emitting unit, a red lens array, a sensing unit, and a protecting component. The housing includes a top surface, a bottom surface, an accommodating groove, and a slot. The bottom surface is opposite to the top surface. The accommodating groove is formed on the top surface and concave toward to bottom surface. The slot penetrates the top surface and the bottom surface. The light-emitting unit is arrange within the accommodating groove. The rod lens array is arranged within the slot. The sensing unit is arranged below the housing. The protecting component includes a main body, a recess, and a lighting slot communicating with the recess, a top end of the rod lens array is assembled with the recess. The main body of the protecting member forms at least one containing recess. A combining component for combining the rod lens array and the protecting member is disposed within the containing recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: CREATIVE SENSOR INC.
    Inventors: Ting-Pin Lu, Ming-Chieh Lin, Jia-Lin Lee
  • Patent number: 9030717
    Abstract: Provided are an image reading apparatus, a compression-ratio determination method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that can determine a compression ratio such that the data amount after compression would be optimal. The image reading apparatus includes an image generator for generating an input image by reading a document, a document-type identification module for identifying a type of the document, and an image compressor for compressing the input image, wherein the image compressor determines a compression ratio for compressing the input image, based on the type of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventor: Shigeyuki Yokouchi
  • Patent number: 9025216
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: light-receiving elements arranged in a main-scanning direction to perform photoelectric conversion pixel by pixel; AD converter units that convert each piece of analog data photoelectric-converted by the light-receiving elements into parallel pieces of digital data; a storage unit that stores therein each of the digital data converted by the AD converter units; a converter unit that reads the digital data stored in the storage unit and converts the read digital data into serial data in the main-scanning direction; a readout control unit that changeably controls a readout start pixel and a readout end pixel of the serial data in the main-scanning direction; and a period change unit that changes a period in which the converter unit converts digital data into serial data in the main-scanning direction based on the readout start pixel and the readout end pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hideki Hashimoto, Masamoto Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 9025212
    Abstract: A scanner device according to one aspect of the present disclosure has a first mode for reading a normal object placed on a document table, and a second mode for reading a self-luminous object placed on the document table. The scanner device has a light detecting portion and a control portion. The light detecting portion detects light of an object placed on the document table. The control portion switches the reading mode between the first mode and the second mode on the basis of a detection result of the light detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Koichi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150116793
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a light source, an imaging element and a control unit. The light source irradiates light on a document. The irradiated light of the light source reflected by the document is incident on the imaging element. The control unit is configured to, if the document is an ordinary document having no light-emitting screen, set a light amount of the irradiated light of the light source at a predetermined reference value and is configured to, if the document is a special document having a light-emitting screen, reduce the light amount of the irradiated light of the light source to become lower than the reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Hirotoshi TAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20150116791
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus sets an irradiation region below a fixed reading glass when light guide members diffuse light of LEDs upward so that the irradiation region corresponding to a significantly sagged portion in a main scanning direction is wider than that corresponding to portions on both sides of the significantly sagged portion, and sets a light intensity of a plurality of LEDs corresponding to the significantly sagged portion in the main scanning direction to be larger than that of a plurality of LEDs corresponding to the portions on both sides of the significantly sagged portion. Therefore, the degradation of the illuminance corresponding to the significantly sagged portion due to the pressed fixed reading glass can be prevented, and the entire document can be read with uniform reading precision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Tochigi
  • Publication number: 20150116792
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus irradiates an object with light and reads an image on or of the object. The image reading apparatus includes a table on which the object is placed, a planar light source configured to emit light to the object, a range-finding section configured to measure a distance between the table and the object, and a control section configured to cause the planar light source to entirely or partially emit light. The control section controls a light emitting portion of the planar light source thereby to control a light collection spot for the planar light source to a position based on a measurement value obtained by the range-finding section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi INOUE
  • Patent number: 9019576
    Abstract: A 3D scanner for recording the 3D topography of an object, the 3D scanner includes an illumination unit configured for providing probe light for illuminating the object, where the probe light includes a pattern of light rays; an image sensor for acquiring one or more 2D images of light rays returning from the illuminated object; an optical system including an optical element arranged such that the patterned probe light passes through it when propagating towards the object from the illumination unit along an optical path; and a device for changing the configuration of the optical system between a first and a second configuration, where the change in configuration comprises a change in orientation of the optical element between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the optical path of the probe light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: 3Shape A/S
    Inventors: Christian Romer Rosberg, Bo Esbech
  • Patent number: 9019575
    Abstract: An embodiment of this invention is directed to reading an original at a high resolution with high quality by an image reading apparatus using a 3-line CCD and white LED. The image reading apparatus according to the embodiment includes a 3-line CCD, a white LED, and a light guide configured to guide light from the LED to an original. A surface of the light guide from which light emerges toward the original is formed into a concave shape. Light from the light guide almost uniformly irradiates the reading region of an image placed on a platen glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuusuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9013749
    Abstract: A light source section of the image reading apparatus illuminates a document with light. An image sensor outputs image signals. An operating section accepts input of an enlargement factor and selection of a document scanning mode. An image processing section generates image data, from pixels (lines) in a quantity according to an enlargement factor. A stepper motor moves the document or the light source section. During a quiet mode, a signal generating section inputs to the stepper motor a pulse signal of a fixed frequency within a quiet mode frequency band. The quiet mode frequency band is a frequency band in which vibration of the stepper motor is at or below a predetermined normal vibration level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCER Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tadashi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9013759
    Abstract: A document reading unit included in an image forming apparatus and operated with a method of detecting an original document, includes an original document table, a moving irradiation unit having multiple block light sources moving in a sub scanning direction while irradiating the original document, an image sensor receiving reflected light, and a controller that starts a length specifying operation with the moving irradiation unit located at a position facing the original document, sequentially turns on the block light sources, obtains an amount of reflected light under lighting conditions of each block light sources, and determines the length of the original document in the main scanning direction. While the moving irradiation unit is moving in the sub scanning direction, the image sensor receives the reflected light on a region of the original document in the sub scanning direction under each lighting condition during the length specifying operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Ishida
  • Patent number: 9007663
    Abstract: An light irradiation system for irradiating light a document face includes a light source; a light guiding member to guide light emitted from the light source; and a reflector to reflect a part of light exiting from the light guiding member to the document face. A direction that emission light intensity of the light emitted from the light source becomes the strongest is different from a direction extending from the light source to an irradiation area. The irradiation area is irradiated by a reflection light reflected by the reflector, and a direct light exiting from the light guiding member without reflection at the reflector. The light guiding member including an incidence surface, an exit surface, and a light guiding part including a total reflection face. Light quantity irradiated to the document face by reflection light is smaller than light quantity irradiated to the document face by direct light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Iwamatsu, Tsuyoshi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9007627
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a LED that emits white light, a light guiding body, and a photoelectric conversion element. The light guiding body is disposed along the main scanning direction. The light guiding body includes an incident surface, a plurality of groove portions, an emission surface, and a scattering portion. The incident surface is formed on one end in a longitudinal direction, faces the light emitting surface of the LED that emits white light, and receives incident light that is emitted from the light emitting surface. The plurality of groove portions is formed on the incident surface and is formed concentrically to the center of the incident surface. The emission surface is formed along the main scanning direction. The scattering portion scatters light and includes a plurality of prisms. The scattering portion is opposed to the light emitting surface and is disposed along the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kenichiro Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20150098118
    Abstract: A dual-slope light guide includes a first surface, a second surface and a curved surface. The first surface has first reflecting structures. The second surface, connected to the first surface, has second reflecting structures. An included angle between the first surface and the second surface is unequal to 180 degrees. The curved surface connects the first surface to the second surface. The first surface, the second surface and the curved surface extend from a first end of the light guide to a second end of the light guide. A light beam incident to the first end of the light guide is reflected and converted by the first reflecting structure and the second reflecting structure into linear light emitted from the curved surface. A light source module and an optical assembly for a scanner are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: SHIN GWO SHIUE, SUNG-PO CHENG
  • Patent number: 9001394
    Abstract: An image scanning apparatus and method are provided. The image scanning apparatus scans an image of a document and converts the scanned image into digital data, and includes light sources that emit light. The apparatus includes a light guide unit that diffuses the light emitted by the light sources and a sensor unit that senses image data from the document by recognizing light reflected from the document by being diffused by the light guide unit. The apparatus includes a control unit that controls the turning on of the light sources. The control unit alternately turns on or off the light sources such that at least one of the light sources is turned on when at least one other light source is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung-je Joh, Sun-hee Lee
  • Patent number: 9001396
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a contact glass having a document placing surface, an index part to be an index for aligning a corner of a document to a reference point within the document placing surface, a reading portion configured to read the document, and a light emitting portion configured to emit linear light extending in a main scanning direction. When a predetermined point apart from the index part within the document placing surface is set as the reference point, the light emitting portion moves in a sub-scanning direction so that a region of the contact glass irradiated with the linear light coincides with the predetermined point, and emits the linear light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hidehiko Kojo
  • Patent number: 9001395
    Abstract: An image reading device includes an illuminating means for illuminating a reading position through which a sheet conveyed by conveying means passes, optical reading means for reading reflected light of the sheet illuminated by the illuminating means when the sheet passes the reading position, a white reference plate disposed opposite to the optical reading means with the reading position sandwiched therebetween, and moving structure means for moving a placement position of the illuminating means based on a placement position of the white reference plate, and storage means is included for storing information in a searchable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Seiji Ikari, Junji Miura
  • Patent number: 9001392
    Abstract: An imaging element array includes a plurality of imaging elements that are arranged side by side. Each imaging element is integrally molded as a single piece element and includes an incident surface, an emission surface, and a plurality of reflective surfaces which are provided between the incident surface and the emission surface. The imaging element includes a first reflective element and propagation preventing surfaces. The first reflective element includes at least one of the plurality of reflective surfaces and has an effective region which is in contact with adjacent imaging elements. The propagation preventing surfaces are to either side of another one of the plurality of reflective surfaces and are positioned to prevent light rays other than light rays reflected from the reflective surface from propagating to the emission surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20150092253
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a casing that blocks ambient light and has an opening portion in a bottom surface, an image capturing unit that captures an image of a medium exposed to an internal portion of the casing in the opening portion, and a plurality of light sources that are arranged on the internal portion of the casing and irradiate light toward the opening portion. The plurality of light sources irradiate light to different areas on a plane in the opening portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: PFU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuki KASAHARA, Masahiko KOBAKO, Masaya TAKAMORI
  • Patent number: 8995029
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing laser texturing of solid substrates are disclosed. The texturing may be used to provide grayscale images obtainable from substrates, which may include steel, aluminum, glass, and silicon. In some embodiments, images may be obtainable from the substrate by modifying the reflective, diffractive, and/or absorptive features of the substrate or the substrate surface by forming random, periodic, and/or semi-periodic micro-structure features on the substrate (or substrate surface) by an ultrafast laser pulse train. The ultrafast pulse train may be modulated in order to vary, for example, optical exposure time, pulse train intensity, laser polarization, laser wavelength, or a combination of the aforementioned. The ultrafast pulse train and the substrate may be scanned with respect to each other to provide different optical energies to different regions of the substrate (or substrate surface).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: IMRA America, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Shah, Martin E. Fermann
  • Patent number: 8988743
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a document detecting apparatus includes a light-emitting element, a photoelectric conversion element, a light-emission controller and a detection processor. The light-emitting element projects light onto a detection position of a document. The light-emitting element is not used for reading an image of the document. The photoelectric conversion element converts light projected onto the detection position into an electric signal and outputs the electric signal. The light-emission controller changes the light quantity of the light emitted by the light-emitting element during a predetermined interval. The detection processor detects the presence or absence of the document at the detection position of the document based on whether a value of the output electric signal during the predetermined interval changes in correspondence to the change of the light quantity caused by the light-emission controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sueo Ueno, Mitsuru Hatano, Katsuya Nagamochi, Hiroyuki Shiraishi, Yusuke Hashizume
  • Patent number: 8988740
    Abstract: A scanning method and apparatus. The method comprising the steps of: measuring an ambient video level using an area sensor under the control of a processor means; and calculating a gain and/or a exposure time and/or light source power for an actual flash video level using a stored reference flash video level and the measured ambient video level such that a summation of the actual flash video level and the ambient video level yields a desired video level in a scan image of the document using the calculated gain and/or exposure time and/or light source power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Piqx Imaging Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Yew Kien Loi, Ling Chuing Goh, Swee Heng Yeo, Boon Chen Lee, Gunawan Sutono
  • Patent number: 8982430
    Abstract: A lighting unit includes LED chips positioned in an array form in a main scanning direction on LED substrates. Cylindrical parabolic mirrors each form a shape in which a cylindrical paraboloid having curvature with respect to an sub-scanning direction has been clipped by an axial plane that is perpendicular to the vertex of the cylindrical paraboloid in the main scanning direction, and project light emitted from the light source on an illumination area of an illuminated item. Each cylindrical parabolic mirror includes an anchoring section that is provided at the vertex of the cylindrical paraboloid, and extends from the vertex in an outside direction of the cylindrical paraboloid. Heat-radiating plates each have a contact section that is in contact with the LED substrate, and a non-contact section. Each LED substrate is interposed between the contact section of the heat-radiating plate and the anchoring section of the cylindrical parabolic mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuki Okamoto, Taku Matsuzawa, Tadashi Minobe, Takahito Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8982432
    Abstract: A light guide includes a plurality of boss portions. A round hole portion is provided near the center of a base member for fixing the light guide, and slit portions are provided on both ends thereof. The round hole portion supports one boss portion in both the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the light guide. The slit portions support boss portions in the lateral direction of the light guide, but are free in the longitudinal direction of the light guide. That is, the center of the light guide is fixed from both directions, and thus both ends of the light guides can expand away in the longitudinal direction. This cuts the influence of expansion by half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ayumu Murakami
  • Patent number: 8982431
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes a light source, a light guide, and a holding member configured to hold the light source and to hold the light guide via a fixing member. Within a cross section including a plane normal direction of an exit surface of the light source and a plane normal direction of an entrance surface of the light guide, the plane normal direction of the entrance surface of the light guide or a direction within a surface of the light guide contacting the fixing member and the plane normal direction of the exit surface of the light source or a maximum intensity direction in light emission of the light source are inclined relative to each other such that a ray of light from the light source in the maximum intensity direction is refracted at the entrance surface of the light guide in a direction away from the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ikutaro Mitsutake
  • Patent number: 8976424
    Abstract: A computing device is equipped with a liquid crystal display (LCD) device primarily for display purpose. Techniques are described to modify such an LCD device to have the scanning capability. Without affecting the display functions of an LCD device, an image sensing module is provided behind an LCD unit in the LCD device. By controlling the liquid crystals in the LCD unit, the reflected light from an object placed against the LCD device being imaged is allowed to pass through the liquid crystals and onto an array of photosensors in the image sensing module to generate an image of the object. Thus many LCD devices can readily provide scanning functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Inventor: Darwin Hu
  • Patent number: 8976425
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image scanning apparatus includes a document table on which an original document is stacked; a substrate; plural first light emitting elements located on one surface of the substrate, the first light emitting elements each emitting light for irradiating the original document on the document table with direct light not reflected by a reflection member; and plural second light emitting elements located on the other surface of the substrate, the second light emitting elements each emitting light for irradiating the original document on the document table with indirect light reflected by the reflection member. The reflection member includes a first reflection member and a second reflection member, and the first reflection member and the second reflection member are located in positions opposed to each other across a reflection optical path of light reflected by the original document on the document table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shiraishi, Naoaki Ide, Mitsuru Hatano, Sueo Ueno, Katsuya Nagamochi, Yusuke Hashizume, Naoya Koseki, Koji Shimokawa, Jun Sakakibara, Kenji Itagaki, Sasuke Endo
  • Patent number: 8976426
    Abstract: A light source driving circuit that drives a light source includes a driving electric current generator that generates a driving electric current including a predetermined electric current, a first auxiliary current, and a second auxiliary current; and a controller that sets values of the first and second auxiliary currents by using first and second lighting pattern signals, wherein each of the first and second lighting pattern signals is for controlling supply of the predetermined electric current to the light source. After setting a first value of the first auxiliary current, a second value of the second auxiliary current is set by using the second lighting pattern signal that defines a time period for stopping supply of the predetermined electric current to be shorter than a time period for stopping the supply of the predetermined electric current that is defined by the first lighting pattern signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsufumi Omori, Muneaki Iwata, Hayato Fujita
  • Patent number: 8976423
    Abstract: A scanning system includes a scanning member having at least one reflective surface and at least one light source for emitting at least one light beam to be incident on the at least one reflective surface of the scanning member during a scanning operation. At least one curved synchronization mirror deflects and focuses at least a portion of the at least one light beam that is deflected by the scanning member to indicate at least one of a start and an end of a scan line operation of the scanning operation. A sensor receives the at least one light beam deflected and focused by the at least one curved synchronization mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Fei Chen, Brent Steven Dupree
  • Publication number: 20150062668
    Abstract: A light irradiation device includes: a light source to output diffused light; and a light guide member to guide the diffused light to an irradiation point. The light guide member includes an incidence surface which the diffused light enters, a first emission surface to emit the entered diffused light, while further diffusing the entered diffused light with a first diffusion characteristic to emit the diffused light at a first diffusion angle, and a second emission surface to emit the entered diffused light, while further diffusing the entered diffused light with a second diffusion characteristics to emit the diffused light at a second diffusion angle. The second diffusion angle provided by the second diffusion characteristic is smaller than the first diffusion angle provided by the first diffusion characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro IWAMATSU, Tsuyoshi FUJIMOTO, Tokiko INOUE
  • Publication number: 20150062669
    Abstract: Provided is a light source for exposure including: a circuit section which includes plural pixel circuits arranged in one direction, a scanning circuit which outputs a scanning signal, a scanning line which supplies the pixel circuits with the scanning signal; light-emitting elements connected to the pixel circuits; and data lines which supply a lead wire with a data signal via the pixel circuits, wherein a data line group including the plural data lines, a light-emitting element group including the plural light-emitting elements, and the circuit section are arranged in this order in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the plural pixel circuits are arranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Kouji Ikeda, Takanori Yamashita, Masami Iseki
  • Patent number: 8970924
    Abstract: Provided is an image reading device including: a light source member including light source portions emitting light; a light guide member including: an input section to which the light emitted from the light source portions is input; and an output section from which the input light is output; a support member supporting the light source member and the light guide member and having higher rigidity than the light source member and the light guide member; a retaining member configured to press the light guide member toward the support member and configured to retain the light guide member in a supported state by the support member; and a protrusion-shaped contact section provided on the light guide member and contacting the retaining member, the contact section protruding in a direction perpendicular from the predetermined main scanning direction from the light guide member toward the retaining member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Nakaie
  • Patent number: 8970925
    Abstract: A scanner for automatically detecting a scan target includes a transparent scan region configured to support the target, an image sensor including a light source for irradiating light toward the scan region and a light receiving element array for sensing the incident light through the scan region, a drive unit configured to linearly move the sensor across the scan region, and a control unit that controls the sensor and the drive unit. The control unit controls the light source of the sensor and the drive unit such that the sensor moves to a detection position and then the array senses the incident light through the scan region with the light source turned on and off. The control unit compares output signals of the array obtained by turning on and off the light source and automatically determines, based on the comparison, whether the target is placed in the scan region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Wisecube Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong Kook Lah
  • Publication number: 20150055196
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading an image of an original document includes a document placement surface, an illumination unit, a light-receiving unit, and an illumination control unit. The illumination unit includes: a first light guiding body in a bar shape extended in a first direction configured to irradiate a light to the original document along a second direction, a second light guiding body arranged at a distance from the first light guiding body configured to irradiate a light to the original document along a third direction, a pair of first light sources emits illuminating lights to be injected into the first incident surfaces, a pair of second light sources emits illuminating lights to be injected into the second incident surface. The illumination control unit is configured to control light-emitting operations of the first light source and the second light source corresponding to the reading mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Kurotsu
  • Publication number: 20150055195
    Abstract: A light guiding body includes a long translucent body, a light incident surface formed at an end of the body in a longitudinal direction of the body, a light emitting surface formed on one side surface of the body along the longitudinal direction of the body, and a light emitting quantity adjusting portion formed on the other side surface of the body along the longitudinal direction of the body so as to be opposite to the light emitting surface. The light guiding body guides, in the body, light incident to the light incident surface, reflects the light by the light emitting quantity adjusting portion, and emits the light from the light emitting surface. A width of the light emitting quantity adjusting portion of the body in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the body is varied according to a position in the width in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SUTO, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Masahiro IMOTO
  • Patent number: 8964264
    Abstract: An illuminating device capable of stably illuminating an irradiated object such as a document while suppressing light loss with a simply structure is provided. An LED array (71) and a reflective plate (73) are disposed sandwiching a slit (St) through which light reflected by a document MS passes and a light-guiding member (72) is disposed on the side of the LED array (71). The light-guiding member (72) includes a direct emission unit (77) disposed between an illumination range y centered on a document reading position and the LED array (71) and an indirect emission unit (78) disposed between the reflective plate (73) and the LED array (71), a light incidence face of the direct emission unit (77) and a light incidence face of the indirect emission unit (78) are disposed at mutually different position around the LED array (71), and the LED array (71) is disposed on a side of an interior angle formed by the light incidence faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suto, Mitsuharu Yoshimoto, Tomohiko Okada, Hisashi Yamanaka, Shohichi Fukutome, Kenji Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8964265
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes: a light guide that is formed in a rod shape and includes a positioning portion that is formed at one end in a longitudinal direction, and light incident surfaces that are formed at two end faces in the longitudinal direction; and light sources that are arranged in the vicinity of the light incident surfaces, respectively, and that emit light that is incident on the incident surfaces. The light guide is formed by injection molding. A gate portion for supplying a resin material during injection molding opens at a position that corresponds to a tip face of the positioning portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Components, Inc.
    Inventor: Hidemasa Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8964258
    Abstract: Scanners and scanner housings are disclosed. An example scanner includes a housing to carry an optical element, the housing having a first support feature, and a printed circuit board having a second support feature to mate with the first support feature of the housing, the printed circuit board to provide vertical support to the housing when the first and second support features are mated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Edward A. Hill, Donald G. Harris, John H. Arterberry
  • Patent number: 8964207
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including, a light source for reading for applying light onto an original to read, a light source for erasing for applying light of specific wavelength onto the original to decolorize image area, having been printed with color-changing agent having characteristic to become colorless by the light, a reading section for receiving reflected light from the original, an output section for outputting image data of the original, and a control section configured to compare first image data obtained by applying light from the light source for reading to the original, and second image data obtained by applying light from the light source for reading again to the original after applying light from the light source for erasing to the original, to determine whether the agent has been used in the image, and control at least either the reading operation or the output operation based on that determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Masao Akimoto, Masaki Kakutani, Yasuaki Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8958134
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide lighting for an image array. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for providing localized lighting for an image array. In a typical embodiment, a set of pixels being scanned in the image array is identified. A subset of light sources within an array of light sources that corresponds to the set of pixels is engaged. After the pixels have been scanned, the subset of light sources is disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Inventor: Moon J. Kim