Patents Assigned to Mustek Systems Inc.
  • Patent number: 6450475
    Abstract: A device for adjusting the position of platform of a scanner and calibrating the depth of field of an opto-mechanic module of the scanner. The device includes an exposed driving element for moving a supporting element of the platform. A first embodiment includes a nut incorporated with an exposed flange for turning, and a stud fixed on a lower base. A second embodiment includes a driving slant element movably mounted on the lower case and activated by a screw exposed outwards; and a driven portion formed on an upper case that support the platform. The devices are simple in structure and easy to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jenn-Tsair Tsai, I-Chang Lu, Jone-Nun Chen
  • Patent number: 6453080
    Abstract: The method of the invention involves in finding the width and length of a scanned image in real time and then write the length and width into the header of a bitmap file as soon as the bottom line of the scanned image is found. The width of the scanned image can be computed from the width of the first occurrence of the meaningful image region. The width will be transferred to the scanner to reset the scan width for reading subsequent image data. The length of the scanned image cannot be determined until a bottom line is found. Each meaningful image region can be simultaneously written into the bitmap file while examining the bottom line of the scanned image. To find the bottom line, for each meaningful image region, sample a plurality of line areas to determine if the meaningful image region contains the bottom line. For each meaningful image region examined, sum up the total number of image lines until the bottom line is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Jenny Kao
  • Patent number: 6449397
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing system for scanning a rectangular document. The system comprises a scanner with a scanning module and a computer. The computer has a memory, a processor, a scanner control program, and an image processing program. Depression of a start button generates a start signal that prompts the image processing system to rotate the document image from the scanned rectangular document by a tilting angle as well as to correct the image shape based on angle variation. This produces a straight and rectangular document image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Yang Che-Chu
  • Patent number: 6445421
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for displaying subtitles by a multination language human-machine interface that having small memory space occupation and conveniently for program maintenance. First of all, a character database is been edited, and in accordance with the character size to edit the bitmap file for each individual character. The bitmap file is then transferred to 80c51xa assembly language and stored in the character database. Then, the “string code”, the “string combination code”, and the “string combination code of multination language” of the controlling program are established, and the content of the character database is been called. During a practical usage, the desired string is been called by the controlling program, then carried out the language judgement of the exercising nation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Chien Cheng Pang, Tsai Kun Shan
  • Patent number: 6442437
    Abstract: When the driver of a step motor is executed in a personal computer, its speed will be varied in response to the speed of the CPU. To provide a constant and stable speed of the step motor, the present invention automatically detects the system model and the CPU model of the personal computer when the host computer is power-on. In addition, the present invention establishes a lookup table which records a proper delay times for a corresponding system model and CPU model. After obtaining the CPU model and the system model, the proper delay times can be found by looking up the lookup table. The delay times obtained can be provided for the delay subroutine for the driver, thereby to update the delay parameter required for the delay subroutine. Consequently, the speed of the step motor will be automatically updated in response to the system performance of a personal computer to guarantee a smooth and stable stepping motion for a step motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan-Tong Yu, John Lin
  • Publication number: 20020114023
    Abstract: An apparatus for holding a contact image sensor of a scanning system includes a supporting shaft and an elastic element. The supporting shaft is set through a holder and contact the contact image sensor. The elastic element contains a spring. The spring is positioned outside the holder and provides a force to the supporting shaft for pushing the contact image sensor upwardly. In this case, the contact image sensor stays close to a document plate to conduct scanning processes. Since the spring is outside the holder, the variation of holder due to manufacturing would not affect the force from the spring. Thus balanced forces are generated by the springs, further avoiding the situation of the contact image sensor jammed during scanning processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Applicant: MUSTEK SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Will Kao
  • Publication number: 20020106933
    Abstract: An apparatus for receiving a USB cable and a USB plug head includes a receiving portion, at least one clip and at least one USB plug base. The gap is formed between the clip and the side wall of the receiving portion for securing the USB cable. The USB plug head is inserted to the USB plug base which is formed by a first side plate, a second side plate, a first fixing plate and a second fixing plate. Moreover, there is cover which may close the receiving portion for advanced securing purpose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Applicant: MUSTEK SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Marx Lee
  • Patent number: 6424435
    Abstract: A modularized carriage having a plurality of shock absorber struts is provided to allow a contact type image sensor module (CIS module) to contact tightly with the bottom surface side of the sheet table. The carriage has a plurality of holes formed on its bottom side. The bottom ends of the shock absorber struts are fixed to the bottom of the carriage. The shock absorber struts pass through the holes for supporting the CIS module in a manner such that the CIS module can contact tightly with the bottom surface side of the sheet table. Thus, while the CIS module is driven along the sheet table, the inventive carriage can absorb the vertical vibration of the CIS module and allow a document to stay within the scene depth of the CIS module. Since the present invention is a modularized carriage which is adaptable for various types of CIS modules and transmission mechanisms, the present invention can simplify the assembly and readjustment procedures of a CIS scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Will Kao
  • Patent number: 6424748
    Abstract: The present invention provides a transforming method for increasing bit number of digital image signals generated by a scanner. The scanner comprises a scanning module having a plurality of linearly arranged sensors for scanning a document and generating a plurality of corresponding analog image signals, an A/D (analog to digital) converter for converting each of the analog image signals into a digital image signal with a first bit number, and a white calibration area and a black calibration area for calibrating the scanning module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Cheng Ting-Shan
  • Patent number: 6421088
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital camera with an adjusting device coupled with the lens and holes of the digital camera. The digital camera comprises a housing with a front opening installed at its front end for receiving incident light, a sensor installed at a rear end of the housing for recording the incident light, an iris strip moveably installed in the housing having a plurality of irises of different sizes for adjusting the amount of the incident light emitted to the sensor, a lens moveably installed in the housing for concentrating the incident light onto the sensor, and an adjusting device rotatably installed in the housing for adjusting positions of the lens and the iris strip. The adjusting device is rotated to move the lens to a plurality of lens positions to change the distance between the lens and the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventor: John Lee
  • Patent number: 6414461
    Abstract: A scanner has a housing, a scanning module for scanning a document, a driving module for driving the scanning module, and a control circuit for controlling the scanner. The driving module comprises a stepping motor for driving the scanning module forward and backward so that the scanning module is able to scan the entire area of the document. The control circuit controls the stepping motor to generate different torque so that the scanning module can scan the document at different speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Te-Chih Chang
  • Publication number: 20020067224
    Abstract: In the present invention, a system for a scanner executing scanning comprises a virtual hardware module in an electrical apparatus, and the virtual hardware module is corresponding to the scanner and used for receiving a plurality of commands from the electrical apparatus. The virtual hardware module is displayed on the electrical apparatus. A scanner control module in the electrical apparatus is for communicating with the scanner via the electrical apparatus and the virtual hardware module. The scanner control module is for controlling and executing the commands from the virtual hardware module. A method for a scanner executing scanning comprises displaying a virtual hardware icon in a computer, and the virtual hardware icon corresponding to the scanner for receiving a plurality of commands from the computer. The virtual hardware icon is selected for commanding a command of executing scanning, and then the scanner executes scanning according to the command of executing scanning. Then scanned data is saved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Applicant: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Hui-Wen Wen
  • Patent number: 6401124
    Abstract: The present invention provides a network peripheral sharing system comprising a computer network, at least one client computer connected to the computer network, at least one server computer connected to the computer network, and a network address table containing network addresses of server computers connected to the computer network. Each client computer has a peripheral searching program that searches peripherals connected to the computer network and each server computer has at least one connected peripheral. The peripheral serving program in the server computer provides information on the status of peripherals to the client computer and transmits the status message of the peripheral to the client computer after receiving a request from the user thus establishing a link between the client computer and the peripheral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Che-Chu Yang, Jeun-Tsair Tsai
  • Patent number: 6400484
    Abstract: A scanner has a casing with a transparent platform, a scanning module movably installed inside the casing, a reflecting surface module located above the transparent platform, a driving device installed inside the casing to move the scanning module, and a control circuit installed inside the casing to control operations of the scanner. The scanning module has a housing, a first light source and a second light source installed in parallel inside the housing, the first light source or the second light source illuminating the document, an image sensing module installed inside the housing to scan images from the document to produce corresponding scanning signals, and a reflector module installed inside the housing to reflect the images from the document to the image sensing module. The reflecting surface module is removably fixed to the housing and located above the transparent platform to reflect light upwardly emitted from the first light source down to the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Ping-Chih Wang, Lin-Ta Tseng
  • Patent number: 6392762
    Abstract: A device for quick and precise determination of a scan start point for an image scanner is disclosed. The image scanner includes a photo-processing device and a scanning platform for placing thereon a document to be scanned. The scanning platform is printed with a background region and a color block which are of different colors and located in front of the scan start point of the photo-processing device, and the color block is enclosed with the background region, and has a specified point therein being a predetermined shift to the scan start point along a specific direction. The photo-processing device moves a predetermined distance L0 from the home position to a pre-scan position overlapping with the color block, then moves a calculated distance L1 from the pre-scan position to the specified point, and moves another predetermined distance L2 from the specified point to the scan start point along the specific direction to start scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jenn-Tsair Tsai, Bill Chen
  • Publication number: 20020051298
    Abstract: A image reading device is activated by the light interference of a light path. The image reading device comprises at least a image sensing element, a picture and a image changing mechanism such as a picture conveying module, picture rotating module, a hole or a soft button with picture in the inner side. The user may use finger or other objects to interfere the image generated in the image sensing element. By detecting the changes of the image, a predetermined activation process of the image reading device is therefore started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Applicant: MUSTEK SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Hsi-Min Chen, Jung-Chou Lin, Te-Chih Chang
  • Publication number: 20020051253
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for fast image fetching and processing is provided to scan an object more efficiently by a one-touch operation. The method and apparatus allows a one-touch operation to initiate a series of actions previously defined in a configuration file for each function key, including scan, print, facsimile, e-mail or OCR, thereby provide a more user friendly interface for operating the office machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Applicant: Mustek Systems Inc.,
    Inventors: Tiffany Chen, Nora Wen
  • Patent number: 6381043
    Abstract: A device for quickly and precisely determining a scan start point and improving scanning quality for an image scanner is disclosed. The image scanner includes a photo-processing device and a scanning platform for placing thereon a document to be scanned. The scanning platform is printed with a background region and two color blocks. The two color blocks are separately enclosed by the background region and are of different color from the color of the background region. The first color block has a first specified point therein being a predetermined shift to the scan start point along a specific direction. The second block has a second specified point corresponding to the first specified point in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jenn-Tsair Tsai, Bill Chen
  • Patent number: 6376835
    Abstract: A scanner module with adjustable magnification ratio includes a photo-mechanical body, a charge-coupled device module and a pressing device, such as a wedge element or an adjusting screw. The photo-mechanical body is arranged along an optical distance and has a first plane vertical to the direction of the optical distance. The charge-coupled device module is arranged along the direction of the optical distance in the photo-mechanical body and has a second plane vertical to the optical distance and facing to the first plane. The pressing device is supported by the second plane and vertical to the first plane, for enabling the charge-coupled device module to move back and forth along the optical distance. Therefore, the magnification ratio of the scanner module can be adjusted through the length of the optical distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Jenn-Tsair Tsai
  • Patent number: 6377910
    Abstract: An image-sensor emulating device establishing a link with a host system by using peripheral interface bus. The image-sensor emulating device emulates the functions of image-sensors by programmably generating the relevant image-sensor and timing signals. Alternatively, the timing signals can also be generated from the timing signals outputted by an outside image-sensor. Therefore, the emulating device can generate predetermined image-sensor signals and timing signals such that the debugging process is simplified and the developing efficiency is improved. Moreover, the emulating device according to the present invention can also generate a timing signal serving as a reference timing signal for emulating an image-sensor. The reference timing signal can be used to compare with the actual timing signals of an image-sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Mustek Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Adolf T. R. Hsu, Ching-Chih Fan