Patents Assigned to Umax Data Systems Inc.
  • Patent number: 6674552
    Abstract: A scanner having a synchronization dynamic random access memory and its memory access method. The scanner has an image processor for processing digital image signals, a SDRAM compensation memory unit for holding compensation data, a SDRAM image archiving memory unit for holding processed digital image data and an input/output device for connecting with an external device. A plurality of buffers couple the compensation memory unit with the image processor, the image processor with the image archiving memory unit and the image archiving memory unit with the input/output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Kuo-Jeng Wang
  • Patent number: 6674560
    Abstract: An optical scanner that may assemble the lens design for varying the focus and resolution, having a light source, a reflection compound mirror, a charge coupled device, a basic objective lens and a compound lens. The basic objective lens is designed by simulation software. According to the lens design theory, the compound lens is designed. By incorporating the basic objective lens and the compound lens, different resolutions such as 1200 dpi, 1600 dpi and 2400 dpi of the optical scanner are obtained without redesigning the lens device, the current specification of the optical scanner is also varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: UMAX Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Chih-Wen Huang
  • Patent number: 6674921
    Abstract: A method of image sampling and an apparatus thereof. The apparatus comprises: an adder; a first register, the output of which is fed back to the adder; a first multiplexer, which outputs a ratio or a weighted parameter; a multiplier, which receives an input image value and the output of the first multiplexer; an adder/subtracter, which receives the output of the multiplier; a second multiplexer, which receives the output of the adder/subtracter and the multiplier; and a second register, which receives the output of the second multiplexer. By the method of approximation and recursion, the input image data can be processed in real time to produce the output image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Shih-Zheng Kuo, Shih-Huang Chen
  • Patent number: 6667818
    Abstract: A multiple-field sensor for a scanner suitable for scanning a document. The scanner includes a multiple-field sensor, an average accumulator, and a block of memory. The multiple-field sensor has a plurality of sensing lines for each color channel. Each sensing line picks up a portion of image signal from the document during scanning. The sensing lines scan the same portion of the document to produce corresponding image signals. The average accumulator averages the image signals obtained from the sensing lines of the same color channel to produce an average image signal. The block of memory is used as a storage area for image signals in general and the average image signal in particular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Shih-Zheng Kuo
  • Publication number: 20030231352
    Abstract: An optical carriage of scanner has a mirror assembly and a device assembly, the mirror assembly has a mirror mount, some mirror holder, and some supporters, and the device assembly has a chassis. In this invention, the mirror assembly and the device assembly are mechanically connected after separately formation. Further, to ensure correct shape of these mirror holders and these supporters, they could be formed by metal punch, plastic ejection, or plastic process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Applicant: UMAX DATA SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Tsung-Yin Chen, Chun-I Hsiao
  • Patent number: 6661541
    Abstract: A closed circuit control device for controlling carrier speed of a scanner. An optical meter is attached to the transparent glass panel of a scanner such that an image of the optical meter is formed on an optical sensor such as a charge couple device or a contact image sensor. Image of the optical meter is converted into sense signals by the optical sensor so that speed of the carrier can be accurately computed. Through the acquisition of an accurate carrier speed, scanning speed and direction can be precisely controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsanghuai Chang
  • Patent number: 6661588
    Abstract: An objective lens anti-shock adjustment device comprises a holder that is capable of fixedly holding an objective lens via at least a fastening element. The holder is mounted in a casing by means of a plurality of resilient elements and a plurality of adjuster screws. The resilient elements connect the holder to the casing and the adjuster screws engage through the casing and abut against the holder opposite to the resilient elements in order to allow the adjustments of a vertical positioning and a horizontal orientation of the objective lens. The holder and the casing are provided with respective openings that expose a slot formed on the objective lens. By the external engagement of a tool through the openings into the slot, the objective lens is slid in the holder in order to adjust the depth of focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Yin-Chun Huang, Shu-Ya Chiang
  • Patent number: 6657752
    Abstract: An installation for increasing the usable scanning range along the axial direction of a light source. The installation includes a linear light source and a light-channeling panel. The linear light source has a light axis whose brightness near the mid-portion is higher than the brightness level on either side. The light-channeling panel is adjacent to the linear light source and is capable of concentrating more light in the end sections rather than the mid-portion of the light axis. The light-channeling panel is made from a plurality of panels, each made from materials having different light transparencies. The light transparency of the light-channeling panel near the central section of the light axis is lower than the light transparency at the end sections of the light axis. Hence, after light from the linear light source has passed through the light-channeling panel, a band of light having a more homogenous brightness level than the linear light source is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jen-Shou Tseng
  • Patent number: 6655680
    Abstract: A sensor for detecting the entrance of a document into a sheet feeder. The document sensor is attached to the sheet feeder. The document sensor comprises a printed circuit board, a key peg and a rocking lever. The printed circuit board is attached to the sheet feeder. The printed circuit board has a first lead wire and a second lead wire detached form each other. The key peg is also attached to the sheet feeder pinning the rocking lever so that the rocking lever is free to rotate relative to the key peg. A conductive member is attached to the rocking lever so that rotating the rocking lever is able to establish an electrical connection between the first lead wire and the second lead wire through the conductive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yin-Chun Huang, Pi-Chun Chen, Ji-Mei Tsuei
  • Patent number: 6651971
    Abstract: A paper collecting device, comprising a separation roller, a drive roller, a feed roller, a support member, and an elastic member. In addition to the separation having a one-way clutch, the feed roller also has an extra one-way clutch added between the feed gear and the feed rim. When the paper separation process stops and the separation roller instantaneously reverses rotation, the two one-way clutches will disengage and allow the separation roller and feed roller to detach from the driving source of the motor. This will allow the separation roller and feed roller to rotate freely and possess the same tangential velocity to prevent paper from being pushed or pulled causing paper wrinkle or tear. Moreover, the diameter of the feed rim is smaller in design than the separation rim. The paper collecting device also comprising a paper blocking mechanism located on the support member above the frame to prevent paper overly pushed inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Ji-Mei Tsuei
  • Patent number: 6648483
    Abstract: A concave mirror optical system for a scanner and a method for compensating image distortion. In this invention, the more expensive lens assembly in a conventional optical system is replaced by a concave mirror made from simple low-cost material so that production cost and chromatic dispersion are reduced. Moreover, different magnifications can be obtained due to a difference in focusing power of the concave mirror along XY axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Shih-Zheng Kuo
  • Patent number: 6650432
    Abstract: A method and user interface is provided for use on a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing an automatic scan operation on an original document, with the computer system running a scanner driver and an application program. By the method and user interface, the scanner is first activated to perform a primitive scan operation on the original document based on the default image processing settings to thereby obtain a primitive scanned image. Next, the scanner driver is activated to perform a set of image processing routines on the primitive scanned image to thereby obtain the image qualities of the original document; and based on the image qualities of the original document, a set of suited image processing settings are specified for optimal scan of the original document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Chuan-Yu Hsu, Jay Liu, T. J. Hsu
  • Patent number: 6650442
    Abstract: A multiple non-directional scanning method. A document preview scanning is carried out from one end of the document to the other. The preview image is next analyzed to provide a set of scan parameters. After setting the scan parameters, the scanner performs a backward scanning operation from the other end of the document back to the original start-up position to obtain a final scan image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Hui-Hsien Chiu
  • Patent number: 6650444
    Abstract: The present invention is about an apparatus for scanning an object. The apparatus comprises an image capture module having a lens and a sensors array for capturing light after scanning the object. There are light sources comprising a visible light source and an infrared light source. Next, a key module of the present invention is a first translation module connected with the lens and the sensors array. The first translation module is-used for changing a first location of the lens and a second location of the sensors array according to using different the light sources so as to improve some optical characteristics, such as aberration resulting from different wavelengths of light sources. A power module connects with the first translation module and the light sources for supporting energy to the first translation module and the light sources. Moreover, a second translation module connects with the light sources and the image capture module, and the second translation driven by the power module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Wen-Yuan Chang
  • Patent number: 6647402
    Abstract: A process for generating a serial number from a random number is suitable for being used on a device that uses serial number in a bus. First, this process generates a serial number for use from a random number according to a seed number, and then it checks if this generated serial number is repeated in the bus. When this generated serial number is the same as the serial number corresponding to any other devices that are of the same kind as the above mentioned device in the bus, a new serial number for use will be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Chui-Kuei Chiu
  • Patent number: 6644650
    Abstract: An automatic document feeding apparatus comprises a paper case, a dividing unit, and a paging document-feeding device. The paper case has an open space, for containing a plurality of papers. The dividing unit is disposed at proper location inbeing the open space, for dividing said plurality of papers into paper of a first zone and those of a second zone. The paging document-feeding device is connected with the paper case for feeding a single paper from papers of the first zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Po-Hua Fang, Shu-Ya Chiang
  • Patent number: 6646770
    Abstract: A light-emitting diode (LED) light source control method is disclosed. The light-emitting diode light source control method is used for controlling a composite and a single color LED light source. The composite color LED light source can provide two of the three original red, green and blue color lights and the single color LED light source provides the third original color. The composite and the single color LED light sources provide illuminations sequentially so that the light sources need not to be turned on continually and the data generated by the composite and the single color lights on the red, green and blue channels of image sensors can be processed sequentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Chen-Ho Lee, Chin-Lin Chang, Shang-Yu Yang, Kuan-Yu Lee
  • Patent number: 6646769
    Abstract: A light source mechanism for an imaging apparatus comprises at least a point light source and a light shield. The point light source located at one end of the light shield is used for providing illumination to the imaging apparatus during a scanning process. The light shield is a hollow pipe structure and further includes a long slot lying along an axial longitudinal direction thereof for allowing lights to leave the light shield. An inner surface of the light shield is made as a diffusion surface for evenly diffusing lights inside the light shield, by which a homogeneous line light source for the scanning process is formed at the long slot of the light shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Po-Hua Fang
  • Patent number: 6643036
    Abstract: An installation for increasing the usable range along the axial direction of a light source. The installation has a light source and an optical sensor. The light source generates a sense image. The optical sensor further has a sensor and a transparent panel. The sensor is responsible for detecting the image generated by the light source so that a sense image is created. The transparent panel is positioned between the sensor and the light source. A coating on the transparent panel modifies the light transparency along the axial direction of the light source such that light transparency is lower in the middle compared with the ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jen-Shou Tseng
  • Patent number: 6639694
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus with divers resolution includes a light source, a reflection lens set, a major lens and an image-capture unit. The light source is used to illuminate a document for further generating a document image. The reflection lens set includes a plurality of reflection lenses for forwarding the document image consecutively to the major lens. The major lens is used to receive the document image transported by the reflection lens set and to form the document image at a focal point thereof. The image-capture unit includes a plurality of image-capture elements with various resolution for meeting divers usage requirements. While in usage, a suitable image-capture element with particular resolution can be shifted to the focal point of the major lens for performing the imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Umax Data Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Chang Tsanghuai