Abstract: An improvement of transparent window glass holding structure for an optical scanner includes a first rack fixedly disposed in the case. The first rack has a plural number of clamps for holding and gripping the transparent window glass securely without gluing the originals table to the case as does a conventional scanner. The originals table can be easily installed and removed to facilitate the repairs and maintenance of the scanner.

Abstract: An optical scanner with an improved chassis locking mechanism. The improved chassis locking mechanism includes a chassis, a latch disk, a scanner case and a cover. The latch disk has a shaft for turnably resting on a rack of the scanner case and being held from falling off the rack by a pair of brackets of the cover. The latch disk also has a limiting bulge for limiting the turning angle of the latch disk and a plurality of positioning notches formed on the circumference thereof. The latch disk further has a locking slot for receiving or locking a strut ofthe chassis. By turning the latch disk to a predetermined angle, one of the positioning notches will be engaged with a positioning bulge on the scanner case. The locking slot of the latch disk will either allow the strut to move freely or lock the strut from moving so that the chassis can be held stationary during transportation to reduce damage that might otherwise occur.

Abstract: The invention relates to pixel insertion on optical scanners. The invention increases the efficiency of video buffer in optical scanners and improves the speed of I/O device by locating the position of interpolation device in front of video buffer which is for temporarily storing image data and outputting the image data. Immediately after the video buffer is an input buffer which is for receiving the output of the video buffer. The input buffer provides an interface for video buffer and the interpolation device. The function of the interpolation device is for inserting pixels into the original pixels to increase the resolution of the image. When the host machine is requesting image data, an output buffer delivers the image data in the interpolation device to an I/O device for the host machine to read.

Abstract: An opto-mechanical apparatus for moving and scanning in an optical system comprises a step motor, a timing belt, a first lead screw carrying a first optical assembly, and a second lead screw carrying a second optical assembly. Each of the lead screws has a spiral thread forming a lead path. The lead path of the second lead screw is twice as long as the lead path of the first lead screw. Each lead screw has a gear fastened to its one end. The timing belt connects the rotation axis of the step motor and the two gears on the lead screws. When the step motor rotates, the two gears are driven by the timing belt. The two lead screws are also rotated by the gears. The first optical assembly moves twice as fast as the second optical assembly because the two gears have identical radii but the second lead path is twice long. The different distances traveled by the two optical assemblies ensure that the optical system has a constant optical resolution while scanning.

Abstract: An image system for reducing shading noise of a scanned image is disclosed. The present invention includes following steps: a required deviation of shading noise of an image is specified initially. A real deviation of the shading noise is then generated by measuring the image system. Next, a sampling constant (n) is generated by dividing the real deviation of the shading noise squared by the required deviation of the shading noise squared. A line of a calibration plate is scanned n times, and the pixels of the scanned lines of the calibration plate are averaged. Finally, the image is conventionally calibrated using the averaged scanned line as a reference.

Abstract: A high efficiency multi-image scanning method is disclosed. It involves the use of a special scanning window, or panel, containing a plurality of rectangular fields provided therein. The scanning window also contains a plurality of fiducial marks which associates each rectangular field, respectively, with a pre-defined location relative to the fiducial mark and a pre-defined scanning area. Prior to the scanning operation, a plurality of documents to be scanned are placed inside the rectangular fields. A pre-scan operation is performed to find and identify the fiducial mark. Then the scanner is moved to a selected rectangular field according to the information contained in the fiducial mark to scan an image having the pre-defined scanning area. Optionally, the method further contains the step of determining whether an image is present in the rectangular field, and if so, then adjusting the scanning area to compensate for any inadvertent misplacement of the image in the rectangular field.

Abstract: A lens switching apparatus for a dual-lens optical scanner includes a base, a plurality of magnetic elements, a plurality of electromagnetic elements, a guiding assembly and a slide block. Two optical lens with different magnification are mounted on the slide block. The slide block may be moved and positioned in one direction when one of the electromagnetic element attracting one adjacent magnetic element while another electromagnetic element repulsive another adjacent magnetic element. The dual-lens mounted on the slide block thus can be switched as desired for scanning process.

Abstract: A novel method for scanning multiple images in a single scanning process is disclosed. The process utilizes at least a frame holder, which contains a front frame section and a back frame section that are glued together at their top edges and are separable at least at their bottom to allow a sheet of scanning material to be placed therebetween. Each of the front and back frame sections contains a cluster of matching orientation holes on their right and left sides with a predetermined pattern to allow a computer program to achieve scan area recognition and orientation. During the scanning process, the at least one frame holder containing the image is scanned, wherein the sides of the frame holder are detected as black signals and the orientation holes are detected as white signals. Then a computer program is used to perform a previewing recognition process by detecting and carving out a scanning area corresponding to each frame holder based on the black signals and the white signals of the frame holder.

Abstract: A transparent adapter hinged to a flatbed scanner for the scanning of a transparency or negative, including a hot cathode-ray tube to provide light, a refractor mounted around the hot cathode-ray tube to refract light from the hot cathode-ray tube onto a document, for permitting the image of the document to be picked up by a charge-coupled device in the optical scanner, and to prevent light from being directly projected by the hot cathode-ray tube onto the document.

Abstract: An optical system for a flatbed scanner, including a first optical unit to emit light onto a document and to reflect the image of the document, a second optical unit to receive reflected light from the first optical unit and to reflect it, a third optical unit to receive reflected light from the second optical unit and to send it out, and a fourth optical unit to receive light from the third optical unit and to pick up the image from it, wherein the first optical unit, the second optical unit and the third optical unit can be independently moved relative to the fourth optical unit subject to a predetermined setting made in the optical scanner.

Abstract: A multi-lens changing mechanism is disclosed for use in optical scanners; it comprises: (a) a main mechanism having a bottom, first and second sides, and an aperture as an inlet for receiving light, each of the first and second sides having a magnetic means attached thereto; (b) a sliding lens carriage including at least two lenses, the sliding lens carriage being slidable within the main mechanism: and (c) a driving mechanism including a guide rod and a swinging arm. The guide rod is fitted at the bottom of the main mechanism, and is able to move back and forth. The swinging arm has a first end attached to the sliding lens carriage and a second end pivotally mounted to the main mechanism such that the swinging arm will swing when it is driven by the guide rod.

Abstract: A brilliance control apparatus of light source in an optical scanner particularly contemplating for a transparency scanner includes a generally rectangular lamp stand and a lamp shade which has an asymmetrical curvature surface and has a black reflector with a curved surface disposed therein. And is capable of performing filtering and darkening processes at the same time.