Abstract: In one embodiment, a refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance can include a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a controller configured to operate one or more components of the refrigerator appliance, and a camera assembly operable to monitor the chilled chamber. The camera assembly can include a camera module having a camera that is operable to capture data associated with the chilled chamber. The controller and the camera module can each be configured to respectively perform one or more operations of an authentication process to verify identity of the controller and the camera module. The camera module can be configured to operate the camera to capture the data associated with the chilled chamber and/or to transmit a redacted version of the data associated with the chilled chamber to the controller based at least in part on verification of the identity of the controller and the camera module.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance can include a cabinet defining a chilled chamber, a controller configured to operate one or more components of the refrigerator appliance, and a camera assembly operable to monitor the chilled chamber. The camera assembly can include a camera module having a camera that is operable to capture data associated with the chilled chamber. The controller and the camera module can each be configured to respectively perform one or more operations of an authentication process to verify identity of the controller and the camera module. The camera module can be configured to operate the camera to capture the data associated with the chilled chamber and/or to transmit a redacted version of the data associated with the chilled chamber to the controller based at least in part on verification of the identity of the controller and the camera module.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhanced object detection are provided in this disclosure. One embodiment of a method includes providing front side illumination of an object, capturing a first image of the object, and providing backside illumination of the object. Some embodiments include capturing a second image of the object, and determining an edge of the platform area assembly. Similarly, some embodiments include aligning the object from the second image with the edge of the platform area assembly to determine a location of the object, determining based on the location of the object, a pixel in the first image that does not belong to the object, and modify the pixel from the first image that does not belong to the object to create an altered image.

Abstract: A previewing device that includes a covering member coupled to an imaging surface and a sensing unit operatively coupled to the covering member. The sensing unit is adapted to automatically capture an image corresponding to the imaging surface upon detecting the covering member is in a closed configuration. A preview unit is operatively coupled to the sensing unit is configured to display a preview of image data corresponding to an image on the imaging surface.

Abstract: An imaging device having an imaging unit for illuminating and capturing an original positioned on the imaging surface. The imaging surface is illuminated by an illumination system including a plurality of light sources that non-uniformly illuminates the imaging surface such that the corner areas of imaging surface is illuminated more than the non-corner areas of the imaging surface. In one embodiment the light sources are arranged around the perimeter of the imaging surface. In an alternate embodiment the light sources are located outside the field of view of a lens of the image capturing unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhanced object detection are provided in this disclosure. One embodiment of a method includes providing front side illumination of an object, capturing a first image of the object, and providing backside illumination of the object. Some embodiments include capturing a second image of the object, and determining an edge of the platform area assembly. Similarly, some embodiments include aligning the object from the second image with the edge of the platform area assembly to determine a location of the object, determining based on the location of the object, a pixel in the first image that does not belong to the object, and modify the pixel from the first image that does not belong to the object to create an altered image.

Abstract: An imaging device including a base and an enclosed chamber positioned on the base. The enclosed chamber has a scanning surface inclined with respect to the base, a reflecting member positioned opposite to the scanning surface and an imaging member adjacent the scanning surface and oriented towards the reflecting member. The imaging member is illuminated with a red, a green, a blue, and an additional color LED. In one embodiment the additional color is a color other than red, green, and blue. In an alternate embodiment the additional color is Ultraviolet (UV) or Infra-Red (IR).

Abstract: Scanning devices and method of use that permit the capture of high resolution images of an original that is illuminated by a light source that is located outside of the optical field of view of an image detector. In one aspect, the image detector may be a monochrome sensor that sequentially captures different color plane images of an original that is illuminated by different colors. The different color plane images may be processed to generate a full color copy of the original. Light and images may be directed through tapered optical waveguides to minimize the volume of the scanning device. The image detector may include a first associated waveguide while the light source may include a second associated waveguide.

Abstract: A contact image scanner comprises a light source, pixel sensors generating a signal, a lens focusing reflected light onto the pixel sensors, a color matrix filter filtering the reflected light, and a signal processing circuit generating a digital image. The method provides pixel sensors for generating a signal in response to incident light, projects light from a light source onto a document in a sequential fashion, reflects the light onto the pixel sensors, filters the reflected light with a color matrix filter, and processes the signal to generate the digital image. With the method and apparatus, each scan line of the document is illuminated with white light only once. The pixel sensors corresponding to red, green, and blue colors of each pixel of the scan line read the pixel of the scan line substantially at the same time in a substantially overlapping manner in a scan line direction without overlapping in an orthogonal direction.

Abstract: A previewing device that includes a covering member coupled to an imaging surface and a sensing unit operatively coupled to the covering member. The sensing unit is adapted to automatically capture an image corresponding to the imaging surface upon detecting the covering member is in a closed configuration. A preview unit is operatively coupled to the sensing unit is configured to display a preview of image data corresponding to an image on the imaging surface.

Abstract: A scanner for demarcating each media sheet of a multiplicity of media sheets and a method thereof. The scanner includes a platen, a scanlid, an illuminating mechanism and a scanhead. The platen accommodates the multiplicity of media sheets. The scanlid is pivotally coupled to the platen and provides a background for scanning the multiplicity of media sheets. The illuminating mechanism is coupled to the scanlid and is activated for illuminating the background. The scanhead scans the multiplicity of media sheets. A single background image of the multiplicity of media sheets is captured by activating the illuminating mechanism during scanning. A single foreground image of the multiplicity of media sheets is captured by deactivating the illuminating mechanism during scanning. Edges of each media sheet are detected in the background image, and are combined with the foreground image to extract content thereof.

Abstract: Imaging devices and methods that permit the capture of digital images of an original document sequentially illuminated by a plurality of light sources. In one aspect, a first digital image is captured using illumination from a first illumination angle, a second digital image is captured using illumination from a second illumination angle, and the first and second digital images are combined to obtain a composite digital image of the document. The obtained composite digital image is free of reflection artifacts corresponding to the first and second illumination angles.

Abstract: A method for providing image illumination calibration includes: generating a plurality of images of a calibration target at a plurality of exposure levels, each image of the plurality of images being represented by a total pixel area; identifying a plurality of zones of the total pixel area, each zone of the plurality of zones corresponding to a particular image of the plurality of images at a particular exposure level of the plurality of exposure levels, with each zone representing a pixel sub-area that excludes saturated pixels; combining the plurality of zones for the plurality of images of the calibration target to generate a final calibration image; and generating a shading table to correct the final calibration image to obtain a uniform image of the calibration target over the total pixel area, the shading table including gain and offset values associated with each pixel of the total pixel area.

Abstract: A scan bar for scanning a media sheet in an image scanning device and a method for scanning the media sheet in the image scanning device are disclosed. The scan bar comprises a sensor arrangement and a lens arrangement. The sensor arrangement comprises a first sensor region and a second sensor region. Light reflected from the media sheet is focused by the lens arrangement onto the sensor arrangement. Each of the first sensor region and the second sensor region is capable of generating image data corresponding to the media sheet from the focused light received from the lens arrangement for scanning the media sheet. The image data generated by the first sensor region is of relatively higher resolution than image data generated by the second sensor region.

Abstract: An imaging device having an imaging unit for illuminating and capturing an original positioned on the imaging surface. The imaging surface is illuminated by an illumination system including a plurality of light sources that non-uniformly illuminates the imaging surface such that the corner areas of imaging surface is illuminated more than the non-corner areas of the imaging surface. In one embodiment the light sources are arranged around the perimeter of the imaging surface. In an alternate embodiment the light sources are located outside the field of view of a lens of the image capturing unit.

Abstract: An imaging device including a base and an enclosed chamber positioned on the base. The enclosed chamber has a scanning surface inclined with respect to the base, a reflecting member positioned opposite to the scanning surface and an imaging member adjacent the scanning surface and oriented towards the reflecting member. The imaging member is illuminated with a red, a green, a blue, and an additional color LED. In one embodiment the additional color is a color other than red, green, and blue. In an alternate embodiment the additional color is Ultraviolet (UV) or Infra-Red (IR).

Abstract: Disclosed are a scanner for demarcating each media sheet of one or more media sheets and a method thereof. The scanner includes a platen, a scanlid, an illuminating mechanism and a scanhead. The platen accommodates one or more media sheets. The scanlid is pivotally coupled to the platen and provides a background for scanning the one or more media sheets. The illuminating mechanism is coupled to the scanlid and capable of being activated for illuminating the background. The scanhead is configured to scan the one or more media sheets. A background image of the one or more media sheets is captured by activating the illuminating mechanism during scanning. A foreground image of the one or more media sheets is captured by deactivating the illuminating mechanism during scanning. Edges of each media sheet are detected based on the background image, and the detected edges demarcate each media sheet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for scanning documents using a contact image scanner. The imaging apparatus comprises a light source for illuminating the document, a plurality of pixel sensors for generating a signal in response to light incident thereon, a lens for focusing light from the light source reflected from the document onto the plurality of pixel sensors, a color matrix filter disposed between the pixel sensors and the light reflected from the document, and a circuit for processing the signal from the plurality of pixel sensors to generate the digital image of the document.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and system for improving the output quality of an image forming device. The method includes comparing an amount of speckle present in the images with a predefined amount of speckle. Thereafter, it is evaluated whether an adjustment of an angle of inclination of an image capture assembly in the image forming device is required for improving the output quality of the images. Accordingly, the height of one or more spacers of a spacer assembly may be altered for inclining the image capture assembly with respect to a transparent surface on which an object to be scanned by the image forming device is placed. The height of the spacer assembly may be adjustable by a user or pre-set to an optimum level for reducing the speckle to a value less than or equal to the predefined amount of speckle.

Abstract: Scanning devices and method of use that permit the capture of high resolution images of an original that is illuminated by a light source that is located outside of the optical field of view of an image detector. In one aspect, the image detector may be a monochrome sensor that sequentially captures different color plane images of an original that is illuminated by different colors. The different color plane images may be processed to generate a full color copy of the original. Light and images may be directed through tapered optical waveguides to minimize the volume of the scanning device. The image detector may include a first associated waveguide while the light source may include a second associated waveguide.