Abstract: A scanning device includes a first chassis, a second chassis and a calibration mechanism. The first chassis is for scanning one side of a document. The second chassis is for scanning the other side of the document. The second chassis is movably disposed opposite the first chassis. The calibration mechanism is for calibrating the color depth of the scan image. The calibration mechanism includes a calibration sheet and an elastic member. One end of the elastic member is fixed in the scanning device. The second chassis exerts a force on the calibration sheet to generate a relative movement between the calibration sheet and the first chassis. When the second chassis ceases exerting the force, the elastic member releases a resilient force for moving the calibration sheet to a starting position. The first chassis performs dynamic calibration by the relative movement between the first chassis and the calibration sheet.

Abstract: A scanner includes a platen assembly, a sheet feeder and a scanning module. The platen assembly and the sheet feeder are combined together to form a non-linear paper path. The paper path has a scan region. The sheet feeder includes a feeding mechanism, a transporting mechanism and a discharging mechanism. The feeding mechanism feeds a document into the paper path. The transporting mechanism transports the document from the feeding mechanism to the scan region. The document is transported past the scan region in a direction substantially parallel to a scan plane in the scan region. The discharging mechanism transports the document out of the paper path from the scan region. The scanning module movably disposed in the platen assembly acquires an image of the document transported past the scan region.

Abstract: A metering system for measuring the electrical power used to charge a vehicle is provided. The metering system includes an electrical meter operably coupled to a conductor connected to the vehicle and an electrical outlet. A controller receives signals from the meter to record the measured electrical consumption. The controller includes a plurality of communications devices for communicating with different communications carriers. In one embodiment, the controller selects one of the communications devices based on availability and a desired criterion. The selected communications device then transmits the measured electrical power consumption to a utility provider. In one embodiment, the metering system is mobile.

Abstract: A sheet inputting mechanism includes a first body, a first roller, a second body, a second roller and a stopper. The first roller is mounted on the first body. The second body is rotatably connected to the first body. The second roller is mounted on the second body. The stopper rotatably mounted on the first body is directly driven by the second body. When the second body is rotated to a first state relatively to the first body, the stopper is rotated to a closing state relatively to the first body to prevent a sheet from being moved to a sheet input position. When the second body is rotated to a second state relatively to the first body, the stopper is rotated to an open state relatively to the first body to allow the sheet to be moved to the sheet input position and in contact with the first roller.

Abstract: A method includes the steps of rotating an input roller to transport a first leading edge of a first document from an input tray to an input passageway, a scanning position and an output passageway sequentially; rotating the input roller to transport a second leading edge of a second document from the input tray to the input passageway after a first trailing edge of the first document deviates from the input roller; rotating an output roller to transport the first leading edge from the output passageway to an output tray; and generating a linear speed difference between the input roller and the output roller, after the first trailing edge deviates from the scanning position, to transport the first trailing edge to the output tray, such that the second leading edge is still within the input passageway or the input tray when the first trailing edge deviates from the output roller.

Abstract: A metering system for measuring the electrical power used to charge a vehicle is provided. The metering system includes an electrical meter operably coupled to a conductor connected to the vehicle and an electrical outlet. A controller receives signals from the meter to record the measured electrical consumption. The controller includes a plurality of communications devices for communicating with different communications carriers. In one embodiment, the controller selects one of the communications devices based on availability and a desired criterion. The selected communications device then transmits the measured electrical power consumption to a utility provider. In one embodiment, the metering system is mobile.

Abstract: A multi-purpose scan device using the same power source includes a flatbed scanner, an ADF, a motor, and a power-switching mechanism. The flatbed scanner has a scanning module and a power transmission mechanism for moving the scanning module back and forth in the flatbed scanner. The ADF has a sheet-feeding mechanism for feeding a document across the scanning module, which scans the document. The power-switching mechanism selectively transmits power of the motor to the sheet-feeding mechanism and the power transmission mechanism.

Abstract: In a duplex automatic sheet feeder, a passageway group, connected to a supply tray and a discharge tray, includes a plurality of passageways and an image processing region. A sheet detector disposed in the passageway group is for detecting each sheet and thus outputting a sheet detecting signal. A transporting mechanism is for transporting the sheet from the supply tray to the discharge tray through the passageway group. Each sheet is transported across the image processing region at least twice and processed in the image processing region. A control module connected to the transporting mechanism and the sheet detector is for driving the transporting mechanism to transport each sheet, and for making the transporting mechanism switch from a forward-rotating state to a backward-rotating state according to the sheet detecting signal and a predetermined physical quantity so that each sheet is transported by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: In a sheet-fed scanner capable of switching backgrounds, a scanning module scans a document, which is transported by a sheet-feeding mechanism across a scan region, and a stationary background component, which has a plurality of sections having different reflectivities and is disposed in the scan region. The scanning module includes an image sensor, a lens and at least one reflecting mirror. An actuator actuates the at least one reflecting mirror to enable the image sensor to selectively sense one of the sections of the background component as a scan background for the document through the lens and the at least one reflecting mirror.

Abstract: A hinge device includes a first body, a second body and an adjustment assembly. The second body is mounted on a base and pivotally connected to the first body. The adjustment assembly, disposed on the base and contacting one of the first body and the second body, is for adjusting a position of the second body relative to the base. A scanning apparatus using the hinge device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A flat-bed scanner in combination with a sheet feeder. The flat-bed scanner includes a first glass window having a top surface and a second glass window having a top surface. A height step is formed without increasing the difficult between the top surfaces of the first and second glass windows. When the sheet feeder is placed on the flat-bed scanner, the scanned documents may pass the first glass window smoothly, consequently, good scanning quality may be obtained.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a front feeding roller set, a rear feeding roller set, a document control roller and a movement-driving mechanism. The document control roller is disposed between the front feeding roller set and the rear feeding roller set and is located above a scan platen with a gap left therebetween. The front feeding roller set transports a document across the scan platen and then to the rear feeding roller set. The document control roller is rotated to assist in transporting the document and to press the document toward the scan platen. The movement-driving mechanism moves the document control roller such that the gap between the document control roller and the scan platen is adjusted. Thus, a scanning module below the scan platen can scan an image of the document.

Abstract: An automatic sheet feeder including a sheet input tray, a sheet output tray, a first passageway and a second passageway, a temporary storage region, and a sheet-feeding mechanism. The sheet-feeding mechanism transports a first sheet from the sheet input tray to the temporary storage region at a first time through the first passageway, successively transports the first sheet from the temporary storage region to the second passageway, from the second passageway to the first passageway, and from the first passageway to the temporary storage region at a second time, and then outputs the first sheet from the temporary storage region to the sheet output tray. The sheet is transported across an image processing region twice in either the simplex or duplex feeding mode.

Abstract: A calibration mechanism for an optical module of a sheet-fed scanner is disclosed. The calibration mechanism includes a calibration strip and a driving unit. The calibration strip is moved by the driving unit, and the calibration strip may be moved relative to the optical module for calibrating color depth. The driving unit includes a roller and a flexible strip. One end of the flexible strip is mounted to the roller, and the calibration strip is mounted or formed on the flexible strip. The flexible strip is moved by the roller action so that the calibration strip is moved relative to the optical module, and the optical module may accordingly calibrate the color depth.

Abstract: A method includes the steps of rotating an input roller to transport a first leading edge of a first document from an input tray to an input passageway, a scanning position and an output passageway sequentially; rotating the input roller to transport a second leading edge of a second document from the input tray to the input passageway after a first trailing edge of the first document deviates from the input roller; rotating an output roller to transport the first leading edge from the output passageway to an output tray; and generating a linear speed difference between the input roller and the output roller, after the first trailing edge deviates from the scanning position, to transport the first trailing edge to the output tray, such that the second leading edge is still within the input passageway or the input tray when the first trailing edge deviates from the output roller.

Abstract: A scanning device includes a first chassis, a second chassis and a calibration mechanism. The first chassis is for scanning one side of a document. The second chassis is for scanning the other side of the document. The second chassis is movably disposed opposite the first chassis. The calibration mechanism is for calibrating the color depth of the scan image. The calibration mechanism includes a calibration sheet and an elastic member. One end of the elastic member is fixed in the scanning device. The second chassis exerts a force on the calibration sheet to generate a relative movement between the calibration sheet and the first chassis. When the second chassis ceases exerting the force, the elastic member releases a resilient force for moving the calibration sheet to a starting position. The first chassis performs dynamic calibration by the relative movement between the first chassis and the calibration sheet.

Abstract: In a sheet-fed scanner capable of switching backgrounds, a scanning module scans a document, which is transported by a sheet-feeding mechanism across a scan region, and a stationary background component, which has a plurality of sections having different reflectivities and is disposed in the scan region. The scanning module includes an image sensor, a lens and at least one reflecting mirror. An actuator actuates the at least one reflecting mirror to enable the image sensor to selectively sense one of the sections of the background component as a scan background for the document through the lens and the at least one reflecting mirror.

Abstract: An automatic sheet input tray, first to third passageways, a temporary tray selectively communicating with the first and second passageways, a sheet-feeding mechanism, and a sheet output tray. The sheet-feeding mechanism feeds a first sheet from the sheet input tray to the sheet output tray successively through the first passageway, the temporary tray, the second passageway, the first passageway, and the third passageway in a duplex mode. When the first sheet is fed to the third passageway, a second sheet is fed to the first passageway in the duplex mode. In a simplex mode, the mechanism feeds the first sheet from the sheet input tray to the sheet output ray successively through the first passageway and the temporary tray, and the first sheet falls from the temporary tray to the sheet output tray.

Abstract: A multiple-resolution scanning device introduces an image information obtained by scanning a document into a light folding device and the image information is reflected in the light folding device. The image information comes out from the light folding device and received and reflected by a final reflection mirror unit, and passes through a lens unit and then focused on an optical sensor. By adjusting the light folding device or the final reflection mirror unit, or by adjusting the light source and the light folding device to change the position or angle thereof to achieve the purpose of changing the path of light of the image information and obtain the scanned results having different resolutions.

Abstract: A sheet feeder capable of immediately detecting a paper jam includes a housing, a motor attached to the housing, a driving roller, a driven roller, a rotation speed detector and a control circuit. The motor drives the driving roller to rotate, and the driving roller drives the driven roller to rotate. The driven roller cooperates with the driving roller to feed a sheet therethrough. The rotation speed detector detects the rotation speed of the driven roller and outputs a rotation speed signal. The control circuit receives the rotation speed signal to judge whether or not a paper jam occurs according to the rotation speed signal.