Abstract: Present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus comprising a first feeding rotary body for feeding sheets, a second feeding rotary body located in facing to the first feeding rotary body for feeding the sheets between the second feeding rotary body and the first feeding rotary body upon pressing the sheets, an elastic shaft serving as a rotary center of the second feeding rotary body for urging the second feeding rotary body toward the first feeding rotary body and restricting means for restricting movements of the second feeding rotary body in multiple directions by contacting with the second feeding rotary body.

Abstract: To reliably and simply prevent the output of specified image data, a unit to detect a pattern is installed in one of the devices in a system consisting of an image scanner 1, control device 2 (a personal computer) and printer 3 which are connected consecutively. This pattern detection unit contains a unit which detects a specified pattern from the mass of image data representing a document. Once this pattern has been found, either the subsequent image data are altered before being output or output of the image data is interrupted. When the system starts up, the control unit for each device checks whether that device, or one of the other devices in the system, has a pattern detection unit as described above. If it determines that no device has such a unit, it halts operation.

Abstract: To reliably and simply prevent the output of specified image data, a unit to detect a pattern is installed in one of the devices in a system consisting of an image scanner 1, control device 2 (a personal computer) and printer 3 which are connected consecutively. This pattern detection unit contains a unit which detects a specified pattern from the mass of image data representing a document. Once this pattern has been found, either the subsequent image data are altered before being output or output of the image data is interrupted. When the system starts up, the control unit for each device checks whether that device, or one of the other devices in the system, has a pattern detection unit as described above. If it determines that no device has such a unit, it halts operation.

Abstract: An image recognition method and device detects an object mark reliably even when the mark is defaced with a different color. RGB signals are transmitted to color extraction unit. The color extraction unit has a characteristic color extraction block to extract the characteristic color of the object mark. A binary image is generated from the extracted pixels which are the color of the mark and stored in storage device. A mark detection unit detects the location of the mark in the stored image data and an image extraction unit extracts the region where the mark is located and obtains a feature count. A matching unit compares the feature count with a reference pattern and finds the goodness of fit. A control unit subjects the goodness of fit value to threshold value processing to determine whether this is a nonreproducible document. If the mark has been defaced with black ink, the pixels constituting the mark are extracted by a likely color extraction block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to detect marks of a specified shape and color on a document and to extract a specified pattern consisting of a number of these marks. An RGB color signal is sent, color by color, by way of image input unit 12 to binary processing unit 13. If the marks are yellow, the B signal for the pixels constituting the marks will be smaller than the other signals. The B signal is sent to mark shape extraction unit 13a and threshold processing is executed. Simultaneously, R, G and B are sent to mark color extraction unit 13b, and the fact that the marks are yellow is detected. AND element 13c finds the logical product of these processes, and a binary image is generated from which only the yellow pixels have been extracted. This binary image is transmitted to mark location detection unit 15 by way of storage unit 14. The shapes of the marks are matched against reference data and location data are extracted for the marks.

Abstract: An image processing device and method for identifying an input image and a copier including such an image processing device and method. The image processing device forms a gradated image from the input image, determines whether the gradated image includes a specified pattern, extracts a portion of the input image corresponding to the specified pattern, and compares the extracted portion of the input image with a reference pattern to determine a degree of resemblance between the extracted portion of the input image and the reference pattern.

Abstract: To reliably and simply prevent the output of specified image data, a unit to detect a pattern is installed in one of the devices in a system consisting of an image scanner 1, control device 2 (a personal computer) and printer 3 which are connected consecutively. This pattern detection unit contains a unit which detects a specified pattern from the mass of image data representing a document. Once this pattern has been found, either the subsequent image data are altered before being output or output of the image data is interrupted. When the system starts up, the control unit for each device checks whether that device, or one of the other devices in the system, has a pattern detection unit as described above. If it determines that no device has such a unit, it halts operation.

Abstract: The invention accurately generates counterfeit probability data indicating that a non-reproducible document is being processed even when the pattern which identifies such documents has been defaced. One set of rules and membership functions is stored in each of three memory sets, for each of (1) an unaltered pattern identifying a non-reproducible document, (2) an altered version of that pattern, and (3) a pattern identifying an ordinary reproducible document. A fuzzy inference unit uses these rules and membership functions to generate data representing the probability that a counterfeiting attempt is occurring. These probability data are transmitted to the copy machine through a control CPU to prevent unlawful copying.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an image processing device which would be able to extract a specified pattern accurately even if there are fine lines in its periphery. The invention is configured as follows in order to achieve this object. The density data for R, G and B are transmitted to fine line processor. There a count is made of the number of pixels among the eight surrounding a center object pixel, which have density values within a fixed margin of the center object pixel. If there are three or fewer, the center object pixel is judged to be part of a line segment, and the determination flag 0 is output. If there are four or more, the center pixel is judged to be not part of a line segment, but a part of pattern. Once the object pixel is judged to be a part of a line segment, then a line removal device remove the object pixel from the image data in order to extract a specified pattern.

Abstract: An image processing device is disclosed which can reliably detect documents which may not be copied, which has a very small probability of false positives, and which can handle newly issued documents which may not be copied. In addition, an image processing scheme is disclosed which would accurately obtain the location of a pattern indicating a document to be detected; which would extract that pattern; which would determine correctly whether it is the right pattern; and which would make it difficult for anyone to tamper with the pattern. To achieve this, a specified pattern is imprinted before use on a document which may not be copied, and a previously specified number of positioning marks and dummy marks which identify the location of the pattern may also be imprinted. The device is able to detect a wide variety of documents and perform the required processing at high speed.

Abstract: An image input device photoelectrically reads a document and outputs digital data. This image reader includes a first voltage generating circuit for generating a first voltage for setting an upper limit of contrast, a second voltage generating circuit for generating a second voltage for setting a lower limit of contrast, and an A/D converter for converting an input analog signal to a digital signal in accordance with the first and second voltages. At least one of the voltages generated by the first voltage generating circuit and second voltage generating circuit is variable.

Abstract: An input apparatus for computers is interposed between a keyboard and the computer. This apparatus comprises: an area designating device on which a desired visible information sheet having predetermined visible information can be disposed and which outputs a designation area signal indicative of the designated area of the visible information; a receiver to receive registration data comprising the area of the visible information and the key code of one or a series of plurality of keys corresponding to this area, the registration data being sent from an external system; a registering memory to store the registration data received by the receiver; a data fetching circuit to take out the corresponding key code from the registering memory by reference to the registration data in response to the designation area signal which is given from the area designating device; and a transmitter to transmit the fetched key code to the computer.