Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording sheet. A casing constituting an outer shell of the image forming apparatus is formed in a table shape including a top plate and a leg portion supporting the top plate, the top plate including a flat working surface. The image forming unit is located inside the top plate. The top plate includes a recording sheet outlet from which the recording sheet having an image formed thereon is discharged.

Abstract: Provided is a display device including an image display unit configured to display an image with a plurality of pixels arranged on a display surface, an eyepiece optical unit configured to project the display surface of the image display unit in a manner that a predetermined angle of view is obtained, and an image correction unit configured to correct a display image on the display surface at a position of each of representative pixels which are discretely located on the display surface, on the basis of distortion generated due to the eyepiece optical unit.

Abstract: A duplicate keyword selection engine facilitates identification and selection of duplicate keywords that are associated with advertisements and advertising campaigns. The selection engine selects duplicate keywords from one or more sets of duplicate keywords. The duplicate keywords can be selected based on selection criterion specified by the advertiser. The selection criterion for selecting duplicate keywords for inclusion in set of duplicate keywords can be a relative attribute value that a keyword must have relative to attribute values of other keywords in the set of duplicate keywords to which the keyword belongs. For example, the selection criterion can require a duplicate keyword to have a highest attribute value relative to attribute values of the other keywords in the set of duplicate keywords.

Abstract: The optical scanning apparatus correctly measures a gap between the laser beams of a plurality of the laser beams even when the scanning speed is changed and when the variation is caused, rightly corrects the variation. Thus, the optical scanning apparatus inputs detection signal BD_IN to the edge detecting unit at timing at which the laser beam is detected. During the enable gating, the count value representing the distance between the head laser beam and the end laser beam is counted in the counting unit. A plurality of speed ratio parameters according to the degree of changes in the scanning speed is input in the selector. The selector selects any one of the speed ratio parameters and multiplies by the count value by the multiplier, it is controlled to obtain the same multiplication result whichever scanning speed may be selected.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus equipped with a sleep function and for forming an image using an image forming unit and a control method thereof. The image forming apparatus includes a control unit that controls the image forming unit. When a job is received in a sleep state, a port number of the received job is discriminated, whether or not to perform initialization processing of the image forming unit is determined based on the discriminated port number, and in a case that it is determined that initialization processing of the image forming unit is necessary, initialization processing of the image forming unit is started and thereafter the control unit is controlled to start processing of the job.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a communication unit, a controller, and an image processing unit. The communication unit receives information related to a processing condition for image processing stored in and specified with a terminal device. The controller sets a state in which the information related to the processing condition is accepted with the communication unit from one terminal device, which performs wireless communication, and not from another terminal device, which performs wireless communication, other than the one terminal device. The image processing unit performs the image processing.

Abstract: In the electro-optical device for carrying out an image display by using n-bit (n is a natural number) digital image signals, one pixel incorporates n×m (m is a natural number) memory circuits, and has a function to store the digital image signals for m frames in the pixel (in examples shown in the drawings, n=3, m=2, and memory circuits A1 to A3 and B1 to B3 store signals for 3 bits×2 frames). Thus, in the display of a still picture, the digital image signals once stored in the memory circuits are repeatedly read out and a display is carried out for each frame, so that driving of a source signal line driver circuit is stopped during the display. Thus, the electric power consumption of the electro-optical device is reduced.

Abstract: A motor driving circuit for driving a step motor includes a logical circuit synchronized with a step pulse signal to control a bridge circuit connected to a coil of the step motor and control electric power supplied to the coil of the step motor, a counter electromotive force detecting unit configured to detect a counter electromotive force generated between both ends of the coil, and a step-out predicting unit configured to assert a detection signal indicating a sign of step-out of the step motor, when the counter electromotive force detected at a detection time after the lapse of a time calculated by multiplying a predetermined coefficient to a length of a high impedance period of the coil since transition to the high impedance period is lower than a predetermined threshold voltage.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a main unit having a document support surface configured to support a document on the document support surface, a reading unit accommodated in the main unit and configured to read an image of the document supported on the document support surface, and an openable unit coupled to the main unit and configured to pivot about a pivot axis between a closed position where the document support surface of the main unit is covered and a released position where the document support surface of the main unit is exposed. The pivot axis of the openable unit is located, in the main unit, below the document support surface and at a rear of the document support surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus corrects image data using a correction condition. An image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium, based on the corrected image data. Read data is obtained by a reading unit reading a measurement image formed on the recording medium. A determination unit determines a process condition used when the image forming unit forms the image based on the image data, based on the read data. A conversion unit converts the read data to density data, using a conversion condition corresponding to the recording medium. A first generation unit generates the correction condition, based on the density data. A storage unit stores a first conversion condition corresponding to a specific recording medium. A second generation unit controls the image forming unit to form a first image pattern on the specific recording medium and forms a second image pattern on another recording medium.

Abstract: An image process device includes a medium placing part, a sheet feeding part, a first carrying part arranged on a downstream side of the sheet feeding part in a medium carrying direction; a second carrying part arranged on a downstream side of the first carrying part; an imaging unit positioned between the first carrying part and the second carrying part; a driving part equipped with a rotation shaft and provides a driving force via the rotation shaft; a drive transmission member that rotates in correspondence with a rotation of the rotation shaft; a first drive transmission system that connects the drive transmission member with the sheet feeding part and transmits the driving force of the driving part to the sheet feeding part; and a second drive transmission system that is independent from the first drive transmission system, connects the drive transmission member with the first and second carrying parts and transmits the driving force of the driving part to the first and second carrying parts.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a sheet feeding tray on which a document is stacked; a slit glass on which the document is scanned while moving; a discharge path in which the document is conveyed after the document is scanned; a document discharge unit to which the document is discharged through the discharge path; and a stamp device that makes a mark on a scanned surface of the document being in the discharge path. The stamp device includes a printing unit that faces the scanned surface of the document. The printing unit is movable between a first position at which the printing unit faces the document being in the discharge path and a second position at which the printing unit is retracted from the discharge path.

Abstract: In a case where a conveyed document is a first page, printing is started before a result of determination as to whether the document is a blank page is output, whereby a time until a first sheet is output can be shortened.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit; a sending unit that sends an original formed by the image forming unit; a reading unit that reads an image of the original that is sent by the sending unit; a detecting unit that, from the image read by the reading unit, detects an end portion detecting image formed at a predetermined position of the original; and a determining unit that determines a search region for searching for an end portion of the original included in the image by recognizing the position of the end portion detecting image detected by the detecting unit.

Abstract: An electronic document generation system includes: an image forming apparatus configured to generate a scanned image of an original document; and an external terminal configured to receive image data of the scanned image from the image forming apparatus, and generate an electronic document based on the scanned image, wherein the image forming apparatus includes: a divided data generation unit; a determination unit; and a communication unit, of the plurality of divided image data, the communication unit transmits, to the external terminal, divided image data that is determined to be the processing target data at an earlier point in time, and transmits, to the external terminal, divided image data that is determined not to be the processing target data after the divided image data that is determined to be the processing target data are transmitted, and the external terminal includes: an obtaining unit; and a document generation unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a disaster recovery method used in document editing, comprising: storing the document to a local copy directory to form a local copy while editing the document; submitting the document to a server when editing of the document is finished; if the document is submitted successfully, deleting the local copy; if the document is not submitted successfully, recovering the document by using the local copy. The present invention also provides an apparatus, comprising: a backup module, used to store a document to a local copy directory to form a local copy while editing the document; a submitting module, used to submit the document to a server when editing of the document is finished; a deleting module, used to delete the local copy if the document is submitted successfully; a recovery module, used to recover the document using the local copy if the document is not submitted successfully.

Abstract: As image processing apparatus includes a color converter 20 as a color converting device. The color converter 20 has, as main functional components for carrying out color conversion of halftone of a spot color, a spot color information acquiring unit 21 for acquiring spot color information from manuscript data, a spot color Lab acquiring unit 22 for acquiring L*a*b* values in an L*a*b* color space when the dot percentage of the spot color is 100%, a first calculating unit 23 for calculating halftone L*a*b* values, using the L*a*b* values at 100% dot percentage of the spot color acquired by the spot color Lab acquiring unit 22 and a dot percentage of the spot color in a printing target portion of the spot color, and a second calculating unit 24 for converting, using an output ICC profile, the halftone L*a*b* values calculated by the first calculating unit 23 into CMYK values.

Abstract: An image reading device capable of avoiding erroneous determination in blank-paper detection of an original of an irregular size even when different width originals mixed and loaded are processed at a time. An original placed on a tray is conveyed through a conveyance path. An image reading sensor reads an image of the original. A blank-paper detection unit determines whether the original is blank paper. A determination unit determines whether the original is a regular size or an irregular size. A control unit controls not to output image data of the original when the determination unit determines that the original is a regular size and the blank-paper detection unit determines that the original is blank paper, and controls to output image data of the original when the determination unit determines that the original is an irregular size and the blank-paper detection unit determines that the original is blank paper.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus that stores print data in a cache memory while preventing performance from being degraded by cache flushing. The image processing apparatus includes a cache for storing print data, and an SD card for storing the print data stored in the cache. A cache controller of a CPU transmits an SD card write request for storing the print data stored in the cache into the SD card to a secondary storage device access controller. When the SD card write request is received after printing of the print data has been normally terminated, the secondary storage device access controller disables execution of the storage processing.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus for recording an image on a unit region of a recording medium by performing a plurality of relative scanning operations of the recording medium and a recording head including a plurality of recording elements arranged in a certain direction. The image processing apparatus stores, based on image data of the image and ratios of using a plurality of recording element groups for recording the image, each of the plurality of recording element groups including a different recording element, dot count values for the plurality of recording element groups, and determines, based on the stored dot count values, whether density correction data for correcting the image data needs to be generated.

Abstract: A document production system having the capability of determining the printable area of a pre-printed media using a copy of the pre-printed media as a template which is scanned and analyzed. The content of the document to be printed is adjusted to fit the printable areas by either scaling or cropping.

Abstract: For a duplex print job a display portion of the image forming apparatus shows a stack image of one or more papers. A top paper in the image appears to have a corner turned over revealing a portion of the back side of the top paper, and revealing a portion of a front side of a second paper in the stack. Within the stack image, the image portion of the front side of the top paper shows a print preview of a front side of a first sheet in the duplex print job. Image portions corresponding to the back side of the top paper and the front side of the second paper show, respectively, print preview of the back side of the first sheet and front side of a second sheet. The page images may be displayed at a glance for multiple pages in a two up fashion.

Abstract: A method and system for improving printing efficiency in a production printing environment, which includes a plurality of printers is disclosed, the method including: monitoring the plurality of printers via at least one server, wherein each of the plurality of printers are configured to provide a print job status to the at least one server; receiving an error message from at least one of the plurality of printers; selecting an operator from a list of operators assigned to the at least one of the plurality of printers, wherein each operator on the list of operators is capable of fixing an error associated with the error message on the at least one of the plurality of printers; and notifying the selected operator to investigate the error message via a client device.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, when a pivot plate is at a closed position, a free end of the pivot plate is at a vertical level higher than first and second hinge portions which are arranged apart from each other in a width direction along a horizontal direction. A free end of the pivot plate moves in a space defined between first and second virtual vertical planes. The first virtual vertical plane is defined as a virtual vertical plane, on which a widthwise inner end of a first hinge portion is disposed, and which is perpendicular to a rotational center axis of the first hinge portion. The second virtual vertical plane is defined as a virtual vertical plane, on which a widthwise inner end of the second hinge portion is disposed, and which is perpendicular to a rotational center axis of the second hinge portion.

Abstract: An image processing system comprises an image processor configured to perform an edge detection operation on a first image to obtain a second image, to identify particular edges of the second image that exhibit at least a specified reliability, and to generate a third image comprising the particular edges and excluding other edges of the second image. By way of example only, in a given embodiment the first image may comprise a depth image generated by a depth imager, the second image may comprise an edge image generated by applying the edge detection operation to the depth image, and the third image may comprise a modified edge image having only the particular edges that exhibit at least the specified reliability.

Abstract: An apparatus includes multiple image processing units configured to execute image processing on input data, which are connected in serial, and include two or more image processing units having the same image processing function. The image processing units include a transfer unit configured to transfer input first data to a next image processing unit without changing the data, and an image processor configured to execute image processing on the first data to output second data. At least one of the image processing units transfers the first data to the next image processing unit without changing the first data when the first data is input, and also outputs the second data.

Abstract: A virtual displaying method of a three-dimensional image for displaying at least one image of a plurality of images configuring a virtual three-dimensional image providing a three-dimensional visualization through a lens layer having a plurality of lenses includes applying a deterioration processing to the at least one image, and displaying, in a display section, an obtained image by the deterioration processing.

Abstract: A first image forming apparatus detects a malfunction generated in a functional unit thereof and determines a functional mode that cannot be executed. The first image forming apparatus transmits the functional mode that cannot be executed to a management apparatus. When obtaining the functional mode that cannot be executed, the management apparatus updates a functional mode table. The management apparatus increases a priority of the first image forming apparatus for a functional mode that the first image forming apparatus can execute. Along with this, the management apparatus decreases a priority of a second image forming apparatus that normally operates for the functional mode that the first image forming apparatus can execute. When receiving a job, the management apparatus refers to the updated functional mode table to allocate the job to one of the image forming apparatuses.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit and an image processing unit. The obtaining unit is configured to obtain depth information for each position in an image. The image processing unit is configured to switch between a first sharpening process and a second sharpening process in accordance with whether the image contains a predetermined area. The first sharpening process performs non-uniform sharpening on the image on the basis of the depth information; and the second sharpening process performs uniform sharpening on the image.

Abstract: A print control apparatus may include a determination unit and a print control unit. The print control apparatus causes a printing unit to perform duplex printing on a continuous sheet and the determination unit determines whether a continuous sheet usable by a first print job is the same as a continuous sheet usable by a second print job. If the determination unit determines that the two continuous sheets are the same, the print control unit perform controls to, cause the printing unit to continuously print images of the first print job to be arranged on a first surface of the continuous sheet and images of the second print job to be arranged on the first surface and thereafter cause the printing unit to print images of the first print job and the second print job to be arranged on an opposite surface of the continuous sheet.

Abstract: One or more option units connecting with a communication system that includes a control part configured to control a communication are provided with an upper side signal line connecting with a lower side signal line of an option unit connected in an upper position, a lower side signal line connecting with an upper side signal line of an option unit connected in a lower position; and a control circuit. A potential of the upper side signal line is changed from the second potential in response to a potential change from a potential in a normal state which is different from a potential in an initial state of the lower side signal line.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit that performs recording on a medium which is transported from the side of a second surface which is opposite to a first surface which forms a periphery of an apparatus body to the side of the first surface, a delivery section that delivers the medium on which recording has been performed by the recording head from the side of the first surface, a notch section formed at a corner formed by an upper surface and the second surface of the apparatus body, and a battery which is attached on the notch section and forms part of the upper surface and part of the second surface of the apparatus body in a state that the battery is attached.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for generating a pixel value use at least a first pixel in a first row of a charge coupled device (CCD) and a first pixel in a second row, adjacent to the first row, of the CCD.

Abstract: The illustrative embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for managing the execution of processing jobs. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a processing job associated with a set of processing job parameters. The processing job is sent from a user interfacing device associated with a user. The method also includes determining a processing job priority for the processing job using the set of processing job parameters, identifying a destination processing device capable of executing the processing job using the set of processing job parameters, and initiating execution of the processing job at the destination processing device to form processed data in response to determining to execute the processing job based on the processing job priority.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for printing jobs received from enterprise customers through a global printing network. One aspect relates to an architecture that interfaces customers, communication service firms (CSFs), and downstream digital print service providers (PSPs) in a global communications network. Such an architecture permits last-mile production functions that allow the distribution of print jobs to be optimized, containing costs, maintaining quality, and performing billing functions that improve the quality of such networks and make a global print network feasible. As a result, Enterprise customers benefit from lower costs and global sourcing while print service providers and graphics service firms benefit from increased revenue due to increased utilization of the overall global network.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a drive source, a medium receiving tray, a clutch, and a load applying unit. The medium receiving tray is configured to be driven by the drive source that is a motor having a cogging torque. The clutch is configured to idle when a predetermined amount of torque or more is applied, and provided to a power transmission pathway between the drive source and the medium receiving tray. The load applying unit is configured to apply a rotational load to a rotational body in the power transmission pathway closer to a side of the drive source than the clutch. The rotational load applied to the rotational body is set to a magnitude causing the clutch to idle before a rotational shaft of the motor rotates against the cogging torque when the medium receiving tray is operated by applying an external force to the medium receiving tray.

Abstract: The illustrative embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for managing the execution of print jobs. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a print job associated with a set of print job parameters. The print job is sent from a computing device associated with a user. The method includes accessing a set of user parameters associated with the user, and determining a print job priority for the print job using the set of print job parameters and the set of user parameters. The method includes identifying a destination printer capable of executing the print job using the set of print job parameters. The method also includes initiating execution of the print job at the destination printer in response to determining to execute the print job based on the print job priority.

Abstract: Methods and systems monitor print data being retrieved by a dedicated spooler of a printing device, and monitor the quantity of print data within the print queue to be printed by a printing engine of the printing device. The dedicated spooler and the printing engine share computing resources and, therefore, the processing activities of the dedicated spooler slow processing activities of the printing engine. These methods and systems dynamically reduce the rate at which the print data is retrieved by the dedicated spooler based on the quantity of documents within the print queue to increase printing speed (for example, these methods and systems can reduce the rate at which the print data is retrieved by the dedicated spooler based on the quantity of print data within the print queue being above a threshold amount).

Abstract: In an image reading apparatus, an image reading unit performs a reading operation to generate image data defined by the reading region. The reading region includes a first region and a second region. The image data includes first data and second data. The first data corresponds to the first region. The second data corresponds to by the second region. The original document passes through the first region and not passes through the second region. A displacing unit displaces the opposing member farther away from the image reading unit when the original document is present in the reading region than a position of the opposing member when the original document is not present in the reading region. A controller determines that an edge reaches the reading position when the second data satisfies a prescribed condition.

Abstract: An image processor includes a first acquirer that acquires a matching tap having a target pixel at the center, a second acquirer that acquires plural matching taps each having, at the center, one of pixels in a search area including the pixels surrounding the target pixel, a similarity identifier that identifies, among the matching taps acquired by the second acquirer, a similarity maximizing pixel representing a central pixel of the matching tap having the highest similarity to the matching tap acquired by the first acquirer, and a mixing controller that computes a pixel value of the target pixel by mixing a pixel value obtained by performing a predetermined arithmetic process on pixel values of a prediction tap having the target pixel at the center with a pixel value obtained by performing a predetermined arithmetic process on pixel values of a prediction tap having the similarity maximizing pixel at the center.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus is provided with a housing having a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet, which are spaced from each other. A width of the first inlet is wider than that of the second inlet. A first guide is defined in the housing, connected to the first inlet and the outlet and has first and second guide surfaces opposing each other. A second guide is defined in the housing, connected to the second inlet and a confluence position, and has third guide and fourth guide surfaces opposing each other. The confluence position is defined in the second guide surface, the third guide surface is defined on the second guide surface side of the second inlet side with respect to the confluence position, a driven roller exposing from the third guide surface, and a scanning unit arranged between the confluence position and the outlet.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires a statistical value of pixel values for each divided region; a determination unit that compares for each divided region the statistical value of the divided region acquired by the acquisition unit with a first threshold and determines whether the divided region is as color region or a monochrome region; and a re-determination unit that compares a statistical value of an adjacent divided region with a second threshold, by which a divided region is more likely determined as a color region than by the first threshold, for each adjacent divided region, and re-determines whether the adjacent divided region is a color region or a monochrome region.

Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for providing controlling a thin line growth are disclosed. For example, the method receives an image in a first resolution, wherein each pixel of a plurality of pixels within the image is marked with a first tag and a second tag, wherein the first tag determines whether each pixel is on or off in the image and the second tag determines whether a thin line growth for each pixel is on or off in the image and produces a second image in a second resolution based upon the image in the first resolution, wherein the thin line is grown by turning on each pixel in a sub-line that is adjacent to a different pixel from a different sub-line having the first tag on and the second tag of the each pixel in the sub-line is on.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises: a piezoelectric sensor that produces an variable output signal depending on the amount of infrared energy; a human body detecting device having a lens that forms a detecting area serving for detecting if the person enters; a peak detector that detects a peak of an output signal produced when the person enters the detecting area; an offset voltage judgment portion that judges if the output signal falls to the offset voltage after the peak; a moving direction judgment portion that judges the direction in which the person moves in the detecting area; and a mode controller that switches the power supply mode to a first mode if the power supply mode is found to be a second mode requiring less power than the first mode while the moving direction judgment portion judges that the person moves toward the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a printing machine having at least one printer unit comprising at least one inkjet printhead, a central printing cylinder, and a drive motor of its own dedicated to the central printing cylinder. A conveying path of a printing material web through the printing machine has at least one first section and one second section, each defined by contact points of the printing material, which have motor-powered rotation bodies. At least the first section has a dedicated first measuring device for measuring a web tension of the printing material web in the first section. At least the second section has a dedicated second measuring device for measuring the web tension of the printing material web in the second section.

Abstract: A method of printing on the sandpaper face of a nail grinding pad comprises printing, with an inkjet plotter printer onto a sandpaper surface, an ink composition including: 60% to 80% by weight of a polymer selected from the group consisting of: polypropylene glycol and its derivatives whose minimum molecular weight is around 200; polysaccharide and its derivatives; polyvinyl alcohol and its derivatives whose average molecular weight is around 10,000 to 200,000; polysucrose and its derivatives whose average molecular weight is around 40,000 to 400,000; and epoxy glycerol propoxylated glycerol and their derivatives whose average molecular weight is 500 to 10,000; and 2% to 10% by weight of a solvent dye or a pigment; 1% to 5% by weight percent of ethanol; and 0.1% to 1.0% by weight percent of surfactants.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device that is attachable to and detachable from an apparatus body and fixes a developer image onto a recording medium; a setting unit that is provided in the fixing device and in which a size of a recording medium to be used in the fixing device is set; an acquiring unit that is provided in the apparatus body and acquires size information of a recording medium onto which the developer image is to be fixed; a determining unit that compares the size of the recording medium set in the setting unit with the size of the recording medium acquired by the acquiring unit so as to determine whether or not a fixing process is performable by the fixing device; and a notifying unit that at least provides notification of a negative determination result obtained by the determining unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first detection unit that detects an object in a first region, a second detection unit that detects an object in a second region larger than the first region, a control unit that, if the first detection unit detects an object in the first region, shifts the image forming apparatus from a power-saving state to a normal power state, a display unit that displays information indicating a state of the image forming apparatus, and a power control unit that, when the state of the image forming apparatus is an error state, supplies power to the display unit if the second detection unit detects an object in the second region and, when the state of the image forming apparatus is not the error state, supplies power to the display unit if the first detection unit detects an object in the first region.

Abstract: Various systems, processes, and products may be used to source clean cascaded volumes. In particular implementations, a system, process, and product for source cleaning cascaded volumes may include the ability to store a primary volume and a plurality of cascaded backup volumes. The system, process, and product may also include the ability to determine whether a write to one of the backup volumes is due to a background copy being made of another volume in the cascade and adjust a background copy indicator in a volume map for the backup volume if the write is due to a background copy and to determine whether a write to one of the backup volumes is due to a write to another volume in the cascade and adjust a write copy indicator in a volume map for the backup volume if the write is due to a write to another cascaded volume.

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.