Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an original document platform, a reflection carriage, a wire, a pulley, a slide member, a projecting section and a guide section. The reflection carriage includes a mirror for reflecting light, and is moved in a first direction along a sub-scanning direction with respect to the original document. The wire is wound around a pulley. The slide member is installed on the reflection carriage, rotatably supports the pulley, and slidably moves in the first direction with respect to the reflection carriage. The projecting section is provided to project in a second direction that intersects with the first direction, on one of the reflection carriage and the slide member. The guide section is provided to extend in the first direction on the other of the reflection carriage and the slide member. The projecting section abuts against the guide section.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is provided with a book data acquisition unit which acquires a book data item including a plurality of image data items related to covers and individual pages of a book, a length acquisition unit which acquires a longitudinal length and a lateral length of the book based on lengths of two sides of the plurality of image data items included in the book data item, and an image data determination unit which compares the longitudinal and lateral lengths of the book to the lengths of the two sides of each of the image data items to determine the image data item determined to include neither one page nor two facing pages as the image data item including a spine image.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a contact glass setting a manuscript thereon; an image sensor extending in a first direction and having a reading surface which faces the contact glass for reading an image from the manuscript on the contact glass; a rail member extending inside the apparatus main body in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a carriage having a sensor container to contain the image sensor, a taper end portion formed in an end portion in the first direction to become smaller in height toward the end side, and an opening formed in the bottom of the sensor container on the taper end portion side; a biased portion adjacent to the reading surface of the image sensor in the second direction; and a biasing member biasing the image sensor toward the contact glass via the biased portion.

Abstract: A lens array including: a plurality of imaging portions arrayed in a first direction; wherein each of the plurality of imaging portions includes a first optical system configured to form an intermediate image of an object and a second optical system configured to re-form the intermediate image of the object in a first cross section parallel to the first direction and a direction of optical axes of the imaging portions, and wherein in each of the plurality of imaging portions, an optical flux from an object height at which a light available efficiency becomes 90% is restricted by at least one of a first aperture surface of the first optical system and a second aperture surface of the second optical system, and the optical flux from an object height at which the light available efficiency becomes 10% is restricted by the aperture surface which restricts the optical flux from the object height at which the light available efficiency becomes 90%.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a contact glass provided at an upper surface of a main body of the apparatus to set a manuscript thereon, an image sensor being positioned below the contact glass and having a reading surface on contact glass side for reading an image from the manuscript on the contact glass, a carriage supporting the image sensor accommodated in a sensor container formed to have a recess open to the contact glass side, a rail member slidably supporting the carriage, and a biasing member biasing the image sensor to the contact glass side via a biased portion adjacent to the reading surface of the image sensor. An upper end of the biasing member is positioned below the contact glass and above the lower surface of the image sensor.

Abstract: There is provided an image reading device comprising: a image capturing unit that captures a manuscript; a predetermined image pattern displayed in a region that is captured by the image capturing unit and provides a background of the manuscript; and a region determination unit that determines an image region corresponding to the manuscript, based on an image element corresponding to the image pattern and another image element corresponding to a shadow of the manuscript in an image captured by the image capturing unit.

Abstract: A handheld scanner incorporates vision software to allow the handheld scanner to be trained for OCR. The handheld scanner can include a user interface to allow a user to associate an image of a mark with electronic data for the mark. The user interface, along with a range finder, can also be used to influence variables that affect the quality of an image scan, thereby improving the quality of results for the image scan and/or decode process.

Abstract: A signal value representing at least one of a plurality of types of optical characteristics are calculated for each pixel from the read signal obtained and output by reading light reflected by a document placed on a document table and a document table cover while the document is covered with the cover. It is determined, based on the signal value calculated, whether or not a target pixel is a pixel in a document region. A document region is detected from the determination result.

Abstract: According to embodiments, an image reading apparatus and an image reading method are disclosed. The image reading method comprises receiving a signal of an image color of an image on an original, and based on the received signal, controlling an illuminating section comprising a red light source, a green light source and a blue light source so that one of the red, green and blue light sources is turned off, while the remaining light sources are turned on. The image reading method further comprises receiving, on an image sensor, light from the turned-on light sources that is reflected off of the original, and processing the light received by the image sensor to form a monochromatic image.

Abstract: A mark detection apparatus includes a reading unit, a converter, and a determination part. The reading unit reads an image on a document. The converter compares respective portions of the image read by the reading unit with a plurality of preset reference patterns, and converts a portion of the image to a character associated with a corresponding reference pattern. The determination part determines that the portion of the image to have been compared on the document is a mark in a case in which the character converted by the converter is a preset first reference character, and that the portion of the image to have been compared on the document is not a mark in a case in which the character converted by the converter is not a preset first reference character.

Abstract: A printing system includes the following elements. An image forming unit forms an image. An image reader reads an image. A first color converter creates second image data. A second color converter creates fourth image data. A determining unit determines whether a pixel value of each of pixels in the first image data or the second image data is located inside or outside an input color gamut that is readable by the image reader. A correction unit corrects pixels located at the same position as a pixel having a pixel value located outside the input color gamut. An inspection unit performs inspection to find a defect of an image. The correction unit performs correction on the pixels located at the same position as a pixel having a pixel value located outside the input color gamut so that the inspection unit does not detect a difference between the corrected pixels.

Abstract: A system and method for interactive printed media are disclosed in which a mobile or wearable computing device has an application that captures an image of a piece of printed media and associates a link to the piece of printed media using a backend component to make the piece of printed media interactive. The system and method may be used to generate a piece of printed media that is interactive that may be sent to third parties or to make an existing piece of printed media interactive.

Abstract: Provided is a light guide, in which: at least one of a reflecting part or a light exit part has a light condensing action in a direction intersecting a predetermined direction; the at least one of the reflecting part or the light exit part includes diffusing parts arranged in the predetermined direction; the diffusing parts include: a first curved surface having a first degree of diffusion in the predetermined direction for a sparse region of light sources; and a second curved surface having a second degree of diffusion, which is lower than the first degree of diffusion, in the predetermined direction for a dense region of the light sources; and each of the first curved surface and the second curved surface has a shape corresponding to a part of a cylinder extending in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction in which the light sources are arrayed.

Abstract: A movable carriage includes a mechanism configured to hold a sensor unit so as to allow the sensor unit to displace with respect to the carriage. The mechanism allows the sensor unit to displace with respect to the carriage in a rotational direction centering on a shaft parallel to a moving direction of the carriage and disposed above a reading area of the sensor unit, and in a vertical direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing accommodating an image forming unit and includes a side wall and an opening to feed the sheet from an outside to the image forming unit; a feeding tray moving between a holding position and an accommodation position; a guide provided at the feeding tray, the guide being configured to abut against the sheet which is held on the feeding tray from a rear end side of the sheet in a feeding direction along with the sheet is fed to the image forming unit and define a holding position of the sheet when the feeding tray is arranged at the holding position and the sheet is placed on the feeding tray; and a recess part formed on the sidewall of the housing and configured to accommodate the guide therein when the feeding tray is arranged at the accommodation position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first read device configured to read a first surface of an original document in a main scanning direction and to produce a first band data. The image forming apparatus further includes a second read device configured to read a second surface of the original document in the main scanning direction and to produce a second band data during the reading of the first surface by the first read device. The image forming apparatus still further includes an image data processor configured to produce printing band data by combining the first band data with the second band data, during the reading of at least one of the first surface and the second surface. Moreover, the image forming apparatus includes a printing device configured to start printing an image of the printing band data produced by the image data processor on a printing sheet, during the reading of at least one of the first surface and the second surface.

Abstract: To store image data scanned by an image scanning unit in a way that corresponds to each page group, an image processing system scans an original and generates image data, and stores the image data in a storage unit separately from image data previously stored in the storage unit if a scan command is given via a first command input unit, and stores the image data in the storage unit by associating the image data with image data previously stored in the storage unit if a scan command is given via a second command input unit.

Abstract: In an image reading device, a scanning unit moves relative to the main unit between a base position and a moved position. A conveyance unit moves relative to the scanning unit between a base position and a moved position at which the cover closes the platen, and is formed with a first and second openings. The cover member moves between a base position at which the cover member covers a second opening and a moved position. The first and second detectors detect a state of the scanning unit, the conveyance unit, and the cover member. The conveyance unit conveys the document along one of a first and second conveying paths that is used to convey the document and is determined based on the state of the first and second detectors.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a transporting member that transports a document, a light source that irradiates the document at a reading position with light, a light receiving unit that receives light reflected at the reading position, a background member that is inclined with respect to the document at the reading position such that, upon reflecting the light emitted from the light source toward the light receiving unit when the document is not present at the reading position, a difference between an incident angle and a reflection angle thereon is less than a difference between an incident angle and a reflection angle on the document at the reading position, and an adjusting unit that adjusts a position or attitude of an acting member such that the light reflected from the background member is received with a greater intensity than light reflected from white paper at the reading position.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a job execution unit configured to execute at least one of an input job accompanied by inputting of image data and an output job unaccompanied by inputting of image data, an image data storage unit configured to store image data in a predetermined memory, a reference information storage unit configured to store reference information to the image data stored in the memory in the same memory, and a control unit configured to control the image data storage unit to newly store image data in the memory when the job executed by the job execution unit is an input job, and the reference information storage unit to store the reference information to the image data stored in the memory without newly storing image data in the memory when the job executed by the job execution unit is an output job.

Abstract: A scanner is disclosed. The scanner has a scan sensor with a width smaller than the width of the platen. The scanner scans a first pass of the platen with the scan sensor in a first position on one side of the platen. The scanner then moves the scan sensor to the other side of the platen and does a second pass.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed, including a marking position detection part and a first character recognition part. The marking position detection part detects a marking position with respect to a first sheet based on first image data scanned from the first sheet. The first character recognition part conducts a first character recognition with respect to an area specified based on the marking position, for second image data scanned from a second sheet.

Abstract: An illuminator, a scanner module and an image scanning apparatus are provided. The scanner module includes an illuminator that includes a light source, a light guide extending in a main scanning direction to change a direction of the light from the light source, a guide holder recessed with a light guide mounting portion in which the light guide is mounted, and at least one supporting protrusion protruding from an entrance of the light guide mounting portion into the light guide mounting portion to support the light guide received in the light guide mounting portion. As the light guide is supported by the supporting protrusion formed at the entrance of the light guide mounting portion, it is possible to reduce deformation of the light guide and/or to prevent the light guide from being falling out of the light guide mounting portion when subjected to, e.g., a shock.

Abstract: A image reading apparatus includes a first conveyance unit which is configured to convey a document to a reading position of a platen while pinching the document, a second conveyance unit arranged on a downstream of the platen and configured to convey the document, an upstream rotary member arranged between the first conveyance unit and the second conveyance unit and configured to come into contact with the document at a position on an upstream of the reading position, and a downstream rotary member arranged between the first conveyance unit and the second conveyance unit and configured to come into contact with the document at a position on a downstream of the reading position, wherein a gap between the platen and the upstream rotary member is set smaller than a gap between the platen and the downstream rotary member.

Abstract: A scanning system is described providing an exception correction capability during multi-page scanning operations. A sensing system is used to sense exception conditions during a multi-page scanning operation. In response to detecting an exception, at least one scanned page associated with the exception condition is displayed on an image display and a user interface system is used to provide a plurality of user-selectable corrective actions associated with the exception condition. One or more corrective operations are then performed in response to a user selecting a particular corrective action.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a control unit configured to receive first PDL data including a first bookmark and a second bookmark from a user, create a first node mapped to a page which is the reference of the first bookmark and a second node mapped to a page which is the reference of the second bookmark, and create second PDL data having a hierarchical structure for the pages by including the first node and the second node. The first bookmark is different from the second bookmark, the first node is different from the second node, and the first PDL data is different from the second PDL data wherein the second PDL data includes the page which is the reference of the first bookmark and the page which is the reference of the second bookmark.

Abstract: A roller assembly includes a roller shaft, a roller base and at least one roller. The roller shaft defines at least one clipping slot. The roller shaft passes rearward through the roller base to rotatably mount the roller base to the roller shaft. An inside of the roller base extends forward to form an elastic arm. A free end of the elastic arm projects beyond a front surface of the roller base. The free end of the elastic arm defines a hook portion hooked in the clipping slot to restrain the roller base on the roller shaft. The roller is set around the roller base. When the roller assembly is disassembled, press down upon the free end of the elastic arm to make the hook portion project out of the clipping slot, so that the roller base together with the rollers is disassembled from the roller shaft.

Abstract: An image scanner includes a stationary original plate on which a stationary original is placed and a moving original plate, over which a moving original is conveyed, aligned with the stationary original plate in a sub-scanning direction and tilted relative to the stationary original plate by a given angle. A reader is movable in the sub-scanning direction between a stationary original reading span disposed opposite the stationary original via the stationary original plate to read an image on the stationary original and a moving original reading position disposed opposite the moving original via the moving original plate to read an image on the moving original. The reader pressingly contacts the stationary original plate and the moving original plate as the reader moves in the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: A document size detector sets an amount of light to be emitted from a light source for document size detection in accordance with the amount of disturbance light detected by the CCD, switches on the light source so as to make the light source emit the set amount of light, and detects the size of a document placed on a platen. Therefore, erroneous detection of a document size is prevented and glare that a user is subjected to when the size of a document placed on the platen is detected is reduced.

Abstract: A sheet conveyer device, including a roller to convey a sheet by rotating in a normal direction and a holder rotatably arranged on a roller shaft, is provided. The holder includes a roller gear system arranged on the roller shaft and having a roller driving gear to drive the roller, a shutter rotatably arranged on a shutter shaft to restrict access of the sheet to the roller, a shutter gear system to connect a path between the roller gear system and the shutter, a one-way clutch to disconnect the path between the roller gear system and the shutter when the roller rotates in the normal direction, and a torque limiter to allow the roller to rotate in a reverse direction. The holder rotates about the roller shaft in the same reverse direction as the roller when the roller rotates in the reverse direction.

Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to facilitate visually grasping the progress of reading during reading of a plurality of images. To accomplish this, when placing a plurality of images on an original table and scanning and reading them, display is made to allow a user to grasp which image on a preview screen corresponds to the image under scan. In addition, after the start of main scan, the user can designate an image on the preview screen and cancel scan of the image and change the scan sequence.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a duplex path to guide a document, which is read by a first reading unit and a second reading unit. The document is subjected to a primary reading operation using the first and the second reading units, and the document is then guided via the duplex path and passes through the first reading unit and the second reading unit. At this time, the document is subjected to a secondary reading operation using the first and the second reading units, and a control unit compares image information obtained by the first reading unit and the second reading unit in the primary reading operation with image information obtained by the first reading unit and the second reading unit in the secondary reading operation. The control unit also determines whether the first reading unit and the second reading unit are normally operated.

Abstract: There is provided a method for properly placing a document on a reference position of a document positioning plate. The method for controlling an image reading apparatus for reading a document placed on a document positioning plate includes acquiring an image of an image-readable region including the document positioning plate; detecting a document to be read in a vicinity of a reference position for reading the document which is placed on the document positioning plate, and controlling a display unit to display an image of a first region of the document positioning plate in a case where the document is not detected, and controlling the display unit to display an image of a second region in the vicinity of the reference position in a magnification that is greater than a magnification for displaying the image of the first region in a case where the document is detected.

Abstract: Standard positional information is acquired about a plurality of regions of interest to be quantified, which are designated in a standard image region. An image magnification which represents a size ratio of measurement image region represented by the image data to the standard image region is calculated. Positional information of a plurality of regions of interest depending on the measurement image region is calculated based on the acquired standard positional information and the calculated image magnification.

Abstract: A scanner module and an image scanning apparatus employing the same. The scanner module comprises an illuminator for illuminating light on an object to be scanned. The illuminator includes a light emitting diode, a light guide extending in a main scanning direction to change a direction of the light received from the light emitting diode, and at least one elastic member to elastically support at least one longitudinal end of the light guide. As the light guide is elastically supported by the elastic member, convex deformation or bowing of an emission face of the light guide due to thermal expansion can be reduced.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus reads an image out of a frame buffer by vertically flipping the image, writes the image into an output line buffer by horizontally flipping the image, divides each line, and simultaneously outputs the resulting line segments. Methods for vertical flipping, horizontal flipping, and simultaneous output are changed according to the output settings.

Abstract: A scan movement indicator in which light directed toward an indicating unit or external light entering through the indicating unit does not penetrate a scanning area so that improved quality of a scanning and printing operation is provided, and an image forming apparatus having the same are provided. The scan movement indicator includes a light source unit disposed in a scan unit which is movable in a main body of an image forming apparatus, an indicating unit disposed in the main body of the image forming apparatus along a moving direction of the scan unit, and having a portion of the indicating unit that is brightened by light from the light source, and a light blocking unit to block light directed toward the indicating unit or external light entering through the indicating unit from penetrating into a scanning area.

Abstract: In the method and device, electronic documents are created from a batch of physical documents of varying lengths. The batch comprises sub-batches of groups of multiple multi-page physical documents with separator sheets on each group. Each separator sheet is marked with a page count for any physical documents in its group. The batch is scanned-in and the resulting image pages are used to form the electronic documents. Specifically, the image pages are analyzed in sequence to identify document sheet image pages and separator sheet image pages. When a separator sheet image page is identified, the page count on that separator sheet image page is read and electronic document(s) is/are created from sequential set(s) of document sheet image pages, which follow the separator sheet image page and have the specific page count, until the next separator sheet image page is identified. This is repeated for all separator sheet image pages identified.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided, which makes it possible to classify and store documents after scanning the documents by intuitive operations such as physically classifying the documents. The image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire image data obtained by capturing an image of a document placed in an image capturing area; and a classification unit configured to classify the acquired image data according to at least one of a direction to which the document is framed-out from the image capturing area and a direction from which the document is framed-in to the image capturing area.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a touch panel that outputs a press position pressed by a finger as coordinate information in a sub-scanning direction, the finger being placed on the surface of the touch panel, a CCD that takes an image of the finger placed on the touch panel from the rear side of the touch panel in a main-scanning direction, and outputs an image signal, and a motor that moves the CCD in the sub-scanning direction so as to follow a rotational movement of the finger based on the movement amount detected by the movement detection unit.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a main body, a rotation unit supported on the main body so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis, an imaging unit that is mounted on the rotation unit at an outward position in a radial direction of the rotation axis and images a medium to be read that is placed on a placement surface located under the rotation unit in the vertical direction, and a light source that irradiates the medium to be read with light. The light source and the imaging unit can be arranged with a relative positional relationship capable of suppressing specular reflected light of light that is emitted from the light source and reflected by the medium to be read from being incident on the imaging unit.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus includes a base, a transparent plate, a guide rod disposed between the base and the transparent plate, an optical sensor module, and a carrier mounted on the guide rod and including a first support bracket to place the optical sensor module thereto and having a first pivot connecting portion, a second support bracket having a second pivot connecting portion connected pivotally to the first pivot connecting portion, and an elastic member disposed between the first and second support brackets and biasing upwardly the first support bracket so as to keep the optical sensor module in constant contact with the transparent plate.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source unit, an image sensor, an attenuator, an analog processor and an A/D converter. The attenuator generates a second analog signal by voltage-dividing a first analog signal by two resistors. The analog processor generates a third analog signal by amplifying the second analog signal with a predetermined gain. The A/D converter converts the third analog signal into a digital signal. A voltage-dividing ratio of the attenuator is not higher than a ratio of a maximum value of the amplitude of a signal inputtable to the analog processor to a maximum value of the amplitude of a signal having a possibility of being output from the image sensor.

Abstract: An image-forming lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first group having a negative power as a whole, the first group consisting of a positive meniscus lens having a convex surface on the object side and a negative meniscus lens having a convex surface on the object side, the positive meniscus lens and the negative meniscus lens being cemented, an aperture stop, a second group consisting of a positive meniscus lens having a convex surface on the image side, a third group consisting of a positive meniscus lens having a convex surface on the image side, a fourth group consisting of a lens having a negative power, and a fifth group consisting of a biconcave lens.

Abstract: In an illumination device that radiates light to an object to be irradiated placed on a predetermined placement surface, a first light guide body has a first incident surface located at an end thereof in a first direction, which receives light along the first direction, and a first exit surface extending along the first direction, which emits the light in a second direction crossing the first direction, thereby radiating light to the object to be irradiated, from the second direction, and a second light guide body has a second incident surface located at an end thereof in the first direction, which receives light along the first direction, and a second exit surface extending along the first direction, which emits the light in a third direction crossing the first direction and the second direction, thereby radiating light to the object to be irradiated, from the third direction.

Abstract: In the method and device, electronic documents are created from a batch of physical documents of varying lengths. The batch comprises sub-batches of groups of multiple multi-page physical documents with separator sheets on each group. Each separator sheet is marked with a page count for any physical documents in its group. The batch is scanned-in and the resulting image pages are used to form the electronic documents. Specifically, the image pages are analyzed in sequence to identify document sheet image pages and separator sheet image pages. When a separator sheet image page is identified, the page count on that separator sheet image page is read and electronic document(s) is/are created from sequential set(s) of document sheet image pages, which follow the separator sheet image page and have the specific page count, until the next separator sheet image page is identified. This is repeated for all separator sheet image pages identified.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a casing, an image reading unit, a mounting board, and an antenna. The casing has a side wall positioned at one end thereof in a first direction. The image reading unit is accommodated in the casing and configured to read an image of an original document by scanning in the first direction. The mounting board is accommodated in the casing and mounts an electronic component that is used when the image reading unit reads the image, the mounting board extending in the first direction. The antenna is accommodated in the casing and configured to receive or transmit a radio signal. The antenna is disposed along and adjacent the side wall.

Abstract: An object area containing a text or a graphic is extracted from a document image containing the text or the graphic. Then, on the basis of the extracted object area and stored size information, a cropping area is determined that surrounds the object area with given margins. Further, setting of margins is received. Then, on the basis of the object area and the received setting of the margins, the cropping area is determined. Then, the cropping area determined on the basis of the object area and the size information or alternatively the cropping area determined on the basis of the object area and the setting of the margins is cropped from the document image.

Abstract: An optical radiation device includes a long light source unit in which light emitting elements are arranged in array, a long substrate on which the light source unit is mounted, a long optical guide to guide the light beams from the light emitting elements to a predetermined plane, and an optical collector to collect the light beams reflected by the predetermined plane. The length of an effective read area from a reading center of the optical collector to one end of the predetermined plane is different from that of an effective read area from the reading center to the other end thereof. The optical guide formed by injection molding includes a gate at one end in a length direction and a surface at the other end to exert total reflection, and is disposed so that the gate is positioned on the a same side as a shorter effective read area.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image reading apparatus comprising: a movable unit having a transparent member; a guide portion arranged to face the transparent member to guide a conveyed sheet; a reader portion configured to read an image on a sheet guided by the guide portion past the transparent member; abutting portions that are provided on the guide portion and abut on the movable unit; an actuating portion configured to move the movable unit in a direction along the surface of the transparent member; and an engaging portion provided on the movable unit and engaged with the guide member such that the movable unit and the abutting portion are separated from each other as the movable unit is moved by the actuating portion.