Abstract: When a light source is in off state, a gray level of image data on a pixel-by-pixel basis is generated as a first black level and an average of gray levels of a portion of the image data corresponding to optical black image portions of sensor chips is generated as a second black level. After that, when an image of an original is read, an average of gray levels of the black image data on a line-by-line basis is generated as a third black level. The first black level is subtracted from a gray level of the image data on a line-by-line basis (an offset correction), and a difference between the third black level and the second black level is added to a gray level of the image data after being subjected to the subtraction on a line-by-line basis.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus that forms an electrostatic latent image on a surface of a photosensitive member with a laser beam, including a generation unit configured to generate a high-speed clock and a low-speed clock mutually different in frequency, a scanning unit configured to perform scanning of the laser beam in a main scanning direction based on the low-speed clock, a detection unit configured to detect the laser beam during a scanning operation performed by the scanning unit, a first shift register unit configured to receive a detection signal from the detection unit according to the high-speed clock, and an output unit configured to receive a parallel output of the first shift register unit in synchronization with the low-speed clock and to output detection timing of the laser beam as a detection signal synchronized with the low-speed clock and a value corresponding to a shift number defined by the high-speed clock.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus, including a contact glass having an original to be scanned on; a light source including plural dotted light-emitting elements linearly arrayed in a main scanning direction and emitting scanning light to the original; a photoelectric converter photoelectrically converting reflected scanning light from the original to produce line-image data in the main scanning direction; a halation detector receiving the line-image data from the photoelectric converter and detecting whether the line-image data has halation; and a corrector receiving information whether the line-image data has halation and correcting pixel values of all pixels of the line-image data having halation into a predetermined pixel value.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus, including: a light source; a reflection member changing a traveling direction of the light reflected from an original; an optical system imaging the light; a photoelectric converter receiving the light from the optical system to convert the light into an electric signal; and a light passing and blocking member disposed between the optical system and the photoelectric converter, and provided with an aperture through which the light from the optical system imaged on the photoelectric converter passes, the blocking member blocking non-convergent light which is not imaged on the photoelectric converter, wherein the blocking member has an inclined surface surrounding the aperture so that the aperture gets smaller from the optical system toward the photoelectric converter, and a hypothetical extension plane extending from the inclined surface toward the photoelectric converter intersects with an optical axis of the optical system without intersecting with photoelectric converter.

Abstract: An imaging method for generating a substantially one-dimensional scan line image using multiple spatial light modulators, to modulate a homogenous light field, and then anamorphically imaging and concentrating the modulated light to form the scan line image. The spatial light modulators include light modulating elements that are arranged in two-dimensional array and are individually adjustable to either pass/reflect received homogenous light portions to the anamorphic optical systems, or to block/redirect the homogenous light portions, thereby generating two-dimensional modulated light fields. Anamorphic optical systems are used to image and focus received modulated light field onto an associated substantially one-dimensional scan line portion on the scan structure.

Abstract: Substantially one-dimensional scan line images at 1200 dpi or greater are generated in response to predetermined scan line image data. A substantially uniform two-dimensional homogenous light field is modulated using a spatial light modulator in accordance with the predetermined scan line image data such that the modulated light forms a two-dimensional modulated light field. The modulated light field is then anamorphically imaged and concentrated to form the substantially one-dimensional scan line image. The spatial light modulator includes light modulating elements arranged in a two-dimensional array.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a fed original placing portion on which an original is placed, wherein the fed original placing portion is configured to be rotated; an feeding portion that feeds the original placed on the fed original placing portion; an image reading portion that reads an image of the original fed by the feeding portion; a discharging portion, disposed below the fed original placing portion, onto which the original with the image read by the image reading portion is discharged; an irradiation portion that irradiates the discharging portion with light; and a stopping unit that stops the irradiation of the light by the irradiation portion according to a rotation of the fed original placing portion.

Abstract: Another code image may be added so that a code image previously embedded in an original document image can be read. An image forming device may be configured to use, when a second code image is combined with the original document image including a first code image, a result of decoding of the first code image to generate a third code image; and also configured to combine the second code image with the original document image and combine the third code image on the second code image.

Abstract: A transmission device for driving an automatic document feeder (ADF) and a scanner individually is provided. The transmission device includes a transmission shaft, an actuator, a first transmission module coupled to the scanner, a second transmission module coupled to the ADF, and a power switching module. The actuator is movably attached around the transmission shaft. The power switching module is assembled to the transmission shaft. When the power switching module is coupled to the first transmission module and the transmission shaft rotates in a first direction such that the scanner moves to a first position, the scanner drives the actuator to drive the power switching module to be coupled to the second transmission module. When the transmission shaft rotates in a second direction, the power transmission module is coupled to the first transmission module to drive the scanner to move away from the transmission device.

Abstract: An image scanning device includes lighting circuits; a light source including light-emitting elements arranged in a line such that the light-emitting elements connected in series to the same lighting circuit are not positioned adjacent to each other; a reflecting part; a photoelectric conversion unit photoelectrically converting reflected light from the reflecting part; a lighting control unit selectively turning on one of the lighting circuits; a memory storing an area information table containing information on main-scanning areas of the photoelectric conversion unit in association with identification information of the lighting circuits; and a failure determining unit identifying the main-scanning areas corresponding to the identification information of the turned-on lighting circuit by referring to the area information table and comparing intensities of the reflected light entering the identified main-scanning areas with a first threshold to determine whether the light-emitting elements connected to the t

Abstract: An image reading apparatus include a light source; an image sensor configured to output an image signal of an object illuminated by the light source; a first calculating unit configured to calculate a third light amount based on a difference between a first image signal output from the image sensor when the light source illuminates a reference member as the object at a first light quantity and a second image signal output from the image sensor when the light source illuminates the reference member at a second light quantity and a difference between the first light quantity and the second light quantity; and a light quantity setting unit configured to set a light quantity at which the light source illuminates a document as the object to the third light quantity.

Abstract: A scanner module and an image scanning apparatus 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: An image scanning apparatus includes a light source unit having a plurality of lamps. A converter supplies power to the plurality of lamps and adjusts the power according to a desired light intensity of each the plurality of lamps. A controller controls the converter such that at least one of the lamps is overdriven for a predetermined amount of time when lamp warm-up is initiated. Thus, the length of time required to wait until an operational light intensity is reduced.

Abstract: An image processing unit generates image data of an image based on an output signal from an imaging device, corrects the image data, and outputs corrected image data. An optical filter is structured such that an upper limit of a transmitting wavelength decreases as a distance from an optical axis of the imaging optical system increases on an imaging plane of the imaging device so that a light in an infrared region is transmitted on the optical axis and cut off at a position farthest away from the optical axis on the imaging plane. The image processing unit corrects the image data based on a correction equation corresponding to the upper limit of the transmitting wavelength.

Abstract: A light scanning apparatus includes a scanner 104 which scans a coherent light beam from a light source 101 , a light beam component generator 110 which divides the coherent light beam outgoing from the scanner 104 into a plurality of light beam components, and an optical system 105 which collects the plurality of light beam components so that they are incident on a scan surface 106 at an incident angle different from each other, and superposes the light beam components at an identical position on the scan surface.

Abstract: A light source lights up at luminance associated with supplied electric current. An electric-current supplying section supplies the light source with electric current. A control section controls the electric-current supplying section. A reading section reads at least one sheet of an original document on which light from the light source is irradiated and generates image data. A determining section determines whether a change in the electric current flowing through the light source is large, based on a predetermined criterion, during a period when the reading section reads the at least one sheet of the original document. When the reading section reads the at least one sheet of the original document, the control section increases electric current supplied to the light source if the determining section determines that the change is large relative to electric current supplied to the light source when the determining section determines that the change is small.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source, a reading unit, a moving unit, a moving speed control unit, a turn-ON time control unit. The light source irradiates light onto a document. The reading unit receives light reflected from the document, converts the received light into electrical charges, and accumulates the electrical charges as an image signal. The moving unit relatively moves the light source and the document. The moving speed control unit controls a moving speed of the moving unit in accordance with a reading mode of the image reading apparatus to control a reading speed in the reading unit. The turn-ON time control unit controls the light source to be turned off in a given period based on the reading mode when the reading unit accumulates the electric charges so as to prevent the electrical charges accumulated in the reading unit from reaching a saturation amount.

Abstract: Disclosed are an illuminator and an image forming apparatus employing an illuminator. The illuminator includes a light guide to guide light generated from a light source to an object to be illuminated. The light guide includes at least one incidence face facing the light source and an emission face configured to emit the light to the target object. A diffusion pattern may be formed on the emission face to extend from one longitudinal end to the other longitudinal end of the emission face. The emission face may have a constant cross section or a varying cross section along a longitudinal direction thereof. The illuminator may be part of an image reading device to uniformly or near uniformly irradiate light to a document. The illuminator may also be incorporated in an image forming apparatus to irradiate light to a photosensitive body for elimination or reduction of electric potential from the photosensitive body.

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: A scanner module comprises an illuminator configured to illuminate a document by emitting light onto the document. The illuminator comprises a light source configured to emit the light and a light guide unit configured to guide the light emitted from the light source to illuminate at least two areas on the document, the center positions of the at least two areas on the document being spaced apart from each other.

Abstract: Disclosed is an exposure head including a light emitting element array including light emitting elements disposed in a first direction, a light blocking member including an aperture stop through which lights emitted from the light emitting elements pass, and an image forming optical system that makes an image by using the lights having passed through the light blocking member. An absolute value of a magnification in the first direction of the image forming optical system is equal to or more than 0.7 times and is equal to or less than 0.8 times.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a light source part in which plural point light sources are arrayed in parallel to a main scanning direction, a line sensor part in which plural light quantity sensors are arrayed in parallel to the main scanning direction, a reduction optical system containing a lens and focusing a reflected light beam indicating image information of a document irradiated by a light beam from the light source part, on the line sensor part to read the image information, and a control part configured to control a quantity of irradiating light of each point light source of the light source part in accordance with an optical characteristic of the lens of the reduction optical system.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a timing predicting unit that predicts a reading-start-timing by detecting a front-end and predicts a reading-end-timing by detecting a back-end, an image reading unit that generates density data, a line density data classification unit, a first, second and third specific density data storage units, a determination unit that determines whether or not a foreign substance is attached to a reading position, and a peak density position specifying unit.

Abstract: In the present invention, to provide an image reading apparatus capable to read images of document images having different gloss levels with a reproducibility suitable for uses, a data processing means is provided to irradiate a document image with light from a regular reflection light source and a diffuse reflection light source, and to generate image data based on a regular reflection output value and a diffuse reflection output value obtained from a photoelectric converting means, this data processing means obtaining gloss pixel data by comparing, based on the regular reflection correction value for shading correction of a regular reflection output value, a diffuse correction output value for shading correction of the diffuse reflection output value, and a determining threshold for determining whether or not the regular reflection output value is a gloss pixel, the corrected output value corrected by the regular reflection correction value with the determining threshold, and obtaining a non-gloss pixel dat

Abstract: An image processing apparatus determines a direction of document placement relative to a scanning direction based on a direction of a shadow region in an input image when a line sensor having a light receiving element performs a scan and an image read from a book document by a reading apparatus is input. When the direction of the binding portion of the document is determined to be along a longitudinal direction of the line sensor, an image of a region read by the light receiving element of the line sensor from reflected light undergoing specular reflection from the document is detected based on the amount of variation in luminance between adjacent pixels in the read image of the book document. Luminance of the image corresponding to the region is corrected.

Abstract: A reader includes a housing with a platen on which a document is placed, a light source unit which moves along the platen and irradiates light toward the document, a mirror unit which works with the light source unit to define an optical path of the reflected light from the document in the housing, and a rotatable lock member mounted on one of the light source and mirror units. The housing includes an operation member, which is slid to fix the light source and mirror units, and a slide surface, which holds the sliding operation member. The lock member is rotated between an engaged position, where the lock member is engaged with another of the light source and mirror units, and a disengaged position, where the lock member is disengaged from the other of the light source and mirror units in response to slide operation of the operation member.

Abstract: Provided is a fast image reading lens system capable of achieving compactness and satisfactorily correcting various aberrations. The image reading lens system includes, in order from an object side: a positive first lens of which a convex surface faces toward the object side; a second lens formed as a biconcave lens; a third lens formed as a biconvex lens; a positive fourth lens of which a convex surface faces toward an image side; and a negative fifth lens of which a convex surface faces toward the image side. Assuming that a focal length of the whole lens system is f, a focal length of the fourth lens is f4, and a space between an image side surface of the fourth lens and an object side surface of the fifth lens on an optical axis is D8, the lens system satisfies the following conditional expressions: 0.06<D8/f<0.16, and 0.77<f4/f<1.81.

Abstract: A bill processing machine according to the present invention includes an element array portion and a light guiding member. The element array portion is arranged so as to face one side of a conveyance path of a bill, and includes a light receiving element group, a light emitting element and an other side light receiving element. The light receiving element group includes a plurality of light receiving elements, and an arrangement direction of the light receiving elements is perpendicular to a conveyance direction of a bill. The light emitting element is arranged on one side of the arrangement direction of the light receiving elements. The other side light receiving element is arranged on an other side of the arrangement direction of the light receiving elements. The light guiding member is arranged opposite to the element array portion with respect to the conveyance path so that the light guiding member and the element array portion sandwiches the conveyance path therebetween.

Abstract: A copying apparatus detects a non glossy portion (K, M, C, or Y) and a glossy portion (T) of a document based on image data output from a reader unit. The copying apparatus forms an image of the detected non glossy portion (K, M, C, or Y) with a colored toner and an image of the detected glossy portion (T) with a transparent toner, on a sheet, based on the image data output from the reader unit.

Abstract: An optical system, used for scanning, forms an image using reflective optical surfaces. The system may be telecentric, and may form an image that is reduced in size as compared with the scanned original. Several image-forming optical channels may be combined to form a page-wide scanning array.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus, which reads an image on an original, including: a light source extending along a main scanning direction to illuminate the original; a plurality of line sensors configured to receive light reflected from the original and to output light intensity signals; a storage unit configured to store reference data; and a determination unit configured to obtain determination data regarding hue based on a light intensity signal output from one of the plurality of line sensors that receive light reflected from a reflective reference member illuminated by the light source and a light intensity signal output from another of the plurality of line sensors that receive light reflected from the reflective reference member illuminated by the light source and to determine a hue balance of the light source based on the determination data and the reference data stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: In a lighting device, a light source emits light. A second sandwiching member includes a second opposed surface opposing a first opposed surface of a first sandwiching member. The first sandwiching member and the second sandwiching member sandwich the light source in such a manner that the light source is detachably attached to the first sandwiching member and the second sandwiching member. A reflection member is provided on the first opposed surface of the first sandwiching member and the second opposed surface of the second sandwiching member to reflect the light emitted by the light source toward an irradiation region on an original document sheet. A positioning member is provided in the first opposed surface of the first sandwiching member and the second opposed surface of the second sandwiching member to position the light source with respect to the reflection member.

Abstract: An overhead image-reading apparatus includes an imaging unit integrally formed with a light source, and a light amount adjusting unit that adjusts a light amount so as to keep luminance of a surface of a medium to be read constant based on a correction value of the light amount corresponding to an object-image distance.

Abstract: In an illuminating apparatus including a plurality of rows of light source groups each having a plurality of light-emitting elements for irradiating light to an original that are arranged in a main scanning direction, the light-emitting elements in the plurality of rows of light source groups illuminate an irradiated face of the original at the same pitch within the same light source group and at different pitches from each other among the plurality of rows of light source groups.

Abstract: An image sensor unit includes: a light source including a light-emitting surface that emits light; a substantially rod-shaped light guide including a light emitter that linearizes the light from the light source and irradiates a sheet; an image sensor that receives light from the sheet and converts the light into an electric signal; a light condenser focusing the light from the sheet onto the image sensor; a circuit board on which the light source and the image sensor are mounted; and a frame accommodating the light guide, the light condenser and the circuit board. The light condenser and the light emitter of the light guide are disposed substantially parallel to each other. The center line of the light-emitting surface of the light source is disposed nearer the optical axis of the light condenser than the center line of the light emitter.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus has a plurality of emitters that emit light onto a manuscript surface in a light quantity that is the synthesized light quantity of light emitted from the plurality of emitters. In the image reading apparatus, determination on the abnormality of a reference white data level value at the time of turning on a power supply is carried out through comparison between the reference white data level value with a predetermined absolute value. A normal reference white data level value is stored in a first storing unit, while a comparison white data level value detected at the time of manuscript reading operation is stored in a second storing unit. Then, a differential between the level values stored in the first and second storing units is calculated, and an abnormality determining unit compares the differential with a predetermined threshold to detect the abnormality of an emitter.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus to read an image and generate pixel data representing the image is provided. The image reading apparatus includes an image sensor having a plurality of sensor units, each of which includes a plurality of light receiving elements, a data storage store shading correction data, which is used to correct unevenness caused in the pixel data, including first shading correction data, and a data corrector to correct the pixel data output from the light receiving elements based on the shading correction data. The data corrector corrects the pixel data based on the first shading correction data when a number of light receiving elements used to read the image in each sensor unit is greater than a number of pieces of correcting information in the first shading correction data.

Abstract: An image processing method, and an image processing apparatus with which to perform the method, the method including generating a scan image by scanning an object, detecting a non-image area affected by external incident light in the scan image according to a pixel-value distribution pattern varied depending on incident angles of the external incident light, and extracting an image area corresponding to the object by removing the non-image area from the scan image.

Abstract: An image processing device is provided which generates an easily reusable electronic document from an input image in which different page sizes are mixed. The image processing device generates a plurality of pieces of display information from a plurality of document images, and, depending on the size and the direction of each of the images, converts the pieces of display information into electronic documents. That is, the plurality of pieces of display information are divided into a plurality of groups, depending on the size and the direction of each of the images, and the display information included in each of the groups is converted into a separate electronic document. Further, sequence information based on the input order of the plurality of document images is stored on an electronic document.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided capable of guiding regular reflected light from a reading surface to a reflecting mirror when light is irradiated from two directions from light sources to the reading surface, and is suitable to read a gloss image. The light sources for irradiating light to the reading surface from the two directions of different angles are configured of a first light emitter and a second light emitter, a mirror reflecting surface for specularly reflecting light and a translucent surface for passing light therethrough being formed on the surface of a reflecting member for deflecting light from the reading surface to a predetermined reading light path direction, the first light emitter being arranged between the platen and the platen side surface of the reflecting member, the second light emitter being arranged at the back surface of the reflecting member so as to irradiate light on the reading surface through the translucent surface.

Abstract: An image reader is provided, which includes a first light emitting unit emitting light toward a first side of a document sheet in a predetermined reading area, a second light emitting unit emitting light toward a second side of the document sheet in the predetermined reading area, a first light receiving unit receiving light emitted by the first light emitting unit and reflected by the document sheet and light emitted by the second light emitting unit and transmitted through the document sheet, and a controller that controls the first light emitting unit to emit light of a first color, controls the second light emitting unit to emit light of a second color, the first and second colors being mutually complementary colors, and controls the first light receiving unit to output read image data of the document sheet based on a light receiving result of the first light receiving unit.

Abstract: An image reading device is provided. The image reading device suppresses uneven intensity of light emitted on a subject, by disposing a diffusion plate between the subject and a plurality of luminescence portions, and an image forming device that includes this image reading device. The image reading device includes an illumination portion that irradiates light onto a subject. The illumination portion includes: a plurality of LED's disposed at predetermined intervals in a main scanning direction; and an elliptical diffuser plate that is disposed between the subject and the plurality of LED's and diffuses light emitted by the plurality of LED's in a higher diffusion rate in the main scanning direction than in a sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: A light source for a scanning apparatus, the light source includes a light emitting diode; and a control circuit including: a first portion including a first transistor, a second transistor and a resistor for setting a reference current; and a second portion including a third transistor, characteristics of the third transistor being substantially matched to characteristics of the second transistor, wherein an output current provided to light emitting diode by the second portion is substantially equal to the reference current.

Abstract: A light guide for guiding light from multiple point sources arranged in a first direction (Y1) on a light source board includes a supporting unit including multiple supporting pieces provided to the light source board, arranged at regular intervals in the first direction (Y1), and a light guiding body continuous with the multiple supporting pieces and disposed downstream from the multiple point sources in a light emission direction (L). The light guiding body includes an incident surface, a light emission surface, multiple support ranges in which the supporting pieces are provided, and multiple light transmission ranges adjacent to the support ranges, respectively, in the first direction (Y1), to cause the light to exit the guiding body partly, and the multiple support ranges and the multiple light transmission ranges have substantially the same length in a second direction (X) perpendicular to the first direction (Y1).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide lighting for an image array. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for providing localized lighting for an image array. In a typical embodiment, a set of pixels being scanned in the image array is identified. A subset of light sources within an array of light sources that corresponds to the set of pixels is engaged. After the pixels have been scanned, the subset of light sources is disengaged.

Abstract: A first main-scanning-position correction unit divides a surface to be scanned into first areas in a main scanning direction into areas, sets a separate clock-pulse timing for first area, and corrects a main-scanning position error. A second main-scanning-position correction unit divides the surface into second areas in the main scanning direction based on first-scanning-position correction data, sets a separate clock-pulse timing for each second area, and corrects the main-scanning position error.

Abstract: A turning-on control unit causes a turning-on unit to apply to a light source an initial voltage when turning on the light source and to apply a rated voltage after the light source has been turned on. The initial voltage is higher than the rated voltage. An image-signal control unit controls analog signals to be input to an analog signal processing unit from a turn-on time point that is a time point at which the light source is turned on until a stabilization time point that is a time point at which output of the light source is stabilized.

Abstract: An image sensor unit includes: a light guide reflecting light rays entering through a first light entering surface and a second light entering surface provided at both ends thereof, by a reflection surface to make the light rays exit through a light exiting surface and illuminates an original; a first light source provided near the first light entering surface; a second light source provided near the second light entering surface and different in wavelength from the first light source; and a first reflection part and a second reflection part provided on the reflection surface and composed of dot patterns constituted of two kinds of dots different in spectral reflectance.

Abstract: A pupil splitting lens that splits a pupil of a light beam from a deflector into a plurality of light beams in a main scanning direction of the deflector and a pupil splitting lens that splits the light beam into a plurality of light beams in a sub-scanning direction are disposed relative to a light detection element. The light detection element detects image forming positions of the four light beams formed as a result of the splitting by the plurality of pupil splitting lenses. A CPU determines the amount of focus shift and the amount of image forming position shift from these four image forming positions.

Abstract: An image reading device includes: a light-source adjusting device, a storage, a first converting device and a determining device. The adjusting device adjusts brightness of the light source to the brightness corresponding to the one of a plurality of reading modes. The storage stores an reference adjusting value and converting information, the reference adjusting value being adjusted in a state where external light is not incident on a platen, the converting information being for converting the reference adjusting value of the reference mode into the reference adjusting value of another reading mode. The first converting device refers to the converting information and converts the reference adjusting value into the value of the selected reading mode. The determining device determines presence or absence of external light incident on the platen, comparing the converted reference adjusting value with the light-source adjusting value adjusted by the adjusting device.