Abstract: The inspection device determines whether or not it is possible to inspect whether or not the imaged image of the surface to be inspected has a defect based on the comparison between the imaged image imaged of the surface to be inspected of the printed matter and the reference image. Whether or not to execute the processing related to printing is controlled according to the determination result of whether or not the inspection device can execute the inspection.

Abstract: A scanning surveying system comprises a base 5, an alidade 3 mounted on the base, a first motor 6 to rotate the alidade about a first axis 9, a rotating mirror 21 rotatable about a second axis 16, a second motor 23 to rotate the mirror. An optical distance measuring unit 11 is configured to direct measuring light onto the rotating mirror such that it is reflected towards objects and to receive measuring light back from these objects via the rotating mirror. The system further comprises a camera 81 and a controller for controlling the first motor based on the images recorded by the camera such that the measuring light is reflected from the rotating mirror in a direction corresponding to a selected location within the image.

Abstract: A color adjustment system includes circuitry to register job data for requesting printing a document file in a memory, register color sample data associated with the job data in the memory, cause a printing apparatus to print out the document file corresponding to the job data as a first printed matter, cause a reading apparatus to read the first printed matter to acquire first read image data, and generate an input profile based on the first read image data and the color sample data.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus that changes a state of a monitoring process that waits for image data from an image processing apparatus between a working state and a non-working state as necessary. The information processing apparatus includes a first transmission unit that transmits identification information about the information processing apparatus to the image processing apparatus, a reception unit that receives image data that is generated by scanning a document by the image processing apparatus and is transmitted from the image processing apparatus using the identification information, a second transmission unit that transmits the received image data to a predetermined application in the information processing apparatus, and a setting unit that sets as to whether the second transmission unit transmits the received image data to the predetermined application.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a scanning optical system forms on a photosensitive member N beam spots. Each beam spot scans along a scan line on the photosensitive member for one cycle. A center-to-center distance of any neighboring two beam spots is separated by M scan lines. M is a natural number larger than or equal to two. For each cycle, the memory controller reads adjacent sets of line data for N scan lines from the page memory, writes the adjacent sets of line data for N scan lines to the storage areas identified by a plurality of successive addresses of the line memory, selects addresses identifying storage areas storing unadjacent sets of line data having non-successive two scan lines separated by M scan lines; and outputs the unadjacent sets of line data stored in the storage areas identified by the selected addresses to the N laser emitting members.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include computer-implemented methods, computer systems, and computer program products for predicting sensory perception. A non-limiting example of the computer-implemented method includes receiving at a processor a library including a plurality of indexed sensory descriptors. A sensory target descriptor is also received at the processor. The processor is configured to calculate a coefficient matrix based in part on the semantic distance between an indexed sensory descriptor and a sensory target descriptor. The processor is further configured to generate a perceptual descriptor prediction for the sensory target.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer cylinder that is supported on an image forming apparatus body and rotates; a rotating member that is coaxial with the transfer cylinder and rotates integrally with the transfer cylinder; a circulating member that is provided with a holding part that holds a front end portion of a recording medium, is suspended around the rotating member, and transports the recording medium by circulating as the rotating member rotates; a transfer unit that is supported on the image forming apparatus body and has a transfer belt that transfers an image on a recording medium transported by the circulating member by sandwiching the recording medium together with the transfer cylinder at a nip position; a first image forming part that is supported on the image forming apparatus body and forms the image on the transfer belt; and a second image forming part that is supported on the image forming apparatus body at a position lower than the first image forming part and forms the image o

Abstract: A portable communication device including a camera, a touchscreen display, a memory storing a camera application, and a processor is provided.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus configured to obtain criterion data, which is reference image data, by executing a adjustment parameter determining program, obtain evaluation data which is image data scanned by a scanner, generate a plurality of pieces of comparison data by adjusting the evaluating data using a plurality of adjustment parameters different from each other, respectively, associate each comparison data with an adjustment parameter used to generate the comparison data, and display the criterion data and the plurality of pieces of comparison data in a list. When a selecting operation of selecting one from the plurality of pieces of comparison data is performed, the information processing apparatus determines an adjustment parameter for the scanner based on the adjustment parameter associated with the selected comparison data.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, each pixel column extends in a first direction and each pixel row extends in a second direction crossing the first direction, a first data line extending in the first direction and configured to transfer a data voltage to pixels included in at least two pixel columns, and for each pixel row, a first gate line extending in the second direction and disposed at a first side of the pixel row, and a second gate line extending in the second direction and disposed at a second side of the pixel row, the first and second sides of the pixel row are opposite to each other. In a pair of adjacent pixel columns, pixels, which are connected to the first gate line of their respective pixel row, are arranged in a zigzag arrangement in the first direction.

Abstract: Provided is a multi-function printer including a driving roller provided in a read transport path including a paper feeding port and a paper discharging port, the driving roller being configured to transport paper, another driving roller provided in a transport path, the other driving roller being configured to transport paper, a reading unit configured to read a surface of the paper transported by the driving roller, a printing unit configured to perform printing onto the paper being transported by the other driving roller, a read controller configured to control the driving roller and the reading unit, and a print controller configured to control the other driving roller and the printing unit. The driving roller, the paper feeding port, the paper discharging port, and the reading unit are disposed in a downstream of the printing unit in a transport direction at a position of printing by the printing unit.

Abstract: A cloud-based document scanning system includes a cloud computing platform having a cloud computing application and a cloud storage system. The system further includes a scanning device communicatively coupled over a network to the cloud computing platform, the scanning device configured to: accept a set of documents; generate a set of digital image files corresponding to the set of documents; store the set of digital image files; and upload the set of digital image files directly to the cloud storage system. Upon receiving a request from the scanning device, the cloud computing application is configured to: access the set of digital image files; apply image processing operations to the set of digital image files in accordance with a plurality of image processing parameters, generate a portable document format document based on the processed image files, and send the portable document format document to a user-selected destination.

Abstract: A color gamut conversion method, a color gamut converter, a display device, an image signal conversion method, a computer device and a non-transitory storage medium are disclosed. The method includes: acquiring RGB signals and a preset grayscale value of a white subpixel in each pixel of a converted image according to grayscale values of monochromatic subpixels in each pixel of an original image corresponding to the RGB signals, the converted image is obtained by converting the original image from an RGB gamut to an RGBW gamut; and acquiring a target grayscale value of the white subpixel at least according to a first maximum grayscale of the white subpixels and the preset grayscale. As for a first saturation color patch in the original image, a first maximum grayscale of a white subpixel corresponding to each pixel in the first saturation color patch is equal to a grayscale threshold.

Abstract: An electric device includes a substrate, a first wire, a filter, a storage portion, and a holding member. The first wire includes a base end portion that is electrically connected with a electronic circuit of the substrate. The storage portion includes a bottom portion and an inner peripheral portion. The storage portion stores the filter with the first wire inserted in a through hole thereof and stores a specific portion of the first wire. The holding member protrudes from the inner peripheral portion. The holding member includes an interposed portion and a position regulating portion. The position regulating portion abuts on the filter, from two sides of a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and from one side of a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, in such a way as to regulate a position of the filter.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided and includes one or more processors and a memory storing instructions. The one or more processors are controlled to receive image stream data captured by an image capturing apparatus and store, in memory, a current image frame from the received image stream data and store, in memory, a previously received image frame from the received image stream data. The previously received image frame having been received at a time earlier than the current image data frame. Using the previously received image frame data stored in memory, a compensation value representing an illumination spectrum of the previously stored image frame data is calculated and image correction is performed on the current image frame data using the calculated compensation value. The corrected current image frame for display on a display device.

Abstract: The reproduction of a target color is appropriately performed with high accuracy. A printing system 10 includes a printing device 12 and a host PC 14 that is a control device. The printing device 12 includes a plurality of inkjet heads 202y to 202k and a colorimeter 204. The host PC 14 is capable of performing a color matching process for matching a color printed by the inkjet heads 202y to 202k with a target color, and performs, in the color matching process, a target color acquiring process for acquiring the target color using the colorimeter 204, an initial value setting process for setting an initial value of a color setting value, and a target color corresponding value determination process for selecting a patch having a color close to a target color from among a plurality of patches by causing the inkjet heads 202y to 202k to print the patches.

Abstract: Provided is a multi-function printer including a driving roller provided in a read transport path including a paper feeding port and a paper discharging port, the driving roller being configured to transport paper, another driving roller provided in a transport path, the other driving roller being configured to transport paper, a reading unit configured to read a surface of the paper transported by the driving roller, a printing unit configured to perform printing onto the paper being transported by the other driving roller, a read controller configured to control the driving roller and the reading unit, and a print controller configured to control the other driving roller and the printing unit. The driving roller, the paper feeding port, the paper discharging port, and the reading unit are disposed in a downstream of the printing unit in a transport direction at a position of printing by the printing unit.

Abstract: In a line sensor including color filters that are periodically disposed in a light-receiving-element row, a problem called a “mixture of colors” occurs. A “mixture of colors” occurs when light that has been transmitted through a color filter differing from a color filter corresponding to a light receiving element is incident upon the light receiving element. In a CMOS sensor 107 including a light-receiving-element row in which a plurality of photodiodes 1204 are disposed side by side in a main scanning direction and a plurality of color filters 1202 that are disposed in correspondence with the plurality of photodiodes 1204, the center of each color filter 1202 is displaced in a direction of the center of the light-receiving-element row from the center of the photodiode 1204 corresponding to the color filter.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to an image reading device that may include an image reader, an operation detector, a correction parameter adjuster, an entry detector, and a document reading controller. The image reader may read an image on a document. The operation detector may detect an operation indicating a start of a reading of the image on the document. The correction parameter adjuster may perform adjustment of a correction parameter. The entry detector may detect entry of a document reading instruction including a reading condition. The document reading controller may check for completion of the adjustment of the correction parameter for the reading condition. If the adjustment of the correction parameter is not completed, the document reading controller may instruct the correction parameter adjuster to perform adjustment of an uncompleted correction parameter and instruct the image reader to read the image.

Abstract: An image acquiring device comprises: an automatic document feeder comprising: an input tray supporting an information medium; and a control panel comprising an operation button for selecting one image acquiring side of the information medium; an image acquiring assembly acquiring the image of the image acquiring side; a processor electrically connected to the automatic document feeder, the image acquiring assembly and the operation button; a storage, which is electrically connected to the processor and comprises an image module storing program codes for enabling acquiring the image of the image acquiring side; and an output unit receiving and outputting the image of the image acquiring side. The processor controls the image acquiring assembly to acquire the image of the image acquiring side according to the program codes and different signals of the operation button and transmits the image to the output unit. Associated copying method and system are also provided.

Abstract: Image data is run through a neural network, and the neural network produces a vector representation of the image data. Random sparse sampling masks are created. The vector representation of the image data is masked with each of the random sparse sampling masks, the masking generating corresponding sparsely sampled vectors. The sparsely sampled vectors are transmitted to nodes of a consensus network, wherein a sparsely sampled vector of the sparsely sampled vectors is transmitted to a node of the consensus network. Votes from the nodes of the consensus network are received. Whether a consensus is achieved in the votes is determined. Responsive to determining that the consensus is achieved, at least one of identification and verification of the image data may be provided.

Abstract: An eye-tracking system comprises an illuminator that directs infrared light towards a detection region, a camera configured to generate an image of the detection region and a controller configured to detect a calibration target in the image and to detect or determine changes in the position and/or orientation of the camera relative to the calibration target. The eye-tracking system can be installed in a vehicle.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus including: an execution unit that executes a first process or a second process with respect to a processing target in a case where an execution instruction is given to any one of the first process and the second process specified by a setting item and a preparatory action with respect to the processing target; a memory that stores the preparatory action in association with the setting item; and an execution controller that deems that the execution instruction is given in a case where the preparatory action stored in the memory is given, and controls the execution unit such that the first process or the second process specified by the preparatory action and the setting item stored in the memory in association with the preparatory action is executed with respect to the processing target.

Abstract: In a housing, an installation surface (44g) of an image forming lens unit (42L) is formed at a higher position by a level difference than an installation surface (44f) of a polygon motor (41), and when viewed from a rotation axis direction of a polygon mirror unit (40), a diameter (r) of a circumscribed circle passing each apex of the polygon mirror unit (40) is larger than an outer diameter (R) of a rotor part (41a) of the polygon motor (41).

Abstract: A projector includes: an image input unit that, upon the input of a first image signal synchronized with a vertical synchronizing signal, sends image input information; a resolution conversion output unit that converts the first image signal to a second image signal that indicates an image with a prescribed resolution and supplies the result as output; a light source unit that is provided with a light source and an image-forming element that uses illumination light from the light source to generate image light; a light source control unit that uses the image input information to control the light quantity of the light source; and an image-forming element drive unit that drives the image-forming element on the basis of the second image signal. The image input unit sends image input information synchronized with a second vertical synchronizing signal that follows the first vertical synchronizing signal.

Abstract: Printers can be desirably color matched irrespective of whether or not a specified color is a color in the gamut range. A client device 100 determines by a gamut range evaluator 232 whether or not a specified color is a color in the gamut range, which is the range of colors a second printer 50 can reproduce; causes a color chart data generator 235 to generate image data for producing a color chart referenced to the specified color when the specified color is a color in the gamut range; and causes the generator to select a color on the gamut surface based on the specified color when the specified color is a color outside the gamut range, and generate the image data to create the color chart referenced to the selected color.

Abstract: A video processing apparatus is provided. The video processing apparatus includes: a storage configured to store a video captured by a camera; and a controller configured to separate a target object from a background image in each of a plurality of key frames contained in the video, stitch separated background images to generate a panoramic background image, synthesize the target object with the panoramic background image to acquire a plurality of panoramic images corresponding to the plurality of key frames, and combine the panoramic images in a time axis to generate a panoramic video.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image sensor that includes a pixel unit, a memory, a control unit, and a detection unit. The pixel unit has a plurality of reading modes and generates image data in accordance with incident light. The memory has a capacity capable of storing the image data equivalent to at least two or more frames. The control unit simultaneously performs processing for storing the image data input from the pixel unit in a different region in the memory for each frame, and processing for reading the image data from the region where previous storage has been performed. The detection unit detects a change in the reading mode in the pixel unit. The present disclosure can be applied to an electronic device having an image capturing function.

Abstract: Image sensors may include hybrid three-dimensional imaging pixel groups. The pixel groups may be capable of obtaining both phase detection information and time-of-flight information. A pixel group may have first and second photodiodes covered by a single microlens that are used to obtain phase detection information. The microlens may also cover a third photodiode that obtains time-of-flight information. The first and second photodiodes may be formed in a first substrate whereas the third photodiode may be formed in a second substrate. The first and second substrates may be connected by a metal interconnect layer.

Abstract: A luminance correction system includes: a display device that displays an image of a first grayscale value; an image capturing device that generates a first image and a second image by capturing the displayed image; and an image separator that generates a first high-frequency image by extracting a high-frequency image from the first image, and generates a second low-frequency image by extracting a low-frequency image from the second image, wherein the display device includes: an image corrector that generates a corrected image data by analyzing the first high-frequency image and the second low-frequency image to provide an analyzation result and by correcting an image data with respect to the displayed image in accordance with the analyzation result to generate the corrected image data; and a display unit including a plurality of pixels that emit light with luminance corresponding to the corrected image data.

Abstract: A printer for printing on a print medium as said print medium advances through a print zone, the printer including a number of print heads extending over the print zone, each print head including at least one nozzle array wherein at least two adjacent nozzle arrays overlap forming at least one stitching zone in the overlap region; and a printer controller for generating a sequence of nozzle firing commands for each nozzle array to selectively deposit droplets of print fluid on said print medium from said nozzle arrays in accordance with an image to be printed, wherein the printer controller further applies masks having decorrelated patterns to said sequence of firing commands for at least those overlapping nozzles of the nozzle arrays coinciding with the at least one stitching zone to obtain a predetermined optical parameter of the printed image in the stitching zone, irrespective of an offset between two adjacent nozzle arrays.

Abstract: A scanner is disclosed. The scanner includes a light source to emit light of a first color during a first turn-on period and emit light of a second color during a second turn-on period; a sensor to receive light from a scanning area, in response to the light of the first color directed to the scanning area, during a first sensing period, and receive light from the scanning area, in response to the light of the second color directed to the scanning area, during a second sensing period; and a controller to control the timing of the first turn-on period within the first sensing period and the second turn-on period within the second sensing period.

Abstract: A terminal apparatus stores an external program and operation information associated with each other. The external program causes an image processing apparatus to perform an image processing operation. The operation information indicates a trigger operation which is acceptable via the input interface. The terminal apparatus performs: accepting, a user operation for specifying operation specification information that defines details of the image processing operation that is to be performed by the image processing apparatus in response to an instruction provided by the terminal apparatus; determining whether the user operation is the trigger operation; if the user operation is not the trigger operation, causing the image processing apparatus to perform the image processing operation whose details are defined by the operation specification information; and if the user operation is the trigger operation, starting up the external program associated with the operation information indicating the trigger operation.

Abstract: A decoloring device includes a scanner, a decoloring unit, and a processor. The scanner reads an image on a sheet. The decoloring unit decolors the image on the sheet after the scanner has read the image. The processor recognizes a page number included in the image and stores the image read by the scanner and decolored by the decoloring unit at a location that is associated with the recognized page number.

Abstract: A method for assessing the presence of a border in an image, the method comprising: for each of two pixel positions estimating the strength of the second-order rate of change of a convolution of said image at the pixel position with respect to a plurality of directions and determining a binary condition of the pixel position in dependence on whether the strength exceeds a predetermined threshold; and assessing the presence of a border by comparing the two binary conditions.

Abstract: To restrict an angle change of a reflection surface of a reflection member that reflects a scanning light beam, an optical scanning device includes a first support portion that supports a reflection mirror at one point at an end in a longitudinal direction of the reflection mirror, a second support portion that supports the reflection mirror at a plurality of points at the other end, a reinforcement portion that reinforces a structure of the second support portion side of a housing in the longitudinal direction of the reflection mirror, compared to a structure of the first support portion side of the housing, one first fixing portion that is used to fix the housing to an image forming apparatus on the first support portion side, and a plurality of second fixing portions that are used to fix the housing to the image forming apparatus on the second support portion side.

Abstract: A decoloring device according to an embodiment includes a decoloring unit that erases a first image formed with erasable colorant on a first side of a sheet and a second image formed with erasable colorant on a second side of the sheet. A reading unit reads the first and second sides of the sheet and determines whether the first side and the second side are reusable. A single-side reusable paper tray stacks the sheet if the reading unit determines that only one of the first and second sides is reusable. A marking unit adds a mark to the one of the first and second sides that is determined to be not reusable when only one of the first and second sides is determined to be reusable.

Abstract: A restoration filter generation device which generates a restoration filter for performing a restoration process on luminance system image data, the restoration process being based on a point-image distribution in an optical system, the luminance system image data being image data relevant to luminance and being generated based on image data for each color of multiple colors, the restoration filter generation device including an MTF acquisition device which acquires a modulation transfer function MTF for the optical system; and a restoration filter generation device which generates the restoration filter based on the modulation transfer function MTF, the restoration filter suppressing an MTF value of image data for each color of the multiple colors to 1.0 or less at least in a region of a particular spatial frequency or less, the image data for each color of the multiple colors corresponding to the luminance system image data after the restoration process.

Abstract: An imaging system includes: an imaging device; and an optical device that forms a subject image on an imaging plane of an imaging element and that is freely attachable to and detachable from the imaging device. The optical device includes a combination of a plurality of optical systems to provide a plurality of optical axes. The plurality of optical systems include: a plurality of first imaging optical systems; and a second imaging optical system having a view angle narrower than that of each of the plurality of first imaging optical systems. The plurality of first imaging systems are respectively arranged to surround the second imaging optical system, as viewed from a subject side.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus has a scanner configured to read an original sheet on a line basis at a constant line cycle and generate analog image data for each pixel of the line, and output the analog image data for each pixel at a pixel cycle, a power source including a DC/DC converter configured to convert a first DC voltage to a second DC voltage by applying a switching control to the first DC voltage at a switching cycle, the second DC voltage being supplied to the scanner, a convertor configured to sample the analog image data at the pixel cycle to convert the analog image data to digital image data, a sampling setting unit configured to set the pixel cycle, and a controller configured to cause the sampling setting unit to set the pixel cycle to be an integer multiple of the switching cycle of the DC/DC convertor.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a single-color image reading circuit and a fluorescent color area extracting circuit. The single-color image reading circuit reads an image on a document to create single-color image data. The fluorescent color area extracting circuit extracts a fluorescent color area included in the single-color image data based on pixel values of respective pixels constituting the single-color image data created by the single-color image reading circuit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure can include devices for storing and exchanging color space encoded images. The encoded images can store input data into high capacity multi-colored composite two-dimensional pictures having different symbols organized in specific order using sets in a color space. The encoding can include performing two-level error correction and generating frames based on the color space for formatting and calibrating the encoded images during decoding. The decoding can use the frames to perform color restoration and distortion correction. The decoding can be based on a pseudo-Euclidean distance between a distorted color and a color in a color calibration cells. In some embodiments, an encoded image can be further divided into sub-images during encoding for simplified distortion correction.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved OCR system wherein the same can be utilized for capturing and analyzing multiple images of a document to increase the efficiency and accuracy of digitizing printed texts on the document. Captured images are merged into a single set of character recognition results via a recognition method from multiple images, which include early fusion, late fusion, and hybrid fusion embodiments. The end product from each of the embodiments provides text and metadata that include recognized words. In late and hybrid fusion, words having confidence scores above a predetermined threshold are assembled together to form paragraphs to reconstruct a digital version of the document. In this way, the present invention utilizes multiple images that can be combined to aggregate information and achieve high accuracy when scanning and digitizing printed texts.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a color erasing apparatus capable of erasing the color of an image formed with a color erasable material on a sheet comprises a color erasing section configured to erase the color of an image formed on the sheet; a control panel configured to set a reading area of the sheet; and a reading section configured to read the image of the area set on the sheet and determine the state of the image erased by the color erasing section.

Abstract: An image sensor may include a pixel array having image pixels for capturing image data and phase detection pixels for gathering phase information during automatic focusing operations. Phase detection pixels may form phase detection pixel pairs having first and second pixels with different angular responses. The first and second pixels may have color filters of the same color or may have color filters of different colors. The phase detection pixel pairs may be isolated from other phase detection pixel pairs in the array or may be arranged consecutively in a line. The phase detection pixels may, for example, be provided with color filters to match the color filter pattern of the pixel array. Processing circuitry may adjust red and green pixel signals from a phase detection pixel pair having a red and green color filter and may subsequently determine a phase difference using the adjusted pixel signals.

Abstract: Systems for generating in-focus color images are provided. Related methods and devices are also provided.

Abstract: Provided is an image capturing apparatus for capturing an image of a target object by optically scanning the target object by moving in a predetermined scanning direction. The apparatus includes a light-receiving device that is disposed on a light-receiving surface of the image capturing apparatus and accumulates an electric charge according to an amount of light received from a light detection window, a length of which in the scanning direction is shorter than a length in the scanning direction of an area defined as one pixel of the target object; and an output device that outputs the electric charge accumulated by the light-receiving device when the light-receiving device has completed the optical scanning of the area defined as one pixel.

Abstract: An image reader includes a first image reading unit that reads a first image on a first side of a sheet to output a first analog signal corresponding to the first image, a second image reading unit that reads a second image on a second side of the sheet, converts a second analog signal corresponding to the second image into a second digital signal, and outputs the second digital signal, a processor that processes the first analog signal and the second digital signal and includes a first converter converting the first analog signal into a first digital signal, and a timing signal output unit outputting, to the second image reading unit, a timing signal corresponding to a conversion time of the conversion by the first converter. Based on the timing signal, the second image reading unit outputs the second digital signal at a time outside the conversion time.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus including: two image reading devices which are different from each other, read out a same surface of a same sheet after image formation on a sheet conveyance path and read out a plurality of common color patches formed in the same surface of the same sheet, one of the image reading devices being a first image reading device which reads out only a partial region in a main scanning direction and the other of the image reading devices being a second image reading device which reads out over an image formation width in the main scanning direction; and a calculation section which estimates a value equivalent to reading information of the first image reading device from reading information of the second image reading device on the basis of reading information obtained by reading out the common color patches.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for method for characterizing a height profile of a scattering surface relative to a fiducial plane. The scattering surface, which may be an interface between distinct solid, liquid, gaseous or plasma phases, is illuminated with substantially spatially coherent light, and light scattered by the scattering surface is collected and dispersed, such as by a grating, into zeroth- and first-order beams. A spatial Fourier transform of the zeroth- and first-order beams is created, and one of the beams is low-pass filtered. The beams are interfered at a focal plane detector to generate an interferogram, which is transformed to retrieve a spatially resolved quantitative phase image and/or an amplitude image of the scattering surface. Imaging may be performed during an etching process, and may be used to adaptively control a photoetching process in a feedback loop.