Scanning Patents (Class 358/505)
  • Patent number: 8264716
    Abstract: A method for ringtone, voice, and sound notification of printer status, comprising obtaining status information of a printer, converting it into an audible report, and delivering the audible report. The method is especially useful for visually-impaired users and for shared printers in crowded situations where it is difficult for each user to see the panel or monitor display. The methods also include detection by the events controller, UI manager instructing an audio manager, codec decoding an audio file in firmware and hardware organization; job owner identification information embedded into a print job with a unique tag; user identification sound data embedded in a print job; audible report for multiple jobs in a job queue, with positional information; text-to-speech conversion; unique ringtone melody for each user, comprising department prefix, higher pitch modulation for higher priority, and automatically converting an alphanumeric character into the corresponding note.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignees: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., KYOCERA Document Solutions Development America, Inc.
    Inventors: Zheila L. Ola, Arthur E. Alacar, Barry Sia, Tomoyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8259326
    Abstract: An application folder associated with a client PC and an application software of the client PC is generated in a storage section of a station PC. Scan data stored in the application folder is then moved to an application data folder of the client PC, which folder corresponds to the client PC and application software associated with the application folder. As a result, in a network scanner system in which a scanner apparatus is connected to the client PC over a network, it is possible to efficiently store scan data read out by the scanner apparatus and perform data processing to the scan data by an application software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minami Sensu, Mitsuhiro Ao, Tsuyoshi Nagao
  • Patent number: 8253998
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a reader connecting unit capable of being connected with an original document reader. The original document reader can be a color original document reader that reads original documents in color mode or a monochrome original document reader that reads original documents in monochrome mode. A control unit receives original document data from the original document reader connected to the reader connecting unit, subjects the original document data to prescribed processing corresponding to the format of the original document data and generates image data. Finally, an image forming unit forms an image based on the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaki Tsurui
  • Patent number: 8253999
    Abstract: A scanning apparatus and a reference light quantity determining method includes scanning a patch that does not overlap previously established reference colors but displays each of the previously established reference colors in a plurality of regions that are spaced a portion from each other, and determining reference light quantities based on the scanning result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung-rok Kim
  • Patent number: 8253968
    Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of preventing image omission caused by registration error correction, a control method therefor, and a program. Error amount information is acquired which is stored in a storage medium and represents the error amount of the scanning line of exposure light in the exposure scanning direction on an image carrier. The image data is modified on the basis of the acquired error amount information. A masked area for restricting the output position of an image visualized on the printing medium is modified on the basis of the modification amount of the modified image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Otani
  • Patent number: 8253978
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image forming instructing section that notifies an image forming section, whether to perform a first printing processing with a plurality of colors including at least one chromatic color or a second printing processing with only black. A data obtaining section obtains pixel data from a plurality of pixels constituting an image; and an operating section inputs designated color data. A pixel data extracting section extracts pixel data of colors, except for a designated color indicated by the designated color data inputted through the operating section, from pixel data obtained by the data obtaining section. A printing type selecting section selects the first or second printing processing based on each pixel data extracted by the pixel data extracting section. The image forming instructing section notifies the printing type selected by the printing type selecting section as the type of printing processing to be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8248667
    Abstract: An operating unit selects a piece of document data from among a plurality of pieces of document data from a document database. A relationship-information searching unit searches a relationship information database that stores relationship information in the form of parent-child relationship between the pieces of document data, for the relationship information pertaining to the selected piece of document data. A related-document-list creating unit creates from the retrieved relationship information, a list that indicates a hierarchical relationship between the selected piece of document data and other pieces of document data. A display unit displays the pieces of document data related to the selected piece of document data on a single screen based on the list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Shinya Mori
  • Patent number: 8248669
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a charge-coupled device that generates and outputs an image signal, a timing generator that outputs a frequency-modulated clock, a modulation signal detector that detects a modulation signal being a signal corresponding to a change in frequency of the clock, an amplitude controller that controls an amplitude of the modulation signal, and a signal combining unit that superimposes the modulation signal after the amplitude is controlled on the image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Masamoto Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8243348
    Abstract: A scanner-characteristic correcting unit converts read image data into normalized image data. A first image processing unit applies a first image processing on the normalized image data. A color determining unit performs a color determination of the normalized image data. A controller image processing unit that applies a second image processing on the normalized image data is provided in a removable manner. When a B&W plotter unit is connected to an image processing apparatus without the controller image processing unit, the first image processing unit generates binary image data of the image data before a result of the color determination is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Hiroaki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8243328
    Abstract: A printing method includes obtaining scene information concerning image data from supplemental data that is appended to the image data; classifying a scene of an image represented by the image data, based on the image data; comparing the classified scene with a scene indicated by the scene information; and printing a printout that is used to urge a user to make a continuation when a mismatch between the classified scene and the scene indicated by the scene information exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuneo Kasai, Kaori Matsumoto, Hirokazu Kasahara, Kenji Fukasawa, Naoki Kuwata
  • Patent number: 8238000
    Abstract: A method for geometrically calibrating a transport or feed through a scanner apparatus, arranged for scanning a two-dimensional original for subsequent usage in an appropriate information handling system, wherein a test original is presented which has been provided with an image for the purpose of deriving a scanned image therefrom. The method uses the test original provided with a test image featuring a leading image edge and a trailing image edge at a predetermined and known parallel displacement with respect to each other, and automatically detects therefrom a calculated first correction value for the zoom factor in the transport direction or transport speed, a calculated second correction value for the leading edge position, and a calculated third correction value for the trailing edge position. Thereupon, the first, second and third correction values are updated in the scanner apparatus in accordance with the measured values therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Oce-Technologies B.V.
    Inventor: Gerardus J. E. L. Van Der Heijden
  • Patent number: 8237986
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a method capable of performing appropriate under color removal in image original reading. According to this method, under color removal of the original is performed as follows. A printing medium without any printed image is read by primary and complementary color readings. A brightness signal distribution is generated by converting, using a provisional table, each of image data generated by the reading methods. The lowest one of signal levels is selected from each of the distributions. In correspondence with each of the primary and complementary color readings, a conversion table is formed, which converts the image data to make a pixel value corresponding to the selected lowest one of the signal levels to a value representing white. Under color removal of the image data is performed using a corresponding conversion table in accordance with the reading method of the image original.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Nakamura, Fumihiro Goto, Tohru Ikeda, Akitoshi Yamada, Hidetsugu Kagawa
  • Patent number: 8238001
    Abstract: Patches are generated from the overprinting of one or more separations to encode four or more values per patch each color representing a numerical value. In a calibration step, all possible color overprint combinations are printed multiple times on a calibration sheet. The sheet is scanned and each overprinted patch is entered in to a proximity array, which is a volume data structure representing three dimensional (3D) color space). After all calibration colors are entered, the proximity array is repeatedly dilated. Later, sheets that need to be identified are printed with a code number encoded as one or more patch codes. The sheet is scanned and the patch code colors are looked up in the proximity array to determine which original colors were printed. The identified colors are converted the code number. Patch codes are further augmented with error detection and optionally error correction bits to further increase robustness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: R. Victor Klassen, Stephen C. Morgana
  • Publication number: 20120194882
    Abstract: A control device may comprise a selection allowing unit configured to allow a user to select a specific file among a plurality of files, each of the plurality of files having a file format that is capable of including a plurality of pages worth of data, the specific file including M pages worth of data, and a creating unit configured to create a first file that includes M+N pages worth of data by using N pages worth of scan data created by making a scan executing unit execute scanning of N pages worth of original and the M pages worth of data included in the specific file, the first file including M+N pages worth of data having a same file format as the specific file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuhiko SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 8233199
    Abstract: A document scanner is disclosed. The document scanner includes a document bed having a surface to position a document. The document bed includes a slot in which a presentment apparatus is positioned. The presentment apparatus includes a first rigid layers a second compressible layer, and a third lower friction layer. A method of use of the document scanner is disclosed as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Burroughs Payment Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Moore, John Gudenburr, Sammy C. Hutson
  • Patent number: 8233751
    Abstract: A simplified method of recordkeeping is provided. The method includes capturing a document image of a transaction document; identifying a document type of the transaction document; associating the document image with a data capture template based on the document type; transmitting the document image and the data capture template to a remote system; extracting record data from the document image based on the document type; and populating the data capture template with the record data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Inventors: Nilesh V. Patel, Mark H. Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20120189159
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element (1), comprising: an optical system, comprising: a transparent or translucent substrate (2), on the side of a first surface (2a, 2b) of the substrate (2) is a combined image (I) comprising a plurality of encoded interleaved images (I1), a exposing screen (4) placed on top of the combined image, enabling the encoded images (I1) to be observed during a change in the direction of observing the security element (1) relative to the optical system, the exposing screen (4) being: located on the side of the first surface (2a, 2b), the combined image then being located between the exposing screen (4) and the substrate (2), in which case the security element (1) comprises, on the side of the second surface (2a, 2b), a reflective surface that enables the encoded images (I1) to be observed through exposing screen (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: ARJOWIGGINS SECURITY
    Inventor: Rémi Vincent
  • Patent number: 8228517
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: an image processing section that processes an original image, and outputs the processed original image; an operating section that a user operates; a reading-and-displaying section disposed in the operating section, and has a function of reading control information as an image and has a function of displaying the read control information; an instruction input section disposed in the operating section, and receives an instruction regarding an original image; and a controller that controls operations of the image processing section, the reading-and-displaying section, and the instruction input section, wherein the controller instructs the reading-and-displaying section to read the control information, acquires the control information from a result read by the reading-and-displaying section, and instructs the image processing section to process the original image and to output the processed original image, based on the acquired control information and/or the instruction re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Yamada, Yuji Okamoto, Shuhji Fujii, Kaoru Ishikura, Nobuyuki Ueda, Atsushi Ogo, Kenji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8228566
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source, an imaging optics system, an image pickup device unit, a memory, and a processor. The imaging optics system condenses scattered light reflected on an object to be imaged to form condensed light as an image. The imaging optics system includes plural cells arranged in a main scanning direction and each of which is an independent imaging optics system. Each of the cells includes a telecentric optics system at the document side. Two rows of cells are arranged in a sub-scanning direction. The cells in the rows are arranged zigzag in the main scanning direction to complement a formed image by the cells in the sub-scanning direction. The image pickup device unit is arranged to correspond to each cell. The processor can form a document image by reconstructing and combining image information stored in the memory into an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawano, Tatsuki Okamoto, Tadashi Minobe, Tatsuya Kunieda, Akiko Fujiuchi
  • Patent number: 8223362
    Abstract: This invention provides a first communication apparatus, which makes a facsimile communication via a packet communication network and can describe different contents image header information each including a date, time, source information, destination information, and the like in image data having a predetermined number of pixels upon sending the image data to a plurality of destinations, and a communication method. This invention also provides a second communication apparatus which makes a facsimile communication via a packet communication network and has a first mode in which image header information such as a date, time, source information, destination information, and the like can be described in image data having a predetermined number of pixels and can send the image data, and a second mode in which image data having one of various resolutions and an indefinite number of pixels can be sent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Tonegawa
  • Patent number: 8223354
    Abstract: An printing apparatus capable of maintaining confidentiality of a printed matter more reliably. Where a confidential print command is received, when user identification information for a user who issued the confidential print command is read from a recording medium such as an IC card by a reader, the printing apparatus puts the execution of the print processing pertaining to the confidential print command on hold if print processing based on a command issued by a user other than the user who issued the confidential print command via operation of an operation unit is being executed, and it begins the execution of the print processing pertaining to the confidential print command if print processing based on a command issued by a user other than the user who issued said confidential print command via operation of the operation unit is not being executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Itagaki
  • Patent number: 8218202
    Abstract: Multiple images are combined where the images exhibit variations in illumination between one another. The images are of the same portion of an object, and each image is represented by a set of image data. A comparative data transform is applied to each set of image data, such that the transformed comparative image data isolates and preserves first variations in the illumination between the images but suppresses second differences in illumination between the images. At least one normalization transform is determined from the transformed comparative image data sets. When applied to at least one of the image data sets, the at least one normalization transform minimizes the variation in illumination between the image data sets. Each determined normalization transform is applied to the at least one of the image data sets. The normalized sets of image data are transformed to a single image of the portion of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew Hunter, Stephen Pollard
  • Patent number: 8213710
    Abstract: An image processing system interpolates image data of an image array by ascertaining shift invariant points and non-shift invariant points within the array. The average illumination and the second order derivative are determined for the shift invariant locations. The second order derivative and the intensity at the non-shift invariant locations for each of the non-shift invariant points are estimated. The color data for each color element is determined from the image data and second order derivative. The second order derivative is multiplied by a scaling factor for selectively smoothing and sharpening the second order derivative. The color data values of adjacent color element to enhance a resolution of the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Youliza, Gehts B.V. Limited Liability Company
    Inventor: Taner Dosluoglu
  • Patent number: 8213061
    Abstract: A detection device that includes a setting component, a measuring component, an accumulating component, a determining component, and an increasing/decreasing component is provided. The joint quantity measuring component measures joint quantities between the photoelectric conversion elements that are dependent on precision when arraying the plural photoelectric conversion elements. The joint error quantity accumulating component accumulates error quantities of the joints that are obtained from the joint quantities that have been measured and a reference quantity. The determining component determines whether or not the accumulated error quantity has exceeded an allowable range. The interpolation pixel increasing/decreasing component increases/decreases, on the basis of direction of error, interpolation pixels between specific photoelectric conversion elements when it has been determined that the accumulated error quantity has exceeded the allowable range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiji Hamada
  • Patent number: 8208171
    Abstract: The present invention aims to prevent a problem that an image on a document sheet is erased due to misdetection of a line-shaped noise. A copy machine 1 compares RGB values of a target pixel with averaged RGB values (Step S103). If only one of the RGB values has a difference that is greater than a prescribed value Ref2 (Step S103: YES), the copy machine 1 extracts the target pixel as a line-shaped noise pixel, and moves to a line-shaped noise correction (Step S108) while holding the address of the target pixel in a line-shaped noise address storing area 49b. If two of the RGB values have differences (Step S103: NO, Step S104: YES) and a difference between these two of the RGB values is no greater than a prescribed value Ref3 (Step S105: YES), the copy machine 1 extracts the target pixel as a line-shaped noise pixel, and moves to the line-shaped noise correction (Step S108) while holding the address of the target pixel in the line-shaped noise address storing area 49b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kubo, Nobuhiro Mishima
  • Patent number: 8203750
    Abstract: A printing system is provided for enabling a consistent color job re-print comprising a plurality of image marking engines. The system includes printing a master test image document printed by at least a first image marking engine. The master test image can have a data glyph and a plurality of reference patches. The data glyph can record distinct job attributes and the plurality of reference patches can record color parameters of a desired output. The system further provides a scanner for scanning the master test image document. The data glyph can provide the job attributes of the master test image document and can generate set-up data therefrom. The reference patches can provide the color parameters of the master test image document and can generate set-up data therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bray, Aaron M. Burry
  • Patent number: 8203769
    Abstract: A system for providing color analysis of a toner image on an image bearing surface with a spectrophotometer is provided. The system includes an illuminator positioned adjacent to the image bearing surface and configured to emit a light beam at the image bearing surface, a linear sensor positioned adjacent to the image bearing surface and configured to receive the light reflecting off the toner image on the image bearing surface, a gradient index lens placed in the optical path of the light beams reflecting off the image bearing surface between the image bearing surface and the linear variable filter; and the linear variable filter positioned between the linear sensor and the gradient index lens. The system is devoid of a collimating lens positioned in between the gradient index lens and the linear variable filter, and the linear variable filter and the linear sensor are spaced apart by a gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Paul Herloski, Jagdish Tandon, Martin Edward Hoover
  • Patent number: 8199380
    Abstract: An image reading device having an image sensor formed by a plurality of sensor chips is provided. The image reading device includes an AFE circuit, a clock provider and a digital data processor. The AFE circuit is configured to process analog data provided by the image sensor so as to convert the analog data into digital data and to output the digital data. The clock provider is configured to provide the image sensor with a driving clock, the clock provider configured to stop providing the driving clock for a certain period of time before the AFE circuit reads initial data provided by each of the sensor chips. The digital data processor configured to remove the digital data provided by the AFE circuit while the clock provider has stopped providing the driving clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Motoki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 8194279
    Abstract: An image data combining apparatus combines m lines of image data that have been output from a reading unit. The reading unit outputs m lines of image data based upon the pixel data that has been output upon being divided into the plurality of lines, and stored then in a memory. An upper address for accessing the memory is decided based upon first data indicating position, along the sub-scan direction, of an image that has been read by the reading unit, and a lower address for accessing the memory is decided based upon second data indicating position of the image along the main-scan direction. For the lower address utilizes values in which the sequence of a plurality of bits constituting the first data is interchanged, so that p items of pixel data at a time are extracted successively from each of the m lines of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisashi Ishikawa, Yoshinari Ikegami
  • Patent number: 8194290
    Abstract: An image compensating method. First, multiple scanning lines are used to scan a document and a longitudinal black and white pattern, in order to produce the actual gray level value for multiple pixels with respect to each of the scanning lines and the document, as well as a correctional gray level value for complete black and a correctional gray level value for complete white with respect to the longitudinal black and white pattern. Then, the compensational gray level value with respect to the actual gray level value for each of the pixels is obtained according to the correctional gray level value for complete black, the correctional gray level value for complete white, the theoretical gray level value for complete black, the theoretical gray level value for complete white, and the actual gray level value for each of the pixels. Then, the procedure is complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Transpacific Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Shih-Zheng Kuo
  • Patent number: 8194274
    Abstract: The present invention provides for automated capture of metadata associated with paper-based documents. A “reservation” for the metadata and a digital image of the paper-based document is created whenever a digital image of a paper-based document is to be associated with a computer record. The relevant metadata is automatically captured from a computer screen and is then stored in a previously created database record associated with the reservation. The metadata can also be associated with a later-captured digital image of the paper-based document by placing a label on the paper-based document. The label contains identifying information for the reservation and this information becomes embedded in the digital image of the paper-based document, which is subsequently created by scanning the paper-based document and label. The subsequently created digital image can then be related to the appropriate metadata by extracting the reservation identification information from the label embedded in the digital image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Inventors: Bhupinder Babbrah, David H. Gallivan, Jr., Mark F. Wright
  • Patent number: 8184329
    Abstract: A print processing execution apparatus includes a restriction information acquisition unit configured to acquire restriction information including processing information, a print processing execution unit configured to execute print processing based on a job, a determination unit configured to determine whether a condition for storing history information related to the job is satisfied, a storage control unit configured to store the history information in a storage unit if the determination unit determines that the condition for storing history information is satisfied, and a processing unit configured to execute processing based on the processing information included in the restriction information if the determination unit determines that the condition for storing history information is not satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadanori Nakatsuka
  • Patent number: 8179575
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for chromatic distortion reduction. Relative chromatic distortion information for an imaging system may be obtained, where the relative chromatic distortion information indicates relative displacement of a first color signal and a second color signal from a reference color signal in an image. The relative chromatic distortion information may be used to modify image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventor: Jose De La Torre-Bueno
  • Patent number: 8174739
    Abstract: Systems and methods using polarized filtering for glare removal to improve the process of scanning documents, particularly bound documents with glossy content, are disclosed. The system may generally include a lighting source for illuminating a document, a lighting source polarizer attached to the lighting source to polarize light therefrom, a camera for capturing images of the document, and a camera polarizer attached to the camera. The camera polarizer and the lighting source polarizer may be positioned relative to each other so as to facilitate blocking light reflections causing glare off of the document resulting from the lighting source and arriving at the camera. The system may include multiple lighting sources, some or all of which may have a lighting source polarizer attached thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Proudfoot, Marc Levoy
  • Publication number: 20120105926
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus, an image reading method and a program are provided for favorably correcting color misalignment in a sub-scanning direction of a read signal read by a plurality of line sensors without increasing a circuit scale or processing time. To accomplish this, the image reading apparatus sets, as a reference signal, the read signal that is output from one of the plurality of line sensors, and detects a correlation between the reference signal and each of a plurality of read signals output from line sensors other than the one of the plurality of line sensors of a plurality of lines that are displaced in predetermined line units from a line from which the reference signal is read, and selects a read signal having a high correlation with the reference signal as a read signal from the line of the reference signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hisashi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8169674
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of changing a main reading unit at an appropriate time point such that a plurality of reading units can be equally used, and a method of controlling the same. The image reading apparatus includes an automatic document feeder, a first reading unit to read a first side of a document fed by the automatic document feeder and to function as a main reading unit, a second reading unit to read a second side of the document fed by the automatic document feeder; and a control unit to change the main reading unit from the first reading unit to the second reading unit if the number of times La of usage of the first reading unit reaches a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Eletronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Min Kim
  • Patent number: 8169657
    Abstract: A method of registering a print between print stages in a printing system is provided. The method comprises: printing a first part of a digital image on a substrate with a first print engine, wherein the first part of the digital image includes a plurality of reference features; scanning image content on the substrate as it is readied for the second print engine; determining the actual positions of the reference features; using the actual positions of the reference features to determine desired adjustments for the second part of the digital image; applying electronic registration according to the desired adjustments to modify image content of the second print to be aligned with content already on the substrate; and printing a second part of the digital image on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Shen-Ge Wang, Robert P. Loce
  • Patent number: 8169661
    Abstract: The present invention is a scanning method and system in which the colored information as well as the black & white information appearing on the individual page or upon multiple pages of a document are initially scanned in a full color, 24-bit per pixel, mode; after which, the black & white wording and/or images are then selectively identified and electronically downsized to a single bit per pixel value. This sequence of selective identification and electronic downsizing of the black & white scanned contents effectively preserves the original printed information, while retaining the accuracy and integrity of the characters forming the colored written text and illustration portions of the scanned page or document in their original 24-bit per pixel format. Via this method and system, the entirety of the scanned image is maintained as a single electronic file of markedly reduced size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Inventors: Shu-Kunag Ho, Zhonghui Xiao
  • Patent number: 8169670
    Abstract: In an image scanning device, the receiving unit receives a light reflected on a document putted on the surface of the board. The presuming unit presumes a dimension of a horizontal edge of the document based on the reflected light. The determining unit determines, based on the presumed dimension, whether or not the document has one of the plurality of standard sizes. The assuming unit assumes that the document has a virtual size defined by a virtual horizontal edge and a virtual longitudinal edge if the determining unit determines that the document has neither the plurality of standard sizes. The virtual horizontal dimension of the virtual horizontal edge is equal to or larger than the presumed dimension. The scanning unit scans the document over a range corresponding to the virtual size to generate image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiki Motoyama
  • Patent number: 8169475
    Abstract: An image processing system comprising an image data acquisition unit for acquiring captured image data, with a first image processing unit for performing first image processing relating to color correction and gradation correction on the image data, a second image processing unit for performing second image processing relating to color correction based on a Color Appearance Model on the image data, a parameter calculation unit for calculating an image processing parameter used in the first image processing from the image data before the second image processing and the image data after the second image processing, and a control unit for setting the image processing parameter to the first image processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichiro Aizaki
  • Patent number: 8164801
    Abstract: Providing an updated version of a printed document comprising storing data for generating an original version of a printed document, including a two-dimensional barcode that contains: data identifying the original version of the document, as well as at least a portion of the data for generating the original version of the document. The invention also enables the updating of the stored data so that a later version of the printed document may be generated including a new barcode for identifying and generating the later version. The barcode of a version of the document is scanned to determine if the scanned barcode identifies the later version of the document. If the barcode does not identify the later version, then the later version of the document is generated and printed. If the barcode does identify that the scanned document is the later version, the document is not printed and the user may be notified that the scanned version is the latest version.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Buisness Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert S. Hoblit
  • Patent number: 8159726
    Abstract: An image processor includes a reading unit that moves a scanning optical system toward a reference white sheet to read the reference white sheet from a direction along which the scanning optical system returns to the carried document reading glass before reading one sheet of a document mounted on a carried document reading glass by an automatic document feeding unit in a sheet document reading mode of forming an image of the document carried by the automatic document feeding unit by an image sensor through the scanning optical system facing the carried document reading glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Osamu Inage
  • Publication number: 20120086992
    Abstract: In a method of scanning an image on an original, an optical sensor including sensor elements for each of a number of basic colors is used to generate pixel values of rows of pixels of the scanned image. The sensor elements are used to generate grey scale pixel values representing different parts of the image. A first sensor element for each of the basic colors is used to generate pixel values of odd pixels of rows on the original, and a second sensor element for each of the basic colors is used to generate pixel values of even pixels of rows of the original. Each grey scale pixel value is generated mainly on the basis of a pixel value of at least one of the first sensor elements and a pixel value of at least one of the second sensor elements for adjacent pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventor: Johannes H. M. JANSSEN
  • Patent number: 8154779
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing image data read from a book document placed on a platen of an image reading apparatus. The method includes determining a background pixel of the image data based on a luminance difference or a color difference between neighboring pixel arrays, identifying a shadow region based on a luminance change between the neighboring background pixel arrays, discriminatively detecting a shadow of a binding portion and a shadow of a front edge in a document region with reference to a changing direction of shadow luminance, and performing a luminance correction on the shadow region according to characteristics of the shadows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichiro Makino, Koji Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Patent number: 8154776
    Abstract: It is desirable to provide a bitstream format for compressed data that would allow multiple processors to access and decompress different parts of the data in parallel. Compressed images are usually defined in terms of macroblocks that have a width less than the image width and a height less than the image height. Thus, an image is divided several bands of multiple lines, and each band of multiple lines is divided into a macroblock. The set of macroblocks that define a band is called herein a macroblock rasterscan. The bit stream format includes, for each image, a picture header followed by image scan data. The image scan data includes data corresponding to a plurality of macroblock rasterscans. The data for each macroblock rasterscan includes data for a plurality of macroblocks for a band of lines in the image followed by padding. The padding ensures that data for each macroblock rasterscan terminates on a data boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Avid Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Michel Rynderman
  • Patent number: 8154769
    Abstract: An evolutionary document system comprises: a multi-function printer, a recognition module, an evolutionary document processing module, a list of document identifiers and corresponding actions, and an evolutionary document creation module. The MFP includes software and control routines for processing and creating evolutionary documents. The recognition module is operable on the MFP and allows the MFP to determine an evolutionary document identification number from an image scanned by the MFP. The evolutionary document processing module is capable of matching an evolutionary document identification number to one or more steps or action stored in the list of document identifiers and corresponding actions. Once the actions have been identified, the evolutionary document processing module executes the actions. The present invention also includes an evolutionary document creation module for creating an evolutionary document including an identification code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Co. Ltd
    Inventors: Max E. McFarland, Michael G. E. Griffin, Jonathan J. Hull, Kurt Piersol
  • Publication number: 20120081767
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: a determining unit that determines whether a background color area of an image data is adjacent to a non-background color area of an image data outside of the background color area, the non-background color area including a pixel having color data of a first color; and a converting unit that converts color data of a pixel in the background color area into the first color when the determining unit determines that the background color area is not adjacent to the non-background color area, and converts the color data of the pixel in the background color area into a second color which is different from the first color when the determining unit determines that the background color area is adjacent to the non-background color area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke MIYAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20120081766
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: a determining unit that performs determination so as to determine a color mode of a target image in a color mode order, in a page unit; and a subtracting unit that calculates a subtraction total number of pixels, wherein, the determining unit performs the determination of a first color mode in the color mode order based on a pixel ratio of a number of pixels of the first color mode in the color mode order to a total number of pixels, and the determining unit performs the determination of the second or subsequent color mode in the color mode order based on a pixel ratio of a number of pixels of the second or subsequent color mode in the color mode order to the subtraction total number of pixels calculated by the subtracting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kosuke Mori
  • Patent number: 8149481
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sheet-fed scanner (300) comprising: an illumination device for emitting a luminous flux covering several spectral bands which is intended to illuminate a sheet (204) to be scanned, a focussing device (150), and a detection module (360) comprising a sensor (164) which comprises a plurality of rows (166, 168, 170) of sensitive elements, each sensitive element being provided to deliver an electrical energy that is proportional to the intensity of the luminous flux received, and each row being provided to have its sensitivity peak for one of said spectral bands, the focussing device being provided to focus, onto each of the rows, part of the luminous flux reflected by said sheet, the sheet-fed scanner (300) being characterised in that the detection module (360) comprises a non-prismatic spectral shift device (305) for shifting each part of the luminous flux thus focussed, parallel to said rows (166, 168, 170), the shift being different for each row (166, 168, 170).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Sagem Scurite
    Inventor: Francois Dufresne du Virel
  • Patent number: 8149471
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus in which cross-talk noise occurring between plural reading units is reduced, an image reading method and an image reading program are provided. There are included plural reading units that respectively operate at different timings, a noise calculation unit that acquires first read data as a result of reading of a first read object as the read object by the plural reading units, acquires an operation state of the plural reading units during the reading of the first read object, and calculates, based on the operation state and the first read data obtained in the operation state, noise information based on the operation state, and a noise removal unit that acquires second read data as a result of reading of a second read object as the read object different from the first read object by the plural reading units, and removes noise from the second read data based on the noise information calculated by the noise calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Kawai