Solid-state Patents (Class 358/513)
  • Patent number: 8363294
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. A color contact image sensor (CIS) module employing a single channel line sensor can be used to produce substantially the same performance as a color CIS module employing a three-channel line sensor and having color filters to, for example, reduce manufacturing costs. Moreover, a blurring phenomenon that can occur in a scanned image can be reduced and the quality of the scanned image can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Mi Kim, Jong Hyon Yi
  • Patent number: 8363291
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: OCE Technologies B.V.
    Inventor: Johannes H. M. Janssen
  • Patent number: 8339684
    Abstract: An image reading device 1 includes an output acquiring unit 21 acquiring outputs from a plurality of light receiving elements 17 arranged to form an image reading surface for reading an image of an original, a difference detecting unit 22 detecting edges in the original or an end portion of the original on the basis of the outputs from at least some of the light receiving elements 17 in the outputs acquired by the output acquiring unit 21, and an image information generating unit 23 generating the image information of the original by use of the outputs from the plurality of light receiving elements 17 when the difference detecting unit 22 detects the edges or the end portion of the original.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventor: Masahiko Kobako
  • Patent number: 8335025
    Abstract: A contact image scanner comprises a light source, pixel sensors generating a signal, a lens focusing reflected light onto the pixel sensors, a color matrix filter filtering the reflected light, and a signal processing circuit generating a digital image. The method provides pixel sensors for generating a signal in response to incident light, projects light from a light source onto a document in a sequential fashion, reflects the light onto the pixel sensors, filters the reflected light with a color matrix filter, and processes the signal to generate the digital image. With the method and apparatus, each scan line of the document is illuminated with white light only once. The pixel sensors corresponding to red, green, and blue colors of each pixel of the scan line read the pixel of the scan line substantially at the same time in a substantially overlapping manner in a scan line direction without overlapping in an orthogonal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Michael King, Mark Eric Miller
  • Patent number: 8310724
    Abstract: An image processing system for interpolating image data is comprised of a shift invariant point determining device, an illumination averager, a second order differentiator, and color data calculator. The shift invariant point determining device ascertains shift invariant points within the mosaic color element array pattern. The illumination averager determines average illumination values of clusters of a plurality of pixels. The second order differentiator determines a second order derivative of the average illumination values of the clusters of the plurality of pixels. The color data calculator determines color data for each of the plurality of pixels from the image data and second order derivative. A second order derivative scaler multiplies the second order derivative by a scaling factor for selectively smoothing and sharpening the second order derivative. A color data averager averages color data values of adjacent pixels to a resolution of the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Youliza, Gehts B.V. Limited Liability Company
    Inventor: Taner Dosluoglu
  • Patent number: 8305663
    Abstract: A clock-signal generating unit generates temporally-continuous clock signals. A spread-spectrum clock-signal generating unit generates a spread-spectrum clock signal by modulating a frequency spectrum of a clock signal generated by the clock-signal generating unit. A signal delaying unit generates a fixed delay unaffected by a spread spectrum from the spread-spectrum clock signal generated by the spread-spectrum clock-signal generating unit, and delays a phase of the spread-spectrum clock signal based on an amount of the fixed delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masaki Nagase, Tohru Kanno
  • Patent number: 8300286
    Abstract: A photosensitive chip, including first and second sets of photosensors aligned in a Y direction and separated in a perpendicular X direction and third and fourth sets of photosensors aligned in the Y direction and separated in the X direction. The first and third sets are aligned in the X direction. The second and fourth sets are aligned in the X direction. The first and third sets are offset in the Y direction from the second and fourth sets by a distance about equal to a length of a photosensor divided by the number of sets. A time interval between activation of two sequential photosensors from the first through fourth sets of photosensors is substantially equal to the time period of a scan line for the first through fourth sets of photosensors divided by the number of photosensors in the first through fourth sets of photosensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Scott L. TeWinkle
  • Patent number: 8300288
    Abstract: Color adjusting apparatus and method for a light source. A reflector of a required color is added to a light source of a scan module, a plating film of the required color is formed on a lens, or the lens is dyed with the required color. Or alternatively, the color of the light source is directly changed into the required color. As a result, the inconsistent intensities for the light in the primary color, red, green and blue output from the charge-coupled device caused by different brightness of the light source, different wavelength transmission of the lens, and different light sensitivity of the charge-coupled device is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Transpacific Plasma, LLC
    Inventor: Pi-Chen Chen
  • Patent number: 8274715
    Abstract: A method for forming a final digital color image includes capturing an image using an image sensor having panchromatic pixels and color pixels corresponding to at least two color photoresponses; providing from the captured image a digital panchromatic image and an intermediate digital color image; and using the digital panchromatic image and the intermediate digital color image to provide the final digital color image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Hamilton, Jr., John T. Compton
  • 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: 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: 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: 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: 8174738
    Abstract: The image read-out device comprises an integrally formed scanning optical unit in which a light source which emits light toward a document, a plurality of reflective mirrors reflecting the light which is emitted from the light source to the document and then reflected, an image forming lens converging the light reflected by a final reflective mirror which finally reflects the light, among the plurality of mirrors, and a light receiving sensor for receiving the light converged by the image forming lens are integrally mounted on a housing, the integrally formed scanning optical unit moving in a scanning direction and reading out an image of the document, wherein an opening is provided on each of top and bottom surfaces of the housing, and wherein the area of the opening provided on the bottom surface is equal or more than that of the opening provided on the top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Ono, Yasuo Sakurai, Kiichiro Nishina, Masahiro Itoh
  • 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: 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: 8149469
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus has an image sensor in which a plurality of sensor arrays for reading a document image are connected into a line, and parallel-output image data. In the image reading apparatus, of image data output from each sensor array, image data of a pixel at one end and image data of the remaining pixels are compressed by different compression methods. The compressed data of one line are decompressed by a set method at the timing when the number of pixels reaches a preset number of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Tada
  • Patent number: 8125695
    Abstract: Imaging systems and methods for actuating image sensors based on alignment are disclosed. An example method includes determining by a controller an alignment of a plurality of sensors, the sensors adapted to capture an image of an object. The method also includes actuating the sensors with the controller based on the alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Kurt E. Spears
  • Publication number: 20120002254
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide an image reading apparatus including: a monochrome CCD sensor including a first photo-diode array; plural color CCD sensors each including a second photodiode array; an AD converter configured to apply analog-to-digital conversion to each of analog outputs from the second photodiode array and the first photodiode array; a delay processing unit configured to delay at least one of color image data of plural colors from the AD converter and interpolate, with delayed any one or more of the color image data, a blank of image data that is to be read on a line in a sub-scanning direction; and an inter-line correction unit configured to correct, by the intervals and a set reduction magnification, a positional deviation in the sub-scanning direction between the monochrome image data and the color image data, respective timings of which are aligned on the line by the delay processing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shogo Ogawa, Yoshio Yoshimura, Tadashi Mokudai
  • Patent number: 8089669
    Abstract: It is made possible to determine image characteristics in a reading image while the image of an original is being read. A first line sensor (9R2, 9G2, 9B2) is arranged on a board and reads the original image. A second line sensor (9K1) has a larger number of pixels than the first line sensor and is arranged on the board to read the original image earlier than the first line sensor. An image signal processing characteristic control unit (46) uses an output of the second line sensor as a control signal to control the processing characteristic of the image signal read by the first line sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Sakakibara, Koji Tanimoto
  • Publication number: 20110304893
    Abstract: This invention is directed to correcting a smear by a line-sequential reading scanner. To accomplish this, in a line-sequential reading type image reading apparatus (scanner), the first memory stores reference smear amount data of a smear occurred for each color component. The correction amount for the brightness value of each color component obtained by reading an original by an image sensor is calculated based on the reference smear amount data stored in the first memory and the brightness value level of a pixel on a preceding line. The brightness value is corrected based on the correction amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Sakai
  • Patent number: 8059319
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus, of lower power consumption and a smaller area with maintaining sufficient performance, includes a plurality of pixels for reading a plurality of color components, a plurality of holding units holding a signal from each pixel, a plurality of common output lines to which the plurality of respective holding units corresponding to respective color components are connected, and a plurality of output circuits connected to the plurality of common output lines. Then, at least two of the plurality of common output lines are connected to one of the plurality of output circuits through a selecting unit. In addition, outputs of a holding unit to which pixels of at least two different color components among the plurality of pixels in the unit cell are connected are connected to one of the plurality of common output lines through a selecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirofumi Totsuka
  • Patent number: 8040558
    Abstract: An image processing system for interpolating image data is comprised of a shift invariant point determining device, an illumination averager, a second order differentiator, and color data calculator. The shift invariant point determining device ascertains shift invariant points within the mosaic color element array pattern. The illumination averager determines average illumination values of clusters of a plurality of pixels. The second order differentiator determines a second order derivative of the average illumination values of the clusters of the plurality of pixels. The color data calculator determines color data for each of the plurality of pixels from the image data and second order derivative. A second order derivative scaler multiplies the second order derivative by a scaling factor for selectively smoothing and sharpening the second order derivative. A color data averager averages color data values of adjacent pixels to a resolution of the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Youliza, Gehts B.V. Limited Liability Company
    Inventor: Taner Dosluoglu
  • Publication number: 20110205605
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus which performs shading correction using black reference data, wherein in the process of obtaining the black reference data, the image reading apparatus includes a reading control section that outputs a shift pulse which is the start timing of charge accumulation corresponding to each RGB color and controls the process of lighting of the light source of a predetermined color for a predetermined period after a predetermined period having elapsed since the output of each shift pulse, and a data processing section that does not obtain the data output from the image sensor as the black reference data according to the shift pulse and obtains the data output from the image sensor as the black reference data during a period that at least overlaps with the lighting period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junya Suga
  • Patent number: 7982906
    Abstract: An optical scanning device is constituted without using any arc sin .theta. correction lens, while maintaining quality of an image. The optical scanning device comprises an optical flux generator, a resonance-type deflection element, a drive signal generator and a dot clock generator that is configured to sequentially generate dot clocks which satisfy a first, second and third condition, wherein the optical flux generator radiates the optical fluxes having brightnesses corresponding to the clock cycles of the dot clocks generated by the dot clock generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Sakaue
  • Patent number: 7974466
    Abstract: A method for obtaining a target color measurement using an electronic image capturing device comprising the steps of: (1) determining one or more of a field correction array, level correction vectors, a color correction matrix, and a calibration correction and; (2) adjusting a target color measurement based upon one or more of a field correction array, level correction vector, a color correction matrix, and a calibration correction to obtain a corrected color target measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Color Savvy Systems Limited
    Inventors: Christopher H. Pearson, Gary N. Bodnar, Karl F. Seibert
  • Patent number: 7961365
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a light source which irradiates illumination light to a document; an imaging element which images reflected light of the illumination light from the document; a color separator which performs color separation of the illumination light or the reflected light into at least three wavelength ranges including a first wavelength range, a second wavelength ranges and a third wavelength range; a light-receiving element which converts the reflected light imaged by the imaging element into an electrical signal as a document image of the document, for each of the at least three wavelength ranges; and an image processor which classifies the document image on the basis of the electrical signal in the first wavelength range and in the second wavelength range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiichiro Nishina, Yoshifumi Sudoh, Masahiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 7924483
    Abstract: The invention, in various exemplary embodiments, incorporates multiple image sensor arrays, with separate respective color filters, on the same imager die. One exemplary embodiment is an image sensor comprising a plurality of arrays of pixel cells at a surface of a substrate, wherein each pixel cell comprises a photo-conversion device. The arrays are configured to commonly capture an image. An image processor circuit is connected to said plurality of arrays and configured to combine the captured images, captured by the plurality of arrays, and output a color image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Inventors: Scott T. Smith, Dmitry Bakin
  • Patent number: 7920302
    Abstract: A discrimination machine optically senses an object having a surface with a planar structure while scanning the planar structure along the surface. The machine includes a discrimination sensor including optical devices detecting light generated from the planar structure. The optical devices are disposed at an interval in a transverse direction, perpendicular to a scanning direction, to ensure a sufficiently wide sensing area for the object. A deviation detector detects deviation of the planar structure from a plane based on electrical signals output from the respective optical devices detecting the light generated by the object while the discrimination sensor is scanning the object. An optical device selector selects an optical device, from among the optical devices, based on the deviation detected. A determination is made as to whether the electrical signal output from the optical device selected is within an allowable margin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignees: Aruze Corp., Seta Corp.
    Inventors: Kazuei Yoshioka, Jun Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7916362
    Abstract: An image sensor for capturing a color image is disclosed having a two-dimensional array having first and second groups of pixels wherein pixels from the first group of pixels have narrower spectral photoresponses than pixels from the second group of pixels and wherein the first group of pixels has individual pixels that have spectral photoresponses that correspond to a set of at least two colors, with the placement of the first and second groups of pixels defining a pattern that has a minimal repeating unit including at least six pixels with at least some rows or columns of the minimal repeating unit composed only of pixels from the second group of pixels, and including ways to combine similarly positioned pixels from at least two adjacent minimal repeating units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Takayuki Kijima, Hideo Nakamura, John T. Compton, John F. Hamilton, Jr., Thomas E. DeWeese
  • Patent number: 7911662
    Abstract: A linear image sensor which has an enhanced image resolution, and requires reduced processing time, and is low in cost. A first line sensor has a plurality of light receiving elements linearly arranged at a predetermined pitch in a main scanning direction. A second line sensor has a plurality of light receiving elements linearly arranged at the predetermined pitch in the main scanning direction. The light receiving elements of the second line sensor are shifted from the light receiving elements of the first line sensor by half the predetermined pitch in the main scanning direction. The second line sensor has a length in the main scanning direction shorter than that of the first line sensor, and is arranged in parallel to the first line sensor and spaced from the first line sensor by a predetermined distance in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masakazu Inada
  • Patent number: 7911664
    Abstract: If the user specifies a color mode, an image reader previously moves a read head to a position where a first read target position r and a read start position on an original are identical with each other. If the user specifies a monochrome mode, the image reader previously moves the read head to a position where a second read target position and the read start position on an original are identical with each other. After this, an image can be read from the same range without increasing the time required for image read processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichi Horaguchi, Takashi Ohama
  • Patent number: 7903302
    Abstract: There is provide a technique which can contribute to reduction of data capacity of image data read from an original document in an image reading apparatus, and can contribute to realization of a flexible image processing to meet user's requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 7889254
    Abstract: To prevent such a situation that a signal from a pixel in a dark state is output at a level shifted from an originally set level to deteriorate an image quality, and to improve the image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsunobu Kochi, Kazuo Yamazaki, Hiraku Kozuka
  • Patent number: 7884979
    Abstract: An imaging lens comprises a first, a second, a third, and a fourth lens group from an object toward an image. The first lens group includes a first lens that is a convex meniscus lens with a convex surface on the object side. The second lens group includes a second lens having a positive refractive power, and a third lens bonded to the second lens and having a negative refractive power. The third lens group includes a fourth lens having a negative refractive power, and a fifth lens bonded to the fourth lens and having a positive refractive power. The fourth lens group includes a sixth lens having a positive refractive power. The imaging lens satisfies the condition 0.10<D/f<0.19 where D denotes a sum of an air gap between the first lens and the second lens and an air gap between the fifth lens and the sixth lens, and f denotes a focal length of the entirety of the imaging lens with respect to an e-ray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Miyatake
  • Patent number: 7847987
    Abstract: A method is disclosed as including scanning a first pixel of an image with a primary scanning line of a sensor, and scanning a second pixel of the image with a secondary scanning line of the sensor, wherein the first pixel is separated from the second pixel by a pitch of one or more scan lines. A compensation value is determined for one or more pixels of the image, wherein the compensation value is determined based, at least in part, on a mathematical operation comprising pixel values associated with the first and second pixels and the pitch. The method further includes compensating the one or more pixel values based, at least in part, on the compensation value, wherein the compensation value compensates for a reflection of light between the first and second scanning lines when the first and second pixels are scanned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Inventor: Chen-Hsiang Shih
  • Patent number: 7800790
    Abstract: A document reading unit has an image sensor mounted in a box-like support base so that a document can be read by the image sensor through an opening in the support base. A contact glass disposed in the opening covers the image sensor and supports the document while it is being read by the image sensor. Support members coupled to the contact glass are detachably fixed to the support base by fixing screws. The image sensor has two rows of spaced-apart line sensors with the line sensors in one row staggered relative to those in the other row, and the support members are arranged between adjacent pairs of line sensors in each row of line sensors. The contact glass and support members are removable as a unit from the support base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko I Infotech Inc.
    Inventors: Masayuki Kageyama, Shinobu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20100231979
    Abstract: A reference-signal generating unit generates a reference signal for generating a driving signal to drive each unit of the image reading device. A frequency modulating unit modulates frequency of the reference signal, thereby generating a frequency-modulated reference signal. A driving-signal generating unit generates the driving signal from the frequency-modulated reference signal. A photoelectric converting unit converts an incident light into an analog image signal using the driving signal. An AD converting unit converts the analog image signal into a digital image signal. A correcting unit corrects the digital image signal by generating a correction signal for eliminating a noise superimposed on the digital image signal using the frequency-modulated reference signal and adding the correction signal to the digital image signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Masaki Nagase, Tohru Kanno
  • Patent number: 7777922
    Abstract: In an image reader that can adjust a distance between a platen glass and a close-contact-type image sensor (CIS) without disassembly, a CIS unit includes a CIS and a resilient body which biases the CIS toward the platen glass. A CIS roller holder includes a spacer, and a CIS holder which holds the spacer movably in the vertical direction as well as in the sub scanning direction with respect to the platen glass and is fixed to the CIS unit. Irregularities are formed on surfaces of the CIS holder and the spacer which face each other and are engageable by fitting. When the CIS unit is moved in the sub scanning direction and the CIS roller holder is brought into contact with one rib ,the CIS roller holder is brought into contact with the spacer at projections or recesses, thus changing a distance between the platen glass and the CIS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 7773271
    Abstract: A filter circuit has: a first and a second current mirror circuit that are each built with a plurality of transistors and that respectively pass a first and a second mirror current according to a constant current; an input terminal via which an input pulse signal is fed in; a first transistor that, in response to the signal fed in via the input terminal and by using a supply voltage, makes the first current mirror circuit operate; a second transistor that, operating in inverted synchronism with the first transistor, in response to the signal fed in via the input terminal and by using a ground voltage, makes the second current mirror circuit operate; a capacitor that is charged by the first mirror current and that is discharged by the second mirror current; and an output terminal via which a voltage at one end of the capacitor is fed out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Yamada, Yoshihiro Ikefuji
  • Patent number: 7768677
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor produces an image including plural sub-images, which are rapidly read out and outputted via output circuits. The image sensor has its imaging surface divided into corresponding plural sub-areas producing image data, which is transferred by the horizontal transfer path in both left and right directions and outputted from the output circuits, whose amplifier characteristics are determined as follows. Optical black (OB) data from an OB area on the imaging surface is transferred in the left direction by the horizontal transfer path and outputted from one output circuit as total OB data. OB data is transferred by the horizontal transfer path in both left and right direction and outputted from the output circuits as left and right OB data. An output circuit characteristics determiner uses the total, and left and right OB data to determine the amplifier characteristics of the output circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kawai
  • Publication number: 20100182658
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus, a method of controlling the same, and an image forming apparatus including the same are disclosed. The image reading apparatus may pre-recognize performances of even-pixel and odd-pixel groups for each color in an image sensor including an even-pixel group and an odd-pixel group for each color. In case of reading an image using only one of the above pixel groups, the image reading apparatus may read the image using a superior-performance pixel group selected from the above pixel groups, such that a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) may be reduced and image processing may be more quickly carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hae Chul KIM
  • Patent number: 7751097
    Abstract: A method of changing driving sequence to output a charge coupled device signal, the method is applied to a scanner. The scanner has a pixel processor and a charge coupled device. A plurality of charge signals detected by the charge coupled device is sequentially output to the pixel processor according to the driving sequence. In the method of changing the driving sequence to output the charge coupled device signal, a fast driving sequence is provided. The fast driving sequence has a period equal to 1/N of the original driving sequence. According to the fast driving sequence, the charge signal is sent to the pixel processing circuit. The charge signals are sampled by the processing circuit according to a sampling sequence, and the data obtained by sampling is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Inventor: Chui-Kuei Chiu
  • Patent number: 7697048
    Abstract: A solid state imaging apparatus of which spatial phases of pixels forming a first matrix of adjoining rows and adjoining columns are relatively different from each other is characterized by that an intersection of a line between two pixels to be added in a row direction and a line between two pixels to be added in a column direction approximately agreed with a center of four pixels to be added when the four pixels adjoining in the row and column directions are added, and phases of said centers of four pixels adjoining in the row direction or column direction are relatively different from each other in a second matrix consisted of a plurality of said centers of four pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuo Yamada
  • Patent number: 7659532
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source with a first luminescent portion that outputs light with a first wavelength range and a second luminescent portion that outputs light with a second wavelength range, the wavelength ranges being different from each other; a light-receiving portion that receives light reflected from an original irradiated by the light source; a scanning portion that shifts a reading position of the original in a vertical scanning direction by changing a relative position between the original and the light-receiving portion; a switching portion that alternately turns on the first and second luminescent portions when the scanning portion shifts the reading position, wherein a vertical scanning resolution for a first data obtained when the first luminescent portion is turned on is independently set from a vertical scanning resolution for a second data obtained when the second luminescent portion is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michio Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7605958
    Abstract: In an imaging apparatus, such as used for recording full-color images from a moving sheet, different rows of photosensors are each filtered to record one primary color. Certain specific spacings of adjacent rows of photosensors are particularly useful in operating the apparatus at different commonly-used output speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph P. Taillie
  • Publication number: 20090244663
    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: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki KUBO, Nobuhiro MISHIMA
  • Publication number: 20090225378
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a data analyzing unit includes an input unit and a color/monochrome determining unit. The input unit inputs image data that is obtained by scanning an original document through a CCD having a plurality of lines that can scan color documents. The color/monochrome determining unit determines whether the original document is color or monochrome based on the input image data. When chromatic pixels and their complementary color pixels are detected in a specified image area of the image data, the color/monochrome determining unit excludes the detected chromatic pixels and their complementary color pixels from information that is used in the determination in which the original document of the image data is determined as color or monochrome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventor: Katsushi MINAMINO
  • Patent number: RE42033
    Abstract: A single step multi-section exposure scanning method for a scanner. The scanner includes a photo-sensor and a stepper motor. The photo-sensor has N rows of sensor cells that correspond to each primary color. The scanning device is driven forward an exposure distance for each revolution of the stepper motor. The single step multi-section exposure scanning method includes the following steps. First, the photo-sensor moves forward one exposure distance. One row of sensor cells is exposed after moving every 1/Nth of the exposure distance. Thereafter, analogue voltages obtained through the exposed row of sensor cells are transmitted to an analogue/digital converter. The above process is repeated until the entire document is scanned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Inventors: Rong-Ji Liu, Kuo-Jeng Wang, Tom-Chin Chang
  • Patent number: RE42774
    Abstract: A single step multi-section exposure scanning method for a scanner. The scanner includes a photo-sensor and a stepper motor. The photo-sensor has N rows of sensor cells that correspond to each primary color. The scanning device is driven forward an exposure distance for each revolution of the stepper motor. The single step multi-section exposure scanning method includes the following steps. First, the photo-sensor moves forward one exposure distance. One row of sensor cells is exposed after moving every 1/Nth of the exposure distance. Thereafter, analogue voltages obtained through the exposed row of sensor cells are transmitted to an analogue/digital converter. The above process is repeated until the entire document is scanned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Transpacific Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Rong-Ji Liu, Kuo-Jeng Wang, Tom-Chin Chang