With Plural Sensors Patents (Class 358/514)
  • 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: 8213063
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus including an image sensor having a first area and a second area and a gradation converter for applying a gradation conversion to an image signal is provided with a gradation conversion LUT storage storing at least two kinds of gradation conversion information. The image sensing apparatus is also provided with a gradation conversion information rewriting section for rewriting the gradation conversion information into new gradation conversion information. There can be provided an image sensing apparatus capable of carrying out a precise gradation conversion even in the case that the inflection point between the first area and the second area of the image sensor constantly changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Koichi Kamon, Kazuchika Sato, Jun Minakuti, Tetuya Katagiri
  • Patent number: 8208684
    Abstract: A method of processing image data from a multi-chip array with a plurality of photosensitive chips aligned substantially in a transverse direction, including: generating, using a processor for at least one specially programmed computer, a ?y or ?x optical error value equal to a difference in process and transverse directions, respectively, between actual and apparent locations for a first photosensor, the apparent location due to optical error; and storing, in a memory element for the specially programmed computer, respective outputs from the photosensors in the array for first and second scan lines. The actual location is included in the first scan line. The processor retrieves, for use as at least part of useful image data for the first photosensor, the stored output of: the first photosensor for the second scan line for a ?y optical error, or a second photosensor for the first line for a ?x optical error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Hosier, Martin Edward Banton, Frederick O. Hayes, III
  • 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: 8194296
    Abstract: A system for capturing a color image, includes a two-dimensional array having first and second groups of pixels, pixels from the first group of pixels have narrower spectral photoresponses than pixels from the second group of pixels and the first group of pixels has individual pixels that have spectral photoresponses that correspond to a set of at least two colors; the placement of the first and second groups of pixels defining a pattern that has a minimal repeating unit including at least twelve pixels, and a plurality of non-overlapping cells wherein each cell has at least two pixels representing a specific color selected from the first group of pixels and a plurality of pixels selected from the second group of pixels; a structure for combining pixels of like color from at least two of the plurality of cells within the minimal repeating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Compton, John F. Hamilton, Jr., Thomas E. DeWeese
  • Patent number: 8194297
    Abstract: A method for controlling a linear sensor comprises: transferring an electric charge converted in a photoelectric conversion unit to a charge storage unit; transferring the electric charge stored in the charge storage unit to a transfer register; driving the transfer register; removing an electric charge stored in the charge storage unit; and controlling to successively execute the first transferring, the second transferring, the driving and the removing in synchronization with a trigger signal generated on a predetermined cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8184347
    Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving print data at an electrophotographic printer; examining the print data to determine if an image within the print data may be used to perform one or more process control measurements and performing the process control measurement if it is determined that the image may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: InfoPrint Solutions Company LLC
    Inventor: Timothy G. Bradley
  • Patent number: 8184320
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus to control a printing operation includes a web server connection unit to connect with a web server of a pre-set address and receive environmental information of an area where the printing apparatus is located, and a controller to transmit a printing control signal corresponding to the received environmental information and printing data to a printing apparatus. Accordingly, a transfer voltage is adjusted according to the environmental information of the area where the printing apparatus is located, so that the effect of the environment on the printing quality can be minimized and thus the printing quality can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Don-seon Lee
  • 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: 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
  • Patent number: 8162431
    Abstract: A method detects weak or missing ink jets in an ink jet image generating system. The method includes generating a digital image of a test pattern of line segments in a process direction on an image receiving member with each line segment corresponding to one ink jet in a printhead, generating a response profile for a portion of the image receiving member on which the test pattern was generated, measuring the response profile, comparing the measurement of the response profile to a predetermined threshold, identifying missing and weak ink jets in response to the measurement of the response profile being less than the predetermined threshold, and moving the support member transversely across the process direction to a second position that enables each light sensor to image another portion of the image receiving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Cary Eric Sjolander, Keith W. Ragsdale, Kathleen M. Faraci, Heidi P. Noce
  • 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: 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: 8149474
    Abstract: A control unit inputs a control signal depending on whether reading at a high resolution is selected or reading at a low resolution is selected in an image reading unit. A first delay circuit and a second delay circuit output image data that is captured by a first CCD line sensor and a second CCD line sensor to an adder after retaining the image data for a time in accordance with the input control signal. The adder generates color image data by adding the image data that is captured by the first CCD line sensor to the image data that is captured by the second CCD line sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiko Okada, Takao Horiuchi, Yoshitaka Okahashi, Yukihito Nishio, Takeshi Murakami
  • Patent number: 8139268
    Abstract: A color document is scanned using sensors of two color components, and monochrome image data is generated by performing a color conversion process on color image data made up of two color components obtained through the scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanori Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 8134741
    Abstract: A system and method control a consistent color quality of overlay colors and single separations of color. The method determines a first error for a first separation of a first color, wherein the first error has a first sign. The method identifies a second error for a second separation of a second color, wherein the second color is a different color than the first color, wherein the second error is based on an actual density value for toner particles printed transferred from the second separation, wherein the second error has a second sign. The method compares the first sign of the first error and the second sign of the second error. The method converges the actual density value of the second separation to a target position when the first sign is a different sign than the second sign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Song-Feng Mo, Patricia J. Donaldson, Michael J. Martin
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8107137
    Abstract: A 4-line CCD sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention has a monochromic reading line sensor section and a color reading line sensor section. This 4-line CCD sensor is characterized in that amplification factors for amplifiers 1 to 4 are set so that the amplitude of an output signal from the monochromic reading line sensor section is the same as that of each output signal from the color reading line sensor section. This 4-line CCD sensor is characterized in that the amplification factors for the amplifiers 1 to 4 are set so that the amplitude of each output signal from the color reading line sensor section is smaller than that of an output signal from the monochromic reading line sensor section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Sakakibara, Koji Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 8107138
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus having a large depth of focus (DOF) and being compact in size is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Minobe, Hiroyuki Kawano, Izumi Mikami, Takafumi Endo
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8085450
    Abstract: The invention provides, as an aspect thereof, an image reading apparatus including a light irradiating unit that has a red-light irradiating sub-unit that irradiates red light onto a reading target object, a green-light irradiating sub-unit that irradiates green light onto the reading target object, and a blue-light irradiating sub-unit that irradiates blue light onto the reading target object; a reading unit that detects the amount of each of the red, green, and blue lights; a setting unit that sets an irradiation time period for each of the red, green, and blue lights on the basis of the corresponding amount of light detected by the reading unit by commanding each of the red-light, green-light, and blue-light irradiating sub-units to irradiate light; and a controlling unit that commands the red-light, green-light, and blue-light irradiating sub-units to irradiate light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8085449
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a housing which receives heat of a circuit board, and a light source which is supported in the housing and radiates light toward a document. The light source is an EL light-emitting element including a light emission section which emits light by organic electroluminescence. The EL light-emitting element extends in a line shape along a scanning direction. A thermal diffusion layer is interposed between the EL light-emitting element and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Design & Manufacturing Service Corporation
    Inventor: Miyoshi Yoshimura
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8038304
    Abstract: A projector system is provided with at least one projector mobile in a specified space and adapted to project a video to a projection area included in the specified space in accordance with inputted video information, a plurality of position sensors each including a position detecting section for detecting a positional relationship of the projector with the projection area and arranged in a specified positional relationship with the specified space, and a controller for controlling a video to be projected from the projector to the projection area based on detection results by the position detecting sections of the plurality of position sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kiminori Mizuuchi, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8035870
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus reads an original by R, G and B sensors and a monochromatic sensor, and includes Log conversion means for subjecting signals produced by the reading to Log conversion. When two-color printing is performed, Log conversion parameters are individually set for one of signals produced by the reading of the R, G and B sensors and for a signal produced by the reading of the monochromatic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shoda
  • Patent number: 8018629
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus in which the position of the boundary between an image of an original and a background image, as well as a skew and the size of the image of the original, can be accurately detected even with dust on a line image sensor or on an opposing member opposite to the line image sensor. An image formed on an original is read by a reading unit, and an opposing member is arranged at a position opposite to the reading unit. A plate glass distances the original from the opposing member. Shadow portions of the read image is detected from changes in a sub-scanning direction of pixel data of a read image generated based on output from the reading unit, and boundary coordinate data of the image of the original is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotaka Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7990582
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus having a color line sensor and a monochromatic line sensor starts to read on the basis of the color reading start position when reading the image of a document in color and starts to read on the basis of the monochromatic reading start position when reading the image of a document in monochrome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoaki Ide, Yusuke Hashizume
  • Patent number: 7973986
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: three line sensors mutually spaced in a sub scanning direction; a platen arranged between the original and the three line sensors; a mover moving the platen relative to the three line sensors at a rate relative to the three line sensors, the rate being different from that of the original relative to the three line sensors; a lightness difference detector extracting a feature pixel having a predetermined feature from each of three data output from the three line sensors; and NOR and AND devices comparing the three data corresponding to a single location on the original to detect the feature pixel extracted from one of the three data, as a noise pixel if the feature pixel is not a feature pixel for the other data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ishiguro, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Hideyuki Toriyama
  • Patent number: 7973981
    Abstract: A scanner includes a first illuminant device having a first power associated therewith, and a second illuminant device having a second power associated therewith. The first power is greater than the second power, and each of the first illuminant device and the second illuminant device is configured to selectively scan a document. The scanner is configured to select one of the first illuminant device and the second illuminant device based, at least in part on, a level of power supplied to the scanner via a power source, and perform a single scan of the document using only the selected one of the first illuminant device and the second illuminant device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: TransPacific IP Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 7969482
    Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus, image data obtained by an image pickup unit is subjected to predetermined image processing, and an image is displayed on an electronic viewfinder screen based on the image data that has undergone the image processing. A specified color is determined based on color information included in a predetermined region of an image that is currently being displayed on the electronic viewfinder screen, and image processing parameters are produced so that color conversion is carried out on the image while eliminating color components of colors other than the determined specified color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7969627
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: three line sensors mutually spaced in a sub scanning direction; a platen arranged between the original and the three line sensors; a mover moving the platen relative to the three line sensors at a rate relative to the three line sensors, the rate being different from that of the original relative to the three line sensors; a lightness difference detector extracting a feature pixel having a predetermined feature from each of three data output from the three line sensors; and NOR and AND devices comparing a plurality of data corresponding to a single location on the original to detect the feature pixel extracted from one of the plurality of data, as a noise pixel if the feature pixel is not a feature pixel for the other data and also has at least a predetermined value in saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ishiguro, Masaaki Saka, Takayuki Nabeshima
  • Patent number: 7957009
    Abstract: An image sensing and printing device is provided has a housing which houses an area image sensor, a printing mechanism and processor. The image sensor senses a viewed image to be printed on media and generates pixel data representing the viewed image. The printing mechanism defines a media feed path and includes a printhead assembly of a pagewidth printhead having at least one printhead chip that spans the media feed path and a feed mechanism which feeds media along the path. The processor includes processing circuitry interconnected with image sensor and printhead interfaces. The image sensor interface converts the pixel data into an internal format and writes the converted data to the processing circuitry which for conversion to print image data. The printhead interface provides signals representing the print image data to the printhead so that the printhead generate a printed representation of the viewed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7944592
    Abstract: Embodiments of a method performed by an image capture device are provided. The method includes performing a calibration operation on a photosensor array of the image capture device using a background surface with a substantially uniform grey color and performing a scan operation to capture a scanned image from a medium using the background surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin Youngers, Ted A. Smith
  • Patent number: 7940431
    Abstract: A sheet image scanner of the present invention has plural image sensors to output electric signals by detecting optical image data that are obtained by applying a light from a light source to documents, amplifiers to amplify outputs from the plural image sensors, and a peak detection processing unit to detect a peak value of sensitivity of at least one of the plural image sensors and set a gain value for each of amplifiers for the plural image sensors using the detected peak value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Hashizume
  • 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: 7920279
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for adjusting a skew angle of an LED array in the second of dual/tandem print engine systems to compensate for shrinkage of the printable medium exiting the first print engine. Features and aspects hereof provide for manually and/or automatically measuring the shrinkage of the printable medium as it exits the first print engine and for automatically and/or manually adjusting the skew angle of the mounting of the LED array in the second print engine. The image data applied through the LED to the corresponding photoconductor of the second print engine is similarly skewed to match the skew angle of the LED array. Thus a substantially normal bitmap image is applied through the skewed LED to the photoconductor of the second print engine shrunk in the width dimension. Visual artifacts and anomalies from the mathematical approximations and rounding are visually imperceptible at sufficiently high resolutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Inventors: Larry M. Ernst, Steven G. Ludwig
  • Patent number: 7920303
    Abstract: A scanning device with multiple LED light sources and an application thereof. The scanning device includes a housing, a chassis, a main LED light source and an auxiliary LED light source. A horizontal plane of the housing is connected to a sloped plane of the housing to form a connecting section. The main LED light source has a length extending in a longitudinal direction substantially perpendicular to a moving direction of the chassis. The main LED light source provides a main light ray to illuminate the horizontal plane, and includes a first circuit board mounted on the chassis and first LEDs mounted on the first circuit board. The auxiliary LED light source includes a second circuit board mounted on the chassis and a second LED mounted on the second circuit board. The second LED provides an auxiliary light ray to illuminate the connecting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Sheng
  • 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: 7916364
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a clock generator, an image sensor, a plurality of switches having a first switch and a second switch, a reader, a first controller, and a second controller. The clock generator generates a first clock signal having a first cycle and a second clock signal having a second cycle shorter than the first cycle. The image sensor detects an image formed on a document to generate an image signal. The image signal is inputted into the first switch and the second switch by rotation. The first switch and the second switch is capable of switching to simultaneously or alternately output the image signal in synchronization with the first clock. The reader reads the image signal outputted from the first switch and the second switch. The first controller controls the first switch to output the image signal to the reader during a first period and to control the second switch to output the image signal to the reader during a second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Nagasaka
  • 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: 7911661
    Abstract: There is provided an image reading device, which comprises an illumination unit configured to diffuse light from light sources in a predetermined scanning direction to illuminate an object with diffused light, a reading unit having photoreceptors aligned in the predetermined scanning direction to receive light reflected from the object, a detection unit configured to detect lighting status of the light sources; and a controller that obtains an image of the object by using a normal one of the light sources as a main light source if at least one of the light sources is in an abnormal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Morisaki
  • 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: 7907310
    Abstract: An opening method for a double-sided scanner is provided. A light source of one particular color inside a first group of light sources and a light source of a different color (or the same color) inside a second group of light source are lit to scan the front and back surface of a scan document. Optical signals from the front and back surface of the scan document are received and converted into analogue electrical signals. Thereafter, the analogue electrical signals are converted into digital electrical signal. Finally, the digital electrical signals are output to a host computer. This invention utilizes two groups of light sources (for example, light-emitting diodes) to serve as light sources for the double-sided scanner. Because light-emitting diodes require no warm-up period and is quick to switch, double-sided scanning is simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Inventor: Kuo-Jeng Wang
  • Patent number: 7898699
    Abstract: An electronic endoscope apparatus includes a scope unit in which a color filter is provided. The scope unit further includes a filter information storage means for storing filter information showing the kind of the color filter provided in the scope unit. Further, a plurality of kinds of scope units, each of which has filter information showing a different kind of color filter from each other, can be selectively connected. The filter information stored in the filter storage means of the connected scope unit is obtained. Then, color space correction processing is performed, based on the filter information, on color image signals output from the plurality of kinds of scope units so that each of signals for display, produced from the color image signals, represents the same point in color space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunori Abe, Yoshifumi Donomae
  • Patent number: 7893394
    Abstract: A light emitting element has spectral characteristics in a predetermined optical wavelength range. A photodetecting unit includes a photodetecting element capable of detecting a light in the optical wavelength range and performs an OE conversion of either one of a reflected light and transmitted light from a scanning target. A filter unit is arranged in an optical path from the light emitting element to the photodetecting element via the scanning target and having an optical transmission range within the optical wavelength range and covering a range of variation in the optical wavelength range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventor: Atsuo Tokunaga
  • 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: 7884976
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus having a large depth of focus (DOF) and being compact in size is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Minobe, Hiroyuki Kawano, Izumi Mikami, Takafumi Endo
  • Patent number: RE42618
    Abstract: A multiple-field sensor for a scanner suitable for scanning a document. The scanner includes a multiple-field sensor, an average accumulator, and a block of memory. The multiple-field sensor has a plurality of sensing lines for each color channel. Each sensing line picks up a portion of image signal from the document during scanning. The sensing lines scan the same portion of the document to produce corresponding image signals. The average accumulator averages the image signals obtained from the sensing lines of the same color channel to produce an average image signal. The block of memory is used as a storage area for image signals in general and the average image signal in particular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Transpacific Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Shih-Zheng Kuo
  • Patent number: RE42742
    Abstract: A four-line CCD sensor is structured by line sensors R, G, B in which color filters are respectively disposed on surfaces of light receiving elements, and a line sensor BK at which no color filter is disposed. Amplitudes of signals which are outputted from the line sensors R, G, B at a time of reading a color document, and an amplitude of a signal which is outputted from the line sensor BK at a time of reading a monochrome document are adjusted so as to be substantially equal to one another. In a case in which a color document is read, outputs of the line sensors R, G, B are selectively provided, and in a case in which a monochrome document is read, output of the line sensor BK is selectively provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Sakakibara, Koji Tanimoto