Abstract: An image processing device for processing an image read by an image scanner or similar image reading device is disclosed. The image processing device is capable of accurately detecting, without resorting to a range finding sensor or similar special sensing means, the bound portion of a spread book by recognizing the configuration of the bound portion out of a read image, and thereby accurately correcting the distortion of the portion of the image representative of the bound portion.

Abstract: A scan module for a document copying machine which is provided with its own document scanner. The scan module is provided with a housing suitable for releasable fixing to the document copying machine, the housing being provided with a light exit opening optically coupled to the document scanner of the document copier machine via the image platen. The scan module is also provided with a light source and reflector.

Abstract: An image reader for reading book-like documents placed on a document platen in a face upward condition, said image reader comprises a shading reference panel provided beside the document platen which is white in color and of uniform density, an image reading device which reads the document platen on which the book-like document is placed and the shading reference panel, and outputs image data, a height detector which detects a height distribution of the book-like document, an illuminance detector which detects an illuminance irregularity in accordance with the image data corresponding to the shading reference panel, calculator which calculates shading correction data in accordance with the height distribution and the illuminance irregularity on the shading reference panel and, shading corrector which corrects the illuminance irregularity of the image data corresponding to the book-like document in accordance with the shading correction data.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus having a function for rectifying an image distortion caused by a curvature of a document surface, wherein the image distortion is rectified by duplicating image data that is a line of pixels in accordance with a varied amount of heights of a document surface, and a data conversion that is a image processing procedure in which the number of bits for pixels is reduced, is executed for the rectified image data. Data conversion elements whose number is the same as the maximum duplicated number "N", are arranged in a data conversion device, and the image data of a line to be duplicated arc input to the data conversion elements whose number is the same as duplicated number "n" of the line (n.ltoreq.N), and then, n-line image data which is processed in n data conversion elements, are stored in a memory. Thereby, reducing a memory capacity needed for the distortion rectification can be achieved without lowering picture quality.

Abstract: An image reader capable of outputting excellent quality read images, without illumination irregularities, similar to that of flat documents even when the document surface is curved as in the case of book-like documents. An image reader provided with a memory to store correction data to correct differences of illumination of each pixel of a document image, and which corrects the read information of each pixel in a document image using correction data corresponding to the measured height of a document surface among correction data stored in the memory. For one aspect, this image reader is constructed so as to correct a group of read information corresponding to a set of pixels arrayed in one direction by excluding specific frequencies among the illumination distribution from the set.

Abstract: An image reading device capable of preventing, by increasing the quantity of light at the center or bound portion of a spread book document, the quantity of light from becoming short and preventing density from becoming irregular due to the deviation of a focus. At and around the center of a spread book document where the document is bound, the quantity of light for illumination or the amplification gain of image data read from the document is increased. A plurality of fluorescent lamps illuminate the surface of the document at the upstream side and downstream side with respect to an intended scanning direction. When the edge of the document is to be detected, only one of the lamps is turned on to enhance the stripe pattern representative of the stepped edge portion of the document.

Abstract: A color scanner with a wedge shaped platen sequentially records opposing pages of a bound document positioned thereon using a single imaging station. The scanner includes a partially reflective mirror positioned between the wedge shaped platen. The two sides of the wedge shaped platen are illuminated with polarized light having angles orthogonal to each other. Polarized illuminators operate in combination with polarization analyzers positioned under the wedge shaped platen to sequentially image the opposing pages of the bound document. A controller insures that polarized light sources consisting of the three primary colors red, green, and blue, sequentially expose each opposing page of the bound document. The opposing pages of the bound document are focused through optics onto the single imaging station. In another embodiment, light polarized by analyzers positioned under the wedge shaped platen is filtered by a polarizer positioned in front of the focal optics before reaching the single imaging station.

Abstract: A copier capable of forming printed matter in a mode where the center of spread page is bound, in which a bookbinding mode whereby record paper having a size twice as much as a designated size is folded in two to thereby constitute a cover (first page) and a back cover (final page) and record paper having the designated size on which intermediate pages are recorded, are interposed between the cover and the back cover, is prepared as the bookbinding mode suitable for forming printed matter in the mode where the center of a spread page is bound, an image signal provided by scanning the document is stored in image storing regions of an image memory corresponding to respective pages of the document and the image storing regions are successively designated, such that the image is printed on the record paper in accordance with the order of a page arrangement in compliance with the bookbinding mode.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus which reads document surfaces of open book-like documents placed on a document platen in a face upward condition and detects height of the document to control an image reading operation. An image reader reads the document platen on which the document is placed and outputs image data. A height detector detects height distribution of the document, and a discrimination device determines whether or not abnormalities occur in the height distribution of the document. A memory stores the height distribution of the document, and a update device updates the height distribution of the document stored in the memory when the abnormalities do not occur in the height distribution of the document. A correcting device corrects distortion of the image data caused by the height of the document in accordance with the height distribution of the document stored in the memory.

Abstract: The document scanner of the present invention includes a reading assembly of simple, compact and light-weight construction. The reading assembly includes an optical system having a relatively short focal length. The reading assembly is thus simply configured in a compact manner close to the document to be scanned. The optical system is also configured to extend in a particular direction beyond the document viewing area for improved resolution of images from a bound document adjacent the binding. The reading assembly further includes a compact and light-weight illumination source which is low in power consumption, and thus, may be powered by batteries. The stand-alone document scanner of the present invention is particularly suited to portability.

Abstract: A book page document image reading apparatus includes a page turning mechanism, a reading mechanism for reading an image of a spread book page document placed thereon with a binding section being aligned to a reference position, an image size changing mechanism for changing a size of a read image read by the reading mechanism, a storage mechanism for storing therein image data corresponding to an image size changing operation, and a mechanism for differentiating a range for storage of the image data having been subjected in the storage mechanism when a book page document is read with the same size from a range for storage of image data having been subjected to the image size changing operation in the storage mechanism when a book page document is read with a changed size.

Abstract: In a device for processing a signal representative of a document image from a document reading unit to thereby reproduce the document image, a first comparator binarizes a multilevel image signal from the document reading unit with a first threshold value to thereby output a first bilevel image signal. A second comparator binarizes the multilevel image signal with a second threshold value to thereby output a second bilevel image signal. An area discriminating circuit outputs, in response to the second bilevel image signal, an area discriminate signal representative of the inside and or outside of an image area of the document image. An area separating circuit outputs, in response to the area discriminate signal and first bilevel image signal, an image signal representative of only an image portion of the first bilevel image signal which corresponds to the area discriminate signal. The device is capable of reproducing both a sheet document and a book document accurately.

Abstract: A platenless book scanner with line buffering performs electronic perspective correction to account for rotation of the spine of a non-planar bound document relative to a reference line in a support plane of the platenless book scanner. A pre-scan of the non-planar bound document is performed to provide a geometrical contour map of the bound document. The geometrical contour map, which identifies displacement of the bound document from the support plane, is analyzed to calculate an angular offset between a spine of the bound document and the reference line in the support plane. The angular offset is used to identify a minimum number of scan line buffers for recording image data, from a set of scan line buffers. Once the minimum number of scan line buffers is filled with recorded image data, distortions caused by displacements of the non-planar bound document from the support plane and skew of the bound document relative to the reference line in the support plane are corrected.

Abstract: An overhead scanning system records pages from bound documents in an upright and open condition. The scanning system is defined with a general imaging geometry that makes the scanning system readily portable, and provides the scanning system with a variable imaging area. Once an operator defines an imaging area of an image acquisition system, the operator positions a light stripe projector to project across the imaging area. After recording calibration data, a perspective transform is provided by a perspective transform generator. In operation, a first image of the bound document having a light stripe projected there across is recorded by the image acquisition system. A page shape transform generator is then used to derive a page shape transform. Subsequently, a second image of the bound document is recorded without projecting a light stripe thereacross.

Abstract: An image reading device for an image forming apparatus and capable of reading the spread pages of a book document laid on a table. Even with a book document of the kind bound by staples or wire and provided with a cover by pasting, i.e., whose spread size is smaller than two times of the cover size, the device is capable of producing attractive copied images or read images with ease by obviating black stripes at the bound portion, image displacement, image intrusion, local image omission, and needless image data.

Abstract: An image reading device capable of preventing, by increasing the quantity of light at the center or bound portion of a spread book document, the quantity of light from becoming short and preventing density from becoming irregular due to the deviation of a focus. At and around the center of a spread book document where the document is bound, the quantity of light for illumination or the amplification gain of image data read from the document is increased. A plurality of fluorescent lamps illuminate the surface of the document at the upstream side and downstream side with respect to an intended scanning direction. When the edge of the document is to be detected, only one of the lamps is turned on to enhance the stripe pattern representative of the stepped edge portion of the document.

Abstract: An image reader reads images from above a document platen upon which is placed a document such as a book or the like while using fingers or hands to press both edges of said document so as to prevent the pages of the document from rising upwardly, wherein the image reader determines the position of blank area in accordance with a background luminance, a character frequency of picture element, and position in subscan direction, and erases image data of blank area and its outside image data to erase image data of fingers or hands.

Abstract: A book document handing device for an image forming apparatus, and having a function of reading a book document and a function of turning the pages of the document. A scanning unit having the two functions is moved in a reciprocating motion on and along the surface of a book document laid spread on a right and a left document tables, thereby reading the document while turning the pages thereof. A table unit has, in addition to the right and left tables, a mechanism for moving each table up and down independently of the other table, members for fixing the front and rear covers of the book document to the two tables, and slide rails supporting the table unit in such a manner as to be movable in the front-and-rear direction relative to the body of the device.