JP2000151929A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the reader small, to reduce the number of components, to simplify the configuration and to print out or display an image on each front and rear side that is beautifully arranged by using a couple of read units so as to read both the front side and the rear side of an original in the image reader that reads the image of both the front side and the rear side of the original by means of a slit exposure system. SOLUTION: The image reader is provided with an image processing section 100 that applies image processing to image data outputted by a line sensor to obtain binary data, an image segmentation section 102 that segments an image on both the front side and the rear side of an original based on output data of the image processing section, a layout section 104 that decides layout of each image for image memory recording, display screen and print of the segmented image on both the front side and the rear side of the original, an image memory 85 that records the image of both the front side and the rear side of the original based on the layout for image memory recording decided by the layout section, and a screen display section 20 that displays the image of both the front side and the rear side of the original based on the layout of the screen display.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention reads an image on both sides of a document being conveyed by forming the image on an image sensor by a mirror group and an image forming lens, and displays the image on a display screen or printout. And an image reading apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is an image reading apparatus that reads an original such as a bill or a check at a high speed, processes the image, and records the processed image in an image memory such as a semiconductor memory or a magneto-optical disk. With such bills and checks, it is necessary to read and record both sides.

As such an image reading apparatus, there is an apparatus which reads an image with a CCD line sensor by a slit exposure method. This reading device guides an image of a document being conveyed to a CCD line sensor through an imaging lens, and reads (scans) the image in a direction substantially orthogonal to the document conveyance direction with the line sensor. Conventionally, a set of reading units including such an imaging lens and a line sensor is separately provided for each of the front and back surfaces of a document. That is, two reading units were required.

In such an apparatus that reads both front and rear surfaces with a line sensor, when the illumination light on the opposite surface of the document is transmitted, the image on the opposite surface is also read and overlapped, resulting in an image with show-through. Therefore, it has been considered to shift the image reading positions of the front and back surfaces in the document feeding direction to prevent show-through of the image on the opposite surface.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional apparatus, the reading units are separately provided for each of the front and back surfaces of the original, so that the entire apparatus is enlarged, the number of parts is increased, and the apparatus is complicated. Further, since it is necessary to separately perform image processing on output data of the two CCD line sensors, there has been a problem that the circuit configuration becomes complicated.

Therefore, it is conceivable to read the image on each of the front and back surfaces through a single image forming lens through a mirror group and to one line sensor. However, in this case, if the show-through prevention method is applied, the timing of reading the front and back images is shifted. Therefore, when a screen is displayed or printed using the output data of the line sensor, there is a problem that the front and rear screens are shifted and become uneven.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and enables a single set of reading units to read both sides of a document, thereby enabling downsizing of the entire apparatus and reduction in the number of parts. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading apparatus which has a simple and simple structure, and in which images on the front and back sides are aligned and beautifully displayed when displayed on a screen or printed.

[0008]

According to the present invention, an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus for reading images on the front and back surfaces of a document by an image sensor by a slit exposure method, wherein the document is transported by the image sensor and the document is transported by the transport unit. A pair of mirror groups and one imaging lens for detecting images on the front and back surfaces of the document at different image reading positions shifted in the transport direction of the document and guiding them to one line sensor, and image data output by the line sensor An image processing unit that performs image processing to generate binary data, an image cutout unit that cuts out images on the front and back surfaces of the document based on output data of the image processing unit, and an image cutout unit that cuts out the images on the front and back surfaces. On the other hand, a layout unit for determining image layouts for image memory recording, display screen, and printing, and an image on each of the front and back sides in the layout for image memory recording determined by the layout unit An image memory for recording, the screen display image reading apparatus characterized by comprising a screen display unit for displaying an image of the front and back surfaces in the layout is achieved by.

A document size detecting means can be provided here, and the layout section can determine the layout based on the detected document size. This document size detection means detects the width of the document from the position of a guide member that regulates the position of the document in the width direction, for example, in the document feeder, and also detects the length from the difference between the leading and trailing times of the document being transported. It can be configured to detect. Alternatively, the document size may be determined based on the size of a black frame (a black frame generated around the image of the document) detected by the image cutout unit when determining the image area.

The image memory can be formed by a semiconductor memory or an external memory such as a magneto-optical disk or a hard disk. In this image memory, if the respective layouts for the image memory recording, the display screen, and the printing determined by the layout unit are recorded together with the read original image, they are displayed on the display screen using the data of this memory. This is convenient because it is not necessary to determine the layout when printing or printing.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is an external view of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a left side view of the same, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the arrangement of a mirror group, and FIG. 4 is a front view showing the mirror group and an optical system. ,
5 is a diagram showing an outline of the arrangement of each unit, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an optical system, and FIG. 7 is a left side view in which the vicinity of an image reading unit is enlarged. 8 is a diagram showing output data of a line sensor, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a data processing configuration according to the present invention, FIG. 10 is an operation flowchart thereof, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a screen display example, and FIG. FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes an image reading device, which is mounted on a base box 14 for accommodating a printer 12.
The image reading apparatus 10 is provided with a document feeder 16 at the front thereof and a document discharger 18 near the center of the upper surface. The upper surface is formed in a mountain shape in a side view, and a liquid crystal display panel 20 is mounted on a slope on the front side thereof. The image reading apparatus 10 is housed in a substantially box-shaped main body case 22, and an upper portion of the main body case 22 is a mountain-shaped lid 26 which can be opened and closed upward around a fulcrum 24 (FIG. 2). The display panel 20 can be opened and closed upward about a fulcrum 28 (FIG. 2). Therefore, the internal inspection and maintenance can be performed by opening the display panel 20 or the lid 26 upward.

The original 30 is fed from the original feeder 16,
The sheet is divided for each sheet by the double feed prevention unit 32 and enters the conveyance unit 40. The double feed prevention unit 32 includes a feed roller 36 driven by a belt by a paper feed motor 34 and a reverse roller 38 driven to rotate in a reverse direction. The document 30 enters between the feed roller 36 and the reverse roller 38, and the double feed is prevented, so that only one document 30 is separated.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a transport unit. The transport unit 40 is driven by a reduction shaft 44 driven by a belt by a transport motor 42, a drive roller group 51 driven by a belt 46 wound around the reduction shaft 44, and an intermediate shaft 48 driven by the belt 46. Holding a plurality of driven rollers 52 that are sequentially arranged in the vertical direction facing the belt 46, and a group of driven rollers that are placed on the conveyor belt 50 from above and are sequentially arranged in a substantially L-shape. And a detachable pressing roller support 54.

The transport belt 50 and the pressing roller support 54 transport the original 30 sent from the double feed prevention unit 32 substantially horizontally while sandwiching the original 30 from above and below, and further drive the drive roller group 51 and the driven roller group 51 upward. The group 52 is entered. The document 30 is sandwiched between the driving roller group 51 and the driven roller group 52, is sent almost vertically upward, and is discharged to the document discharge unit 18. The holding roller support 54 is provided with the original feeding unit 31.
The document 3 jammed in the transport path 40 can be put in and out by opening the
0 can be removed.

In the middle of the vertical transport path of the drive roller group 51, a pair of photographing glass
(56a, 56b) are provided. Glass for photography 5
6, a horizontal and long light source lamp 58 (58a, 58a) is provided.
b) is provided (see FIGS. 2 and 7). Here, each of the lamps 58a and 58b has a different height. That is, the lamp 58a that illuminates the front side of the document 30 is lower than the lamp 58b that illuminates the back side, and therefore, the front image reading position 60a is lower than the back image reading position 60b (FIG. 7).

A black light-shielding film 62 (62a, 62b) is formed on each of the glasses 56a, 56b in order to prevent the transmitted light of the opposite lamps 58b, 58a from being incident. Each of the lamps 58a and 58b is provided with a light shielding plate 64 (64
a, 64b) and a light shielding plate 66 to block unnecessary light. Reference numeral 68 denotes a reflector, which is a lamp 5 for illuminating the front side.
A part of the light 8a is reflected and guided to the surface of the document 30 before entering the space between the glasses 56.

The illuminance on the surface of the document 30 illuminated by the light reflected by the reflection plate 68 is detected by a phototransistor 70, and the illuminance of the lamp 58 is automatically controlled by the output of the phototransistor 70. That is, automatic exposure control is performed. Here, the incident angle θ ₂ of the reflected light of the reflecting plate 68 with respect to the original 30 is determined by the image reading position 60 a
By equalizing the incident theta ₁ with respect to, and aligned illumination conditions to the image reading position 60a and the illuminance detection position.

The images on both sides of the original 30 are
When passing between a and b, the image is read by the slit exposure method at the respective image reading positions 60a and 60b. That is, the images on the front and back sides are the slits 7 shown in FIG.
2 (72a, 72b) and further through a mirror group shown in FIG. 6 to one imaging lens 74, where they are imaged on one CCD line sensor 76. Here, the mirror group includes a pair of first mirrors 78 (78a, 78b).
, A second mirror 80 (80a, 80b), and a third mirror 82 (82a, 82b).

The first mirror 78 has a distance of about 4
The wiring is horizontally arranged so as to form an angle of 5 °, and the images on the front and back surfaces of the document 30 are guided horizontally to the left side surface of the main body case 22 through the glass 56. Second mirror 80 (80a, 80b)
Is arranged along the upper left corner of the main body case 22,
The reflection image of the first mirror 78 is guided downward. Third mirror 8
2 is arranged along the lower left corner of the main body case 22,
The light reflected by the second mirror 80 is received and guided to the imaging lens 78.

Here, the first mirror 78a and the second mirror 80a with respect to the front surface are set at the same height as the image reading position 60a, and similarly, the first mirror 78b and the second mirror 80b with respect to the back surface are connected with the image reading position 60b. They are set at the same height. That is, the difference A between the heights of the image reading positions 60a and 60b is, as shown in FIG.
Equal to the height difference of 80b. The distances B ₁ and C ₁ between the original 30 and the first mirrors 78a and 78b (for example, the distance between the center of the image of the original 30) are lower than the distance B ₁ between the lower first mirror 78a and the higher first mirror 78a. It is larger than the interval C1 between the _first and second electrodes 78b.

The image reading position 6 of the imaging lens 74
The intervals B ₁ and C ₁ are set so that the conjugate lengths for 0a and 60b are the same. Here, the conjugate length is equivalent to the optical path length here, and the first mirror 78 and the second mirror 8
A + (C ₁ + C ₂ ) = B ₁ where B ₂ and C ₂ are distances from zero.
It is set to + B _2. Here, the third mirror 82a,
82b is formed by one common mirror. In the drawing, reference numeral 84 denotes a magneto-optical disk drive device, which is opened to the right as viewed from the front of the main body case 22. The image data read by the CCD line sensor 76 is processed by an image processing device (not shown),
Magneto-optical disk (M
O) 85 (FIG. 1).

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 86 denotes a front and rear end sensor for detecting the trailing end of the original 30 being conveyed to determine the conveyance timing of the original, 88 a skew sensor for detecting the inclination of the original 30, and 90 a start of image reading. A start detection sensor 92 for finding a reference position is a paper ejection sensor. Note that the paper feed unit 16
Is provided with a sensor 94 for detecting the document width, and this sensor and the skew sensor 88 form a document size detecting means.

Next, an apparatus for determining an image output layout for each of the front and back surfaces will be described with reference to FIGS. The image data read by the CCD line sensor 76 is as shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, (A) shows a case where a check or a bill is used as a document. Since the document 30 is sent from bottom to top as shown in FIG. 6, reading of the front side is started first, and reading of the back side is delayed. S ₁ denotes a scanning direction in this (scanning direction) in FIG. 6 and 8. In the case of a document other than a bill or a check such as A4 size and an image on only one side, an input device not shown (for example, a touch panel provided on the display panel 20)
By instructing image reading on only one side, image data as shown in FIG. 8B can be obtained. In the present invention, since the case where both sides are read is a problem,
Hereinafter, the case of FIG. 8A will be described.

The output data of the CCD line sensor 76 is
It is digitized by an A / D converter (not shown) (step 200 in FIG. 10) and is input to the image processing unit 100 shown in FIG. Here, image processing such as removal of a background image, image enhancement, and binarization processing is performed (step 202), and the image is sent to the image cutout unit 102. The binarized image data corresponds to the data shown in FIG. Image cropping unit 1
In 02, an image area is detected and cut out from this image data. That is, a black frame is detected (step 204).

The data of the black frame is sent to the layout unit 104 together with the image data, and a layout for recording the image memory, a layout for the display screen, and a layout for printing are obtained (step 206). The layout unit 104 stores in advance data of an image output layout that is optimal for a document size, a screen size, a print paper size, and the like. An output layout is determined using the layout data.

These output layouts are recorded together with the image data in the magneto-optical disk 85 (FIG. 1) as an image memory or a built-in semiconductor memory (frame memory or the like) (step 208). As a result, the front and back images are displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 20 according to the display screen layout (step 210). Similarly, when printing is performed by the printer 12, the front and back images are printed on print paper in accordance with the print layout (step 212).

FIG. 11 shows an example of the contents of an image file, that is, an image memory (semiconductor frame memory, magneto-optical disk 85, etc.) with respect to a change in the document size, and a screen display example. Here, the document size a indicates the document width, and b indicates the document length. These sizes a and b may be dimensions including a black frame of a predetermined width appearing around the image of the document. In this way, by including a black frame of a predetermined width in the sizes a and b,
Since the image is surrounded by a black frame when output to a display screen or a printer, it is easy to see.

FIG. 12 shows an example of a print output corresponding to a change in document size. Here, the case of outputting on A4 size paper is shown. The output examples of FIGS.
The layout follows the layout determined assuming that the dimensions of the paper and the print paper are fixed. However, if the display board dimensions and the print paper dimensions change, the optimal layout may of course change.

[0030]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the image on each of the front and back surfaces at different positions in the document transport direction is guided by one line sensor and read, so that one set of reading units is sufficient. Thus, the size of the apparatus can be reduced, the number of parts can be reduced, and the configuration can be simplified. In this case, image processing is performed on the output data of the line sensor, an image area is cut out, and then these images are recorded in an image memory, displayed on a screen, and printed in a layout suitable for printing. Is determined, and the image is recorded in the image memory according to this layout, displayed on the screen, or printed, so that a beautiful image output can be obtained in which the front and rear images are aligned.

If a document size detecting means is provided here, the layout section can determine a layout using the detected document size. For example, a document width sensor may be provided in the document feeding section, and a sensor for detecting the document length may be provided in the document conveyance path. The image clipping section may detect a black frame in order to detect an image area (claim 3). In this case, the document size may be obtained from this detection result (claim 4). If not only the front and back image data but also the output layout determined by this layout part is recorded in the image memory, the appropriate layout can be quickly read out when the data is read from this image memory and displayed on the screen or printed. (Claim 5).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the arrangement of mirror groups.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a mirror group and an optical system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an outline of an arrangement of each unit.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an optical system.

FIG. 7 is a left side view in which the vicinity of an image reading unit is enlarged.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of output image data of a line sensor.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the operation.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a layout example of an image memory and a screen display;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a print layout example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image reading apparatus 12 Printer 16 Document feeding part 18 Document discharging part 20 Liquid crystal display panel as a display screen 22 Main body case 30 Document 40 Transporting parts 60a, 60b Image reading position 74 Imaging lens 76 Line sensor 85 Image memory Magneto-optical disk 100 Image processing unit 102 Image extraction unit 104 Layout unit

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Soji Ohno 1005 Koizono, Ayase-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture F-Micrographics Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5C072 AA03 BA01 DA04 DA18 EA05 NA01 RA01 RA06 RA10 UA11 WA02 XA04

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus for reading an image on the front side and the back side of an original by an image sensor by a slit exposure method, comprising: a conveying section for the original; and different image reading shifted in a conveying direction of the original conveyed by the conveying section. A pair of mirror groups and one imaging lens for detecting images on the front and back surfaces of the document at a position and guiding the image data to one line sensor; and processing image data output by the line sensor to generate binarized data. An image processing unit, an image cutout unit that cuts out images on the front and back sides of the document based on output data of the image processing unit, and an image memory recording and display screen for the cut out front and back images. A layout unit that determines image layouts for printing and printing, an image memory that records images on each side of the front and back surfaces with the image memory recording layout determined by the layout unit, Image reading apparatus characterized by comprising a screen display unit for displaying an image of the front and back surfaces in terms display layout. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for detecting a size of the document, wherein said layout unit determines a layout based on the size of the document. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image cutout section detects a black frame of the document to obtain an image area of the document. 4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the size of the document is determined from the black frame of the document determined by the image cutout unit, and the layout unit determines each layout based on the document size. 5. The image memory according to claim 1, wherein the layout for image memory recording, the display screen, and the printing determined by the layout unit are recorded together with the images on both sides of the document. Image reading device.