JP2001111773A - Multi-resolution numeral type video output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a multi-resolution numeral type video output device that can output a video image of a numeral with magnification without utilizing a system of mechanical optical magnification. SOLUTION: The multi-resolution numeral type video output device of this invention consists of a video reader 1, a video processing and control module 3 and a video output device 4, and the video reader 1 has a lens set 50, a sensor device 60 and a light source 70 or the like in the video reader 1. Furthermore, the lens set 50 has many lenses 50, 51, etc., with different resolution and the sensor device 60 has many video sensor elements 60, 61, etc., corresponding to the many lenses 50, 51, etc., with different resolution. Thus, the video processing and control module 3 selects one signal of the sensor elements and input the selected signal to the video processing and the control module 3 to acquire the different video image resolutions thereby magnifying the video image of the read original.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-resolution digital video output device having unequal resolution and capable of amplifying and outputting video at a relatively high resolution.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Numerical video output devices sold in the market have included at least two types. One of them is a numeric copier and the other is a multi-function printer. Its main components are a video reading device, a video processing and control module, and a video output device.

[0003] Among them, the image reading apparatus is provided with a scanning module. The scanning module uses a lens and reads an image material in combination with an image sensor element. Its function is similar to the scanning module of the flatbed scanner or page scanner sold in the market. The image processing and control module is responsible for specially processing the image read by the scanning module. For example, enlargement of an image or reduction of an image. Thus, the video output device outputs the video material processed by the video processing module on paper. Alternatively, if the model has a fax function, the video material is output to another fax by a transmission method. Alternatively, if it is a computer or a model having an interface of an Internet connecting line, the video data can be output to a computer or an Internet system.

In general, a scanning module used in a numerical image output apparatus employs a single lens and a single image sensor element, so that its optical resolution is fixed. Such a scanning module is simple and inexpensive, so that it is used in most digital video output devices. However, if the user needs to enlarge the image, this type of device
Only this function is performed by the video processing and control module. The main method is the interpolation method, in which the values of two adjacent picture elements are averaged and inserted as a new picture element value between two adjacent picture elements to achieve the effect of enlargement. ing.

[0005] The conventional video output device processes the enlargement of the video by the interpolation method described above. Compared with this processing method and the method in which the traditional analog copier changes the lens position to obtain unequal magnification, the enlarged image of the former is inferior to the enlargement effect of the traditional analog copier, and If the magnification exceeds 200%, the image quality is even worse.

[0006] Although a conventional analog copier can obtain a non-uniform magnification only by changing the position of a lens, the magnification is limited by the configuration of a lens and a machine. The expansion is up to about 200%. Therefore, when the user needs more than 200% enlargement, it is necessary to copy twice. This makes it possible to reach the required dimensions for the first time. This causes considerable inconvenience to the user. Further, the analog copier requires a mechanical device for controlling the magnification of the lens, so that it is a large and complicated mechanism.

From the above, it is clear that the conventional analog copier and numeric video output devices need to be improved in their functions.

[0008] In view of this, the present inventor has conducted a search for
The present inventors have been actively engaged in the research, and have finally gained the present invention by adding many years of working experience in the related products.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a wide variety of unequal resolutions, to enlarge and output an image with a relatively high resolution, and to switch an image reading model of an unequal resolution. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-resolution numerical image output device capable of obtaining an enlargement magnification of a dissimilar image, and capable of enlarging and outputting a numerical image without using a mechanical optical magnification method. .

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a video reading device, a video processing and control module and a video output device, wherein the video reading device comprises a lens set, a sensor device and a light source. Are installed in it. The lens set includes a plurality of lenses of different resolutions, and the sensor device includes a plurality of sensor elements corresponding to the plurality of lenses of different resolutions. Thus, the image processing and control module selects one of the signals from the sensor elements,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-resolution numerical image output device which can be inputted into the image processing and control module to obtain an unequal image resolution and thereby enlarge an image of a document to be read.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a multi-resolution numeric video output device according to the present invention. The multi-resolution numeric video output device mainly comprises a video reading device 1, a video processing and control module 3, and a video output device 4. .
The image reading apparatus 1 includes a scanning module 10 for scanning the original 2 to be read and converting the image of the original 2 to be read into an electronic signal. 3
To be processed. The video processing and control module 3 controls the video reading device 1 and the video output device 4, and can perform enlargement, reduction, and other processes of the video signal read by the video reading device 1. Thereafter, the processed video signal is sent to the video output device 4 for output.

The image output device 4 may be any type of printing device such as a toner type, an ink jet type or a thermal printer type, and is used for printing an image of the original 2 to be read on paper. Alternatively, the image output device 4 further includes a facsimile device, and can be used to transmit the image of the original 2 to be read to another fax through a telephone line by a transmission method. Since the video output device 4 is not the focus of the present invention, a detailed description of the structure will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, a loading device 2 in which the original 2 to be read is left
0, which is installed on the top surface of the image reading device 1. Further, there is a scanning module 10 which is installed inside the image reading apparatus 1 and which can reciprocate linearly in a direction parallel to the reading surface of the document 2 to be read which is left in the loading device 20. it can.
Furthermore, at least one slide rail 30 is installed inside the image reading device 1 and serves to bridge the scanning module 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the loading device 2
Reference numeral 0 denotes a transparent plate 22 and a cover plate 23 that covers the transparent plate 22. The cover plate 2
Numeral 3 is used to fix the original 2 to be read flat on the transparent plate 22.

The scanning module 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 11, a reflector set 40, a lens set 50, a sensor device 60, and a light source 70 installed inside the main body 11. I have. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the reflector set 40 is composed of a number of different reflectors. The light source 70 provides a light beam for irradiating the surface of the document 2 to be read.
After passing the reflection of the document 2 to be read, the light beam of 0 is transmitted again by the reflector set 40, passes through the lens set 50, and focuses on the sensor device 60. The sensor device 60 includes several sensor elements 61, 62, and 63 (also referred to as a charge-coupled device (CCD)), and is used to convert the image of the document 2 to be read into an electronic signal.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main feature of the present invention is that the lens set 50 has a plurality of lenses 51, 52, and 53 having different resolutions. Also, the reflector set 40 is composed of a number of different reflectors,
The image of the document 2 to be read can be transmitted through a number of different routes. Therefore, it is possible to pass through the lenses 51, 52, and 53 in the lens set 50 by different routes. At the same time, the sensor device 60 has the same number of sensor elements 61, 62, 63 as the lenses 51, 52, 53 of the lens set. Each of the sensor elements 61, 62, 63 is mutually opposed to each of the lenses. Therefore, each of the lenses 51, 52,
The light rays projected by 53 are focused on the different sensor elements 61, 62, 63, respectively.

The lens set 50 of the present invention has a number of lenses of different resolutions. Each lens 51,5
2 and 53 are corresponding sensor elements 61 and 6 respectively.
Confronts 2,63. Therefore, the present invention easily employs the electric circuit switching method, and the lenses 51 and 5 having different resolutions.
2, 53 and the sensor elements 61, 62, 63 can be selected to output an electronic signal. Thus, the resolution of the video signal output from the video reading device 1 can be changed.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the image reading apparatus 1 comprises three sets of lenses 51, 52, 53 having different resolutions.
And the sensor elements 61, 62, and 63. Accordingly, the image reading apparatus 1 of the present invention has three types of scanning models having unequal resolutions (dotted lines in the drawing indicate light transmission paths in various resolution models).

As shown in FIG. 3, the lenses 51, 52, 53 of the lens set 50 are arranged in parallel at a fixed position in the main body 11 of the scanning module 10. Further, in the illustrated example, the lens 51 has the lowest resolution, and the lens 52 has the next highest resolution.
The lens 53 has the highest resolution. Since the lowest resolution lens 51 has the largest scanning area, the present invention places it at the center of the scanning module 10. Thereby, the lens 51
Can perform scanning over the entire area of the document 2 to be read. Since the scanning area of the lenses 52 and 53 is relatively small, the lenses 52 and 53 are installed on the left and right sides of the lens 51 in the illustrated example, respectively.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a state in which the scanning module 10 of the present invention reads an image of an original using the lens 52 having the next higher resolution or the lens 53 having the higher resolution, respectively. Since the lenses 52 and 53 are installed on both sides of the lens 51 and the scanning area is smaller than the scanning area of the lens 51, the original 2 to be read using the lens 52 or the lens 53 in the present invention. When scanning a document, the original 2 to be read must be
0 must be left on both sides. Because of this,
In the present invention, it is possible to draw a positioning pattern 25 on the transparent plate 22 of the loading device 20 or at an appropriate position on the side, which indicates the leaving position of the original 2 to be read. Thus, when the user scans the original 2 to be read by selecting a model having a different resolution, it is convenient to leave the original 2 to be read at an accurate position.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
Numeral 0 denotes a long light tube whose direction is perpendicular to the moving direction of the scanning module 10. Therefore, when the scanning module 10 moves, the light beam projected by the light source 70 can scan the entire surface of the document 2 to be read. Reflector set 40
Has a first reflecting mirror 41 and some second reflecting mirrors 42. The first reflecting mirror 41 is located at a position closest to the reflected light beam of the document 2 to be read, and can change the traveling direction of the light beam reflected by the surface of the document 2 to be read. Thus, each of the second reflecting mirrors 42 can form a slightly irregular reflection path, so that the light beam reflected by the first reflecting mirror 41 can be divided and transmitted to the slightly irregular paths.
Each of the reflection paths corresponds to each of the lenses 51, 52,
53, the sensor elements 61, 62,
Focus can be on 63.

Thus, when reading the image of the document 2 to be read at a relatively high resolution, it is possible to have a relatively large number of picture elements in a similar area. Therefore, when the image output device 4 outputs an image, an image having a relatively small area can be output with a relatively large area. Therefore, the image of the original 2 to be read can be enlarged, and the object of image enlargement can be achieved. For example,
The resolution of the three sets of lenses 51, 52, 53 is 30
When designed with a simple integer ratio of 0 DPI (Dot Per Inch), 600 DPI and 1200 DPI, when the scanning module 10 scans the original 2 to be read with a resolution model of 600 DPI, the reading range is half of the 300 DPI resolution model. 1, but the number of read picture elements is the same as the number of picture elements in the 300 DPI resolution model. Therefore, when the document 2 to be read is read using the 600 DPI resolution model, the output image has a double magnification. Similarly, when the scanning module 10 scans the original 2 to be read with the 1200 DPI resolution model, the magnification is four times that of the 300 DPI resolution model.

However, when the present invention is compared with a conventional optical image output device, the present invention can change the magnification by switching the lens and sensor element used by the scanning module 10. The multi-resolution digital video output device of the present invention does not need to change the magnification ratio according to the mechanical optical magnification system. Therefore, according to the present invention, there is no increase in the volume for installing the mechanical device of the optical magnifying mechanism, and the magnifying power easily exceeds 200% magnifying power without being restricted by optical and mechanical configurations. can do. At the same time, comparing the present invention with a conventional numerical image output device, it is found that the image has a high magnification (200%).
When performing the enlargement, it is not necessary to adopt the enlargement of the image by the interpolation method. Therefore, when the image output apparatus of the present invention outputs the enlarged image, it is possible to maintain the good image quality. .

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of the electric circuit control used by the present invention. It includes an operation interface 80, a sensor device 60, an image processing and control module 3, an image output device 4, and a transmission interface 81. The operation interface 80 is used by the user to set a resolution model so that the image processing and control module 3
Can be used to enter the information. The sensor device 60 is provided with sensor elements 61, 62, and 63. The read image signal can be input to the image processing and control module 3, and the operation thereof can be performed by the image processing and control module 3. Can be controlled. In addition, the video processing and control module 3 can receive the video signals input by the sensor elements 61, 62, and 63, and after performing the processing,
Input to the video output device 4. Thereafter, the video output device 4 outputs a video in a selected format (for example, a print or fax system). In addition, the video processing and control module 3 can output a video signal in a file format to a computer or the Internet via the transmission interface 81 to perform subsequent processing.

The image processing and control module 3 can select an image signal sensed by one of the sensor elements 61, 62, 63 and output it as an image signal. Therefore, the magnification of the video output can be changed by changing the resolution model of the scanning module 10.

There are various methods for the image processing and control module 3 to switch the sensor elements 61, 62, 63. That is, a multiplexer is installed in the image processing and control module, and signals from the sensor elements 61, 62, and 63 are input to the multiplexer. Thus, the multiplexer can transmit a video signal input by one of the sensor elements 61, 62, 63 to the video processing and control module 3, so that the sensor element used by the scanning module 10 can be used. The purpose can be achieved by switching. : A control signal is sent from the sensor element 6 by a multiplexer.
1, 62 and 63, and the sensor element which has received the control signal is activated to output a video signal. : Switching of the sensor elements 61, 62, 63 by controlling the opening and closing of the power supply of the sensor elements 61, 62, 63 by electric circuit control.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
The main point is that a document feeder 24 is further provided in the loading device 20. The document feeder 24 can leave many documents 2 to be read at the same time. Thus, under the control of the image processing and control module 3, the original 2 to be read can be automatically sent to an accurate position on the transparent plate 22, and the scanning module 10 can accurately send the original to be read. 2 can be read.

FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
The main point is that a transmissive light source 90 is installed in a cover plate 23 that covers the upper part of the transparent plate 22.
The light rays of the transmissive light source 90 pass through the transparent plate 22, and the reflecting mirror set 4 of the scanning module 10
The light passes through the lens set 50 by the reflection of zero. The light source necessary for reading a transmissive original (for example, a slide) by the transmissive light source 90 can be provided. Therefore, the image output device of the present invention reads the image of the transmissive original,
And it can output.

[0029]

The multi-resolution digital video output device of the present invention can enlarge a video at high resolution. Further, the present invention provides a remarkable effect, for example, it is possible to obtain a magnification for unequal resolution by switching the image reading models of various unequal resolutions, and it is not necessary to use a mechanical optical enlarging method.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a multi-resolution digital video output device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the multi-resolution digital video output device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the minimum optical resolution in the first embodiment of the multi-resolution digital video output device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a second high optical resolution in the first embodiment of the multi-resolution digital video output device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the highest optical resolution in the first embodiment of the multi-resolution digital video output device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of the multi-resolution digital video output device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 image reading device 2 document to be read 3 image processing and control module 4 image output device 10 scanning module 11 main body 20 loading device 22 transparent plate 23 cover plate 24 document feeder 25 positioning pattern 30 slide rail 40 reflecting mirror set 41 first reflecting mirror 42 second reflector 50 lens set 51, 52, 53 lens 60 sensor device 61, 62, 63 sensor element 70 light source 80 operation interface 81 transmission interface 90 transmissive light source

Claims (12)

[Claims] An image reading device, comprising a loading device for leaving a document to be read, and a scanning module, wherein the scanning device is provided in the image reading device and the document to be read is provided. It is configured to be used to read the image of, including a light source, a reflector set, a lens set and a sensor device,
Further, there is an image processing and control module, configured to be used to control the operation of the scanning module, and to be used to process the image read by the scanning module, and further comprising an image output device. Used to output the image of the original to be read, the lens set of the scanning module includes a plurality of lenses of unequal resolution, and the sensor device also has the same number of sensor elements as the number of lenses. And the image processing and control module controls each of the sensor elements, and when the sensor element of each of the sensor elements senses an image of a document to be read, converts the electronic signal to the image processing and control. Each of the above components is configured so that it can be input to the module and processed. The combination can control the image of the original read by one of the plurality of lenses of the scanning module and its corresponding sensor element, so that the scanning module scans the original to be read with unequal resolution. A multi-resolution numeric expression, wherein the electronic signal of the image of the original is output through the image output device, and thus the image of the original to be read can be enlarged. Video output device. 2. The multi-resolution numerical image output device according to claim 1, wherein the lens set comprises a lens having the lowest resolution installed at a central position of the scanning module. 3. The multi-resolution numerical image output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resolution ratio of each lens is a simple integer ratio. 4. The multi-resolution digital video output device according to claim 1, wherein a positioning pattern for leaving the original to be read is installed in said loading device. 5. The multi-resolution numerical expression according to claim 1, wherein the image output module is a printer device, and is formed so as to be used to output the image of the document to be read on a paper. Video output device. 6. The multi-resolution image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image output module is a facsimile device, and is used to output the image of the original to be read to another facsimile device by electronic transmission. Numerical video output device. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image of the document to be read is output to a computer or the Internet by a transmission interface.
The multi-resolution numerical image output device according to the above description. 8. The image processing and control module has a multiplexer, and can receive an input of an image signal read by a plurality of sensor elements in the sensor device. 2. The multi-resolution digital video output device according to claim 1, wherein one of the video signals is selected and input to the video processing and control module. 9. The image processing and control module includes a multiplexer, and the image processing and control module can generate a control signal, and the generated control signal is transmitted to the plurality of sensors by the multiplexer. The sensor element, which outputs to one of the elements and receives the control signal, is configured to operate and transmit an electronic signal.
The multi-resolution numerical image output device according to the above description. 10. The multi-resolution number according to claim 1, wherein the image processing and control module is configured to control the power of the plurality of sensor elements to be in an on or off state. Video output device. 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reading device has a feeding device, and is configured to use the document to be read to a position where the scanning module can perform scanning. Numerical resolution video output device. 12. The multi-resolution digital video output device according to claim 1, wherein said video reading device further comprises a light source for a transmissive original capable of reading the transmissive original.