JP2658283B2 - Image input device - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image input device suitable for a handy type image scanner.

<Prior art and problems> Generally, in handy type image scanners,
If a scan operation is performed while viewing an image such as a character on a document from a perspective window provided in the main body, the image can be read through a reading window on the bottom wall side of the main body.

However, in the related art, there is no means for displaying the effective range of the reading width (effective scanning range). Therefore, when the effective range of the reading width is designated by the host side, it is determined which area is effectively read. I had to rely on speculation. Therefore, there is a high possibility that a failure such as a missing image will occur as compared with the case where the effective range of the reading width is the full size.

Conventionally, as an effective image reading width setting means for improving this, a variable resistor, a reading width setting knob fixed to the shaft end thereof, and a reading element corresponding to the resistance value of the variable resistor are provided. In addition to setting the reading width, a display means for visually displaying the end position of the reading width is provided, and the reading width setting knob is rotated to digitize the voltage across the variable resistor by the A / D converter and to the CPU. At the same time, the CPU controls the image sensor via the driver to invalidate data of each pixel of the image sensor corresponding to the input digital value, which is outside the reading range corresponding to the digital value. A portable image reading apparatus that displays an effective reading width on a display means via the driver is known (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-292470).

However, according to the above configuration, the resistance value of the variable resistor is variably controlled by the reading width setting knob, and the reading width of the reading element is set in accordance with the variable resistance value. Operation is slow and it is difficult to perform quick knob operation. Not only does it take time to change the reading width, but also variably controls the voltage across the variable resistor to
Since the digitalization is performed by a D converter, it is difficult to finely control the voltage between both ends of the variable resistor. Therefore, there is a problem that the fine adjustment of the reading width cannot be performed.

<Object of the Invention> The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and has as its object to provide an image input apparatus capable of quickly changing a reading width and finely adjusting the reading width.

<Configuration and Effect of the Invention> In order to achieve the above object, an image input device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a reading unit that reads an image and a determination that determines whether there is a change in the setting of an effective reading width from a host. Means, storage means for storing the read width setting change data from the host side, and setting means for setting an effective reading width in reading by the reading means, wherein the setting means comprises an effective reading width from the host side. A command signal for changing the effective reading width is input from the outside to the host based on the result of the determination by the determining means that there is no change in the effective reading width, and the effective reading width is changed according to the command signal. A signal is output from the host to the reading means.

An image input device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a display unit for displaying an effective reading width in reading by the reading unit, and the display unit changes an effective reading width based on a command signal from the setting unit. A signal to be transmitted is received from the host and displayed.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the setting means outputs a command signal for changing the effective reading width from the outside based on the determination result by the determining means that there is no change in the setting of the effective reading width from the host side. Since a signal input to the host and changing the effective reading width in accordance with the command signal is output from the host to the reading means, the reading width can be quickly changed and finely adjusted.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the display means is configured to receive and display from the host a signal for changing the effective reading width based on the command signal from the setting means. Can be displayed quickly and finely.

<Description of Example> Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are a sectional view and a block diagram, respectively, of a main part showing an example in which the image input apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a handy image scanner.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a main body, which comprises a base 12 made of synthetic resin and a cover 13 fitted to the base 12, and a reading window 14 is formed on the bottom wall of the base 12. ,
The window 14 is covered with a translucent protective plate 15. Reference numeral 16 denotes a roller supported on the bottom wall of the base 12.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a light emitting diode (LED) for a light source, which is located in the vicinity of the window portion 14 and fixed in the main body 11,
To irradiate light. Reference numeral 18 denotes a mirror which is fixed in the main body 11 and transmits reflected light from the document M to an image sensor described later. Reference numeral 19 denotes a transistor for driving the light source diode 17, which is controlled by a programmable interface adapter (hereinafter referred to as PIA) 20 for detecting the rotation of the roller 16 when the document M is scanned in the direction of arrow a. Become controlled.

Reference numeral 21 denotes an image sensor that outputs an image signal in response to light reflected from the document M, and includes a solid-state imaging device such as a charge-coupled device (CCD). Reference numeral 22 denotes an amplifier that amplifies the output of the image sensor 21, and reference numeral 23 denotes a microprocessor (hereinafter, referred to as an MPU) that processes the output of the image sensor 21 and controls the overall operation. Reference numerals 24 and 25 denote read-only memories (hereinafter referred to as ROMs) for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the MPC 23 via the bus 26, and random access memories.
It is a memory (hereinafter, referred to as a RAM). 27 is a reset switch.

On the bottom wall of the base 12, a number of display elements, such as display light-emitting diodes 28 (28S, 28A), for displaying the effective range of the reading width are located near the reading window 14.
To 28R) are arranged in a row at predetermined intervals from one end to the other end of the reading width (left-right direction). Each of the light emitting diodes 28 is driven by a transistor 29 controlled by the PIA 20. The effective range designation signal of the reading width from the host side or the left and right reading width setting switches connected to the PIA 20. Lights by 30, 31 to indicate the effective range of the reading width. Each time the left setting switch 30 is pressed, the reading width decreases by one unit, and each time the right setting switch 31 is pressed, the reading width increases by one unit. Reference numeral 31 denotes a display opening formed in the cover 13 corresponding to the display light-emitting diode 28, and is covered by a see-through window 33. 34 is a start switch.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The MPC 23 determines whether or not the reset switch 27 has been pressed (judgment step 101). If the switch 27 has been pressed, the reading width is initialized (processing step 102).

The MPC23 determines whether there is a change in the reading width setting from the host.
(Decision step 103), and if there is a setting change,
The changed data is stored in the RAM 25 (processing step 104).
If there is no change in the setting, the setting switch 30 on the left side is turned on (judgment step 105), and the effective range of the reading width is reduced by one unit (processing step 106). Setting switch 3 on the left
When 0 is not turned on, if the right setting switch 31 is turned on (judgment step 107), the effective range of the reading width is increased by one unit (processing step 108).

The read width data is sent to the PIM 20 (processing step 109). The light emitting diode 28 to be turned on is determined by the PIA 20 in accordance with the effective reading width (processing step 110), and the corresponding light emitting diode 28 is turned on (processing step 111).

The MPC 23 determines whether or not the start switch 34 has been pressed (decision step 112). When the switch 34 is pressed, a reading operation is started (processing step 113).

In the reading operation, since the light from the light emitting diode 17 hits the original M and the change in the reflected light due to the presence or absence of the image on the original M is received by the image sensor 21, predetermined processing is performed by the MPU 23. This reading operation is well known, and a detailed description is omitted.

Here, among the light emitting diodes 28 arranged in the width direction of the reading window portion 14, those lit as shown in FIG. 5 can be seen through the see-through window 33 to know the effective reading width range. That is, when the effective range of the reading width is the full size, as shown in FIG.
28R lights up. When the effective range of the reading width is, for example, 3/4 of the full size, the light emitting diodes 28S, 28N are turned on as shown in FIG. In the case of 2, the light emitting diodes 28S and 28I are turned on as shown in FIG. 5 (C).

Therefore, even when the effective width of the reading width is the full size, the user can be surely notified of the fact that the reading width is not limited to the full size. it can. Further, since the effective range of the reading width can be set to the minimum necessary width, the transfer time to the host can be reduced as compared with the conventional case in which a large width is set.

According to the above configuration, in the determination step 103, it is determined whether or not there is a change in the effective reading width setting from the host side, and in the processing step 104, the reading width setting change data from the host side is stored, and there is no setting change. In this case, by inputting a command signal for changing the effective reading width from the outside to the host in the processing steps 105 to 108, the effective reading width can be changed quickly in the processing step 109, and at the same time, every minute unit. It is possible to finely adjust the reading width by increasing or decreasing the number, and to achieve high-precision image reading.

Further, since the display LED 28 receives and displays the command signal for changing the effective reading width from the host side in the processing steps 110 and 111, the change in the reading width can be displayed quickly and minutely.

If the lighting of the display light emitting diode 28 may adversely affect the optical path for image reading, the light emitting diode 28 is set to be turned on at a timing other than the accumulation period of the CCD scan in the image sensor 21. By doing so, the risk of the above-mentioned adverse effects can be eliminated.

Note that the display element is not limited to the light emitting diode 28 and other elements such as liquid crystal can be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, a handy image scanner was described as an image input device, but it goes without saying that the image input device in the present invention is not limited to a handy type.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 and 2 are a sectional view and a block diagram of an essential part showing an example in which the image input device according to the present invention is applied to a handy image scanner, and FIG. 3 is a part of a cover of the image scanner. FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a main part for explaining the operation of the image scanner, and FIGS. 5 (A) to 5 (C) are display examples of a reading width effective range in the image scanner. FIG. 11 Body, 14 Reading window, 28 (28S to 28R) Display device.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A reading means for reading an image, a determining means for determining whether or not there is a valid change in the reading width setting from the host, a storage means for storing the reading width setting change data from the host, Setting means for setting an effective reading width in reading by the reading means, wherein the setting means sets an effective reading width based on a result of the discrimination by the discriminating means that there is no change in setting of the effective reading width from the host side. A command signal for changing the effective reading width is input to the host from the outside, and a signal for changing the effective reading width is output from the host to the reading means in accordance with the command signal. Input device. A display unit for displaying an effective reading width in reading by the reading unit, wherein the display unit receives a signal for changing the effective reading width from a host based on a command signal from the setting unit. The image input device according to claim 1, wherein the image input device is configured to be displayed.