JP3077818B2 - Image input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image input device for inputting image information by an image sensor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image input apparatus uses a method in which an input object is converted into an electric signal by photoelectric conversion of an image sensor, and image information to be input is extracted and input from obtained image information. . FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional apparatus, wherein 1 is an input unit, 2 is a position detection unit, and 3 is an image information conversion unit. FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration of the input unit 1, wherein 4 is an image sensor, 5 is an input object, 6 is a transport belt, and 7 is a transport direction.

A conventional method will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. The transport belt 6 transports the input object 5 in the transport direction 7 at a constant speed. On the other hand, the image sensor 4 on the line also performs scanning at a constant speed in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction 7 to obtain two-dimensional information of the input object 5. In this way, the information input by the image sensor 4 includes information that is not to be input if the input object 5 is inclined or displaced in parallel. Therefore, the position detection unit 2 extracts the position information of the image portion to be input, that is, the coordinates and the inclination angle, from the information input by the image sensor 4, and the image information conversion unit 3 calculates the coordinates for each pixel. After the conversion, the image information obtained as a result is stored in a database. As a method of extracting the input target image, a method of using the transport belt 6 in a black and white pattern so that the input object 5 and the transport belt 6 behind can be distinguished is often used.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, the image
It takes a long time to input, because it extracts irregular portions of a black and white pattern from the information input by the di-sensor 4, extracts edges of the input image using the extracted information, and calculates coordinates and inclination angles of the input image. However, there is a disadvantage that it cannot cope with high speed.

An object of the present invention is to realize a high-speed image input device by detecting the coordinates and the inclination angle of an input object by a sensor.

[0006]

An image input apparatus according to the present invention.
Captures the image of the input object being carried on the belt.
A device for inputting with a image sensor.
In the y direction, the direction perpendicular to the y direction on the inner surface of the belt is the x direction.
When the vertical direction is the vertical direction, the input object is conveyed.
Detection device for detecting an input object in the x-direction
Sensor and the input object being conveyed to the first detection sensor
The image sensor that detects and controls image reading
The input part consisting of the two and the line connecting the two are in the x direction
Input objects are located on both sides of the transfer device
The difference between the detection timings of the input objects
Sensors for detecting the angle of inclination of an input object
And the deviation in the y direction based on the detected tilt angle information
Means for detecting an input object position in the x direction,
A position detection unit comprising a second detection sensor for determining
The two-dimensional image obtained from the force sensor and the position detector
The tilt angle, the displacement in the y direction and the displacement in the x direction
An image information conversion unit for extracting an input target image based on the input image and performing coordinate conversion .

[0007]

According to the present invention, first and second detection sensors for detecting the coordinates of an input image and a tilt angle detection sensor for detecting a tilt angle are provided in front of the image sensor, and the information of the image sensor is obtained based on the obtained information. It is characterized in that a required input target image is extracted from the input image. As a result, the time required for image input can be significantly reduced.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of an image input apparatus according to the present invention. FIGS. 2 and 3 are plan and side views showing examples of the configuration of an input section and a position detection section, and FIGS. Reference numeral 5 denotes the state of the input object being conveyed and the relationship with the detection sensor. In FIG. 1, 1 is an input unit, 2 is a position detection unit, and 3 is an image information conversion unit. 2 and 3,
4 is an image sensor, 5 is an input object, 6 is a conveyor belt,
7 is a conveyance direction, 8 is a first detection sensor, 9 is a second detection sensor, 10 is two vertical inclination angle detection sensors perpendicular to the conveyance direction, 11 is a conveyance guide, 12 is a column, and 13 is this column. Reference numeral 12 denotes a support arm for supporting the transport guide 11, reference numeral 14 denotes a driving roller, and reference numeral 15 denotes a pressing roller. 2, the drive roller 14 and the holding roller 15 are omitted, and in FIG. 3, the transport guide 11, the support 12, and the support arm 13 are omitted. 4 and 5, L is the length of the input image in the x direction, h is the inclination angle detection sensor 10,
The distance between m and m is y detected by the inclination angle detection sensor 10.
Difference in direction, Δx is deviation in x direction, Δy is deviation in y direction,
θ indicates the inclination angle.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present invention, the input unit 1 and the position detection unit 2 independently perform processing, and the image information conversion unit 3 performs extraction of input target information and coordinate conversion based on the obtained position information. First, the input object 5 is driven low.
It is transported by the transport belt 6 driven by the roller 14 and reaches the inclination angle detection sensor 10. The tilt angle detection sensor 10 is composed of two sensors in the vertical direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and calculates the tilt angle θ based on the difference between the detection timings. That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the moving distance (difference in the y direction) m of the input image obtained from the distance h between the inclination angle detection sensors 10 and the detection time difference between the two inclination angle detection sensors 10 is: The inclination angle θ is represented by tan θ = m / h. Therefore,
θ = tan ⁻¹ m / h. The second detection sensor 9 detects the distance between the input object 5 being conveyed and the conveyance guide 11, and sets the distance as x in the x direction. Specifically, it is constituted by a mechanical switch pushed out from the transport guide 11 to the input object 5 side by a spring, or a simple image sensor for detecting an edge of an input image. The first detection sensor 8 controls the reading of the image sensor 4 by detecting the tip of the input object 5 and uses the information of the inclination angle θ of the inclination angle detection sensor 10 in the example shown in FIG. = 0,
In the example shown in FIG. 5, Δy = mL / (m ² + h ² ) ^1/2 . The configuration of the first detection sensor 8 is such that one of the transport guides 11
The laser beam is emitted from the other transport guide 1
Attach the light receiving section to 1.

The shift in the x direction obtained by these methods is as follows.
Based on the deviation △ y in the x and y directions and the inclination angle θ, the image information conversion unit 3 converts the pixel of the xy coordinate form shown by the solid line in FIGS. 4 and 5 into the coordinate system XY shown by the broken line. Convert. The relationship between these coordinate systems is shown by the following equation.

[0011]

X = x × cos θ−y × sin θ− △ x Y = x × sin θ + y × cos θ− △ y In this embodiment, a line sensor is used as the image sensor 4, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead, the area sensor has the same effect.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, the coordinates and the inclination angle are determined by using the three types of detection sensors, the first detection sensor, the second detection sensor, and the inclination angle detection sensor provided in the position detection unit. since so as to detect inclination angle tilt angle
It can be obtained immediately from the measurement value of the measurement sensor and scan
No accumulation of information is required. Also, the deviation in the y direction is inclined
From the angle information, the displacement in the x direction is immediately detected from the second detection sensor.
The required input target image can be easily extracted from the input image and the coordinate transformation can be easily performed, and the time required for image input can be greatly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of an image input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration example of an input unit and a position detection unit in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a state of a conveyed input object and a detection sensor.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a state of a conveyed input object and a detection sensor.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional device.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a configuration example of an input unit in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 input unit 2 position detection unit 3 image information conversion unit 4 image sensor 5 input object 6 transport belt 7 transport direction 8 first detection sensor 9 second detection sensor 10 detection of two inclination angles in the vertical direction perpendicular to the transport direction Sensor 11 Transport guide 12 Support 13 Support arm 14 Drive roller 15 Holding roller L Length of input image in x direction h Distance between tilt angle detection sensors m Difference in y direction detected by tilt angle detection sensor △ x deviation in x direction △ y deviation in y direction θ tilt angle

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-158671 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/04-1/207

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An input object conveyed on a belt
The image is input by an image sensor, and the conveying direction is the y direction, and the direction perpendicular to the y direction in the belt plane is the x direction.
A transport device that transports an input object when the direction perpendicular to the belt surface is the vertical direction, a first detection sensor that detects the input object in the x direction,
Input object is detected by the first detection sensor,
An input consisting of an image sensor whose image reading is controlled
Placed on both sides of the transfer device so that the line connecting the force part and the two is in the x direction
The input object is detected in the vertical direction and transported.
The inclination angle of the input object is detected from the difference in the input object detection timing.
And a pair of detected inclination angle sensors.
Means for determining the displacement in the y direction based on the
A second detection cell for detecting the position of the force object and obtaining the displacement in the x direction.
A two-dimensional image obtained from the input unit;
Angle, deviation in y direction and deviation in x direction obtained from
An image input device comprising: an image information conversion unit that extracts an input target image based on the image information and performs coordinate conversion .