JP4128658B2 - Optical image reader - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical image reader such as an optical character reader (OCR) that extracts and reads an image such as a character pattern of a document such as a form that is moved and scanned.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, this type of optical image reading apparatus has a document storage unit 2 called a hopper loaded with a document on which an image such as a character pattern is displayed at one end, for example, a document 1, on a conveyance path as shown in FIG. Is done. The form 1 loaded in the form storage unit 2 is separated by a sheet feed roller 3 called a feed roller constituting the sheet feed mechanism and a separator 4 and supplied to the transport path. The form 1 supplied to the conveyance path is temporarily held at a standby position on the conveyance path, and then transferred to an image reading position by a conveyance roller 5 including an idler roller 51 that constitutes a conveyance mechanism. After being read by an optical image reading unit (not shown) and subjected to image recognition processing, numbering for displaying the completion of processing is performed, and the result is discharged to a desired form organizing unit (not shown) called a stacker.
[0003]
At this time, when the form detection sensor 6 on the transport path detects the rear end of the form 1 and reaches a preset paper feed start reference distance (F0) on the transport path, the paper feed roller 3 is driven, In cooperation with the separator 4, the next form 1 in the form storage unit 2 is separated and supplied to the standby position. A large number of forms 1 loaded in the form storage unit 2 in this way are supplied one by one from the form storage unit 2 onto the conveyance path, and after waiting in the standby position, they are transferred to the image reading position. Realizes continuous image recognition processing.
[0004]
Note that the paper feed start reference distance (F0) on the conveyance path is set in consideration of the time required for sorting and storing the processed form 1 in the form organizing unit (not shown).
However, in the above-described optical image reading apparatus, it is transferred on the conveyance path depending on the loading state of the form 1 loaded in the form storage unit 2, the adjustment state of the paper feed roller 3 and separator 4 of the paper feed mechanism, the paper quality of the form 1, and the like. Since the interval between the forms 1 to be changed fluctuates, there is a problem that it is difficult to realize optimal image recognition processing according to the situation.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The conventional optical image reading apparatus has a problem that it is difficult to perform optimal image recognition processing according to the situation.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an optical structure that can simplify the configuration, realize optimal image recognition processing according to the situation, and promote high efficiency of the image recognition processing. An object is to provide an image reading apparatus.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
This invention includes a document housing means document displayed in the image is loaded, and document feeding means Komu sent to the standby position of the transfer path to separate one by one the stack placed document to the document housing means The document fed by the document feeding unit is transported to the image reading position on the transport path, and is then discharged and transported to the document arranging unit, and passes through the intermediate portion between the standby position and the image reading position. A detection sensor for detecting a leading edge and a trailing edge of the document, a movement distance detection means for detecting a movement distance of the document based on a detection signal of the detection sensor and a driving motor pulse of the document conveying means, and the movement A distance detecting means for detecting a distance between the original continuously conveyed on the conveyance path based on the original distance information detected by the distance detecting means and the detection signal of the detection sensor; A skew amount detecting means for detecting a skew amount of the document, a sheet feeding timing is generated based on the skew amount detected by the skew amount detecting means and the interval information detected by the interval detecting means, and the document feeding means is An optical image reading apparatus is provided with a paper feed drive control means for driving control.
[0011]
According to the above configuration, the paper feed drive control unit generates the paper feed timing based on the moving distance of the original, the interval information of the original transferred on the conveyance path, and the skew amount of the original, Based on the driving control of the document feeding unit, the document in the document storage unit is supplied to the standby position. Accordingly, it is possible to feed the paper at the optimum paper feeding timing according to the transport state of the original on the transport path, and the efficiency of the image recognition process can be improved as much as possible.
[0012]
Furthermore, the present invention further includes an acceleration time control unit that variably sets an acceleration time of a drive motor of the document feeding unit according to the type and quality of the document, and the skew feeding amount is controlled by the sheet feeding drive control unit. Based on the skew amount detected by the detection means, the interval information detected by the interval detection means, and the acceleration time control means, the paper supply timing is generated based on the acceleration time, and the original paper supply means is driven and controlled. Configured.
[0013]
According to the above configuration, the paper feed drive control unit can further improve the paper feed timing by controlling the acceleration time in accordance with the type and quality of the original document, thereby improving the efficiency of the image recognition process. Can be achieved.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an optical image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. At one end of a conveyance path, a document storage unit called a hopper on which a document on which an image is displayed, for example, a document 10 is loaded. 11 is arranged. A paper feed roller 12 and a separator 13 that constitute a paper feed mechanism are arranged corresponding to the form storage unit 2.
[0015]
On the conveyance path, a plurality of conveyance rollers 14 provided with idler rollers 141 constituting a conveyance mechanism corresponding to the paper feed roller 12 are arranged at predetermined intervals corresponding to an image reading unit (not shown). In the transport mechanism having the transport roller 14, the form 10 transferred to the standby position of the transport path via the paper feed roller 12 and the separator 13 of the paper feed mechanism is transported to the image reading position and image reading is performed. Image recognition is performed, and then the sheet is discharged to a form organizing unit called a stacker (not shown) provided at the other end of the transport path. A detection sensor 15 for detecting a form constituting a paper feed mechanism is disposed in the vicinity of the boundary between the paper feed side and the image reading side between the transport rollers 14.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 2, a form detection unit 16 is connected to the detection sensor 15, detects the leading end and the rear end of the form 10 transferred along the conveyance path, and outputs a detection signal to the form detection unit 16. A form interval detection unit 17 and a form transfer distance detection unit 18 are connected to the form detection unit 16, and form leading / rear end information is generated based on the input detection signal to generate the form interval detection unit 17 and the form transfer distance. Output to the detection unit 18. Among these, the form movement distance detection unit 18 receives drive pulse information of a drive motor (not shown) of the transport mechanism, calculates the transfer distance F from the position detection reference O, and detects the transfer distance F information as the form interval detection. To the output.
[0017]
A paper feed timing adjustment unit 19 is connected to the output end of the form interval detection unit 17, and a reference interval G0 of the form 10 is calculated based on the input transfer distance F information and the form leading / rear end information. The interval G information is output to the paper feed timing adjustment unit 19. A skew amount detection unit 20 is connected to the paper feed timing adjustment unit 19, and skew amount information of the form 10 detected by the skew amount detection unit 20 is input. For example, form image information acquired by an image reading unit (not shown) is input to the skew amount detection unit, and a skew amount that is a displacement amount of the form is calculated based on the form image information.
[0018]
The paper feed timing adjustment unit 19 has a paper feed mechanism control unit 21 connected to the output end thereof, and generates a paper feed timing based on the transfer distance F information and form skew amount information, thereby controlling the paper feed mechanism. To the unit 21. The paper feed mechanism control unit 21 is connected to the output end of the form detection unit 16 and the output end of the acceleration time control unit 22 to input the paper feed timing, the form leading / rear end information, and the acceleration time. Based on the information, a drive signal is generated to drive and control the paper feed roller 12 of the paper feed mechanism.
[0019]
Acceleration time data is stored in the acceleration time control unit 22 as shown in FIG. 3, and the type / paper quality information of the form 10 is input together with the skew amount information from the skew amount detection unit 20. Here, the skew amount detection unit 20 selects the acceleration times A and B based on the skew amount information and the form type / paper quality information, and one of the selected acceleration times A and B is used as the acceleration time information. This is output to the paper feed mechanism control unit 21. The paper feed mechanism control unit 21 sets the acceleration time of the paper feed roller 12 of the paper feed mechanism based on the input acceleration time information.
[0020]
As the paper feed timing for the transfer of the form 10, when the interval G1 of the form 10 is larger than the reference interval G0 as shown in FIG. 4, for example, the transfer distance F is supplied as shown in FIG. The sheet feeding timing of the next form 10 is set to be delayed so that the transport distance F1 is narrower than the paper start reference distance F0. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, when the interval G2 of the form 10 is smaller than the reference interval G0, the transfer distance F2 is larger than the paper feed start reference distance F0 as shown in FIG. In this way, the sheet feeding timing of the next form 10 is set to be accelerated.
[0021]
Then, the paper feed timing with respect to the skew amount of the form 10 is set so as to prevent the contact between successive forms 10 by delaying the paper feed timing of the next form 10 when the amount is larger than the reference value.
[0022]
As described above, the optical image reading apparatus detects the movement distance F of the form 10 and the interval G of the form 10 transferred on the conveyance path, obtains the skew amount of the form 10, and determines the type of the form 10 The acceleration time based on the paper quality is obtained, and the paper feed timing is generated from the movement distance F of the forms 10, the interval G of the forms 10, and the skew amount. Based on the paper feed timing and the acceleration time information, The sheet feeding roller 12 is driven and controlled so that the form 10 of the form accommodation unit 12 is supplied to the standby position on the conveyance path.
[0023]
According to this, since it becomes possible to feed the next form 10 to the standby position on the conveyance path at the optimum sheet feeding timing according to the transfer state of the form 10 on the conveyance path, image recognition is performed as much as possible. High efficiency of processing can be achieved.
[0024]
In the above embodiment, the paper feed timing is generated based on the transfer interval and transfer distance of the form 10 on the conveyance path and the skew amount of the form to be transferred, and at this paper feed timing, the skew amount and the form are generated. Although the case where the paper feeding mechanism is configured to be driven based on the acceleration time based on the ten types / paper quality has been described, the present invention is not limited to this and can be configured.
[0025]
For example, the paper feed timing of the paper feed mechanism is set based only on the interval and movement distance of the form 10 on the conveyance path, or is set based on the interval and movement distance of the form 10 on the conveyance path and the skew amount of the form 10. You may comprise. Even in this case, a favorable effect is expected by configuring the sheet feeding mechanism to be driven and controlled based on the acceleration time based on the type and quality of the form 10 at the generated sheet feeding timing.
[0026]
In the above embodiment, the case where the document 10 is configured as a document has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is applicable to image reading of a document on which various images such as character patterns are displayed. Of course you can do it.
Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, an optical image that can be configured easily, realizes an optimal image recognition process according to the situation, and promotes high efficiency of the image recognition process. A reader can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an arrangement configuration of a main part of an optical image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing an example of setting an acceleration time of the acceleration time control unit of FIG. 1;
4 is an operation explanatory diagram shown for explaining a setting operation of paper feed timing in FIG. 1; FIG.
FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram shown to explain a setting operation of paper feed timing in FIG. 1;
6 is an operation explanatory diagram shown for explaining an operation of setting a paper feed timing in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory diagram shown for explaining a setting operation of paper feed timing in FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram shown for explaining problems of a conventional optical image reading apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
10… Form.
11: Form storage unit.
12: Feed roller.
13 ... Idler roller.
14 ... Conveying roller.
141 ... idler roller.
15: Detection sensor.
16: Form detection unit.
17: Form interval detection unit.
18: Form distance detection unit.
19: Paper feed timing adjustment unit.
20: Skew amount detection unit.
21... Paper feed mechanism controller.
22: Acceleration time control unit.

Claims (4)

A document storage means on which a document on which an image is displayed is loaded;
A document feeder that separates the documents stacked in the document storage unit one by one and sends them to the standby position of the conveyance path;
A document conveying means for conveying the document fed by the document feeding means to the image reading position on the conveyance path and then discharging and conveying it to the document arranging section;
A detection sensor for detecting a leading edge and a trailing edge of the document passing through an intermediate portion between the standby position and the image reading position;
A moving distance detecting means for detecting a moving distance of the original based on a detection signal of the detection sensor and a driving motor pulse of the original conveying means;
An interval detecting means for detecting an interval between the original that is continuously transferred on the conveyance path based on the original distance information detected by the moving distance detecting means and the detection signal of the detection sensor;
Skew amount detecting means for detecting the skew amount of the document passing through the image reading position;
Optical provided with the paper feed driving control means for driving and controlling said document feeding means generates the paper feed timing based on the detected distance information This skew amount detected skew amount detection means and said gap detection means Image reader. The apparatus further comprises acceleration time control means for variably setting the acceleration time of the drive motor of the document feeding means according to the type and quality of the document, and the skew amount detected by the skew amount detection means by the paper feed drive control means. 2. The document feeding means is driven and controlled by generating a feeding timing based on the interval information detected by the interval detecting means and the acceleration time control means and the acceleration time. An optical image reading apparatus as described. The acceleration time control unit variably sets an acceleration time of a driving motor of the document feeding unit based on a skew amount detected by the skew amount detection unit and a type / paper quality of the document. 3. The optical image reading device according to 2. The skew amount detection means, the image reading position optical image reading apparatus according either of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that detecting the skew amount based on image information of the original that has passed through the.

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