JPH02292952A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily know the size of an image original and to display the characters related to an image reading range for visual confirmation of these characters by setting the image original on an original placing table having an index designating the reading range and reading the value of the index corresponding to the edge side length of the image original. CONSTITUTION:An image original of an optical size is set on an original placing table 1 of an image reader and an apex of the original is set at an original point position of the table 1. The length of the original edge side extending vertically and horizontally from the original point position is read based on the size value of an index Sz. Thus the size of the image original is known. When an image original having a size equal to an image reading range RA is placed on the table 1, it is decides that the size of the original is equal to '8'. Then this size value 8 is inputted via a key input device 23 as the reading range information. Under such conditions, a character string CS corresponding to the size value '8' is displayed on a CRT monitor 14 and the device 23 performs a reading operation in such a state. Thus a CPU 22 and a system control circuit 21 control the reading operations of an image reading head 2 carried out by a timing control circuit 9 in accordance with the value '8'.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an image reading device, and particularly to an image reading device whose reading range when reading an image original is variable.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention captures image data read from an image original by an image reading means into an image memory, and superimposes a character display signal from a character generation means on the image data read from the image memory to generate a display signal. An image reading device, in which an index for specifying an image reading range is attached to a document placing table on which an image original is placed, and a character related to the reading range is generated from a character generating means and displayed on a display screen. This makes it easy to specify the document reading size. [Prior Art] As a conventional image reading device, there are known scanner devices that output digital image data obtained by reading an image document using an image sensor such as a CCD through a digital interface such as a CPIB. However, in order to output the read image in a visual form (printout, display on a monitor, etc.), it is necessary to intervene with a computer device, which makes the system large-scale. In addition, the response time is relatively poor because signal processing takes time. For this reason, conventional image reading devices such as scanner devices are unsuitable for use in presentations at exhibitions, lectures, etc., for example.

Therefore, the applicant of this application reads an image original, stores it in an image memory, and repeatedly reads it from the image memory in synchronization with the horizontal scanning signal and vertical scanning signal of the video signal, thereby outputting it as a video signal for displaying a still image. We are proposing an image reading device that does this.

In an image reading device that directly outputs such a video signal, an image document of a predetermined size, for example, Japanese Industrial Standards A-column No. 4 (so-called A4 size) is read and C. When displaying on the full screen of a display device such as an RT (cathode ray tube) monitor, the standard magnification rate is "1". By changing this magnification rate, for example, A5 size or A6 size
An image original of various dimensions can be displayed on the full screen of the display device.

In this case, the enlargement ratio can be specified by, for example, pressing one of the document size specification keys such as "A4", rA5, and "A6" provided on the key input section of the device, or by This is done by setting the enlargement rate to full size lOO% and specifying the document reading size as a percentage of the full size using the Amplifier/Down key. [ILL TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION] By the way, in specifying the size of the original to be read as described above, when operating one of several original size specification keys, it is necessary to determine the size of the image original to be read. If you do not know this, you will not be able to specify the size, and you will not be able to specify the appropriate size for documents with irregular sizes. In addition, in the case of the percentage instruction described above, it is difficult to intuitively know the document size in percentages, and there is a drawback that an appropriate value cannot be specified unless the length of the document is measured with a ruler or the like and the percentage is calculated. The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks,
An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading device that can easily specify an optimal reading range for an image original of any size.

A document holder l on which an image original CD is placed with an index (for example, a scale and size value) SZ for determining the size, and an image reader for reading the image original CD placed on the document holder l. means (image reading head 2) and at least reading range information (for example, size value) of the image original
an input means (key input device 23) for inputting a character, a character generation means 30 for generating a character display signal including at least a character related to the reading range information input by the input means, and a character generation means 30 for generating a character display signal including at least a character related to the reading range information input by the input means; an image memory 8 for capturing image data read in the read range read out; and means for superimposing a character display signal output from the character generation means on the image data read from the image memory (superimposition time IPt 1 2 ); It is made up of

[Means for Solving the Problems] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the image reading device according to the present invention points the image reading range RA. Since an index for specifying the image reading range RA is attached to the mounting table l, the document size can be confirmed by placing the image document GD, and the reading range according to the document size can be determined using the key input device 23. By inputting information, characters related to the reading range (for example, a numerical value indicating the size) are displayed, allowing easy visual confirmation. [Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image reading device according to the present invention. In the image reading device shown in FIG. 1, the document placing table l on which the image original CD is placed has a periphery of the document placing surface 1a made of a transparent plate such as a glass plate, as shown in FIG. On two mutually orthogonal sides of the frame portion, for example, the top side and the left side, graduations 11X and IY, on which indices Sz for specifying the image reading range are written, are arranged. Here, as the index Sz, an integer value (size value) indicating the size of the reading range divided into predetermined steps is used along with a scale. This scale is the origin position O of the document placement table l.
The scale may be scaled so that the distance from the center line matches various standard dimensions such as each number in the A row and each number in the B row of the Japanese Industrial Standards, but it is also possible to set the distances at equal intervals. The image reading head 2 for reading the image original GD@ placed on the original placing table 1 is provided with a light 113, a multi-lens array 4, and a CCD line sensor LS, and the light source 3 reads the image original CD. The reflected light from the image original CD is received by the line sensor LS via the multi-lens array 4. The line sensor LS is configured by, for example, 1728 CCD light receiving cells arranged in a straight line. It is assumed that by sequentially emitting light corresponding to B, image signals of the three primary colors can be obtained line-sequentially (line-sequentially). The output from the line sensor LS of the image reading head 2 is amplified by an amplifier 5, sent to an A/D converter 6, and converted into digital image data, and the timing is adjusted by a line buffer 7 such as a so-called FIFO. For example, it is stored in an image memory 8 such as RAM (random access memory) or dual port memory.

Here, the operation of the line sensor LS, A/D converter 6, and line buffer 7 is controlled by a timing control signal from a read timing control circuit 9, and the image memory 8 is controlled by a control signal from a memory control circuit io. It's controlled. From the image memory 8, each primary color image data corresponding to color RSG and B is read out and sent to the D/A converter 11, and this D/A converter 1l converts each primary color image data to analog RSG and B.
．． ．． It is converted into a B image signal and sent to the superimposition circuit 12.
In this superimposition circuit l2, the character display signal from the character generation circuit 30 is superimposed. This character display signal from the character generation circuit 30 also causes the above-mentioned image reading range information (for example, the size value of the above-mentioned index sZ) to be displayed. RSG from superimposition circuit l2
The SB image signal is taken out via output terminals 13R, 13C;
It is sent to a display device such as No. 4.

Note that the R, G, B signals from the superimposing circuit 12 are Y(
The Y and C signals from these matrix circuits 15 and 16 are taken out via output terminals 13Y and 13C, respectively. Further, these Y signal and C signal are mixed in a mixing circuit 17 to become a so-called composite video signal Sv, which is taken out via an output terminal 13V.

Next, the read timing control circuit 9 and the memory control circuit 10 are controlled by a system control circuit (so-called system controller) 21, and this system control circuit 2l is capable of transmitting and receiving data and control signals to and from the CPU 22. It will be done. This system control circuit 21 and CPU
2 2 may be an integral structure. Key input device 2
3 supplies key input signals to the CPU 22 for determining the image reading range or switching the magnification ratio, for example. In response to this key input, the CPU 22 controls the character generation circuit 30 to configure a character string related to the image reading range information using fflL, and sends this character string display signal to the superimposition circuit 12 to be superimposed on the image signal, as shown in FIG. CRT monitor 14 as shown in
For example, a character string CS such as "rS I ZEn" (n is the above-mentioned size value) is displayed on the display screen SC.

The CPU 22 also controls the reading timing control circuit 9 via the system control circuit 2l to control the reading of the determined image reading range in the image document.
are doing. Here, the above character generation circuit (or C
The RT controller) 30 is provided to display functions related to various operations of the image reading device, and is equipped with a character butter>ROM etc. in which alphabetic character patterns, numeric patterns, symbol patterns, etc. are stored. ．． Note that the system control circuit 21 outputs a horizontal synchronization signal HD.
, a vertical synchronization signal VD, and a composite synchronization signal SYNC obtained by mixing these signals, are outputted to output terminals 18H and 18, respectively.
V, 183.

In the above configuration, when an image original of an arbitrary size is placed on the original placing table l as shown in FIG. By aligning with the origin position 10 and reading the length of the edge of the document extending in the vertical and horizontal directions from the origin position O based on the size value of the index SZ, the size of the image original can be determined. For example, when an image original of a size that can be lost is placed in the image reading range RA of FIG. 2, it can be determined that the size value of the image original is "8". Next, from the key input device 23, the size value "
8'' using, for example, a numeric keypad. At this time CR
As shown in FIG. 3, the T monitor 14 has rsIZE8,
The character string CS is displayed, for example, in the lower right corner of the display screen SC. If a reading operation is performed using the key input device 23 in this state, the CPU 22 and the system control circuit 21 will
The reading operation of the image reading head 2 by the reading timing control circuit 9 is controlled ITJ according to the above-mentioned size value. As a result, the image reading range RA in FIG.
is captured into the image memory 8 at an enlargement ratio such that it is displayed on the entire surface of the display screen SC. It should be noted that the image original is an irregular size, and the above-mentioned finger 4! If the vertical and horizontal size values of SZ do not fail, you can input the larger size value to scan the entire image document, but input the smaller size value to partially enlarge and read it. You can do it like this. In addition, the size value may be entered directly using a numeric keypad or the like, but since the size value is displayed on the display screen SC, the numerical value may be incremented/decremented by 1 using the so-called up/down keys. Other input methods are also possible.

Here, considering that the number of light-receiving cells of the line sensor LS is 1728 and the Y-direction (vertical direction) resolution of a normal CRT monitor display screen SC is about 480 lines, a full-size (A4) original can be displayed on the display screen. When displaying a full screen on the SC, it is sufficient to thin out and read at a rate of about one in four of the light receiving cells, and even when reading and enlarging an area of 1/4 size, the same line sensor is used. L.S.
can be read with sufficient resolution.

In addition, the standard reading range of the image reading device of this embodiment is horizontally long A4 size, but when you want to display a vertically long or horizontally written image document horizontally, you can use the scroll function to initially read the top half of the A4 document. The full screen will be displayed, and in this state press the IJP/DOWN key on the key input device above.
A function has been added to scroll upward in 2 line (2H) step movement amounts when the key is pressed. In this scroll function, the DOWN key is not accepted in the initial state, but after scrolling, both UP and DOWN keys are accepted. For explanations of these functions, etc.
The character generation circuit 30 is controlled by the CPU 22.
n is displayed on the screen.

According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the size of the original can be read from the index SZ by simply placing the image original on the original loading table 1 on which the index SZ for specifying the image reading range is attached. Based on the read value (size value) of the index SZ, a reading range designation operation, for example, the input of the size value described above, can be performed using the key input device 23. Since this input reading range information (size value) is displayed on the display screen SC of the CRT monitor 14, the reading range can be easily confirmed visually.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments; for example, in addition to the size value described above, a percentage value with respect to the full size may be used as an index for specifying the reading range or reading range information. Often, a percentage value may be input and displayed based on this percentage value index. It goes without saying that various other changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the image reading device of the present invention, an image original is placed on an original loading table provided with an index for specifying an image reading range, and the value of the index corresponding to the edge length of the image original is read. This allows the size of the image original to be easily known. Further, if reading range information is input, characters related to the reading range information are displayed on the display screen, so that the user can visually check the reading range information. by this,
An image original of any size can be read at an appropriate magnification within an appropriate reading range.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image reading device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a document mounting table of the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a specific example of a display form on a display screen. FIG. 1...Original placement table 1a...Original placement surface RA...Image reading range LX, IY...Scale plate SZ...・Indicator 2... Image reading head 8...
...Image memory 9...Reading timing control circuit lO.
... Memory control circuit 12 ... Superimposition circuit 14 ... CRT (cathode ray tube) monitor 21 ...
... System control circuit 22 ... CPU 23 ... Key input device 30 ... Character generation circuit SC ... Display screen CS ... Character string figure 2

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A document mounting table on which an image original is placed, which is provided with an index for specifying an image reading range; an image reading means for reading the image original placed on the document mounting table; an input means for inputting reading range information of a document; a character generation means for generating a character display signal including a character related to the reading range information inputted by the inputting means; an image memory for capturing image data obtained by reading a read range; and means for superimposing a character output from the character generation means on the image data read from the image memory. reading device.