JPH03172067A - Color picture input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the resolution of a color picture input device by providing a picture element sensor sliding means to move a picture element sensor (n) times for every 1/n pitches of a picture element pitch in a main scanning direction, and a picture element sensor scanning means to read and scan the picture element sensor each time it is moved. CONSTITUTION:When a color picture input device 1 reads and scans a certain scanning area S of an original 15, an image sensor array 2 at the first position executes first reading and scanning in the main scanning direction (an arrow M). Next, a motor is rotationally driven by a command from an input control part 5 and the image sensor array 2 is moved for the 1/3 pitch of the arranging pitch of a color sensor 3 in the main scanning direction and arrives at a position shown by a code 2a in a figure. Then, the second reading and scanning is executed. Thus, three picture outputs, which are shifted by the 1/3 pitch to the arranging pitch of the color sensor 3, are synthesized to one picture output by a picture processing part 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a color printer. This invention relates to a color image forming device such as a color copying machine, and more specifically to the power device. [Prior Art] In recent years, the above-mentioned color image forming apparatuses, such as color copying machines, have been put on the market and are becoming more widely used, especially when it comes to copying! i
The color quality of the images is impressive. The color image input device of such a color copying machine uses an image sensor array in which one color sensor, which detects one pixel as FR, is linearly arranged at one pitch. The color sensor includes a color detection element (R) having a red transmission filter, a color detection element (G) having a green transmission filter, and a color detection element (B) having a blue transmission filter, which are arranged adjacent to each other. It has become. The color sensor is arranged so that the arrangement direction of these color sensing elements (RG, B) coincides with the linear arrangement direction of the color sensors in the image sensor array. Therefore, when such an image sensor array is scanned, the read output data of each color is held until the read scanning position reaches the color detection element of the next color light along the array direction. It is corrected and used as data. The outputs from each color detection element (RG, B) of such a color sensor are combined as output data of 1 pixel according to the respective output amount. [Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the image sensor array of the color image human-powered device as described above, although an output can be obtained from each color sensing element of the color sensor arranged at a one-pixel pitch, First, only one color image data synthesized from three color sensing elements could be obtained.
For this reason, only the 173 resolution capability due to the array pitch of the color sensing elements was utilized.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to convert the pixel sensor into i
i! Move the number of divisions by the division pitch of Minubifuchi,
The objective is to provide a color image input device with high resolution by scanning originals overlappingly. [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the main means adopted by the present invention is to perform reading scanning using a pixel sensor in which RGB filters are arranged for each pixel in the main scanning direction. In a color image input device configured to synthesize image data in a sub-scanning direction, the pixel sensor sliding means moves the pixel sensor in the main-scanning direction n times in increments of 1/n bits and 7 inches of the pixel pitch; , a color image input device comprising: pixel sensor scanning means for reading and scanning the pixel sensor each time the pixel sensor moves. [Operation] According to the present invention, when reading a document, the pixel sensor performs the first reading scan in one scanning direction at the initial position. Next, the pixel sensor moves in the same direction by 1/n of the pixel pitch, and a second reading scan is performed there. Subsequently, the movement and reading scan of the pixel sensor as described above is repeated n times, and the document images shifted by 1/n bytes are read n times in an overlapping manner. As a result, the resolution of the apparatus of the present invention is improved by n times compared to the case where one combined output is obtained from one pixel sensor that remains fixed at a predetermined position in the main scanning direction. [Examples] Examples embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings to provide an understanding of the present invention. Here, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the signal system of a color image input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing the same color image input device, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the same color image input device. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view including a partial cross section showing the main parts of the input device, and FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram showing the operation when the image sensor array of the color image input device reads a document. The following examples are merely specific examples of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. The color image input device 1 of this embodiment has a color image input device 1 shown in FIG. Arrow M〉
Image sensor array 2 arranged linearly in
, a scanning table 11 that indirectly supports the image sensor array 2, and a guide rod l4 that slidably guides and supports the scanning table 11 so as to transport it in the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. , and an input control section 5 that performs reading scanning control and position control of the image sensor array 2. The image sensor array 2 also includes a color detection element 4r equipped with a red transmission filter to detect red light, and a color detection element 4r equipped with a green transmission filter to detect green light.
As shown in the figure, a large number of color sensors 3 each consisting of a haze and a color detection element 4b equipped with a blue transmission filter and detecting blue light are arranged in the main scanning direction. Color detection elements 4r, 4g = 4
b are arranged in parallel in a row, and the color sensing elements 4r. 4g+4
1, so that the alignment direction of 2}-1.7F. ! IF Rokuwa. ing. Further, the color image input device 1 is provided with a ball screw 8 between the image sensor array 2 and the scanning table 1l for moving the image sensor array 2 in the main scanning direction. The ball screw 8 includes a screw shaft 9 and a ball nut I that is screwed into the screw shaft 9 via a ball (not shown).
The ball naso 10 is fixed to an array support base 7 fixed to the lower surface of the image sensor array 2, and its screw shaft 9 is rotatably supported on the side surface of the scanning base 11 via a bearing 12. ing. At the end of the screw shaft 9,
A gear 13 that meshes with a gear (not shown) connected to the motor 6 provided on the scanning table 11 is fixed. Therefore, the image sensor array 2 is configured to be movable on the scanning table 11 in the main scanning direction (arrow M) or in the opposite direction via the ball screw 8 by the rotation of the motor 6. Therefore, the operation of the color image input device 1 configured as described above will be explained below using FIG. 4. When the color human-powered device 1 reads and scans a certain scanning area S of the original 15, the image sensor array 2 at the initial position performs the first reading scan in the main scanning direction (arrow M). At this time, according to the color sensor 3 located at the head of the image sensor array 2, the scanning area S of the section A of the document 15 is read and scanned. Similarly, the scanning area S of the section corresponding to the position is read and scanned by the color sensors 3 after the beginning: At this time, the outputs from all the color sensors 3 that have been read and scanned are is output to the image processing unit I6 via the i! It is temporarily stored in the i-image processing unit 16. Next, the motor 6 is rotationally driven by a command from the input control unit 5, and the image sensor array 2 is moved in the main scanning direction by 1/3 inch of the arrangement pitch of the color sensor 3, and ．． Reach the position shown by . Then, a second reading scan is performed. Therefore, at this time, the document 15 is read and scanned in the scanning area ¥XS of the section A2 by the color sensor 3 at the top. 1! ! At this point, the scanning area S corresponding to two color detection elements of the original document 15 has been read in an overlapping manner.Continuing, the image output at this time is temporarily sent to the image processing section 16. Stored. Subsequently, the above-described movement of the image sensor array 2 in the main scanning direction (the position indicated by the symbol 2) and the reading scan are repeated as the third operation, and the iii@ output similarly obtained is the a image. The data is stored in the processing unit 16. Therefore, the three S image outputs obtained at intervals of 1/3 pitch with respect to the arrangement pitch of the color sensor 3 are combined into one W4 image output by image processing 11116. Therefore, in this embodiment, 1/1/2 of the arrangement pitch is
Since the scanning area of the original 15 is equivalent to 3 bits, the resolution of the color image input device 1 will be improved by three times compared to the conventional method. When all the repetitive operations are completed, the image sensor array 2 is driven in the opposite direction to the main scanning direction toward the initial position. In the embodiment described above, the image sensor array 2 is caused to perform operations such as movement in the main scanning direction and reading scan three times, but the invention is not limited thereto, and for example, the operations may be performed twice. do not have. In that case, it is clear that the resolution of the color image input device 1 is improved by two times. Further, the number of repetitions can be set to a predetermined number, for example, three or more times, depending on the permissible range of positioning accuracy of the pixel sensor sliding means. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention is obtained by combining image data read and scanned by a pixel sensor in which RGB filters are arranged at each pixel pitch in the main scanning direction in the sub-scanning direction. In a color image input device, when the pixel sensor is oriented in the main scanning direction, the pixel pitch is n by l/n pixels.
This is a color image input device characterized by comprising a pixel sensor sliding means for moving the pixel sensor twice, and a pixel sensor scanning means for reading and scanning the pixel sensor each time the pixel sensor moves. It is possible to obtain image output that is overlapped multiple times for each scanning area. As a result, the color N@. The resolution of input devices will improve.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the signal system of a color tooth image input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing the color image input device, and FIG. 3 is a color image input device. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view including a partial cross section showing the main parts of the device, and FIG. (Explanation of symbols) l...Color image input device 2...Image sensor array 3...Color sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a color image input device in which image data scanned and captured by a pixel sensor in which RGB filters are arranged at each pixel pitch in the main scanning direction is synthesized in the sub-scanning direction, the pixel sensor is used as the main scanning direction. pixel sensor sliding means for moving the pixel sensor n times by 1/n pitch of the pixel pitch in the scanning direction; and pixel sensor scanning means for scanning the pixel sensor each time the pixel sensor is moved. A color image input device characterized by: