JPH0345586B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is possible to arbitrarily read part of image information on a document by manually performing sub-scanning in a direction perpendicular to the reading direction of image information on the document by a solid-state line image sensor that performs main scanning. The manual sub-scanning type reader can easily read only the necessary image information in the document that is the subject, and by using it in combination with an image signal recording device. Since it offers many advantages that could not be obtained with conventional copying machines, research into its practical application has been promoted, and the applicant's company has also made many proposals for manual sub-scanning type readers. I'm getting used to it.

In the manual sub-scanning type reader as mentioned above,
In order to correctly read the image information in the image information area to be read, it goes without saying that the running direction and running posture of the reading device must be good. One attempt has been made to guide the reading device with an auxiliary guiding device so that the reading device can correctly read image information in an image information area targeted for reading.

If the reading device is guided by an auxiliary guide device to read the document, it is possible to significantly simplify the operation of reading the image information in the image information area to be read in the document. However, in a manual sub-scanning type reader, movement in the sub-scanning direction is performed manually, so the movement speed of the reading device in the image information area (reading area) to be read on the document is As a result, the number of main scans per unit distance in the sub-scanning direction changes depending on the moving speed of the reading device, causing image distortion in the recorded image and distorting the image sent from the solid-state image sensor. A problem arises in that the signal level of the signal changes depending on the moving speed of the reading device, degrading the quality of the recorded image.

Therefore, conventionally, manual sub-scanning type readers have been configured to perform a reading operation using a solid-state image sensor every time the reading device moves in the sub-scanning direction reaches a predetermined distance. The above problem is solved by changing the threshold value when performing binary processing on the image signal sent from the scanner according to the speed of movement of the reading device in the sub-scanning direction. There is.

By the way, when trying to read the image information of a reading area in a document using a manual sub-scanning type reader, first, the manual sub-scanning type reader uses the manual sub-scanning type reader to read the image information of the starting edge of a specific reading area in the document. Place it on the document so that the reading operation can be performed accurately, then turn on the manual switch to enable the electrical system of the reading device, and then manually move the device in the sub-scanning direction to locate the end of the reading area. The operation is performed by stopping the movement of the aircraft and turning off the manual switch to stop the operation of the electrical system of the reading device. In order to achieve this, the operator must pay close attention to the beginning of the reading area and ensure that the machine is properly installed, and the operator must pay close attention to the end of the reading area. Since it is necessary to perform the required operation at the end of the reading area, the operation time required for the reading operation is naturally increased as a whole.
Conventional devices have the drawbacks of slow reading performance and poor operability.

The present invention has been made for the purpose of providing a manual sub-scanning type reader which does not have the drawbacks of the above-mentioned conventional manual sub-scanning type reader, and the present invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The specific contents of the manual sub-scanning type reader will be explained in detail.

Figure 1 is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the main body of the manual sub-scanning type reader, Figure 2 is a top and bottom view of the same, Figure 3 is an example configuration diagram of the signal generator section, and Figure 4 is the reading area definition. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the member, FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the upper side thereof, and FIGS. 6 a to 6 c are signal waveform diagrams for explaining the operation.

In Fig. 1, 1 is the casing (body) of the manual sub-scanning type reader, 2 and 3 are the running rollers, 1a is the bottom plate, L is the imaging lens, l is the illumination lamp, M, RM
is a reflecting mirror, IS is a solid-state image sensor, and a manual sub-scanning type reader is moved over the original O in the direction of arrow Y for sub-scanning. Also, in Figure 2, 4
5 is a reading window drilled in the bottom plate 1a, and 5
is a signal generator.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example configuration of the signal generator 5, and in FIG. 6, 5a is a light emitting element (for example,
5b is a light receiving element (photoelectric conversion element). FIG. 4 is a plan view of a reading area defining member capable of defining a reading area in a document. In FIG. This is a boundary signal generating member that is movably engaged with the frame body 6 so as to fit with the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8.
The surface of the document is designed to have a different light reflectance than the document surface.

In the reading area defining member shown in FIG. 4, the frame body 6 and the boundary signal generating members 7, 8 are engaged with each other in the manner shown in the side view of FIG. , frame body 6 and boundary signal generating members 7 and 8
The manner of engagement may be other than that shown in the fifth figure.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, 7a and 8a are the ends of the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8.
a and 8a are engaged with the engagement grooves 6a in the frame body 6, and their respective upper ends protrude above the upper surface of the frame body 6, and the frame can be removed by pinching the protruding upper ends with fingers. By moving the body 6 in the longitudinal direction, the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the frame body 6. Note that the other end portions 7b and 8b (7b is not shown) of the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8 are engaged with the guide groove 6b of the frame body 6. 6c is a scale provided on the frame 6.

The frame 6 of the illustrated embodiment has at least a bottom plate 6d.
The part is made of a translucent material, and when it is placed on the original O, the image information of the original in the part between the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8 is transferred to the reader running on the frame 6. It is designed so that it can be read by the device. It goes without saying that the frame 6 may have a rectangular frame shape, and the bottom plate may not be present in the portion corresponding to the reading area of the document.

The manual scanning type reading device of the present invention firstly uses a document O.
A reading area defining member is placed on top of the reading area defining member, and the positions of the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8 are adjusted and moved so that the starting and ending parts of the reading area in the document O are determined by the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8. Then, the main body of the reading device is placed on the frame 6 and manually moved from the starting end side to the ending end side of the reading area to read the image information of the document.

In the above reading operation, the solid-state image sensor
The IS receives the reflected light from the original O illuminated by the illumination lamp L via the imaging lens L and the reflecting mirror RM and converts it into an image signal, and the signal generator 5 emits light with the light emitting element 5a. The reflected light is transmitted to the light receiving element 5b.
and generates a boundary signal. That is, the amount of light incident on the light receiving element 5b in the signal generator 5 is:
The reflected light from the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8 and the original O
Therefore, when the reading device is moved from the starting end side to the ending end side on the reading area defining member, the signal generator 5 generates a boundary signal indicating the boundary of the reading area. is sent.

Figure 6a is an output signal waveform diagram from the solid-state image sensor IS, and Figure _6b is an output signal waveform diagram from the signal generator 5. , and t ₂ is the time when the reading device passes the end of the reading area. This figure 6b shows the case where the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8 in the reading area defining member are used whose surfaces have significantly higher light reflectance than the light reflectance of the document surface. This is an example, and a high level signal is obtained from the signal generator 5 based on the reflected light at the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8.

FIG. 6c is an example waveform diagram of a gate signal generated based on the output signal from the signal generator 5 as shown in FIG. 6b, and the gate signal shown in FIG. As a gate signal for the gate circuit so that the output signal from the solid-state image sensor IS is sent to the subsequent circuit only during the time period t ₁ → t ₂ when the sensor IS is reading the image information in the reading area. It is used.

As described above, the manual sub-scanning type reading device of the present invention can easily read image information in the reading area on a document by using the reading device main body and the reading area defining member in combination. In addition, a boundary signal generating member is provided at the beginning and end of the reading area on the reading area defining member side, and a signal generator consisting of a light emitting element and a light receiving element is provided on the reading device main body side. The solid-state image sensor in the document generates a boundary signal that indicates the boundary of the area where image information in the document is to be read, so that the movement of the reading device in the sub-scanning direction can be controlled between the start and end of the reading area. As long as the reading area is included, an image signal corresponding to the reading area can be easily obtained, and the apparatus of the present invention can satisfactorily solve all the problems of the conventional art described above.

In carrying out the present invention, the portion of the boundary signal generating members 7 and 8 to be read by the solid-state image sensor may be configured to facilitate detection of the white level or background density of the document. Of course, it goes without saying that the functionality of the reading device can be further improved thereby.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a side view of the main body of the manual sub-scanning type reader, Fig. 2 is a top and bottom view of the same, Fig. 3 is a configuration diagram of an example of the signal generator section, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the reading area defining member, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the same upper side, and FIGS. 6 a to 6 c are signal waveform diagrams for explaining the operation. 1... Housing (body), 2, 3... Traveling rollers,
1a...Bottom plate, L...Imaging lens, l...Illumination lamp, M, RM...Reflector, IS...Solid image sensor, 4...Reading window, 5...Signal generator, 5a
...Light emitting element, 5b... Light receiving element, 6... Frame,
7, 8... Boundary signal generating member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 By manually performing sub-scanning in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction by the solid-state line image sensor, an image in the document corresponding to a reading area extending in the sub-scanning direction with a predetermined reading width is obtained. A manual sub-scanning type reader that scans parts of a document by running the main body of the manual sub-scanning device, which is designed to convert information into image signals, over a reading area defining member that can define the reading area in the document. In a reading device, a boundary signal is generated that causes the upper surface of the reading area defining member at a portion corresponding to both ends in the sub-scanning direction of the reading area defined by the reading area defining member to exhibit a light reflectance different from that of the document surface. The manual sub-scanning type is equipped with a signal generator that generates a boundary signal using reflected light from the boundary signal generation surface of the reading area defining member on the main body side of the manual sub-scanning reading device. reading device.