JPH04107054A - Picture reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively increase the number of the entire reading picture elements of an original by reading the picture information of the original after dividing it into plural parts, and synthesizing the picture information after removing the unnecessary parts among each divided reading parts based on a positioning means as a reference. CONSTITUTION:First of all, a CPU 50 reads digitized signals concerning the picture information of a first divided reading part 22 of an original S read through a scanning head. Thus, the picture information of a first image pickup range 70 is stored in an RAM. After the completion of the reading of this reading part 22, the scanning head is conveyed to a position II by the CPU 50. At that time, the reading operation of a second divided reading part 24 is executed by the scanning head, and the picture information of a second image pickup range 72 being the effective reading range of this part 24 is stored in the RAM. Next, the picture information of the ranges 70 and 72 is drawn from the RAM, and the information is synthesized. That is, the unnecessary parts and multiple parts of the parts 22 and 24 of the original S are effectively removed based on mark members 18a-18c as the reference, and the ranges 70 and 72 are read and synthesized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image reading device that reads image information carried on a document.

More specifically, a reading means is moved along the surface of the document via a conveyance means, and the image information is divided into a plurality of parts and read through the reading means, and the image information is divided into a plurality of parts and corresponding to the parts to be read. By removing redundantly read parts, etc. based on the positioning means arranged at It is something.

[Prior Art] An image reading device that reads image information carried on a document electronically scans the document using a solid-state image sensor (image sensor) such as a CCD (charge-coupled device) and an optical system. Scanning methods that read information photoelectrically are widely used.

This solid-state image sensor uses a one-dimensional array type arranged on a straight line and a two-dimensional array type arranged on a plane.The two-dimensional array solid-state image sensor has so far been effective. The number of pixels is generally from 350,000 to 400,000 pixels.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In this case, since the number of pixels is directly linked to resolution, it is desired to further increase the number of pixels in order to obtain a high-quality visible image. However, currently, it is technically difficult to increase the number of pixels of a two-dimensional array solid-state image sensor having 350,000 to 400,000 pixels, and there is a problem in that it leads to an increase in cost.

The present invention was made to solve this type of problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading device that can increase the number of pixels to be read with a simple configuration.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, an image reading device according to the present invention includes a reading means for reading image information carried on a document, and a reading means for reading the image information on a plurality of parts. a conveying means for moving the reading means along the document surface in order to read the image information in parts; a positioning means disposed corresponding to the divided reading parts of the image information; and inside the read divided reading parts. and a control means for removing unnecessary parts based on the positioning means and synthesizing image information.

[Operation] In the image reading device according to the present invention having the above configuration, the reading means moves along the document surface via the conveying means, and the image information carried on the document is divided into a plurality of parts and read. At the same time, unnecessary parts such as mutually overlapping parts are removed from each divided reading part, and image information is combined.

Therefore, the connections between the divided reading parts are smoothly and continuously combined, and the number of reading pixels can be effectively increased with a simpler configuration.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an image reading device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory perspective view of the image reading device according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the operation of the conveying means constituting the image reading device, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the positioning means provided on the document table. , FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control means constituting the image reading device, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the output waveform of the reading means and the positioning means.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1O indicates an image reading device according to this embodiment. This image reading device 10 includes a document table 12 for placing a document S, a scanning head 14 which is a reading means for reading image information carried on the document S, and a scanning head 14 to transfer image information to a plurality of parts. A conveying means 16 for moving the scanning head 14 in the direction of the arrow along the document surface in order to read the image information in parts, and a positioning means provided on the back side of the document table 12 corresponding to the divided reading parts of the image information. It includes certain mark members 18a to 18c and a control means 20 that removes unnecessary parts from the read divided reading parts based on the mark members 18a to 18c and synthesizes image information.

The scanning head 14 includes a CCD (not shown) having a two-dimensional array of elements having an effective pixel count of approximately 380,000 pixels, 768 pixels in the horizontal direction and 493 pixels in the vertical direction, and scans the original S using a condensing lens (not shown). It is configured to photoelectrically read image information.

This scanning head 14 reads the image information of the document S by dividing it into two parts, a first divided reading part 22 and a second divided reading part 24, and reads the image information of the original S by dividing it into two parts, ie, a first divided reading part 22 and a second divided reading part 24. In the figure, it is moved to a position I shown by a solid line and a position ■ shown by a two-dot chain line.

This conveying means 16 includes support stands 28 and 30 connected via a relatively long frame 26, and the support stand 28 and 30 are connected via a relatively long frame 26.
A motor 32 is fixed to 8. One end of a ball screw 34 is connected to the rotational drive shaft of the motor 32, and the other end of the ball screw 34 is supported by the support base 30. Support stand 28.
30 supports both ends of a guide bar 36 parallel to the pole screw 34, and the guide bar 36 and the pole screw 3
4 holds the scanning head I4.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the mark member 18a is located at the reading start position of the first divided reading section 22, the mark member 18b is located at the reading starting position of the second divided reading section 24, and the mark member 18c is located at the reading start position of the second divided reading section 24. are provided on the back side of the document table 12 corresponding to the reading end position of the second divided reading portion. The mark members 18a, 18b are included in the first divided reading section 22, and the mark members 18b, 18
c is included in the second divided reading region 24 (see FIG. 2), and the mark members 18b to 18c are white, while the document table 12 is black.

Illumination means 38 is disposed below the document table 12, and each of the illumination means 38 includes a light source 40 such as a halogen lamp elongated in the direction of arrow A, and one set of a reflector 42.

As shown in FIG. 4, the vi control means 20 includes a CPU (central processing value #") 50, a ROM 52, and a RAM 54, which are interconnected via a bus 56. a keyboard 58 , a scanning head drive circuit 60 , an illumination means drive circuit 62 and a motor drive circuit 6 .
4 is connected.

The keyboard 58 is used to select the dimensions of the original platen S, set the Kandan color during reading, etc., and the scanning head drive circuit 60 outputs successive pulses at predetermined intervals to the scanning head 14 as necessary. At the same time, the image data photoelectrically converted by the scanning head I4 is converted into a digital signal and sent to the CPU 50.

The illumination means drive circuit 62 is connected to each light source 4°0, and the motor drive circuit 64 is connected to the transport means I6.
It is connected to a motor 32 that constitutes the.

Next, the operation of the image reading device configured as described above will be explained.

First, the document S is placed on the document table 12 with its image information bearing surface (front surface) facing down. Here, the keyboard 58 is scanned to select the dimensions of the document S, set the Chinese and Chinese characters for reading, and input these kinds of commands to the CPU 50.

The CPU 50 sends a drive signal to the motor drive circuit 64 constituting the conveying means 16, so that the scanning head 1
4 is moved to a position (3) shown by a solid line in FIGS. 1 and 2, corresponding to the first divided reading portion 22 of the document S.

Next, the CPU 50 drives the illumination means driving circuit 62 to light up the set of light sources 40, and then synchronizes the successive pulses outputted from the scanning head driving circuit 60 to the scanning head 14. A digitized signal related to the image information of the first divided reading portion 22 read through the first divided reading portion 14 is read.

This first divided reading portion 22 includes mark members 18a, 18
b, and as shown in FIG.
The part corresponding to a and 18b becomes the white level (Vl),
The other parts are at the black level (V3). Therefore, by binarizing with the approximately intermediate level (■2) between Vl and V3 as the threshold, mark members 8a, 18
The region corresponding to b is detected.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, from the first line to the Mth line, that is, the threshold value V is
The number M of pixels output until a value (Vl) larger than 2 is detected is counted and stored in the RAM 54.

On the other hand, in the M+1 line, the number of pixels N until the mark member 18a is detected is counted in the same way and stored in the RAM.
54.

Then, the image information up to the Mth line is removed and M+1
A first imaging range surrounded by an area from the line M+1 until the mark member 18b is detected, and an area from the N+1 pixel to the document effective reading range after removing image information up to the N pixel in the M+1 line. 70 image information
It is stored in RAM54.

After the reading of this first divided reading part 22 is completed, C
The PU 50 sends a drive signal to the motor drive circuit 64 to rotate the motor 32 by a predetermined amount, and the scanning head I4 that engages with the motor 32 is moved to the position (2) shown by the two-dot chain line in FIGS. 1 and 2. transported. Here, the reading operation of the second divided reading section 24 is performed by the scanning head 14 in the same manner as the above-described first divided reading section 22, and the second imaging range 72 which is the effective reading range of the second divided reading section 24 is performed by the scanning head 14. The image information of R
It is stored in AM54.

Next, the image information of the first imaging range 70 and the second imaging range 72 is extracted from the RAM 54, and these pieces of information are combined to complete the image reading operation for the entire surface of the original S. That is, unnecessary parts and overlapping parts between the first divided reading part 22 and the second divided reading part 24 of the document S are
The mark members 18a to 18c are effectively removed,
The first imaging range 70 and the second imaging range 72, which are the required reading ranges, are read and combined.

Therefore, in this embodiment, by dividing the image information of the document S into the first divided reading section 22 and the second divided reading section 24 and reading the image information through the single scanning head 14, the elements of the scanning head 14 are read. Even if the number is relatively small, the number of pixels to be read on the entire surface of the original S can be effectively increased, and a high-resolution visible image can be formed based on the image information read from this original S. There is.

Moreover, in this embodiment, the conveyance means 16 for displacing the scanning head 14 in the direction of arrow A, the mark members 18a to 18c as positioning means, and the control means for synthesizing the first imaging range 70 and the second imaging range 72. 20, the overall configuration of the image reading device 10 is simplified.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the image reading device according to the present invention, the image information of the document is divided into a plurality of parts and read by moving the reading means along the document surface, and Based on the positioning means, remove unnecessary parts from each divided reading part,
For example, by removing mutually overlapping parts and composing image information, the total number of pixels to be read in the document can be effectively increased. Furthermore, the connecting parts of each divided reading area can be combined smoothly and continuously, making it possible to maintain high accuracy of the entire image information and simplifying the overall configuration of the device. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view of an image reading device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the image reading device, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of positioning means constituting the image reading device. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control means constituting the image reading device, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the output waveform of the reading device constituting the image reading device and the mark member. 10... Image reading device 12... Document table 14...
・Scanning head 16...transporting means 18a to 18c
... Mark member 20 ... Control means 22.24 ... Divided reading section 32 ... Motor 38 ... Illumination means 50.
...CPU 60...Scanning head drive circuit 62...Illumination means drive circuit 64...Motor drive circuit 70.72...Imaging range Patent applicant Brother Industries, Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) a reading means for reading image information carried on a document; a conveyance means for moving the reading means along the surface of the document so that the image information is divided into a plurality of parts and read by the reading means; a positioning means disposed corresponding to the divided reading parts of the image information; and a control means for removing unnecessary parts from the read divided reading parts based on the positioning means and composing the image information. An image reading device comprising: (2) The image reading device according to claim 1, wherein the reading means includes a two-dimensional array of solid-state image sensors.