JPH0529187B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a so-called handy image reader that reads information on an object by holding a reading scanning unit in the hand and scanning the object. .

[Prior Art] Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing different usage examples of conventional image readers, with Fig. 3 showing a stationary type example and Fig. 4 showing a handheld type example, respectively. It is a diagram. These figures 3 and 4
In the figure, 1 is a stationary image reader, 2
is a control device for a personal computer, workstation, etc.
3 is the object to be read, such as a book, a letter, etc.
This is the original to be read. 4 is a handy image reader (hereinafter referred to as a handy image reader) which is connected to a personal computer or the like (not shown) like the stationary image reader 1 described above.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the inside of the image readers 1 and 4 in FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 5, 5 is an illumination light source, 6 is a lens, and 7 is a
An image sensor such as a CCD, and 8 a signal processing circuit.

Image readers 1 and 4 in Figures 3 and 4
In both cases, the surface to be read of the object to be read 3 is irradiated with light 5A from the illumination light source 5, and the reflected light 5B is focused onto the image sensor 7 with a lens 6 to detect the strength of the reflection, and then performs signal processing. By circuit 8, 2
Output as value or multi-value information. The stationary type image reader 1 shown in Fig. 3 and the handy image reader 4 shown in Fig. 4 have different sub-scanning methods; in the case of the stationary type, sub-scanning is performed mechanically, and in the case of the hand-held type, sub-scanning is performed manually. Let's do it. In other words, in the case of the stationary type shown in FIG. 3, the document 1 to be read is placed on the image reader 1, and the optical system in the image reader 1 is mechanically scanned by the command from the control device 2 to perform the reading. . Further, in the case of the handy image reader 4 shown in FIG. 4, the object 3 to be read is scanned by hand to read, and for example, a sticker on the surface of a three-dimensional object can also be read.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As mentioned above, in the case of a stationary type, the object to be read 3 is placed on the image reader 1, and the optical system in the image reader 1 is mechanically scanned by a command from the control device 2 to read the object. Therefore, the object to be read 3 is limited to a fixed-sized object of several types, such as a thin sheet-like manuscript or a book, and in the case of a handy image reader, it is also possible to read stickers on the surface of three-dimensional objects. However, although it is a handheld type, it requires a control device such as a personal computer to operate, so it is not possible to bring the image reader to a remote location to collect information, and its use is limited to the same way as a stationary type. It was limited to image processing of objects.

This invention was developed in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of this invention, and is not limited by the form of the object to be read, and can also collect information directly to an external control device such as a personal computer. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a handy image reader that can collect information at a remote location without a control device.

[Means for solving problems]

A handy image reader according to the present invention is a handy image reader that scans information on an object to be read and reads it into an external control device such as a personal computer, and is capable of writing and reading output information from the signal processing circuit into the handy image reader main body. A card reader/writer for writing to the card, a card insertion slot for inserting the above-mentioned card, a card detector for detecting insertion of the card into this card insertion slot, and depending on whether or not this card detector detects card insertion, the above-mentioned A control circuit is provided for switching between a mode in which output information from the signal processing circuit is output to the card reader/writer and a mode in which it is output to an output terminal to the external control device.

[Effect]

In the handy image reader according to the present invention, when a writable and readable card is inserted into the card insertion slot of the handy image reader body,
The card reader/writer allows the output information from the signal processing circuit to be written to this card, and if the card is not inserted, it becomes possible to write to an external control device such as a personal computer.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the external structure of the handy image reader of the present invention, and numeral 9 denotes a writable and readable card, such as an IC card with a built-in E ² PROM, an ICRAM card, or the like. Of course, as long as it is writable, it is not limited to IC cards, but also optical cards,
It may also be a magnetic card or the like. 10 is card 9
It is a card insertion slot for inserting a card, which is a surface different from the reading surface 4B of the handy image reader main body 4A, in the figure, a surface 4C opposite to the reading surface 4B,
It is set in. 11 is a card reader/writer provided in the handy image reader main body 4A. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal connection circuit of the handy image reader in FIG. It is what it is. Reference numeral 5 denotes an illumination light source, which typically generates coherent light, such as a laser beam. 6 is an optical means such as a lens, 7 is an image sensor, 8 is a signal processing circuit, 9
1 is the card shown in FIG. 1, 11 is a card reader/writer, 12 is a card detector, 13 is a control circuit, 14 is an output terminal for outputting the read information to an external control device such as a personal computer, and 15 is a power supply. It is a code. The illumination light source 5, optical means 6, image sensor 7, signal processing circuit 8, card reader/writer 11, card detector 12, and control circuit 13 are all built into the handy image reader main body 4A.

Next, the operation will be explained.

The reading operation principle of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is similar to the conventional example, in which the surface to be read of the object 3 to be read is irradiated with light 5A from the illumination light source 5, and the reflected light 5B is reflected by the optical means 6. The light is focused on the image sensor 7, the intensity of the reflected light is detected, and the signal processing circuit 8 outputs it as binary or multivalued information. If the card 9 is not inserted into the card insertion slot 10, the card detector 12 detects that the card 9 is not inserted into the card insertion slot 10, and the control circuit 13
Therefore, the card reader/writer 11 is not activated,
The signal processing circuit 8 is operated in the same mode as the conventional example. That is, if the output terminal 14 is connected to an external control device (reference numeral 2 in FIG. 3) such as a personal computer, the device operates as a normal handy image reader. Next, when the card 9 is inserted into the card insertion slot 10, the inserted state is detected by the card detector 12.
, and the control circuit 13 switches to a mode in which the card reader/writer 11 is operated. In other words, in this case, the control circuit 13 enters a mode in which it operates without transmitting or receiving signals with an external control device such as a personal computer (reference numeral 2 in FIG. 3), and the output of the image reader is output to the card reader/writer 11. , the information is written and stored in the memory within the card 9. As mentioned above, this mode is performed without exchanging signals with an external control device such as a personal computer (code 2 in Figure 3), so a relatively large external control device (code 2 in Figure 3) is not required. Therefore, when using it, only the handy image reader main body 4A is required, and it can be carried to a remote location. In addition, a large amount of information can be collected just by preparing a small card, and the card with this information written on it can be taken home from a remote location and put into an external control device with a card reader to organize the information. Can be edited.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a power cord 15 is shown as an example, but it may be cordless and may have a built-in battery. Also card detector 1
2. Mechanical switches such as micro switches, magnetic switches such as reed switches, LED
Various types of switches and sensors can be used, such as an optical switch using a combination of a phototransistor and a phototransistor.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention provides a handy image reader that scans information on an object to be read and reads it into an external control device such as a personal computer, in which output information from the signal processing circuit can be written and read in the handy image reader main body. A card reader/writer for writing to the card, a card insertion slot for inserting the above-mentioned card, a card detector for detecting insertion of the card into this card insertion slot, and depending on whether or not this card detector detects card insertion, the above-mentioned A control circuit is provided to switch between a mode in which the output information from the signal processing circuit is output to the card reader/writer and a mode in which it is output to the output terminal for the external control device, so it can be read not only on flat objects. It can be used even if the object is a three-dimensional object, that is, it is not restricted by the shape of the object to be read. Moreover, it can be used even if an external control device such as a personal computer is used, or it can be used without using an external control device. Since it is possible to write to the card using only the reader, by carrying the handy image reader around freely, you can obtain a large amount of information without being restricted by the location of the object to be read, such as in remote locations. be.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1 being an external perspective view and FIG. 2 being a block diagram of the internal circuit. Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams showing different examples of conventional image readers, with Figure 3 being an external perspective view showing an example of how a stationary type is used, and Figure 4 being an external perspective view showing an example of using a handheld type. It is. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal circuit of FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. In the figure, 3 is an object to be read, 4A is a handy image reader, 5 is an illumination light source, 6 is an optical means, 7 is an image sensor, 8 is a signal processing circuit, 9
10 is a write/readable card, 10 is a card insertion slot, 11 is a card reader/writer, 12 is a card detector, 13 is a control circuit, and 14 is an output terminal to an external control device. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or equivalent parts.

[Claims]

1. In an image recording device that records a color image on a color photosensitive material by simultaneously scanning a plurality of laser beams separated in the scanning direction and each having a different wavelength in the separated state, one or more of the laser beams a plurality of beam detection means provided corresponding to; a synchronization signal that receives a beam detection signal from the beam detection means and outputs a waveform-shaped scanning synchronization signal for each of the plurality of laser beams having different wavelengths; a generating circuit; receives each of the scanning synchronization signals and a clock signal having a frequency that is an integral multiple of a preset pixel clock frequency, divides the frequency of the clock signal from the point of arrival of each of the scanning synchronization signals, and generates a pixel clock; the plurality of pixel clock generation circuits that generate signals; receiving the pixel clock signals from each of the pixel clock generation circuits, the number of pixels corresponds to the beam scanning distance between the beam detection means and the image writing start position; a plurality of counting circuits that output a counting completion signal when counting has been completed; generating an image writing clock upon receiving the counting completion signal from each of the counting circuits, and generating an image writing clock for each of the plurality of laser beams having different wavelengths; A laser image recording apparatus comprising: the plurality of image writing clock generation circuits that output to a light modulation means that performs intensity modulation.