JPS5864574A - Reader for picture information - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read picture information wih high resolution through a small-sized scanning mechanism by scanning a linear image sensor on a real image surface to be read, and inputting the picture information to an electronic computer. CONSTITUTION:A real image of an original, etc., plated on a surface 10 to be read is formed on the running surface of the sensor array 12a of an linear image sensor 12 through a lens 11. The array 12a scans on this real image surface along a belt 18. Output data from the sensor 12 moving to specified length is sent through a sensor array control circuit 23 to a buffer memory 13, wherein it is stored temporarily. The data stored in the memory 13 is sent to a main- body computer 15 through an interface circuit 14. When picture information is sent, the computer 15 compares fully the input graphic information with a previously registered graphic pattern and when they coincide with each other, this graphic information is recognized as position information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image information reading device used for converting image information into an electrical signal and inputting the electrical signal into an electronic computer.

2. Description of the Related Art As devices for directly converting image information printed on paper into electrical signals, a device using an image pickup tube shown in FIG. 1 and a device using a linear image sensor shown in FIG. 2 are conventionally known. The former method allows the object to be read while it is stationary, but current image pickup tubes have a limit in the number of pixels they can resolve, making accurate reading impossible. The latter is used in facsimile machines, etc. Conventional devices of this type collect image information on the surface of the document by running the object (original) to be read against a fixedly installed linear image sensor. This method has disadvantages in that the feeding device for moving the document is complicated and large, and it is impossible to specify the position of the document surface. In Figures 1 and 2, 1 indicates the object to be read (manuscript);
2 is an imaging lens, 3 is an imaging tube, 4 is a reflecting mirror, 5 is a linear image sensor, 6 and 7 are roller devices for feeding the original 1,
8 is an electric motor for driving the roller device 6, and 9 is a belt electric device that connects the electric motor 8 and the roller device 6.

The present invention aims to obtain an inexpensive device with high resolution used for inputting characters, figures, etc. into a computer as image information, and to use a tablet or the like to read any position on the target surface of the image information. The object of this invention is to provide an image information input device that can manually input coordinate information to a computer and cause the computer to process image information based on this coordinate information.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and the image information reading device of the present invention includes a flat surface to be read 10 which is placed stationary, and an optical lens 11 that forms a real image of this surface to be read. , a linear image sensor 12 that scans this real image plane while moving at a predetermined speed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the sensor array 12a, and output signals of the linear image sensor 12 are sent to a buffer memory 13 and an interface circuit 14. This feature is characterized in that the information is input to the electronic computer 15 via the computer 15.

The linear image sensor 12 is fixed to a belt 18 wound between the boot IJs 16 and 17 which are pivoted to the machine frame (not shown), and connected to the electric motor 2 through a belt transmission 19.
The linear image sensor 12 is configured to rotate the pulley 16 and run the belt 18 to move the linear image sensor 12 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the sensor array 12a. This linear image sensor 12 must be mounted so as to scan the real image plane of the reading surface 10 formed by the lens 11. 21 and 22 are sensors for detecting both moving ends of the linear image sensor 12, 23 is a sensor array control circuit, and 24 is an expansion lJ for the sensors 21 and 22.
25 is a motor drive circuit, 26 is a console panel,
27 is a control circuit, and 28 is a reciprocal prism.

The original S placed on the reading surface 10 by the lens 11
A real image such as the sensor array 1 of the linear image sensor 12
It is formed on the running surface of 2a. The sensor array 12a scans this real image plane along a belt 18 driven by an electric motor 20. A commonly used linear image sensor 12 has a row of 2048 light-receiving elements arranged in a length of about 3Qmm, and the moving distance of this image sensor 12 is regulated by the mounting position of both end detection sensors 21 and 22. However, the surface 10 to be read is practically readable.
The size is approximately 260 mm x 360 mm. When a larger surface to be read is required, or when extremely high precision reading is required, two or more linear image sensors 12 may be mounted in series on the bell j.

The control circuit 27 is composed of a timing generation circuit, a counter circuit, and a sequential circuit, and receives a command from the computer 15 or the console panel 26 and sends a start rfl+ signal to the circuit 95 to start the motor 20. Rotate at a specified speed. The amount of rotation of the electric motor 20 is determined by the control circuit 2 through the amplifier 24 from both end detection sensors 21 and 22.
The output data from the linear image sensor 12, which is regulated by the feedback signal to the sensor array control circuit 23, is sent to the buffer memory 13 via the sensor array control circuit 23, and is temporarily stored therein. The buffer memory 13 temporarily stores a certain amount of data, for example, data for one scan or one screen, depending on the processing purpose of the main computer 15, and the stored data is transferred to the main computer via the interface circuit 14. Sent to 15.

The image information on the surface to be read 10 is input to the main computer 15 in the manner described above.
Therefore, a predetermined graphic pattern is registered in advance in the main computer 15, and a tablet 29 having the same shape as this graphic pattern is placed at a desired position on the surface 10 to be read. The coordinates of the surface to be read 10 can be input into the main computer 15. That is, when the image information of the surface to be read 10'' is sent to the main computer 15, the main computer 15 compares the input graphic information one by one with the registered graphic pattern, and if there is a match, this graphic information is used as position information. From the position of the linear image sensor 12 at the time this graphic information was read and the number of the light receiving element in the sensor array 12a that read this graphic information, the coordinates of the surface to be read are calculated. It becomes possible to perform pre-specified image processing based on the coordinate information obtained.

This coordinate information can be input not only by a tablet placed on the surface to be read 10, but also by using a pointing stick of a predetermined thickness. In this case, the main computer 15 is given information regarding the thickness of the indicator bar, and when a bar-shaped pattern of the relevant thickness extending from the outer edge of the surface to be read 10 is input, the tip position of the bar-shaped pattern is inputted. What is necessary is to calculate and recognize it as coordinate information.

Note that the image information input device of the present invention has a flat reading target surface 10 that is placed stationary.
It is possible to read not only the characters, figures, etc. on the manuscript paper placed on the reading surface 10''2, but also graphic information projected onto the reading surface 10''2 by a slide projector or a reverse cathode ray tube.

As explained above, the image information reading device of the present invention has
It has a flat surface to be read that is stationary, and by scanning the real image surface of this surface to be read with a linear image sensor, the image information present on the surface to be read is converted into an electrical signal and electronic signal is generated. Since the information is input to a computer, the scanning mechanism can be made compact, and an image information reading device with high resolution can be provided at low cost. In addition, since the surface to be read is a flat surface, the coordinates of the surface to be read can be easily entered into the main computer using a tablet or pointing stick, allowing the main computer to be used in a wide and efficient manner. It has excellent features such as being able to perform extensive image processing, and also being able to read image information projected onto the reading surface by a slide projector or the like.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a conventional image information reading device using an image pickup tube, and FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing a conventional image information reading device using a linear image sensor.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 10 is a surface to be read, 11 is an optical lens, 12 is a linear image sensor, 13 is a buffer memory, 14 is an interface circuit, 15 is a computer, 16, 17 is a pulley, 18 is a belt, 20 is an electric motor, 23 2 is a sensor array control circuit, 26 is a console panel, 27 is a control circuit, 28 is a reflective prism, and 29 is a tablet. Agent Patent Attorney Takao Nishi 1N Figure 2

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A stationary planar surface to be read, an optical lens system that forms a real image of this surface to be read, and a scanning device that scans this real image surface while moving at a predetermined speed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the sensor array. Riniaime. 1. An image information reading device, comprising a linear image sensor, and inputs image information existing on the surface to be read into a computer based on an output signal of the linear image sensor. (2) An optical lens system that forms a real image of a surface to be read on a flat, stationary surface, and a real image surface that scans this real image surface while moving at a predetermined speed in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the sensor array. a linear image sensor, in which specific pattern information is registered in an electronic computer, and when a graphic pattern on the surface to be read detected by the output signal of the linear image sensor matches the registered pattern, the graphic pattern is detected. An image information reading device characterized in that a computer is made to recognize the detected position of the image as coordinate information.