JPS6251368A - Scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decrease the read processing time by shifting the read position of a ship by each read means so as to read both the sides of the ship by one read operation so as to have only to input once the ship thereby attaining the read processing of both the sides of the slip. CONSTITUTION:The read position of a read section 14B for the rear side is shifted by a distance l toward the carrying direction 28 with respect to the read position of the front side read section 14A. The slip 12 is carried to the read position by a carrying roller 10 and the picture on the rear and front sides of the slip 12 is read at the same time by using the read section 14A, 14B. When the tail end of the slip 12 passes the read position of the read section 14B, the reading of the document 12 is finished. When the transmission of the digital picture information of the front is finished, digital picture information on the rear face is outputted from a picture buffer 32 and transmitted to an external picture processing system or the like through a transmission circuit 34.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a scanner for reading information on forms (not limited to sheet-like forms, but also includes card-like forms; the same applies hereinafter). The present invention relates to a scanner that reads information on both sides of a form in one reading operation.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a scanner used for OCR, facsimile, etc. has been configured to have only one set of reading means consisting of a light source, an optical system, an image sensor, and the like.

[Problem to be solved] With this configuration, in order to read both sides of a form, first input the form into the scanner and have it read one side, then turn the form over and do it manually. It was necessary to perform the reading operation twice, such as reading the other side.

Such operations are not only troublesome, but also take a long time to read. In addition, even if there is a continuous paper feed function, if a large number of documents are input continuously using that function, only odd or even pages will be read continuously, and post-processing such as rearranging the read information in page order may result. is required.

[Object of the Invention] An object of the present invention is to provide a scanner that solves the conventional problems as described above.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, a scanner according to the present invention includes a mechanism for transporting a form along a conveyance path, and a mechanism for transporting the front and back sides of the form in the middle of the conveyance path. and two reading means for reading the form, and the reading position of the form by each reading means is shifted in the conveyance direction, and is configured such that both sides of the form are read by one reading operation. Ru.

[Operation] Since both sides of the form are read by just inputting the form once, the reading processing operation for forms that require both sides to be read is simplified, and the reading processing time is shortened.

If the reading position on the front and back sides is the same, if the document is thin,
The image on the opposite side is visible on each side, and the transparent image is also read, making it impossible to simultaneously read both sides of thin forms or translucent forms. However, according to the present invention, as described above, the reading position of each side is shifted in the conveyance direction of the form, so this problem of seeing through images on the opposite side does not occur, and therefore, it is possible to avoid thin forms or transparent forms. Both sides of optical forms can also be read.

Additionally, when multiple forms are input in succession, it can be easily configured to output the read information on the front and back sides of each form to the outside in sequence, eliminating the need for conventional post-processing for page alignment. .

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the main structure of a scanner according to the present invention.

In this figure, 10 is a conveyance roller for conveying the form 12 along the conveyance path.

A reading unit 14A for reading the front side of the form and a reading unit 14B for reading the back side of the form are provided in the middle of this conveyance path. Each reading section 14A, 14B
have the same configuration, including a light source 18 (for example, a fluorescent light) for illuminating the reading position of the form, a one-dimensional image sensor 20 (for example, a CCD linear image sensor), and an optical image of the reading position of the corresponding surface of the form. It consists of mirrors 22, 24 and a lens 26 for forming an image on the image sensor 20.

Here, the reading position of the back side reading unit 14B is a distance ff1L with respect to the reading position of the front side reading unit 14A.
28 in the transport direction 28.

If the reading position on each side is the same, the light source 18 of the back side reading section 14B can be used when handling thin documents or translucent documents.
There is an inconvenience in that the image on the back side is illuminated by the front side and is read by the front side reading section 14A, or similarly, the image on the front side is shown through on the back side and it is read by the back side reading section 14B. happen. However, as mentioned above, since the reading position of each Ichikawa's reading section is shifted in the conveyance direction, the image of the opposite side is not incident on each Ichikawa's reading section, and the problem associated with such see-through The inconvenience will be resolved. Therefore, thin forms and translucent forms can also be processed. The deviation distance may be determined so that such a problem of transparency does not occur, and is determined to be, for example, about 30 mm.

30A and 30B are image processing circuits (No. 3) that perform binarization processing, dither processing, etc. on analog image signals input from the image sensors 20 of the reading sections 14A and 14B, respectively, and output digital image information. Yes. 32 is 1
This is an image buffer 1 that can store digital image information for pages, and digital image information read from the back side is temporarily stored in this buffer. The transfer circuit 34 serially transfers the digital image information input from the image signal processing circuit 30A or the digital image information input from the image buffer 32 to an external image processing system or the like.

Note that a drive control system for the conveyance roller 10 and the image sensor 20, an interface control unit with an external image processing system, etc. are omitted in the figure.

Next, the overall operation of this scanner will be explained. In Figure 2,
The operation timing diagram is shown below.

The document 12 is conveyed to the reading position by the conveyance roller 10, and images on the front and back sides of the document 12 are simultaneously read by the reading sections 14A and 14B. Digital image information corresponding to the front surface of the form 12 is output from the image signal processing circuit 30A, but this is immediately transferred to an external image processing system or the like via the transfer circuit 34. The image signal processing circuit 30B outputs digital image information corresponding to the back side of the form 12, which is temporarily stored in the image buffer 32.

When the rear end of the form 12 passes the reading position of the reading section 14B, the reading operation of the form 12 ends (the transport operation for ejecting the form, etc. is performed). After that, when the transfer of the digital image information on the front side is completed, the image buffer 3
2 outputs the digital image information on the back side, and transfers it to the transfer circuit 3.
4 to an external image processing system.

In this way, the images of the front and back sides of the form 12 are read simultaneously, and the read information is sequentially transferred to an external image processing system or the like in the order of the front side and the back side. Therefore, if multiple forms are manually read manually, the external image processing system will input the reading information of the successive forms in page order, and will need to perform processing such as page alignment. There is no need to do this.

Note that, if there is no problem with the processing capacity of an external image processing system, etc., it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which read information on both sides of a form is transferred simultaneously or alternately and sequentially on a line-by-line basis.

The form conveyance mechanism is not limited to the roller conveyance mechanism as in the above embodiments, but may be a belt conveyance mechanism, for example.

The configuration of the reading section can also be changed as appropriate.

Furthermore, this invention is not limited to independent scanners;
It goes without saying that the present invention can be similarly applied to scanner sections of R1 facsimile machines, electronic copying machines, and the like.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the scanner has the following effects.
A mechanism for transporting a form along a conveyance path, and two reading means for respectively reading the front and back sides of the form in the middle of the transport path, and the reading position of the form by each reading means is in the direction of transport. Stretched out,
Since the configuration is such that both sides of the form can be read in one reading operation, it is possible to read both sides of the form by just inputting the form once. The process of reading forms has become easier, the reading processing time has been shortened, and since the reading position on each side of the form has been shifted, both sides of thin and translucent forms can be read without any problems. effect is achieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a scanner according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an operation timing chart of the scanner. 10... Conveyance roller, 12... Form, 14A...
Front side reading section, 14B...Back side reading section, 18.
...Light source, 20...Image sensor, 22.24...
・Mirror, 26...lens, image signal processing circuit, 32.
...Image buffer, 34...Transfer circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A mechanism for conveying a form along a conveyance path, and two reading means for respectively reading the front and back sides of the form in the middle of the conveyance path, and a reading position of the form by each of the reading means. are shifted in the conveying direction, and both sides of the form can be read in one reading operation.