KR100547098B1 - Method and apparatus for automatic detecting dirt of white reference device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for automatically detecting contamination of a white reference unit, the method comprising: storing a white reference level before a white reference unit is contaminated, periodically reading a white reference level from the white reference unit, and comparing the white reference level with the stored white reference level. If a difference of a certain level or more occurs, the white reference part is notified to the outside.

According to the present invention, by automatically detecting the contamination of the white panel or the white roller, which is the white reference part, the user is automatically notified so that the user always cleans the white panel or the white roller. This makes it possible to scan the same image as the original.

Description

Method and apparatus for automatic detecting dirt of white reference device

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting contamination of a scanner white reference portion, and more particularly, a reference level when loading an original and scanning an image in a sheet-fed image input apparatus. It automatically recognizes the contamination level of the white panel or white roller, which is the white reference part used, and allows the user to clean the white panel or white roller to maintain normal image quality. An automatic contamination detection apparatus and method for white reference.

FAX and MFPs have been widely used as office equipment because they have an image input device and can scan and send documents to each other to send and receive fax data in the form of images, or to scan and store original data. One of the most important functions in such fax and multifunction devices is the ability to scan originals.

A general image input device (such as a scanner) transfers an original, and irradiates light onto the surface of the original through an image input sensor (such as a contact image sensor (CIS)) to receive the reflected light and convert it into electricity. So read the manuscript.

The sheet-fed image input apparatus of the image input apparatus loads an original to the image input sensor through a white roller, and when the image is read, the image input sensor closely adheres to the image input sensor. .

In addition, the image input apparatus requires image processing through a white reference to read the original. Generally, a white roller or a white panel attached to the image input apparatus is read before the original is read. Shading correction of the input image is performed based on the white reference.

On the other hand, if the white panel or white roller of the image input apparatus is susceptible to contamination due to external contamination such as document contamination or dust, the white panel or white roller thus contaminated When the image is read using a white roller, the image input device reads a contaminated white panel or white roller to obtain a white reference value and shade-corrects the input image through the original image. The problem of scanning differs from that of the original.

Therefore, in order to accurately scan the original image, the user should always check whether the white panel or white roller is contaminated. In general, the white panel or white roller is visually visible to the user. It was determined whether or not there was contamination by checking the status of or reading the manuscript to check the read image.

However, in this case, if the fax transmission cannot check the image of the read original, the sender cannot confirm whether the normal image has been sent. Therefore, the fax can be sent using a dirty white panel or white roller. A problem arises in that an abnormal image quality is obtained at a receiving side that receives an original.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to automatically detect contamination of a white panel or a white roller that is a white reference portion and notify the user so that the user always has a white panel or a white roller. To keep it clean so that the same image as the original can be scanned.

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, in the image input device to obtain a white reference level from the white reference unit through the image input sensor, shading correction and scanning the document, the white obtained through the image input sensor A storage for storing a white reference level before the reference is contaminated; An output unit configured to notify the outside of contamination of the white reference unit when it is determined that the white reference unit is contaminated by the sensor value of the image input sensor while the image input device is in use; And a controller which periodically reads a white reference level from the white reference unit through the image input sensor and indicates that the white reference unit is polluted to the outside through the output unit when a difference occurs by a predetermined level or more compared with the stored white reference level. An automatic contamination detection device of a white reference is disclosed.

Preferably, the period for checking the contamination of the white reference unit may be performed every time the original is read.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in a method of scanning an original by shading correction by obtaining a white reference level from a white reference unit through an image input sensor, a white reference before the white reference unit acquired by the image input sensor is contaminated The white reference unit may be configured to store a level and periodically read a white reference level from the white reference unit through the image input sensor. An automatic contamination detection method is disclosed.

Hereinafter, the objects, features, and advantages of the present invention described above will be described in more detail with reference to the preferred embodiments of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

The terms to be described below are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, and may vary according to the intention or custom of a person skilled in the art, and the definitions should be made based on the contents throughout the specification.

An image input device having an apparatus for detecting contamination of a scanner white reference unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

First, the control unit 150 reads the white reference level before the white reference unit 110 is contaminated from the white reference unit 110 (eg, the white roller or the white roller) through the image input sensor 120, and the storage unit 140 reads the white reference level. Store in

In addition, the controller 150 shades and corrects the original image read using the white reference level read from the white reference unit 110 through the image input sensor 120 and outputs the image to the outside through the image output unit 160. . At this time, the analog-to-digital converter 130 converts the analog signal input from the image input sensor 120 to digital and transmits it to the controller 150.

Preferably, the controller 150 periodically reads the white reference level from the white reference unit 110 and compares the white reference level with the white reference level stored in the storage unit 140. The white reference unit 110 is polluted to the outside to allow the user to clean the white reference unit 110.

In this case, the period in which the controller 150 checks whether the white reference unit 110 is contaminated may be performed whenever the original is read.

A method of detecting contamination of the scanner white reference unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

First, the controller 150 reads the white reference level and stores it in the storage 140 before the white reference 110 is contaminated from the white reference 110 through the image input sensor 120 (step: S210). .

After obtaining and storing the white reference level from the uncontaminated white reference unit 110, the controller 150 periodically reads the white reference level from the white reference unit 110 and compares it with the white reference level stored in the storage unit 140. Determine if there is a difference over a certain level (steps: S220, S230)

As a result of the determination, when a difference of a predetermined level or more occurs, the white output unit 110 is notified of contamination through the sound output unit 170 (step: S240).

If it is determined in step S230 that the input white reference level and the stored white reference level do not differ by more than a predetermined level, the controller 150 refers to the white reference read from the white reference unit 110 through the image input sensor 120. After the shading correction of the read original image using the level, a general scanning operation of outputting to the outside through the image output unit 160 is performed (step S250).

Preferably, the cycle of inspecting whether the white reference unit 110 is contaminated may be performed every time the original is read.

As described above, according to the present invention, by automatically detecting the contamination of the white panel or the white roller, which is the white reference unit, the user is automatically informed and the user always displays the white panel or the white roller ( Keep the white roller clean so that you can scan the same image as the original.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. It will be appreciated that modifications or variations may be made. Therefore, changes in the future embodiments of the present invention will not be able to escape the technology of the present invention.

1 is a view illustrating an image input device including an automatic contamination detection device of a white reference unit according to the present invention;

2 illustrates a method for automatically detecting contamination of a white reference unit according to the present invention.

<Description of Symbols of Major Parts of Drawings>

110: white reference unit 120: image input sensor

130: analog to digital conversion unit 140: storage unit

150: control unit 160: image output unit

170: sound output unit

Claims (5)

In the image input apparatus for obtaining a white reference level from the white reference unit through the image input sensor, shading correction, and scanning the original, A storage unit for storing a white reference level before the white reference unit obtained by the image input sensor is polluted; An output unit configured to notify the outside of contamination of the white reference unit when it is determined that the white reference unit is contaminated by the sensor value of the image input sensor while the image input device is in use; And a controller which periodically reads a white reference level from the white reference unit through the image input sensor and indicates that the white reference unit is polluted to the outside through the output unit when a difference occurs by a predetermined level or more compared with the stored white reference level. Automatic contamination detection in white references. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cycle of inspecting whether the white reference unit is contaminated is performed every time an original is read. The image input apparatus of claim 1, An automatic contamination detection device of a white reference unit, characterized in that the sheet-fed type image input device. In the method of scanning the document by shading correction by obtaining a white reference level from the white reference unit through the image input sensor, Stores the white reference level before the white reference unit obtained by the image input sensor is polluted, and periodically reads the white reference level from the white reference unit through the image input sensor and compares the white reference level with the stored white reference level. Automatic detection of contamination of the white reference portion, characterized in that notifying the outside of the white reference portion when the difference is more than the level. [5] The method of claim 4, wherein the cycle of inspecting whether the white reference unit is contaminated is performed every time an original is read.