KR101034908B1 - Apparatus for recognizing an image of media - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a media image recognition device. In the present invention, the light emitting unit 20 for generating light passing through the medium is provided. The light receiving unit 40 installed at a predetermined distance from the light emitting unit 20 is provided with an image sensor for recognizing the image of the medium through the amount of light transmitted through the medium. In addition, support spacers 30 are provided at both ends between the light emitting unit 20 and the light receiving unit 40. The support spacer 30 forms a conveying channel 36 for the medium to pass through. The light transmitting portion 32 penetrates up and down in the center of the support spacer 30. On the other hand, the light emitting unit 20 is provided with an elastic member 24 to provide an elastic force so that the support spacer 30 is in close contact with the light receiving unit 40. According to the present invention as described above, the distance and angle between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion are kept constant, so that the amount of transmission is measured in an optimal state, thereby improving the image quality of the medium. In addition, the light transmitting portion penetrates the center of the support spacer, thereby preventing the external light source from entering the light transmitting portion.

Media image, image sensor, light emitter, light receiver

Description

Apparatus for recognizing an image of media}

The present invention relates to a media image, and more particularly, to an apparatus for recognizing an image of a transported medium and outputting an image.

In the media recognition module installed in the automatic media dispenser, the image of the transferred media is recognized through the image sensor, and if the image quality is poor by acquiring the image, the desired image is obtained through normalization through image processing.

An apparatus for recognizing an image of a medium in such a medium recognition module is well illustrated in FIG. 1.

According to this, the media recognition module is provided with a mounting bracket (1). The mounting bracket 1 forms the appearance and skeleton of the media recognition module, and is equipped with various components for media image recognition.

In the center of the mounting bracket (1) is formed a conveying channel (3) through which the medium passes. The conveying channel 3 is formed to have a sufficient width by a length corresponding to the width of the medium. The medium is recognized in the course of passing through the transfer channel (3).

On the other hand, the light receiving portion 5 is provided on the mounting bracket (1). The light receiving unit 5 is a portion for receiving light generated by the light emitting unit 7 to be described below, and is provided with an image sensor for receiving light. As the image sensor, a CIS, CCD sensor or the like is used. The light receiving portion 5 is formed in a substantially bar shape and recognizes an image by the amount of light transmitted through the medium.

The lower portion of the mounting bracket (1) is provided with a light emitting portion (7). The light emitting portion 7 is a portion for generating light passing through the medium, and LED is generally used. The light emitting portion 7 is provided below the light receiving portion 5 and has a bar shape having the same length as the light receiving portion 5. Fastening portions 9 are provided at both ends of the light receiving portion 5 and the light emitting portion 7. The fastening parts 9 are parts fastened to separate brackets, respectively.

The portions near the both ends between the light receiving portion 5 and the light emitting portion 7 form the non-conveying channel 11. The non-conveying channel 11 is a portion through which light passes but substantially no medium passes therethrough. The non-conveying channel 11 protrudes from both sides of the mounting bracket 1 when viewed from the front.

In order to improve the quality of the image of the medium in the non-transfer channel 11, a predetermined white value 13 is placed to check the transmission amount to the light receiving part 5 to determine a reference value. Then, after adjusting the output gain GAIN of the image sensor based on the reference value, the media is transferred to obtain a corrected image output value.

However, the above-described prior art has the following problems.

In order to recognize the image of the medium in the optimum state in the medium image recognition apparatus, the distance and angle between the light receiving unit 5 and the light emitting unit 7 must be kept constant.

However, as described above, since the light receiving unit 5 and the light emitting unit 7 are assembled to the mounting bracket 1 by screws, when manufacturing tolerances and assembly tolerances occur, the light receiving unit 5 and the light emitting unit 7 may be assembled in a slightly distorted state with respect to each other. . In addition, the positions of the light receiving unit 5 and the light emitting unit 7 may be distorted due to external impact. In such a case, since image recognition of the medium is not performed under optimal conditions, there is a problem in that image quality is deteriorated.

In addition, since the non-transport channel 11 is formed to communicate with the outside, not only the light generated by the light emitting unit 7 but also an external light source may be introduced. In this case, since it is impossible to measure the exact amount of transmission to the image sensor, it is difficult to obtain a certain quality image.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the related art as described above. To provide.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a media image recognition apparatus having a structure for minimizing the influence of an external light source in the process of initializing an image sensor.

Technical problems to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. Could be.

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, the present invention comprises: a light emitting unit for generating light passing through the medium; A light receiving unit installed to have a predetermined distance from the light emitting unit, and having an image sensor configured to recognize an image of the medium through a transmission amount of light transmitted through the medium; A support spacer disposed between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit to form a transfer channel for passing the medium between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit; It is configured to include an elastic member provided in the light emitting portion to provide an elastic force so that the support spacer is in close contact with the light receiving portion.

The support spacers may be provided at positions corresponding to both ends of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, respectively.

A reference medium for initializing the image sensor is provided between the light receiving unit and the support spacer, wherein the reference medium is a white medium through which light generated by the light emitting unit is transmitted.

The light receiving unit is characterized in that the bracket is provided to be rotatable relative to the light emitting unit.

According to another feature of the invention, the present invention includes a light emitting unit for generating light passing through the medium; A light receiving unit installed to have a predetermined distance from the light emitting unit, and having an image sensor configured to recognize an image of the medium through a transmission amount of light transmitted through the medium; A support channel formed between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit to form a transport channel for passing the medium between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, and a light transmitting unit through which light generated in the light emitting unit passes through It comprises a spacer.

It is characterized in that it further comprises an elastic member provided in the light emitting portion to provide an elastic force so that the support spacer is in close contact with the light receiving portion.

The support spacers may be provided at positions corresponding to both ends of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, respectively.

A reference medium for initializing the image sensor is provided between the light receiving unit and the support spacer, wherein the reference medium is a white medium through which light passing through the light transmitting unit is transmitted.

In the present invention, the elastic member is provided at the lower end of the light emitting unit and pushed, and a support spacer is installed between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit to maintain a constant distance and angle therebetween. As such, since the distance and the angle between the light emitting part and the light receiving part are kept constant, the amount of transmission is measured in an optimal state, thereby improving the image quality of the medium.

In addition, in the present invention, the light transmitting portion penetrates through the center of the support spacer to block the external light source from entering the light transmitting portion. Therefore, since only the light generated by the light emitting part passes through the light transmitting part during the initialization of the image sensor, the image can be output with a certain quality.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a media image recognition apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a schematic view showing the configuration of a preferred embodiment of a media image recognition apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the front of a media image recognition apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which a support spacer is provided in the light emitting portion constituting the present invention.

As shown in these figures, the light emitting unit 20 is provided in the media image recognition apparatus. The light emitting unit 20 is a part that generates light for transmitting the medium. The light emitting unit 20 has a bar shape having a predetermined length. As the light emitting unit 20, a light emitting device (LED) is generally used. Of course, any means such as OLED may be employed as long as it is a means for emitting light as well as the LED. The light emitting unit 20 is installed in a separate bracket (not shown) so that the lower end is supported by the elastic member 24 to be described below.

The light emitting unit 20 is provided with a light transmission window 22 through which light passes. The light transmission window 22 is provided on one surface of the light emitting unit 20, and is formed long along the longitudinal direction of the light emitting unit 20. In the present embodiment, the light transmission window 22 is formed on the upper surface of the light emitting part 20 to pass light upward.

An elastic member 24 is provided on the bottom surface of the light emitting part 20. The elastic member 24 is provided to support the lower surface of the light emitting unit 20, a plurality may be provided at regular intervals. The elastic member 24 serves to provide an elastic force so that the support spacer 30 to be described below may be in close contact with the light receiving unit 40. Since the support spacer 30 is in close contact with the light receiving unit 40 by the elastic member 24, an interval and an angle between the light emitting unit 20 and the light receiving unit 40 may be kept constant.

Support spacers 30 are provided at both ends of the upper surface of the light emitting unit 20. The support spacer 30 supports the light emitting unit 20 and the light receiving unit 40 to have a predetermined distance from each other, and at the same time, a transport channel 36 through which the medium is transported between the light emitting unit 20 and the light receiving unit 40. ) To form. Therefore, the medium is conveyed between both ends provided with the support spacer 30. The support spacer 30 is made of a synthetic resin material.

At least one of the support spacers 30 is formed by passing the light transmitting portion 32 in the center. In the present embodiment, the light transmitting part 32 is formed at the left side of the support spacer 30 with respect to the drawing. The light transmitting part 32 is formed to penetrate up and down so that the light generated by the light emitting part 20 can be irradiated to the light receiving part 40.

The light transmitting part 32 is shielded from the outside in a state where the light receiving part 40 is seated on the support spacer 30. Therefore, the external light source does not flow into the light transmitting part 32. This is to allow the light passing through the light transmitting part 32 to pass through the reference medium 38 which will be described below, so as to prevent the light from being affected by the external light source when the image sensor recognizes it.

A transport channel 36 is formed between the light emitting unit 20 and the light receiving unit 40 to allow a medium to pass therethrough. The conveying channel 36 has a sufficient width corresponding to the width of the medium. The conveying channel 36 is formed substantially between the support spacers 30. In addition, the medium passing through the transport channel 36 may be transported by a transport roller (not shown) provided in the bracket on which the light emitting unit 20 is installed.

The reference medium 38 is mounted on the support spacer 30 on which the light transmitting part 32 is formed. The reference medium 38 uses a predetermined medium. In this embodiment, a white medium is used. The reference medium 38 is used to obtain an output value which is a reference when acquiring an image of a medium, and plays a role required for initialization of an image sensor. This is because when the white medium is used, the light reception output value according to the adjustment of the degree of emission can be obtained linearly, so that the reference output value can be obtained more precisely.

Specifically, there is a case where the quality of the image deteriorates when the image of the medium is acquired. This is because the LED constituting the light emitting unit 20 is reduced in performance due to temperature or usage period. Therefore, to compensate for this, the reference medium 38 is placed on the light transmitting part 32 and the light is transmitted to measure the amount of transmission in the image sensor of the light receiving part 40 and set as the reference value. The reference value measured here is compared with the image output value of the medium passing through the transfer channel 36 and reflected in the image sensor output gain GAIN based on the comparison result.

The light receiving part 40 is seated on an upper surface of the support spacer 30. The light receiving part 40 is a part irradiated after the light generated by the light emitting part 20 passes through the medium. The light receiving portion 40 has a bar shape having a predetermined length similarly to the light emitting portion 20. The light receiving unit 40 has the same length as the light emitting unit 20 and is formed at a position corresponding to each other. The light receiver 40 is provided with an image sensor for recognizing an image of a medium. As the image sensor, a contact image sensor (CIS) is generally used. Of course, any sensor for image sensing such as CCD sensor as well as the CIS can be adopted.

As shown in FIG. 3, the light receiving unit 40 is installed to have a predetermined distance from the light emitting unit 20 by the support spacer 30. In addition, although not shown in detail in this drawing, the light receiving unit 40 is not always fixed as shown in FIG. For example, the light receiving unit 40 may be provided in a separate bracket rotatably installed with respect to the light emitting unit 20. At this time, the light receiving unit 40 is rotated by the bracket to press the support spacer 30 and the reference medium 38.

Hereinafter, the operation of the media image recognition apparatus according to the present invention having the configuration as described above will be described in detail.

The light receiver 40 may be rotatably installed in a separate bracket as described above. The light receiving unit 40 may be rotated together with the bracket to be mounted on the upper surface of the reference medium 38 and the support spacer 30. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the light receiving unit 40 is seated so as to have a predetermined distance from the light emitting unit 20, and a medium passes between the light receiving unit 40 and the light emitting unit 20. The transfer channel 36 is formed.

In addition, in the present invention, since the elastic member 24 is installed to support the lower end of the light emitting part 20, when the light receiving part 40 is seated on the support spacer 30, the light emitting part 20 receives the light receiving part ( Since it is pushed to move toward 40, the distance and angle between the light receiving unit 40 and the light emitting unit 20 can be kept constant.

As such, when the distance and angle between the light receiving unit 40 and the light emitting unit 20 are kept constant, the light generated by the light emitting unit 20 reaches the light receiving unit 40 constantly, and thus the image of the scanned medium is The quality of the image can be kept constant as long as the deviation is reduced and external factors are not applied.

In this state, light is generated from the LED of the light emitting unit 20 to initialize the image sensor. As shown in FIG. 4, the light emitted from the light emitting part 20 passes through the light transmitting part 32 of the support spacer 30 as well as the transport channel 36. The light irradiated to the light transmitting part 32 passes through the reference medium 38 to reach the light receiving part 40. Then, in the light receiving unit 40, the image sensor measures the amount of transmission passing through the reference medium 38, and this value becomes a reference value. The output gain GAIN of the image sensor is adjusted based on this reference value.

As described above, the initializing of the image sensor is intended to obtain a corrected image output value by reflecting the LED of the light emitting unit 20 because it may be changed depending on temperature and time characteristics.

Next, looking at the process of transporting the medium, the medium is transported through the transport channel 38 in the state shown in FIG. The medium is conveyed by one surface closely contacting the conveying roller (not shown) provided in the bracket on which the light emitting unit 20 is installed.

In the process of transporting the medium, the light generated by the LED of the light emitting unit 20 is exposed through the light transmission window 22. As shown in FIG. 4, the light irradiated through the light transmission window 22 passes through the light transmitting part 32 and the transport channel 36 of the support spacer 30. Light transmitted through the medium is irradiated to the light receiving unit 40, and the image sensor obtains an output value of an image of the medium. In this case, the image sensor reflects the result corrected by the reference value of the transmission amount of the reference medium 38, so that the image is recognized as the corrected image output value.

As described above, since the light transmitting part 32 penetrates through the center of the support spacer 30 in the process of initializing the image sensor, an external light source is blocked to flow into the light transmitting part 32. Therefore, the reference value of the light transmission amount passing through the reference medium 38 can be prevented from being changed by external factors.

The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but is defined by what is stated in the claims, and various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the claims by those skilled in the art. It is self evident.

For example, not only embodiments satisfying all of the intended purposes of the present invention but also embodiments satisfying each object are possible. In the present invention, the purpose of maintaining a constant distance and angle between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit may be implemented in an embodiment provided with a configuration of the support spacer 30 and the elastic member 24 except for the light transmitting unit 32. have.

In addition, the purpose of minimizing the influence of the external light source in the process of initializing the image sensor may be implemented in an embodiment in which the light transmitting portion 32 is formed on the support spacer 30 except for the elastic member 24. .

1 is a block diagram showing a media image recognition apparatus according to the prior art.

Figure 2 is a schematic view showing the configuration of a preferred embodiment of a media image recognition apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the front of the media image recognition apparatus according to the present invention.

4 is a plan view showing a state where the support spacer is provided in the light emitting portion constituting an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

20: light emitting portion 22: floodlight

24: elastic member 30: support spacer

32: light transmission unit 36: transfer channel

38: reference medium 40: light receiving unit

Claims (8)

A light emitting portion for generating light passing through the medium; A light receiving unit installed to have a predetermined distance from the light emitting unit, and having an image sensor configured to recognize an image of the medium through a transmission amount of light transmitted through the medium; A support spacer disposed between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit to form a transfer channel for passing the medium between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit; And an elastic member provided in the light emitting part to provide an elastic force to closely adhere the support spacer toward the light receiving part. The method of claim 1, And the support spacers are provided at positions corresponding to both ends of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, respectively. The method of claim 2, A reference medium for initializing the image sensor is provided between the light receiving unit and the support spacer, wherein the reference medium is a white medium through which light generated by the light emitting unit is transmitted. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, And the light receiving unit is provided in a bracket rotatably installed with respect to the light emitting unit. A light emitting portion for generating light passing through the medium; A light receiving unit installed to have a predetermined distance from the light emitting unit, and having an image sensor configured to recognize an image of the medium through a transmission amount of light transmitted through the medium; A support channel formed between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit to form a transport channel for passing the medium between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, and a light transmitting unit through which light generated in the light emitting unit passes through Media image recognition device comprising a spacer. The method of claim 5, And a resilient member provided in the light emitting part to provide an elastic force such that the support spacer is in close contact with the light receiving part. The method of claim 6, And the support spacers are provided at positions corresponding to both ends of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, respectively. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, A reference medium for initializing the image sensor is provided between the light receiving unit and the support spacer, wherein the reference medium is a white medium through which light passing through the light transmitting unit is transmitted.

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