WO2001018751A1

WO2001018751A1 - Automatic imaging system for bound document and controlling method thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2001018751A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/000522
Authority: WO
Inventors: Young-Kyun Ha
Original assignee: Dasan C & I Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 1999-09-09
Filing date: 2000-05-24
Publication date: 2001-03-15
Also published as: TW472477B; KR19990084054A; KR100344172B1; AU4622600A

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for automatically photographing a document bound including: a document preparing unit for automatically turning the pages opened of the document bound and closely contacting the turned pages with a transparent close-contact plate on which a lighting equipment is installed; an image recognizing unit for photographing the contents on the turned pages closely contracted with the transparent close-contact plate by the document preparing unit with at least one or more video cameras and converting and processing the photographed image by the video cameras into a digital data; and a control unit for applying a control signal to the document preparing unit and the image recognizing unit to control the document preparing unit and the image recognizing unit.

Description

AUTOMATIC IMAGING SYSTEM FOR BOUND DOCUMENT AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for automatically photographing a document bound and a method for control thereof and more particularly, to a system for automatically photographing a document bound and control method thereof which is capable of automatically turning pages of the document bound, photographing the turned pages and storing the corresponding image as a digital data.

Background Art

With the development of knowledge and information- intensive society, today, information process service industries, in which all kinds of document contents are stored in data form in various storing media and further edited in a free manner or transmitted, are drastically emerged as one of important industrial fields. For the purpose of storing document contents in the data form, therefore, there is a need for a document input device that may convert image information recorded on various kinds of documents into electrical signals and input the converted signals into an information processing system such as a computer for example.

An example of conventional document data input devices for processing characters or images in the digital data form is a data input device using a scanner or a digital camera, that first photographs the document by the sheet, processes the document contents in the data form to convert them into the electrical signals and stores the converted results in a memory.

In particular, in case of an individual or company and group such as for example, public offices, schools, research institutes, information providers that provide various character and image information by using all kinds of information communication systems, Internet or short/long distance communication network, it is very important to process a great quantity of all kinds of image and character information in a digital form and thus input the processed data in their server. In this case, the success in their business would be dependent upon whether the information could be processed in the digital data form with the minimum number of persons for a minimum period of time. It can be, therefore, understood that the document digital processing performance will ensure the development of the information-oriented country or companies. However, the conventional document data input devices such as the scanner or the digital camera input device have photographed only the sheet document and therefore, cannot automatically turn the pages of the document bound. Thus, the pages of the document bound should be turned by a user's hand. In other words, the document to be photographed is turned and comes in a close contact with a transparent plate by the user's one hand, and a scanning command switch is pressed by his other hand. The series of the above-mentioned operations should be repeated for example, several hundred times or several thousands times, until a volume of document bound is all photographed.

Therefore, since the conventional document data input devices should need a large number of persons for data-processing the document bound and a great large number of operations worked by hand, there occur some problems that the working time is undesirably prolonged and a quality of image photographed is degraded due to the deterioration of the uniformity as the characteristic feature of the work by hand. In addition, since the conventional document data input devices such as the scanner or the digital camera input device process the whole photographing area by means of a single photographing device that is fixed or moved, there occur some problems that a very expensive photographing device should be used for the purpose of photographing a high resolution of data and the moving distance of the photographing device become long, thereby extending the scanning time. Specifically, since the one photographing device continuously moves and thus photographs the whole photographing area, there is a drawback that the moving speed is very slow depending upon the photographing speed. Therefore, the conventional document data input devices are difficult in achieving a high resolution of data photographing performance at the expense of a low cost and fail to exhibit product competitiveness because of a slow scanning speed.

Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a system for automatically photographing a document bound and a method for control thereof which are capable of having a document preparing unit for automatically turning the pages of the document bound, thereby reducing the number of working persons, shortening the time required for turning the pages and improving the accuracy of the photographing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system for automatically photographing a document bound and a method for control thereof which are capable of having an image recognizing unit composed of at least one or more video cameras for photographing the contents on the pages opened, while stopping or moving intermittently many times on the pages opened, thereby manufacturing a product having a high resolution performance at a low price and processing a large quantity of documents bound with the help of a fast photographing or scanning speed.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for automatically photographing a document bound to process image recorded on the document bound into data, which includes: a document preparing unit for automatically turning the pages opened of the document bound and closely contacting the turned pages with a transparent close- contact plate on which a lighting equipment is installed; an image recognizing unit for photographing the contents on the turned pages closely contacted with the transparent close-contact plate by the document preparing unit with at least one or more video cameras and converting and processing the photographed image by the video camera into a digital data; and a control unit for applying a control signal to the document preparing unit and the image recognizing unit to control the document preparing unit and the image recognizing unit .

Preferably, the document preparing unit includes: a document bound portion ascending and descending part for holding the bound portion of the document opened to ascend and descend the bound portion in the direction of the transparent close-contact plate; a document wing portion ascending and descending part for ascending and descending the both wings opened of the document bound in the direction of the transparent close-contact plate; a pages holding part for holding the pages of the document by the sheet and lifting the pages up to a predetermined height or more, when the document bound portion ascending and descending part and the document wing portion ascending and descending part are in the descending position; and a pages turning part for turning the pages lifted up to the predetermined height by means of the pages holding part on the opposite side. Preferably, the image recognizing unit is comprised of: a camera part having a camera for converting image as an object into an electrical signal; an image data acquiring part for receiving the electrical signal from the camera part to convert the electrical signal into the digital data; a control part for processing and storing the converted digital data in the image data acquiring part to an available information in accordance with a program previously inputted; and an input/output part for inputting an initial data and program to the control part and outputting the result therefrom.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for automatically photographing a document bound to process image recorded on the document bound into digital data, which includes: a plurality of document preparing units arranged in parallel for automatically turning the pages opened of a plurality of documents bound and closely contacting the turned pages with a transparent close-contact plate on which a lighting equipment is installed; an image recognizing unit for moving predetermined times and photographing the contents on the turned pages closely contacted with the transparent close-contact plate by the plurality of document preparing units with at least one or more movable video cameras and processing and storing the photographed image by the video cameras into the digital data by the document; and a control unit for applying a control signal to the plurality of document preparing units and the image recognizing unit to control the plurality of document preparing units and the image recognizing unit. According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for automatically photographing a document bound to process image recorded on the document bound into digital data, which includes: a document preparing unit for automatically turning the pages opened of the document bound and closely contacting the turned pages with a transparent close- contact plate on which a lighting equipment is installed; an image recognizing unit for horizontally dividing the area to be photographed on the pages prepared by the document preparing unit into a plurality of areas, scanning the areas with a plurality of scan bars for the areas, and converting and processing the photographed images by the scan bars into the digital data; and a control unit for applying a control signal to the document preparing unit and the image recognizing unit to control the document preparing unit and the image recognizing unit.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for control of a system for automatically photographing a document bound, which includes the steps of: inputting all kinds of initialization information related to the system into a control unit, mounting the document bound on a document preparing unit, and inputting various kinds of variants related to the photographing in the control unit; if the document mounted on the document preparing unit comes in a close contact with a transparent close-contact plate, receiving a control signal from the control unit and photographing the contents of the document with a camera of an image recognizing unit and if the document descends, turning the pages of the document by the document preparing unit; and before the image data on all of the pages of the document is acquired, processing the image photographed with the camera by the image recognizing unit in digital data and processing the digital data into images, and synthesizing the processed images .

Brief Description of the Drawings The above object, other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a system for automatically photographing a document bound according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of the document preparing unit in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4a is a top view illustrating a document bound portion ascending and descending part of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4b is a side view illustrating the document holder of the document bound portion ascending and descending part in the stand-by position in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4c is a side view illustrating the document holder of the document bound portion ascending and descending part 3 in the changing position in Fig. 2; Fig. 4d is a perspective view illustrating the document bound portion ascending and descending part of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top view illustrating the document holder of Fig. 4a;

Fig. βa is a top view illustrating the state where a rotary loop of Fig. 5 rotates centering around the rotating axis thereof, when first pages of the document are turned;

Fig. βb is a top view illustrating the state where a rotary loop of Fig. 5 rotates centering around the rotating axis thereof, when intermediate pages of the document are turned;

Fig. βa is a top view illustrating the state where a rotary loop of Fig. 5 rotates centering around the rotating axis thereof, when last pages of the document are turned;

Figs. 7a to 7e are schematic views illustrating the rotating state of the rotary loop of Fig. 5 in the unit of the number of pages by 25%; Figs. 8a to 8c are schematic views illustrating the state by stages where the document comes in a close contact with a transparent close-contact plate by stages, when the document bound portion ascending and descending part and the document wing portion ascending and descending part, as shown in Fig. 2, all ascend; Fig. 9 is a top sectional view illustrating the document holder of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a schematic view illustrating another embodiment of the document preparing unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a pages holding part and a pages turning part of Fig. 2;

Figs. 13a to 13d are perspective views illustrating the turning bar of various shapes of Fig. 12;

Figs. 14a to 14h are schematic views illustrating the d escending position and the inclined surface of the absorption pipe of the pages holding part, and the state where the pages are absorbed on the absorption pipe and then come in contact with the inclined surface;

Figs. 15a to 15e are schematic views illustrating the operation states by stages of the pages holding part and the pages turning part of Fig. 12; Figs. 16a to lβd are perspective views illustrating another embodiment of the pages holding part of Fig. 12;

Figs. 17a to 17d are perspective views illustrating still another embodiment of the pages holding part of Fig. 12;

Figs. 18a and 18b are schematic views illustrating an air injection part according to the present invention; Fig. 19 is a perspective view illustrating a camera part in a first embodiment of the image recognizing unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 20a is a perspective view illustrating a camera part in a second embodiment of the image recognizing unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 20b is a schematic view illustrating the area to be photographed of the camera part of Fig. 20a;

Fig. 21a is a perspective view illustrating a camera part in a third embodiment of the image recognizing unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 21b is a schematic view illustrating the area to be photographed of the camera part of Fig. 21a;

Fig. 22 is a perspective view illustrating a camera part in a fourth embodiment of the image recognizing unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 23 is a perspective view illustrating a camera part in a fifth embodiment of the image recognizing unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 24 is a schematic view illustrating the state where the photographed area divided into four areas are synthesized;

Fig. 25 is a schematic view illustrating a photographing correcting plate required for synthesizing the areas photographed; Figs. 26 and 27 are schematic views illustrating the synthesizing process of various shapes;

Fig. 28 is a schematic view illustrating a system for automatically photographing a document bound according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 29 is a schematic view illustrating a system for automatically photographing a document bound according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 30a and 30b are schematic views illustrating the moving distance of the scan bars of the image recognizing unit of Fig. 29;

Fig. 31 is a flowchart illustrating a method for control of the system for automatically photographing a document bound according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 32 is a flowchart illustrating the processing order in a first embodiment of the image recognizing unit in the photographing step of Fig. 31;

Fig. 33 is a flowchart illustrating the processing order in a second embodiment of the image recognizing unit in the photographing step of Fig. 31; and Fig. 34 is a flowchart illustrating the processing order in a third embodiment of the image recognizing unit in the photographing step of Fig. 31.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Hereinafter, the system and the method for control thereof according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described more in detail below, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings .

First, as shown in Fig. 1, a system for automatically photographing a document bound to process image recorded on the document bound into data, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which the image recorded on the document bound 1 is processed in a digital data, is composed of a document preparing unit 10, an image recognizing unit 70 and a control unit 80.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the document preparing unit 10, which turns automatically the pages opened on the document bound 1 and closely contacts the pages with a transparent close-contact plate 11 on which a lighting equipment is installed, is comprised of a document bound portion ascending and descending part 20, a document wing portion ascending and descending part 40, a pages holding part 50 and a pages turning part 60. The document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 functions to hold the bound portion of the document bound 1 and ascend/descend the document bound 1 in the direction of the transparent close- contact plate 11. As shown in Figs. 4a to 4d, the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 includes a document holder 21 for holding the bound portion of the document bound 1, a movable stand 22 for rotatably supporting the document holder 21 to allow the document holder 21 to rotate horizontally and slidably moving forward and backward between a document change position and a document stand-by position where the document is easily mounted, and a guide member 24 for supporting the movable stand 22 and being of a corresponding shape to a rail 23 formed in the movable stand 22, for guiding the sliding movement of the movable stand 22.

In this case, the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 is hinge-coupled with wings 41 supporting the wing portion of the document bound at the left and right of the document holder 21 and forms a stopper 41a determining the descending position of each wing 41 at the side of a rotary loop 21b. The horizontal rotating angle of the document holder 21 is varied in accordance with the pressure force by which the document bound 1 comes in a close contact with the transparent close-contact plate 11, such that the inclination of the bound portion of the document bound 1 contacted with the transparent close-contact plate 11 is sequentially varied and thus fixed in accordance with the number of pages turned. As an angle automatic adjusting means fixing the varied horizontal rotating angle of the document holder 21, there are provided the rotary loop 21b of a substantially fan-shaped magnetic material formed centering around the rotating axis 21a of the document holder 21 and a magnet member 24a secured on the guide member 24 on the one side thereof and being in contact with the rotary loop 21b on the other side thereof .

Since the document holder 21 freely rotates, therefore, as shown in Figs. 6a to 6c, the rotary loop 21b allows the document bound 1 to be inclined left and right in accordance with the thickness of the rest of pages on the both sides of the document bound 1 at the moment when the document bound 1 is pressed against the transparent close-contact plate 11 by the turning of pages. At the same time, the rotary loop 21b, which has been fixed on the document holder 21 by the magnetic force of the magnet member 24a, is attached on the magnet member 24a to maintain the inclination angle of the document holder 21 without any change, upon the ascending and descending of the document bound 1, such that the unnecessary movement of the document 1 occurring upon the ascending and descending of the document 1 can be prevented. In this case, when the document 1 is pressed against the transparent close-contact plate 11, the magnetic force of the magnet member 24a should be determined within the range where the pressure force of the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 resists the magnetic force of the magnet member 24a. So, the document holder 21 can rotate intermittently and slightly at the moment when the pages turned are pressed against the transparent close-contact plate 11, as shown in Figs. 7a to 7e.

In addition to fixing the angle of the document holder 21, the magnet member 24a functions to fix the document holder 21 by the magnetic force thereof on the guide member 24, when the document holder 21 disposed on the document change position as shown in Fig. 4c is returned to the document stand-by position as shown in Fig. 4b.

Therefore, the document holder 21 where the document is not mounted is drawn to the outside for the purpose of easily mounting the document and then, inserted into the document stand-by position. Thereby, the document holder 21 is rigidly fixed on the guide member 24 by the magnetic force of the magnet member 24a, thereby preparing the ascending and descending movement of the document 1.

Additionally, the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 functions to ascend and descend the guide member 24 for the purpose of closely contacting the bound portion of the document 1 held by the document holder 21 with the transparent close- contact plate 11. In construction, as shown in Figs. 8a to 8c, the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 for ascending and descending the guide member 24 is provided with a carriage 26 supporting the guide member 24 elastically by means of a spring 25 on the one side thereof, through which a female screw hole is formed; a leading screw 27 forming a male screw of a corresponding shape to the female screw hole of the carriage 26 and passing through the carriage 26; a fixed base 28 rotatably supporting the leading screw 27; belt and pulley pairs 30a and 30b transmitting the rotary power of a motor 29 to the leading screw 27.

Also, the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 further includes: a sensor 31 for sensing whether the bound portion of the document 1 held by the document holder 21 comes in a close contact with the transparent close-contact plate 11 for the purpose of controlling the ascending and descending positions of the carriage 26; a limit switch 32 for sensing whether the bound portion of the document 1 held by the document holder 21 is in the document stand-by position where the pages can be turned; and a controller 33 for receiving the position signal of the carriage 26 from the sensor 31 and the limit switch 32 and applying a control signal to the motor 29, thereby controlling the forward and backward rotation of the motor 29.

In this case, the sensor 31 may be embodied with various kinds of sensors such as, for example, a contact type sensor or an optical sensor and may be also positioned between the guide member 24 and the carriage 26 in addition to on the transparent close-contact plate 11. It is, therefore, preferred that the sensor 31 sense whether the guide member 24 comes in contact with the transparent close-contact plate 11 and with the repulsive force from the contact, resist the restoring force of the spring 25 and be close to the carriage 26. Thereby, the close contact force of the document 1 with the transparent close-contact plate 11 can be adjusted in accordance with the adjustment of the elastic coefficient of the spring 25 and the sensing distance between the guide member 24 and the carriage 26.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 8a to 8c, on the other hand, the document wing portion ascending and descending part 40, which is installed on the left and right sides of the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20, respectively, to ascend and descend the wings opened of the document 1 in the direction of the transparent close-contact plate 11, is composed of: left and right wing plates 41 installed on the both sides of the document holder 21 of the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20, for supporting the wing portion of the document 1; a contact support 42 on which the left and right wing plates 41 are contacted, as an ascending and descending means for ascending and descending the left and right wing plates 41, for the purpose of closely contacting the both wing portions of the document 1 held on the document holder 21 with the transparent close-contact plate 11; a carriage 43 on which the contact support 42 is installed elastically by means of a spring; a belt 44 fixed on the carriage 43 on the one side thereof; driving and driven pulleys 46 on each of which the belt 44 is bound rotating by a motor 25 and supported by means of a fixed device, for ascending and descending the carriage 43 fixed to the belt 44; and the controller 33 for applying a control signal to the driving and driven pulleys 46 and the motor 45, thereby controlling the forward and backward rotation of the motor 45. In this case, the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 and the document wing portion ascending and descending part 40 may be embodied with various kinds of pneumatic and oil pressure cylinders or rack and pinion gear. Of course, various modifications in these ascending and descending parts may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

In operation relation between the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 and the document wing portion ascending and descending part 40, as shown in Fig. 8a, if the limit switch 32 of the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 senses the position of the carriage 26 of the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 and thus applies the position signal to the controller 33, the controller 33 applies the control signal to the motor 29 to thus stop the backward rotation of the motor 29, such that the document 1 at the descending state is ready for the pages turning operation. In this case, an explanation of it will be in detail discussed later.

At this time, the document wing portion ascending and descending part 40 is maintained at the descending state such that the contact support 42 is disposed on the downward position of the document holder 21 under the control of the controller 33.

Next, if the pages turning operation is completed, the controller 33 applies the control signal to the motor 29 to thus rotate the motor 29 in a forward direction in accordance with the set program, as shown in Fig. 8b, and by the forward rotation of the motor 29, the leading screw 27 rotates and the carriage 26 ascends, such that the document 1 secured on the document holder 21 can ascend.

At this time, if the document 1 continuously ascends and comes in contact with the transparent close- contact plate 11, the sensor 31, which has sense the contact of the document 1 with the transparent close- contact plate 11, applies the position control to the controller 33. Thereby, the controller 33 applies the control signal to the motor 29, thus to stop the forward rotation of the motor 29.

Next, as shown in Fig. 8c, the controller 33 applies the control signal to the motor 45 of the document wing portion ascending and descending part 40 in accordance with the set program, thus to rotate the motor 45 in the forward direction, such that the contact support 42 ascends by the rotation of the belt 44 on the pulley 46 and presses the left and right wing plates 41, thereby causing the document 1 to come in contact with the transparent close-contact plate 11.

In this case, primarily the bound portion of the document 1 comes in close contact with the transparent close-contact plate 11 and secondarily the wing portion of the document 1 comes in close contact with the transparent close-contact plate 11, such that the folding or crumpling of the pages of the document 1 can be prevented.

On the other hand, the document holder 21 for rigidly holding the document 1 in attachable/detachable manners may be of a general clip shape or embodied in a screw or bolt tightening manner. In case of the document 1 where the cover is relatively thin or the state bound is not rigid, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the document holder 21 includes: a document case 21c opened on the one side thereof, into which the document 1 is inserted; three document fixing bars 21d fixed attachably and detachably on the inner wall on the one side of the document case 21c and thus inserted into first, intermediate and last pages of the document 1 inserted into the document case 21c; a fixing plate 21f installed on the inner wall of the other side of the document case 21c to fix the one end of each of the document fixing bars 21d by means of a spring 21e, through which the document fixing bars 21d are passed; and a document support spring 21g and a support plate for pressing the document 1 in the direction of the document fixing bars 21d with the restoring force thereof.

In order to rigidly fix the document 1 on the document holder 21, therefore, after the spring 21e is disassembled and the fixing plate 21f is separated the document 1 is inserted into the document case 21c, the document fixing bars 21d are inserted into the corresponding first, intermediate and last pages of the document 1, and the spring 21e is re-assembled. In this case, various modifications in the type and shape of the document holder may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 11, the document preparing unit 10 may be constructed in such a manner that the transparent close-contact plate 11 ascends and descends to come in contact with the document 1. To this end, the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 is removed and a transparent close-contact plate ascending and descending part 120 may be installed for ascending and descending the transparent close-contact plate 11.

Under the above construction, in other words, the document preparing unit 10 includes: a document holder 21 for holding the bound portion opened of the document 1; the transparent close-contact plate ascending and descending part 120 for ascending and descending the transparent close-contact plate 11a in the direction of the document 1 held on the document holder 21; a document wing portion ascending and descending part 40 for ascending and descending the both wings opened of the document 1 bound in the direction of the transparent close-contact plate 11; a pages holding part 50 for holding the pages of the document 1 by the sheet and lifting the pages up to a predetermined height or more, when the transparent close-contact plate ascending and descending part 120 is in the ascending position and the document wing portion ascending and descending part 40 is in the descending position; and a pages turning part 60 for turning the pages lifted up to the predetermined height by means of the pages holding part 50 on the opposite side. In this case, the construction of each part is the same as mentioned above, and an explanation of it will be excluded in this detailed description for the sake of brevity.

Various modifications in the shape of the document preparing unit may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

On the other hand, the pages holding part 50, as shown in Fig. 8c, holds the pages of the document 1 by the sheet and lifting the pages up to a predetermined height or more, when the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 and the document wing portion ascending and descending part 40 are all in the descending position. In construction, the pages holding part 50 includes: an absorption pipe 51 for vacuum- absorbing the pages 2 of the document 1 in the stand-by position; a vacuum pressure forming means 52 for forming a vacuum pressure in the interior of the absorption pipe 51; an absorption pipe ascending and descending means 53 for ascending and descending the absorption pipe 51 to and from a predetermined height; an absorption pipe forward and backward moving means 54 for moving forward and backward the absorption pipe 51 to and from a predetermined distance; and the controller 33 for controlling the absorption pipe ascending and descending means 53 and the absorption pipe forward and backward moving means 54 in accordance with the program set previously.

In this case, as shown in Figs. 14a to 14f, since the pages 2 absorbed on the absorption pipe 51 are bent at a predetermined angle as shown in Fig. 14e, for the purpose of preventing several pages from being at the same time absorbed the absorption pipe 51 is provided with an inclined surface having a pages bending angle A, as shown in Fig. 14b, on the absorption hole with which the pages 2 are contacted.

In other words, as shown in Fig. 14a, the absorption pipe 51 ascends over a document bound portion depth tl, irrespective of a document wing portion falling depth t2 and absorbs the pages 2. Then, when the absorption pipe 51 advances in the arrow direction in Fig. 14d, if the two sheets of pages are all absorbed, the pages 2 are bent twice as shown in Fig. 14e when compared with that the pages bending angle A does not exist in Fig. 14c. Therefore, the pages 2 move from the position '1' to the position '2' as shown in Fig. 14f, to which a force Fs is applied, such that the two pages are separated, as shown in Fig. 14d.

On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 14g, even if the absorption pipe 51 does not necessarily form the inclined surface on the absorption hole thereof, it may be provided with an absorption pipe inclining means (which is not shown) for inclining the absorption pipe 51, which can also prevent the two sheets of pages from being absorbed at the same time. In other words, the absorption pipe 51 descends vertically from the position '1' to the position '2' and absorbs the pages 2 of the document 1 in a vacuum manner. Then, the absorption pipe 51 slantly ascends to the position '3' and at the same time the angle of the absorption pipe 51 is inclined, with a result that the pages absorbed are bent primarily and easily separated from the other pages.

Also, as shown in Fig. 14h, instead of the inclined surface, the absorption pipe 51 forms a reentrant surface on the absorption hole thereof, into which the pages 2 absorbed are vacuum-absorbed and closely contacted. As a consequence, while the absorption pipe 51 moves sequentially to the position '1' and further the positions '2' and '3', the pages 2 absorbed are easily separated from the other pages.

Of course, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the shape, the type and the operation of the absorption pipe for easily separating the pages may be variously modified within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 12, the absorption pipe ascending and descending means 53 is provided with a rotating bar 53b connected to the absorption pipe 51, for rotating the absorption pipe 51 upward and downward by the rotation of a motor 53a. The absorption pipe forward and backward moving means 54 has the rotating bar 53b fixed on the one side thereof and a belt 54c bound and rotated on driving and driven pulleys 54b rotating by a motor 54a. In this case, the vacuum pressure forming means 52 may be used with a vacuum pump or various kinds of pneumatic machines and an explanation of it will be excluded in the detailed description for the sake of brevity. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 12, the pages turning part 60, which serves to turn the pages 2 ascending over a predetermined height by the pages holding part 50 on the opposite side, includes: a pages turning bar 61; a belt 64, as a kind of a bar forward and backward moving means for moving the pages turning bar 61 forward and backward, having the pages turning bar 61 fixed on the one side thereof and bound and rotating on driving and driven pulleys 63 rotating by means of a motor 62; a pair of light emitting and receiving sensors 65 for sensing the pages 2 ascending by the pages holding part 50; and the controller 33 for receiving the sensing signal from the light receiving sensor 65 and applying the control signal to the motor 62. In a way, as shown in Fig. 13a, the pages turning bar 61 is composed of only a vertical member 61a which is passed through the pages ascending over the predetermined height by the pages holding part 50 and moves forward and backward to turn the pages 2 on the opposite side. On the other hand, as shown in Figs. 13b to 13d, the pages turning bar 61 is composed of the vertical member 61a and a horizontal member/horizontal members 61b of various shapes, which is/are mounted on the vertical member 61a, for pushing the pages in order to closely contact the pages turned on the opposite side by the vertical member 61a with the pages on the opposite side thereof.

In more detail, as shown in Fig. 13b, the pages turning bar 61 is provided with the plurality of horizontal members 61b protruded vertically and in the rear from the vertical member 61a, each of which is made of an elastic material having a predetermined elasticity upward and downward or installed elastically by means of a separate spring on the vertical member 61a. Otherwise, while rotating upward and downward by virtue of a separate upward and downward rotating means, the horizontal members 61 complete the turning of the pages. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 13c, the horizontal member 61b is connected to the vertical member 61a, thereby forming a long loop, or as shown in Fig. 13d, the horizontal member 61b is integrated with the vertical member 61b, thereby taking a wing shape.

Various modifications in the shape and kind of the pages turning bar may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

In the pages turning operation of the document preparing unit 10, therefore, for the purpose of improving the accuracy of the pages turning operation, as shown in Fig. 15a, the controller 33 of Fig. 12 horizontally moves the absorption pipe 51 to the bound portion of the document 1 and then, vertically descends the absorption pipe 51. At the same time, the controller 33 ascends the document wings portion ascending and descending part 40 from the lower side of the document 1 to the position sensed by the light emitting and receiving sensors 65, such that the wing to be read of the document 1 is placed in the position where the absorption pipe 51 easily absorbs the pages 2. As shown in Fig. 15b, the controller 33 applies the control signal to the motor 53a of the absorption pipe ascending and descending means 53 and the motor 54a of the absorption pipe forward and backward moving means 54, such that the absorption pipe 51 absorbs the pages 2 from the bound portion and slantly ascends at a predetermined inclined angle in the right wing portion direction of the document 1 over a predetermined height.

Next, as shown in Fig. 15c, if the lighting emitting and receiving sensors 65 sense the lifting of the pages 2 and apply the pages lifting sensing signal to the controller 33, the controller 33 applies the control signal to the motor 62 of the pages turning means 60 and rotates the motor 62 in the forward direction, with a result that the pages turning bar 61 moves forward and turns the pages 2 on the opposite side, as shown in Fig. 15d.

Then, as shown in Fig. 15e, the controller 33 applies the control signal to the motor 62 and rotates the motor 62 in the backward direction, with a result that the pages turning bar 61 returns to its original position and is ready for the turning of next pages 2.

On the other hand, the absorption pipe ascending and descending means 53 and the absorption pipe forward and backward moving means 54 may be constructed in various manners. That is, there is provided a guide member on which an inclined guide surface is formed, as shown in Figs. 16a to 16d, for ascending and descending at an oblique angle the absorption pipe ascending and descending means 53 and the absorption pipe forward and backward moving means 54.

In more detail, as shown in Figs. 16a to 16d, the absorption pipe 52 is fixed on the rotating bar 53b, which is hinge-coupled to the carriage 53c moving forward and backward by the rotation of the pulley 54b by means of the motor 54a. The rotating bar 53b is provided with a guide protrusion 53d which is slidably guided along a guide member 150 on which a guide surface 150a having a predetermined passage is formed. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 16a, when the absorption pipe 52 is in a stand-by position, the guide protrusion 53d is positioned in the stand-by state on the top end of the guide member 150 and if the belt 54c rotates by means of the motor 54a rotating forward under the control signal of the controller 33 and thus the carriage 53c moves forward, as shown in Fig. 16b the rotating bar 53b moves forward and at the same time descends obliquely along the guide surface 150a inclined on the guide member 150 by the gravity thereof. Thereby, as shown in Fig. 16c, the absorption pipe 52 is positioned on the lowermost end thereof and thus, disposed on the bound portion of the document 1. Next, as shown in Fig. 16d, if the belt 54c rotates by means of the motor 54a rotating backward under the control signal of the controller 33 and thus the carriage 53c moves backward, the rotating bar 53b moves backward and at the same time ascends obliquely along the guide surface 150a inclined on the guide member 150, with a consequence that the absorption pipe 52 absorbs and lifts the pages 2 of the document 1 in a vacuum manner. After the turning operation of the corresponding pages, the absorption pipe 52 returns to the state as shown in Fig. 16a and is ready for the next operation.

Therefore, the oblique ascending and descending construction is possible by using only the single motor 54a. In this case, however, the absorption pipe 52 cannot descend vertically from the upper side of the bound portion of the document 1 in order to avoid the interference with the document 1. The vertical descending construction of the absorption pipe is illustrated in another embodiment of the absorption pipe ascending and descending means 53 and the absorption pipe forward and backward moving means 54. That is, as shown in Figs. 17a to 17d, the absorption pipe 52 is fixed on the rotating bar 53b, which is hinge-coupled to the carriage 53c moving forward and backward by the rotation of the pulley 54b by means of the motor 54a, for the purpose of moving the absorption pipe 52 upward and downward in a free manner. The rotating bar 53b is provided with a solenoid locker 160 which is sliding-guided to corresponding to the guide member 150 on which the guide surface 150a having a predetermined passage is formed, and at the same time secures the rotating bar 53b, for the purpose of preventing the absorption pipe 52 from descending while the absorption pipe 52 advances to the upper side of the bound portion of the document 1.

In other words, the solenoid locker 160 is constructed in such a manner that a stopper 162 moves forward and backward by the an electromagnetic force thereof. The technology thereof is well known to those skilled in the art, and an explanation of it will be excluded in the detailed description for the sake of brevity. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 17a, when the absorption pipe 52 is in a stand-by position, the rotating bar 53b is positioned on the top end of the guide member 150 and the solenoid locker 160 is in a locking state under the control signal of the controller 33. The rotating bar 53b is in a stand-by state where it is locked to the solenoid locker 160 and does not descend downward. As shown in Fig. 17b, if the belt 54c rotates by means of the motor 54a rotating forward under the control signal of the controller 33 and thus the carriage 53c moves forward, the rotating bar 53b moves horizontally and is positioned on the upper side of the bound portion of the document 1.

Next, as shown in Fig. 17c, the solenoid locker 160 becomes in an opened state under the control signal of the controller 33 and allows the rotating bar 53b to be free. As a consequence, the rotating bar 53b drops and rotates by the gravity thereof, and thus, the absorption pipe 52 is disposed on the bound portion of the document 1. Then, as shown in Fig. 17d, if the belt 54c rotates by means of the motor 54a rotating backward under the control signal of the controller 33 and thus the carriage 53c moves backward, the rotating bar 53b moves backward and at the same time ascends obliquely along the guide surface 150a inclined on the guide member 150, such that the absorption pipe 52 absorbs and lifts the pages 2 of the document 1 in a vacuum manner.

Next, if the rotating bar 53b returns to the stand-by position, it automatically locks to the solenoid locker 160 and is ready for the next operation in the state as shown in Fig. 17a.

Therefore, with the single motor 54a and the solenoid locker 160, the vertical descending and the oblique ascending and descending construction are possible under the simple control of the controller 33.

In addition to the above construction, the absorption pipe ascending and descending means 53 and the absorption pipe forward and backward means 54 may be constructed in various manners and therefore, various modifications thereof may occur without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

On the other hand, as shown in Figs. 18a and 18b, the document preparing unit of the present invention is further comprised of an air injection part for injecting air into the pages 2 turned by the document holding part and the document turning part, for the purpose of improving the reliability of the pages turning operation. In other words, as shown in Fig. 18a, the air injection part is composed of: an injection nozzle 170 for injecting air into the pages 2 being turned in the direction of lifting the pages 2 turned upon the pages turning operation; an injection nozzle 172 for finely separating the pages moving together before the turning; an injection nozzle 174 as shown in Fig. 18b for injecting air from the upper side of the document 1 to the lower side thereof in the direction of closely contacting the pages 2 turned with the pages previously turned upon the completion of the corresponding pages turning operation; and an air supply line 180 connected to each of the injection nozzles 170 to 174, for selectively supplying the air thereto.

In this case, the air supply line 180 operates with a separate air pump or blower, but is preferably, as discussed above, connected to the absorption pipe 52 and to the vacuum pressure forming means forming the vacuum pressure to the absorption pipe 52 for supplying the air to each of the injection nozzles 170 to 174 by using the pressure of air discharged from the vacuum pressure forming means.

Therefore, the reliability of the pages turning operation can be improved and the error rate of the document preparing unit can be reduced at a minimum, without a separate power. On the other hand, the image recognizing unit 70 of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 1, which is installed on the front side of the document preparing unit 10, serves to photograph the contents on the turned pages closely contacted with the transparent close- contact plate 11 by the document preparing unit 10 with at least one or more video cameras 71 and convert and process the photographed image by the video cameras 71 into a digital data. In construction, the image recognizing unit 70 comprises: a camera part 72 having the camera 71, for converting image as an object into an electrical signal; an image data acquiring part 73 for receiving the electrical signal from the camera part 72 to convert the electrical signal into the digital data; a control part 74 for processing and storing the converted digital data in the image data acquiring part 74 to an available information in accordance with a program previously inputted; and an input/output part 75 for inputting an initial data and program to the control part 74 and outputting the result therefrom. In this case, the camera part 72 may be embodied in various preferred embodiments and has, for example as shown in Fig. 19, one fixed video camera 71 for photographing the whole document 1 contacted and opened on the transparent close-contact plate 11. Otherwise, as shown in Fig. 20a, the camera part 72 has a camera combination 76 having at least one or p (where, p = n x m) cameras where the plurality of cameras 71 are arranged in the matrix of n x m (where n represents the number of horizontal cameras, and m represents the number of vertical cameras) and a camera selector for sequentially selecting any camera of the camera combination 76 and transmitting the electrical signal of the selected camera 71 to the image data acquiring part 73 (By way of example, where n = 2, m = 2 and p = 4) .

At this time, as shown in Fig. 20b, the area to be photographed is divided into n areas horizontally and m areas vertically, that is, total p areas, and each of the cameras 71 of the camera combination 76 serves to photograph correspondingly the p areas to be photographed. And, the area E to be photographed by each camera 71 should include the object area e to be photographed .

Therefore, in the state where the area to be photographed is divided into the plurality of areas, since the plurality of fixed cameras 71 photograph the areas to be photographed, a process for selecting the specific camera should be carried out for the image processing . Namely, the camera selector sequentially selects any camera 71 of the camera combination 76 and transmits the electrical signal of the selected camera 71 to the image data acquiring part 73, in which the photographed image is processed in the digital data. Also, as shown in Fig. 21a, the camera part 72 is composed of a single camera 71 moving n times horizontally over the area to be photographed divided vertically into n, for photographing the area to be photographed and a camera left and right moving means 77 for horizontally moving the camera 71 in a horizontal direction (By way of example, where n = 2) .

At this time, as shown in Fig. 21b, the area to be photographed is divided into n areas and the camera 71 moves n times horizontally over the area to be photographed divided vertically into n areas, for photographing the area to be photographed. At the same time, the area E to be photographed by each camera 71 should include the object area e to be photographed. In this case, the camera left and right moving means 77 may be embodied with all kinds of leading screws or the combination of belt and pulley, various kinds of pneumatic and oil pressure cylinders, or a rack and pinion gear. Therefore, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the technology of the camera left and right moving means may be varied and modified.

Therefore, the camera 71 of the camera part 72 photographs the area to be photographed, while moving intermittently by virtue of the camera left and right moving means 77 and thus, if the camera part 72 transmits the electrical signal of the camera 71 to the image data acquiring part, the image data acquiring part processes the image photographed by the selected camera 71 by the camera selector into the digital data. Also, as shown in Fig. 22, the camera part 72 includes: a single camera 71 for photographing the area to be photographed the total p (where, p = n x m) times, while moving horizontally n times over the area divided into n areas in which the n indicates the number of the areas to be photographed divided vertically and moving vertically m times over the area divided into m areas in which the m indicates the number of the areas to be photographed divided horizontally; a camera forward and backward moving means 78 for horizontally moving the camera 71 in the vertical direction; and a camera left and right moving means 77 for horizontally moving the camera forward and backward moving means 78 in order to horizontally move the camera 71 in the horizontal direction (By way of example, where n = 2, m = 2 and p = 4) .

Therefore, the camera 71 of the camera part 72 photographs the area to be photographed, while moving in every direction intermittently by virtue of the camera forward and backward moving means 78 and the camera left and right moving means 77 and thus, if the camera part 72 transmits the electrical signal of the camera 71 to the image data acquiring part, the image data acquiring part processes the image photographed by the selected camera 71 by the camera selector into the digital data. Of course, the area E to be photographed by each camera 71 should include the object area e to be photographed.

Moreover, as shown in Fig. 23, the camera part 72 comprises: a camera combination 76 having m cameras, where the m indicates the number of the areas to be photographed divided horizontally, arranged vertically and for photographing the area to be photographed, while moving left and right and horizontally moving n times horizontally over the area divided into n areas, in which the n indicates the number of the areas to be photographed divided vertically; a camera left and right moving means 77 for horizontally moving the camera combination 76 in the horizontal direction; and a camera selector for sequentially selecting any camera 71 of the camera combination 76 and transmitting the electrical signal of the selected camera 71 to the image data acquiring part 73 (By way of example, where n = 2, m = 2 and p = 4 ) .

Namely, the camera selector sequentially selects any camera 71 of the camera combination 76 and transmits the electrical signal of the selected camera 71 to the image data acquiring part 73, in which the photographed image is processed in the digital data. Then, the camera 71 of the camera part 72 photographs the area to be photographed, while moving left and right intermittently by virtue of the camera left and right moving means 77 and thus, if the camera part 72 transmits the electrical signal of the camera 71 to the image data acquiring part, the image data acquiring part processes the image photographed by the selected camera 71 by the camera selector into the digital data. At this time, of course, the area E to be photographed by the camera 71 should include the object area e to be photographed.

In this case, the movement of the camera combination formed in a line only in one way is more advantageous than the movement of one camera in both ways. This is because the camera moving in both ways has some disadvantages in that the mechanism of the camera is complicated and the errors of movement are accumulated due to the increment of the number of moving times according to the both-way movement, and contrarily, the camera moving in one way has some advantages in that the movement is more accurate, the system is constructed in a simple manner and the moving speed is improved. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the shape and the camera moving type of the camera combination may be varied and modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

On the other hand, in order for the controller to effectively synthesize each of the divided images photographed by the camera part, as shown in Fig. 24, the area to be photographed is divided into four divided areas to be photographed e, and in case where the four divided and photographed images E by means of four cameras or four times are acquired, the four divided areas to be photographed e and the four divided and photographed images E having no error, if possible, are cut and attached, thereby completing a final synthesized image Q. In fact, however, such the above image synthesizing is very difficult due to for example the internal error, the assembling error and the installation error of the camera and the error of moving equipments, such that as shown in Fig. 25, under a mapping program a photographing correcting plate 4 on which a lattice figure is drawn is photographed by the camera and each coordinate value is inputted on the basis of the photographing correcting plate 4, thereby carrying out the automatic image synthesizing process.

Therefore, a separate setting for the correcting operation with the photographing correcting plate 4 is not required, only if it has been initialized upon the initial assembling of the system.

In other words, as shown in Fig. 26, if four lattice figure edge coordinate values from the four divided and photographed images E where the lattice figure 3 of the photographing correcting plate 4 is photographed are inputted to the controller, the mapping only with two-dimensional movement is achieved in such a manner that only areas of the interior of these coordinate values move respectively in the position and are then synthesized.

Also, as shown in Fig. 27, even in case where the four divided areas to be photographed do not take a rectangular form, that is, even in case where the error occurs due to the rotation, the deformation or twisting, the four lattice figure edge coordinate values from the four divided and photographed images E where the lattice figure 3 of the photographing correcting plate 4 is photographed are inputted to the controller and then, the areas to be photographed in the interior of these coordinate values are converted into the conversion areas e' in the rectangular form. Thereby, the conversion areas e' move respectively in the position and are then synthesized. In a way, the mapping algorithm may be programmed in order to mathematically map an arbitrary square form to the rectangular form, which has been already developed and commonly used. Therefore, an explanation of it will be excluded in this detailed description for the sake of brevity. Therefore, the system can be stably constructed with the initial value set, without rarely having problems caused by the type of camera or the installation error of the camera.

In operation, with the system for automatically photographing the document bound according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a user first draws the document holder 21 as shown in Fig. 1 to the outside and after mounting the document 1 on the document holder 21, inserts the document holder 21 into its original position. Next, the document holder 21 ascends by means of the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 and if the bound portion of the document comes in a close contact with the transparent close-contact plate 11, the wing plate 41 ascends by means of the document wing portion ascending and descending part 40. As a consequence, the wing portion of the document 1 comes in a close contact with the transparent close-contact plate 11, thereby placing the document 1 in the document preparing position. Next, the video camera 71 of the camera part 72 photographs the divided areas to be photographed of the document 1, while being fixed or intermittently moving over the divided areas, and if the electrical signal of each photographed image is transmitted to the image data acquiring part 73, the image data acquiring part 73 synthesizes and processes the signals to transmit the processed result to the controller 74. The controller 74 processes the transmitted result and completes and stores a final image data.

Then, the document holder 21 and the wing plate 41 ascend by means of the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 and the document wing portion ascending and descending part 40, and if the document 1 is in the document stand-by position, the pages 2 are vacuum-absorbed and lifted by the absorption pipe 51 of the pages holding part 50 and thus, turned on the opposite side by means of the pages turning part 60.

Thereafter, the document holder 21 re-ascends by means of the document bound portion ascending and descending part 20 and if the bound portion of the document 1 comes in a close contact with the transparent close-contact plate 11, the wing plate 41 ascends by means of the document wing portion ascending and descending part 40. As a consequence, the wing portion of the document 1 comes in a close contact with the transparent close-contact plate 11. Next, the photographing process of the document 1 is repeatedly carried out until the last pages of the document 1 are photographed.

Therefore, the system of the present invention can provide the following advantages: firstly, the inconvenience of the pages turning operation worked by hand can be completely removed, since the document bound is photographed at a high speed and the image photographed is then processed to the digital data; secondly, the number of persons required for the document photographing operation can be reduced and at the same time the working time can be drastically shortened; and thirdly, the uniformity and reliability of the data processed by the above operation can be improved.

Moreover, the system of the present invention has the following advantages: firstly, since a plurality of fixed or movable video cameras photograph the plurality of divided areas to be photographed, a high resolution of data can be acquired at a relatively low price; and secondly, since the areas to be photographed are photographed at a time with a camera in a fixed state when compared with the conventional approach where the scanning is carried out while moving, a photographing speed can be considerably fast irrespective of the moving speed, thereby reducing the image acquiring time.

Additionally, the system of the present invention has the following advantages: firstly, the close-contact force of the pages can be improved in the pages turning operation; and secondly, the folding or crumpling of the pages of the document can be prevented, thereby improving the stability and quality. On the other hand, there is provided a system for automatically photographing a document bound according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which a plurality of documents bound 1 are mounted at the same time and the document preparing operation and the photographing operation in turn are carried out at a high speed, as shown in Fig. 28. The system of the present invention includes: a plurality of document preparing units 10 arranged in parallel for automatically turning the pages opened of the plurality of documents bound 1 and closely contacting the turned pages with a transparent close-contact plate 11 on which a lighting equipment is installed; an image recognizing unit 70 for moving a plurality of times and photographing the contents on the turned pages closely contacted with the transparent close-contact plate 11 by the plurality of document preparing units 10 with at least one or more movable video cameras 71 and processing and storing the photographed image by the video camera 71 into a digital data by the document; and a control unit 80 for applying a control signal to the plurality of document preparing units 10 and the image recognizing unit 70 to control the plurality of document preparing units 10 and the image recognizing unit 70.

In this case, the plurality of document preparing units 10, for example, three document preparing units 10 are arranged in parallel in a horizontal direction and the image recognizing unit 70 is installed on the upper side of the document preparing units 10. It is preferred that the camera 71 have the camera part 72 movable along a rail 79 traversing all of the document preparing units 10.

Also, there is provided a system for automatically photographing a document bound according to still another embodiment of the present invention, in which the photographing speed can be improved by the movement of a short distance by means of a plurality of scan bars 90, as shown in Fig. 29. The system of the present invention includes: a document preparing unit 10 for automatically turning the pages opened of the document bound 1 and closely contacting the turned pages with a transparent close-contact plate 11 on which a lighting equipment is installed; an image recognizing unit 70 for horizontally dividing the area to be photographed on the pages prepared by the document preparing unit 10 into a plurality of areas, scanning the areas with the plurality of scan bars, and converting and processing the photographed images by the scan bars 90 into a digital data; and a control unit 100 for applying a control signal to the document preparing unit 10 and the image recognizing unit 70 to control the plurality of document preparing units 10 and the image recognizing unit 70.

In this case, as shown in Fig. 30a, the image recognizing unit 70 is composed of the plurality of scan bars 90 and a scanner 92 having a scan bar frame 91 on which the scan bars 90 in parallel to each other are fixed. In the case where the plurality of scan bars 90

(for example, four scan bars) are provided, the area to be photographed is divided into four areas. The distance D of the whole area to be photographed is the distance obtained by subtracting the three times of the distance K where the images are folded from the four times of moving distance L of the scan bar frame. In case of reducing the folded distance K to zero value, the moving distance of the scanner 72 can be reduced to a quarter thereof .

At this time, as shown in Fig. 30b, the area to be photographed E of the scan bars 90 should include the object area e to be photographed.

Desirably, the number of the scan bars is set optimally in consideration of the image synthesizing time increased in proportion to the number of the scan bars increased and the scan bar moving time decreased in inverse proportion to the number of the scan bars increased.

On the other hand, a method for control of the system of the present invention comprises, as shown in Fig. 31, a photographing preparing step SI, a photographing step S2 and an image processing step S3. In other words, the photographing preparing step SI is composed of inputting all kinds of initialization information related to the system into a control unit by using a photographing correcting plate (at step Sll) , mounting the document bound on a document preparing unit (at step S12), automatically recognizing the type of the document to input the recognized result to the control unit (at step S13) , and inputting various kinds of variants related to the photographing in the control unit (at step S14) .

The photographing step S2 is composed of ascending the document mounted on the document preparing unit until it comes in a close contact with a transparent close-contact plate (at step S21) , receiving a control signal from the control unit to photograph the area to be photographed of the document with a camera of an image recognizing unit (at step S22), and if the document descends, turning the pages of the document by the document preparing unit (at step S23) . The image processing step S3 is composed of processing the images of the divided areas photographed with the camera by the image recognizing unit in a digital data (at step S31) , synthesizing the processed divided images by the document recognizing unit (at step S32), and processing the synthesized image to a final synthesized image (at step S33).

At this time, before the image data of all pages of the document is acquired, the photographing step S2 and the image processing step S3 are repeatedly carried out. And, if the image data of all pages of the document is acquired, the control unit stores the image data and informs the user of the completion of the operation via an output device. Then, the user inputs a stand-by command through an input device or replaces the completed document with another document bound and issues a repeated execution command.

At this time, as shown in Fig. 32, in case where the image area to be photographed is divided into a plurality of areas and a plurality of fixed cameras photograph the divided areas, the photographing step S2 comprises the step of: if the document comes in contact with the transparent close-contact plate, referring the environment of the camera combination related to the photographing to the control unit (at step S221); initializing the environment of the camera combination referred to the control unit (at step S222); selecting the camera to photograph the image among the plurality of cameras in the image recognizing unit (at step S223) ; photographing the divided areas to be photographed by the selected camera (at step S224); storing the divided images photographed by the camera (at step S225); preprocessing the stored divided images (at step S226) ; and designating next photographing device until a final photographing for the divided areas is completed (at step S227) .

Also, as shown in Fig. 33, in case where the image area to be photographed is divided into a plurality of areas and a single camera moves intermittently and photographs the divided areas, the photographing step S2 comprises the step of: if the document comes in contact with the transparent close-contact plate, referring the environment of the camera combination related to the photographing to the control unit (at step S221); initializing the environment of the camera combination referred to the control unit (at step S222); moving the camera to a set environment position by the image recognizing unit (at step 223) ; photographing the divided areas to be photographed by the camera (at step S224); storing the divided images photographed by the camera (at step S225) ; pre-processing the stored divided images (at step S226) ; and designating next photographing position until a final moving for the divided areas is completed (at step S227). On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 34, in case where the image area to be photographed is divided into a plurality of areas and a plurality of cameras move intermittently and photograph the divided areas, the photographing step S2 comprises the step of: if the document comes in contact with the transparent close- contact plate, referring the environment of the camera combination and moving equipments related to the photographing to the control unit (at step S221) ; initializing the environment related to the photographing referred to the control unit (at step S222); moving the camera to a set environment position by the image recognizing unit (at step 223); selecting the camera to photograph the image among the plurality of cameras in the image recognizing unit (at step S224); photographing the divided areas to be photographed by the selected camera (at step S225) ; storing the divided images photographed by the camera (at step S226) ; preprocessing the stored divided images (at step S227); designating next camera until a final photographing for the divided areas is completed (at step S228); and designating next photographing position until a final moving for the divided areas is completed (at step S229) .

As can be appreciated from the foregoing description, a system for automatically photographing a document bound and a method for control thereof according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention have the following advantages: a) the number of working persons is reduced; b) the time required for turning the pages is decreased; c) the accuracy of photographing is improved; d) the product having a high resolution performance at a low price is manufactured; and e) a large quantity of documents bound are processed with the help of a fast photographing or scanning speed.

Claims

1 1. A system for automatically photographing a document bound to process image recorded on the document bound to data, said system comprising: a document preparing unit for automatically turning the pages opened of the document bound and closely contacting the turned pages with a transparent close-contact plate on which a lighting equipment is installed; an image recognizing unit for photographing the contents on the turned pages closely contacted with said transparent close-contact plate by said document preparing unit with at least one or more video cameras and converting and processing the photographed image by the video cameras into the data; and a control unit for applying a control signal to said document preparing unit and said image recognizing unit to control said document preparing unit and said image recognizing unit.

2. A system of claim 1, wherein said document preparing unit comprises: a document bound portion ascending and descending part for holding the bound portion of the document opened and ascending and descending the bound portion in the direction of said transparent close-contact plate; a document wing portion ascending and descending part for ascending and descending the both wings opened of the document bound in the direction of said transparent close-contact plate direction; a pages holding part for holding the pages of the document by the sheet and lifting the pages up to a predetermined height or more, when said document bound portion ascending and descending part and said document wing portion ascending and descending part are in the descending position; and a pages turning part for turning the pages lifted up to the predetermined height by means of said pages holding part on the opposite side.

3. A system of claim 2, wherein said document bound portion ascending and descending part comprises: a document holder for holding the bound portion of the document bound; a movable stand for rotatably supporting said document holder to allow said document holder to be rotated horizontally and slidably moving forward and backward between a document change position and a document stand-by position where the document is easily mounted; a guide member for supporting said movable stand and being of a corresponding shape to a rail formed in said movable stand, for guiding the sliding movement of said movable stand; and an ascending and descending means for ascending and descending said guide member to thereby closely contact the bound portion of the document held by said document holder with said transparent close-contact plate .

4. A system of claim 3, wherein said document bound portion ascending and descending part further comprises: an angle automatic adjusting means for varying a horizontal rotating angle of said document holder in accordance with a pressure force by which the document bound comes in a close contact with said transparent close-contact plate and then for fixing the varied horizontal rotating angle of said document holder, such that the inclination of the bound portion of the document bound contacted with said transparent close-contact plate is sequentially varied and fixed in accordance with the number of pages turned.

5. A system of claim 4, wherein said angle automatic adjusting means is comprised of: a rotary loop of a substantially fan-shaped magnetic material formed centering around a rotating axis of said document holder; and a magnet member secured on said guide member on the one side thereof and coming in contact with said rotary loop on the other side thereof.

6. A system of claim 3, wherein said ascending and descending means is comprised of: a carriage for elastically supporting said guide member on the one side thereof, through which a female screw hole is formed; a leading screw forming a male screw of a corresponding shape to said female screw hole of said carriage and passing through said carriage; a fixed base rotatably supporting said leading screw; a pair of belts and a pair of pulleys transmitting the rotary power of a motor to said leading screw; a sensor for sensing whether the bound portion of the document held by said document holder comes in a close contact with said transparent close-contact plate; a limit switch for sensing whether the bound portion of the document held by said document holder is in the document stand-by position where the pages can be turned; and a controller for receiving the position signal of said carriage from said sensor and said limit switch and applying a control signal to said motor, thereby controlling the forward and backward rotation of said motor .

7. A system of claim 2, wherein said document wing portion ascending and descending part is comprised of: left and right wing plates installed on the both sides of said document holder of said document bound portion ascending and descending part for supporting the wing portion of the document; and an ascending and descending means for ascending and descending said left and right wing plates for the purpose of closely contacting the wing portion of the document held on said document holder with said transparent close-contact plate.

8. A system of claim 1, wherein said document preparing unit is comprised of: a document holder for holding the bound portion opened of the document; a transparent close-contact plate ascending and descending part for ascending and descending said transparent close-contact plate in the direction of the document held on said document holder; a document wing portion ascending and descending part for ascending and descending the both wings opened of the document bound in the direction of said transparent close-contact plate; a pages holding part for holding the pages of the document by the sheet and lifting the pages up to a predetermined height or more, when said transparent close-contact plate ascending and descending part is in the ascending position and said document wing portion ascending and descending part is in the descending position; and a pages turning part for turning the pages lifted up to the predetermined height by means of said pages holding part on the opposite side.

9. A system of claim 2, wherein said pages holding part is comprised of: an absorption pipe for vacuum-absorbing the pages of the document in the stand-by position; a vacuum pressure forming means for forming a vacuum pressure in the interior of said absorption pipe; an absorption pipe ascending and descending means for ascending and descending said absorption pipe to and from a predetermined height; an absorption pipe forward and backward moving means for moving forward and backward said absorption pipe to and from a predetermined distance; and a controller for controlling said absorption pipe ascending and descending means and said absorption pipe forward and backward means in accordance with a program set previously.

10. A system of claim 9, wherein said absorption pipe is provided with an inclined surface on the absorption hole thereof on which the pages are contacted, for preventing a plurality of pages from being at the same time absorbed, since the pages absorbed on said absorption pipe are bent at a predetermined angle.

11. A system of claim 9, wherein said controller controls said absorption pipe ascending and descending means and said absorption pipe forward and backward moving means, such that said absorption pipe horizontally advances to the upper side of the bound portion of the document, then vertically descends to absorb the pages of the document on the bound portion of the document, and slidably ascends at a predetermined inclined angle over a predetermined height in the direction of the right wing portion of the document.

12. A system of claim 9, wherein said absorption pipe is installed freely movable upward and downward and has a guide protrusion slidably guided to a guide member on which a guide surface having a predetermined passage is formed.

13. A system of claim 2, wherein said pages turning part is comprised of: a pages turning bar for traversing between the pages ascending over the predetermined height by said pages holding part to turn the pages on the opposite side; a bar forward and backward moving means for moving said pages turning bar forward and backward to allow said pages turning bar to move forward and backward; a pair of light emitting and receiving sensors for sensing the pages ascending by said pages holding part; and said controller for receiving the sensing signal from said light receiving sensor and applying the control signal to said bar forward and backward moving means .

14. A system of claim 2, wherein said document preparing unit further comprises an air injection part for injecting air into the pages turned by said document holding part and said document turning part, for the purpose of improving the reliability of a pages turning operation .

15. A system of claim 1, wherein said image recognizing unit comprises: a camera part having a single camera or a plurality of cameras, for converting image as an object into an electrical signal; an image data acquiring part for receiving the electrical signal from said camera part to convert the electrical signal into a digital data; a control part for processing and storing the converted digital data in said image data acquiring part to an available information in accordance with a program previously inputted; and an input/output part for inputting an initial data and program to said control part and outputting the result therefrom.

16. A system of claim 15, wherein said camera part comprises : a camera combination having at least one or p

(where, p = n x m) cameras where the plurality of cameras are arranged in the matrix of n x m (where, n represents the number of horizontal cameras, and m represents the number of vertical cameras); and a camera selector for sequentially selecting any camera of said camera combination and transmitting the electrical signal of the selected camera to said image data acquiring part.

17. A system of claim 15, wherein said camera part comprises : said single camera moving n times horizontally over the area to be photographed divided vertically into n areas, for photographing the area to be photographed; and a camera left and right moving means for horizontally moving said camera in a horizontal direction.

18. A system of claim 15, wherein said camera part comprises : said single camera for photographing the area to be photographed the total p (where, p = n x m) times, while moving horizontally n times over the area divided into n areas in which the n indicates the number of the area to be photographed divided vertically and moving vertically m times over the area divided into m areas in which the m indicates the number of the area to be photographed divided horizontally; a camera forward and backward moving means for horizontally moving said camera in the vertical direction; and a camera left and right moving means for horizontally moving said camera forward and backward moving means in order to horizontally move said camera in the horizontal direction.

19. A system of claim 15, wherein said camera part comprises : a camera combination having m cameras, where the m indicates the number of the area to be photographed divided horizontally, arranged vertically and for photographing the area to be photographed, while moving left and right and horizontally moving n times horizontally over the area divided into n areas in which the n indicates the number of the area to be photographed divided vertically; a camera left and right moving means for horizontally moving said camera combination in the horizontal direction; and a camera selector for sequentially selecting any camera of said camera combination and transmitting the electrical signal of the selected camera to said image data acquiring part.

20. A system for automatically photographing a document bound to process image recorded on the document bound to data, said system comprising: a plurality of document preparing units arranged in parallel for automatically turning the pages opened of a plurality of documents bound and closely contacting the turned pages with a transparent close-contact plate on which a lighting equipment is installed; an image recognizing unit for moving predetermined times and continuously photographing the contents on the turned pages closely contacted with said transparent close-contact plate by said plurality of document preparing units with at least one or more video cameras movable along a rail and processing and storing the photographed image by the video cameras into data by the document; and a control unit for applying a control signal to said plurality of document preparing units and said image recognizing unit to control said plurality of document preparing units and said image recognizing unit.

21. A system for automatically photographing a document bound to process image recorded on the document bound to data, said system comprising: a document preparing unit for automatically turning the pages opened of the document bound and closely contacting the turned pages with a transparent close-contact plate on which a lighting equipment is installed; an image recognizing unit for horizontally dividing the area to be photographed on the pages prepared by said document preparing unit into a plurality of areas, scanning the plurality of areas divided with a plurality of scan bars, and converting and processing the photographed images by said scan bars into data; and a control unit for applying a control signal to said document preparing unit and said image recognizing unit to control said plurality of document preparing units and said image recognizing unit.

22. A method for control of a system for automatically photographing a document bound to process image recorded on the document bound to data, said system comprising a document preparing unit for automatically turning the pages opened of the document bound and closely contacting the turned pages with a transparent close-contact plate, an image recognizing unit for photographing the contents of the pages with a video camera and converting and processing the photographed image into data, and a control unit for controlling said document preparing unit and said image recognizing unit, said method comprising the steps of: inputting all kinds of initialization information related to the system into said control unit by using a photographing correcting plate, mounting the document bound on said document preparing unit, and inputting various kinds of variants related to the photographing in said control unit; if the document mounted on said document preparing unit comes in a close contact with said transparent close-contact plate, receiving a control signal from said control unit and photographing the contents of the document with the camera of said image recognizing unit and if the document descends, turning the pages of the document by said document preparing unit; and before the image data on all of the pages are acquired, processing the image photographed with the camera by said image recognizing unit in the digital data, processing the digital data into images, and synthesizing the processed images.

23. A control method of claim 22, wherein said photographing step comprises, in case where the image area to be photographed is divided into a plurality of areas and a plurality of fixed cameras photograph the divided areas, the steps of: if the document comes in contact with said transparent close-contact plate, referring the environment of the camera combination related to the photographing to said control unit; initializing the environment of the camera combination referred to said control unit; selecting the camera to photograph the image among said plurality of cameras in said image recognizing unit; photographing the divided areas to be photographed by the selected camera; storing the divided images photographed by the camera; pre-processing the stored divided images; and designating next photographing device until a final photographing for the divided areas is completed.

24. A control method of claim 22, wherein said photographing step comprises, in case where the image area to be photographed is divided into a plurality of areas and a single camera moves intermittently and photographs the divided areas, the step of: if the document comes in contact with said transparent close-contact plate, referring the environment of the camera moving part related to the photographing to said control unit; initializing the environment related to the photographing referred to said control unit; moving the camera to a set environment position by said image recognizing unit; photographing the divided areas to be photographed by the camera; storing the divided images photographed by the camera; pre-processing the stored divided images; and designating next photographing position until a final moving for the divided areas is completed.

25. A control method of claim 22, wherein said photographing step comprises, in case where the image area to be photographed is divided into a plurality of areas and a plurality of cameras move intermittently and photograph the divided areas, the step of: if the document comes in contact with said transparent close-contact plate, referring the environment of the camera combination and moving equipment related to the photographing to said control unit; initializing the environment related to the photographing referred to said control unit; moving the camera to a set environment position by said image recognizing unit; selecting the camera to photograph the image among said plurality of cameras in said image recognizing unit; photographing the divided areas to be photographed by the selected camera; storing the divided images photographed by the camera; pre-processing the stored divided images; designating next camera until a final photographing for the divided areas is completed; and designating next photographing position until a final moving for the divided areas is completed.