Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Picture signal generator
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-29
2001-03-13
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2724)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Picture signal generator
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201618
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading device in which an image, recorded in a film, for example, is irradiated with a light beam and the image is read using a line sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known an image reading device in which a film is intermittently moved along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of a line sensor, so that an image is read line by line. Namely, while the film is stopped, a light beam outputted from a light source illuminates the film, so that one line image is sensed by the line sensor. After this sensing operation, the film is moved by a predetermined amount by a moving mechanism. The sensing operation and the movement are repeatedly carried out, so that one frame image is read.
In such a reading operation, i.e. a scanning operation, first, the image is scanned with a coarse pitch, so that an exposure measurement is carried out based on image data obtained by this coarse pitch scanning operation, to obtain an optimum exposure time and a color correction coefficient. The optimum exposure time is the ideal period for which electric charges should be accumulated in the line sensor, and the color correction coefficient is used for obtaining a color image having an optimum color balance when the image is reproduced.
In the exposure measurement, the image is coarsely scanned with a uniform pitch over the whole image. Namely, the whole of the image is treated uniformly in order to calculate the optimum exposure time and the color correction coefficient. However, in an image in which a high luminance object is recorded at the center portion thereof, for example, since the optimum exposure time and the color correction coefficient are not calculated with emphases on the object, the object image may not be reproduced with a luminance and color which are desired by the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading device by which an exposure measurement can be performed with putting emphases on a part of an image recorded in a film.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image reading device comprising an optical sensor and a scan control processor. The optical sensor reads an image recorded in a film, which has a first part and a second part. The scan control processor intermittently moves at least one of the optical sensor and the film with a predetermined reading pitch, so that the optical sensor scans the image. The scan control processor is operable in a first reading mode in which the image recorded in the first part is read with a first reading pitch, which is finer than a second reading pitch with which the image recorded in the second part is read.
Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an image reading device comprising an optical sensor, a scan control processor and a pixel control processor. The optical sensor reads an image recorded in a film and outputs image data including pixel signals. The film has a first part and a second part. The scan control processor moves at least one of the optical sensor and the film, so that the optical sensor scans the image. The pixel control processor controls a number of the pixel signals outputted from the optical sensor, when the optical sensor scans the image, and is operable in a first reading mode in which the pixel signals of the first part are outputted with a first pixel pitch, which is finer than a second pixel pitch with which the pixel signals of the second part are outputted.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4847689 (1989-07-01), Yamamoto
patent: 5182576 (1993-01-01), Miwa
patent: 5544258 (1996-08-01), Levien
patent: 5684601 (1997-11-01), Endo
patent: 5742704 (1998-04-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5768444 (1998-06-01), Nishimura
patent: 5781314 (1998-07-01), Mochizuki
patent: 5812695 (1998-09-01), Dawe
patent: 5936748 (1999-08-01), Yamamoto
patent: 5946109 (1999-08-01), Abe
patent: 6057937 (2000-05-01), Shimizu
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Grant II Jerome
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
LandOfFree
Image reading device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image reading device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image reading device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2477264