Image analysis – Image sensing – Multiple scanning
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-15
2001-10-09
Mancuso, Joseph (Department: 2721)
Image analysis
Image sensing
Multiple scanning
C348S110000, C348S096000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06301398
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing document information. More particularly, the invention relates to an image processing method and system for converting light passing media into enhanced digital documents.
BACKGROUND ART
For decades, in this and in foreign countries, virtually countless numbers of documents have been stored in media such as microfilm and microfiche. As an example, in the case of US census data, hundreds of millions of alphanumeric characters have been stored, in Hollerith code, in punch cards, or aperture cards. In general, these information storage techniques have represented cost-effective and convenient processes for archivng and distributing information.
As a result, storage of information on microfiche became widely popular and utilized by many organizations. Presently, one can find valuable and useful information stored on microfiche, for example, in commercial enterprises, law enforcement organizations and universities. It has been estimated that the number of documents stored on microfiche in the insurance industry alone is counted in the trillions. While the value of information stored on microfiche is recognized, recovering information from storage and rendering it usable by modern microfiche processing apparatus are frequently arduous, time consuming and labor intensive tasks.
Image scanners are often used for scanning and converting microfiche images into digital format However, conventional systems for accomplishing these task are complex and evasive. In this regard, reference may be made to U.S. pat. No. 5,845,018 titled “Method and Apparatus for Transferring Multiple Scanned Images from a First Medium to a Second Medium”. While the invention therein disclosed has some utility and, indeed, attempts to simplify microfiche to digital document conversion, the apparatus itself is cumbersome and expensive. Further, operation of the apparatus is expensive since as many as one in every eight bits of high resolution data is supplied to a quality assurance station where a trained user determines if re-scanning is necessary. Clearly, it is desirable to have a relatively inexpensive microfiche processing apparatus that can be operated efficiently, without requiring skied employees to supervise system operations.
The situation is complicated further by the nature of typical microfiche media in which nonuniform images may be cropped, overlapped, skewed or distorted. They may have ragged or unclear borders. In such cases, conventional scanners have difficulty in locating the image to be scanned or determining the boundaries or edges of the image, especially in cases where the image is skewed For example, a conventional scanner may interpret a scratch on the microfiche as an image edge or boundary. Of course, such errors limit unattended operation of the scanner and when automatic scanner function fails, operator supervision and control become necessary, with concomitant increases in operating costs.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that a need exists for a microfiche processing apparatus and method that produce superior digitized images from microfiche documents at high speeds and at substantially lower cost in comparison with conventional techniques. Desirably, such a system would itself be low in cost and capable of efficient, effective and unattended operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided an unattended microfiche processing apparatus and method that includes an unattended low resolution wide area prescanning station and an unattended high resolution line scanning station. The low resolution station automatically locates and identifies the active image areas and borders on individual ones of a plurality of light passing documents, generating active image area signals indicative of the location of the identified active image areas. The unattended high resolution line scanning station includes a high resolution line scanner and scanner positioning system that responds to individual ones of the active image area signals by positioning and focusing the high resolution line scanner on only the active image areas of the light passing documents and then capturing and converting each scanned document image into a corresponding enhanced digital information signal that is indicative of the image information carried on the scanned document
The techniques of processing microfiche images of the present invention are broadly versatile in their capability of scanning and converting a variety of media. Thus, by means of the present invention, it is possible efficiently to process microfiche and aperture cards, known generally as “cut-media”. In addition, by incorporation of an interchangeable spooled-media transport module, discussed more fully below, the apparatus is capable of processing rollfilm.
The microfiche processing apparatus and methods of the present invention afford several advantages. For example, the apparatus provides, in an effective and efficient manner, techniques for digitization of all popular microfilm formats on 16/35 mm rollfilm, microfiche and aperture cards. Further, because it is comprised of readily available components, the apparatus is inexpensive to construct and to operate.
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Kimball Glenn S.
Niczyporuk Marek A.
Cyberecord, Inc.
Kassa Yosef
Mancuso Joseph
Waters William Patrick
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