Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Facsimile measuring – testing – or calibrating
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-22
2001-01-16
Coles, Edward L. (Department: 2722)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Facsimile measuring, testing, or calibrating
C358S001100, C358S448000, C358S504000, C399S072000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175428
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a deviation correcting system and process for detecting scanning deviation during operation of scanners and, more particularly, to a process and system for correcting deviation during scanning in a scanner being operated in a multi-tasking system, by controlling the number of slices to correct deviation of scanned data.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Multimedia systems that are driven to present combinations of moving and still pictures, sound, music and words, are pervasive in the industrialized world, especially in computers or in other entertainment appliances. Concurrent with the development of a multimedia computer systems, peripheral equipment including image formation equipment such as printers, have been incrementally modified to provide various functions. A multi-tasking system, employing an ink-jet mechanism and serving as a facsimile and scanner, will typically be coupled to an external personal computer that performs a user-selected program and generates print data. The multi-tasking system will typically either receive data from the personal computer or scan data printed on the exposed surface of one or more documents. Conventional multi-tasking systems include a scanner such as a laser flatbed or sheetfed scanner, for reading information borne by a document by scanning the document. With a sheetfed laser scanner, the scanner remains in a fixed state while the document bearing the information is moved in a vertical direction during laser scanning of its exposed surface. With a flatbed laser scanner, a laser beam is swept across a flat plate by the scanner modulated by video signals from a similar reading system or by digital signals generated by a computer.
Exemplars of recent efforts in the art include U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,337 to Mamberer et al., entitled Zonal Ink Distribution Measuring Method And System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,413 to Ferris et al., entitled Machine-Interpretable Figural Response Testing, U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,663 to Earl et al., entitled Image Processing System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,774 to Kikuchi, entitled Testing Device For Electrophotographic Imaging Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,543 to Yoshida, entitled Digital Data Reader Of Digital Data Recording Sheet, U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,165 to Rushing et al., entitled Scanner As Test Print Densitometer For Compensating Overall Process Drift And Nonuniformity, U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,409 to Yeh et al., entitled Image Shifting System For Use In A Document Processing System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,105 to Katayama et al., entitled Method Of And Apparatus For Recording On And Reproducing From Disk-Type Recording Medium Having Recording Tracks With Sectors Each Having An ID Area And A Data Area, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,658 to Gerety, entitled Method Of Aligning One Dimensional Or Two Dimensional Codes To Printer Pixels.
The size of the multi-tasking system is increased by the addition of a sheetfed laser scanner. With the sheetfed laser scanners in common use, the scanning speed drops during continuous scanning. There have been proposals in the art for a shuttle scanner module. That is, the shuttle scanner module is mounted on one side of an ink-jet print head for an ink-jet printer, thus reducing the overall size of the multi-tasking system. The shuttle scanner module scans the document containing the information by dividing the text borne by the document into given bands in an effort to enhance the scanning speed. For an A
4
size document for example, the shuttle scanner module divides the document into twenty-four bands for scanning. When the multi-tasking system that uses a shuttle scanner module divides the information borne by the document into predetermined bands, the image data is segregated into discrete blocks. We have noticed that the occurrence of discontinuities in the blocked image data deteriorates the print quality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a improve image formation process apparatus.
It is another object to provide a process and deviation correcting system able to correct deviations in image data read during scanning of the text of a document by a scanner incorporated into a multi-tasking system.
It is still another object to provide a process and apparatus able to compensate for the affects of deviations occurring during scanning of the text of a document by the expedient of controlling the number of slices to correct deviation of scanned data.
It is yet another object to provide a process and apparatus to correct deviations in an image deviation that may be caused when vertical scanning data is divided by bands while using a shuttle scanner module, according to the principles of the present invention, the data being shifted in block to the right or left in order to remove the non-uniformity, thus assuring the best possible print quality. The present invention is directed to a deviation correcting system for a scanner that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a multi-tasking system able to scan data borne by a document through a shuttle scanner module mounted on the multi-tasking system, and to remove any discontinuity in the data blocked by bands through the expedient of shifting to right or left, thus achieving smoothly printed data.
These and other objects may be attained with a process and apparatus to correct deviations in images that may be caused when vertical scanning data is divided by bands while using a shuttle scanner module. According to the principles of the present invention the data is shifted in block to the right or left in order to remove the non-uniformity, thus assuring the best possible print quality.
To achieve these and other advantages in accordance with the principles of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention provides a deviation correcting system for a scanner including a central processing unit producing a control signal for reading a correction program stored to correct scanning deviations, generate a test pattern, print the test pattern, scan the printed test pattern, and correct scanning deviations attributable to the scanning. A print driver produces a control signal for printing the test pattern produced from the central processing unit and feeding the test pattern back to a scanning position. A printing unit prints the test pattern and then feeds the test pattern back to the scanning position upon application of the control signal from the print driver. An image processing unit producing a control signal for scanning the test pattern upon application of the control signal from the central processing unit, and a shuttle scanner module scans the test pattern and produces image data upon application of the control signal from the image processing unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a process and apparatus for correcting deviation created by a scanner includes the steps of printing a test pattern, scanning the printed test pattern, calculating a deviation degree in the scanned test pattern, establishing a direction of deviation when the deviation degree of the scanned test pattern is determined (e.g., as by approximation, gauge, measurement or calculation), and correcting the scanning deviation in response to a result of the direction of deviation.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4384337 (1983-05-01), Mamberer et al.
patent: 5011413 (1991-04-01), Ferris et al.
patent: 5144448 (1992-09-01), Hornbaker, III et al.
patent: 5231663 (1993-07-01), Earl et al.
patent: 5270774 (1993-12-01), Kikuchi
patent: 5408543 (1995-04-01), Yoshida
patent: 5500746 (1996-03-01), Aida
patent: 5546165 (1996-08-01), Rushing et al.
patent: 5706409 (1998
Kim Hae-Chul
On Jae-Gyoung
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Coles Edward L.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Wallerson Mark
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