Television – Special applications – Film – disc or card scanning
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-19
2003-02-25
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2712)
Television
Special applications
Film, disc or card scanning
C348S222100, C348S223100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06525764
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image read method and apparatus and, more particularly, to an image read method for reading an original image recorded on a recording medium, such as an APS™ (advanced photo system) film, and performing image processes complying with the color of a reference portion of the recording medium, e.g., a film base, and image read apparatus adopting the method.
A film scanner is known as an embodiment of an image processing apparatus for inputting an image recorded on a film to a device, such as a personal computer, which displays the inputted image. A film scanner has been developed for a 135 (35 mm) film. When reading an image, the film scanner first scans an image in a low resolution at high speed, and after the scanned image is displayed by the personal computer (this processing is called “previewing” and the displayed image is called “preview image” hereinafter), an area of the image to be read in a high resolution (main scan area) is designated on the preview image. Then, image data, read in the high resolution, of the image in the designated main scan area is transmitted from the film scanner to the personal computer.
FIG. 30
is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional film scanner
3000
.
In
FIG. 30
, reference numeral
2801
is a light source; and
2802
, a film holder for holding a film as a transparent original image. The film holder
2802
is configured movable in the Y direction. Further, reference numeral
2803
denotes a lens system; and
2804
a CCD linear image sensor (referred to as “CCD” hereinafter), provided in such a manner that the long side of the CCD
2804
is in the Z direction. In this arrangement, the main scanning direction, namely the long-side direction of the CCD
2804
, and the sub-scanning direction, which is the moving direction of the film holder
2802
, are orthogonal. Here, following combinations between the light source
2801
and the CCD
2804
are available for reading a color image. Namely,
Light Source
CCD Type
How to read
(1)
White
3 lines
Output R, G and B signals
simultaneously
(2)
Three colors
1 line
Output R, G and B signals
(R, G, B)
in time division
(3)
White
1 line
Output R, G and B signals
(R, G, B filters)
in time division
The respective combinations have different features and defects, and applications of these combination are often determined by trial and error means. Here, the combination (1) is applied as an example.
Reference numeral
2805
denotes an analog image processing unit where setting of gain and clamping is performed on an analog image signal outputted from the CCD
2804
;
2806
, an analog-digital (A/D) converter for converting an analog image signal into a digital image signal;
2807
, an image processing unit, configured with a gate array, capable of applying various image processes to the digital image signal at high speed and outputting a CCD driving pulse;
2808
, a line buffer for temporarily storing image data;
2809
, an interface (I/F) for communicating with an external device
2810
, such as a personal computer;
2811
, a system controller, storing program for controlling overall operation in the film scanner
3000
, for performing various operation in response to instructions from the external device
2810
;
2812
, a system bus, configured with an address bus and a data bus, for connecting the system controller
2811
, the image processing unit
2807
, the line buffer
2808
, and the I/F
2809
;
2813
, a sub-scanning motor, a stepping motor, for moving the film holder
2802
in the sub-scanning direction;
2814
, a sub-scanning motor driver for driving the sub-scanning motor
2813
in response to instructions from the system controller
2811
;
2815
, a sub-scanning position detector for detecting the reference position of the film holder
2802
in the sub-scanning direction by detecting the position of the protuberant shape (not shown) of the film holder
2802
using a photo-interrupter; and
2816
, a light-source on/off circuit for turning on and off the light source
2801
.
The conventional film scanner
3000
is configured as above, and the film scanner
3000
and the external device
2810
, such as a personal computer, communicates by executing software (called “firmware” hereinafter) stored in the system controller
2811
and software (driver software) for controlling the film scanner
3000
by the external device
2810
, and image data read by the film scanner
3000
is transmitted to the external device
2810
.
FIG. 31
is a flowchart showing an operational sequence of the film scanner
3000
and the external device
2810
. Here, it is assumed that both the film scanner
3000
and the external device
2810
are already turned on, the firmware and the driver software are initiated, and the film is already set at a predetermined position.
First in step S
2901
, previewing is designated by a user through the external device
2810
. Upon designating previewing, the external device
2810
transmits various control information, such as type of film, area to be read, and resolution to be used, to the system controller
2811
. In the previewing processing, the area to be read is an entire image recorded on the film, and the resolution is set low.
Next, the system controller
2811
prepares for the previewing by setting the information provided in step S
2901
from the external device
2810
in step S
2902
. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S
2903
where the system controller
2811
receives information from the sub-scanning position detector
2815
and controls the sub-scanning motor
2813
so that the film holder
2802
is moved to a predetermined initial position (referred to as “sub-scanning initial position” hereinafter).
Then, in step S
2904
, the system controller
2811
issues an instruction to turn on the light source
2801
to the light-source on/off circuit
2816
, thereby the light source
2801
is turned on. In the succeeding step S
2905
, the system controller
2811
issues an instruction to output timing signals, such as a CCD driving pulse for reading one line of an image and a RAM address control signal.
Next in step S
2906
, the image is read line by line by exposing the CCD
2804
for a predetermined period of time while driving the sub-scanning motor
2813
at a predetermined speed. Thereafter, predetermined image processes are performed on the read image data by the image processing unit
2807
, and the image data is transmitted to the external device
2810
.
After finishing scanning of the designated area of the image in step S
2907
, the system controller
2811
drives the sub-scanning motor
2813
so as to move the film holder
2802
back to the sub-scanning initial position, and turns off the light source
2801
. As soon as all the image data is outputted, the system controller
2811
controls to stop respective functions.
Next, in step S
2908
, the system controller
2811
is in stand-by state until a next command is received.
In turn, in step S
2909
, the external device
2810
receives the image data and sequentially displays it on its display screen, thereby providing a preview image to a user.
The process proceeds to step S
2910
where the user sets image read (scanning) conditions while watching the preview image on the display screen. Here, similarly to a case where the previewing was designated in step S
2901
, various information, such as type of the film, area to be read, and resolution to be used, are transmitted to the system controller
2811
. Note, in this case, the information for main scanning operation, namely, area to be read designated by the user, and resolution to be used also designated by the user, and so on, are transmitted to the system controller
2811
.
In turn, the system controller
2811
receives the image read conditions from the external device
2810
and performs the main scanning under the received image read conditions in step S
2911
by repeating the processes in steps S
2902
to S
2908
as described above.
Thereafter, image data which is transmitte
Kondo Kazuyuki
Matsuoka Kazuhiko
Garber Wendy R.
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
Wilson Jacqueline
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