Image analysis – Image sensing
Reexamination Certificate
1996-05-21
2001-12-25
Couso, Jose L. (Department: 2624)
Image analysis
Image sensing
C382S321000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06334002
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an image reader apparatus for optically reading an image of an object and, more particularly to an image reader apparatus for reading an object image line by line by means of a line sensor in accordance with a command from an external apparatus such as a computer and successively transferring read line data of the image to the external apparatus.
A known image reader apparatus of this type reads an image on a sheet-like medium such as a film image by means of a CCD line sensor. This apparatus operates as follows. The object such as a film is moved by a specified distance corresponding to the width of one line readable by the CCD line sensor. The CCD line sensor reads the image line by line in accordance with an amount of light transmitted through the medium and incident thereupon. A specified processing is applied to image signals each representing one line of image read by the CCD line sensor, and the thus obtained image data are successively transferred to a computer.
In the above prior art apparatus, such image is read by repeatedly moving the medium, after one line of image is read and transferred, to read and transfer a next line of image. Accordingly, it disadvantageously takes a long time to complete the entire reading of an image on a sheet-like medium.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image reader apparatus which has overcome the problems residing in the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image reader apparatus which can read an object image in a shorter time.
The present invention is directed to an image reader apparatus comprising: an image pickup device which is controllably exposed to an object to produce an image signal of the object; a mover which moves the object and the image pickup device relative to each other; a storage operable to store an image signal; a writing device which is operable to write an image signal in the storage; a reading device which is operable to read an image signal from the storage; a discriminator which discriminates whether one of the writing device and the reading device is in operation; and a controller which controls the exposure of the image pickup device in accordance with a result of the discriminator.
The object may be intermittently moved relative to the image pickup device at a specified interval. The image pickup device may be preferably exposed after an intermittent relative movement is completed.
It may be appreciated that the controller allows the image pickup device to be exposed after an intermittent relative movement is completed when the discriminator discriminates that one of the writing device and the reading device is not in operation, and after one of the writing and the reading is completed when the discriminator discriminates that one of the writing device and the reading device is in operation.
The writing device may be made to write an image signal in the storage during an intermittent relative movement. The object may be film. The image pickup device may be provided with a line sensor.
Also, the present invention is directed to an image reader device comprising: an image pickup device which is controllably exposed to an object to produce an image signal of the object; a mover which moves the object and the image pickup device relative to each other; a storage operable to store an image signal; a writing device which is operable to write an image signal in the storage; a reading device which is operable to read an image signal from the storage; a detector which detects the operation state of the reading device; and a controller which allows an exposure of the image pickup device when the reading device is detected to be in the reading operation, and allows the writing device to write an image signal produced in the exposure in the storage after the reading device is detected to complete the reading operation.
The writing device may be made to write an image signal produced in an exposure executed after a reading operation of the reading device is completed.
Further, the present invention is directed to a method for reading an image of an object by use of an image reader apparatus including an image pickup device, a storage, a writing device, and a reading device, comprising the steps: exposing the image pickup device to the object to produce an image signal of the object; writing an image signal in the storage; reading an image signal from the storage; moving the object and the image pickup device relative to each other; detecting the operation state of the writing device and the reading device after the relative movement is completed; and controlling the exposure of the image pickup device in accordance with the operation state of the reading or writing device.
Furthermore, the present invention is directed to an image reader apparatus comprising: an image pickup device which is controllably exposed to an object to produce an image signal of the object; a mover which moves the object and the image pickup device relative to each other; a storage operable to store an image signal; a writing device which is operable to write an image signal in the storage; a reading device which is operable to read an image signal from the storage; a discriminator which discriminates whether a relative movement is executed between the object and the image pickup device; and a controller which controls at least one of the writing and reading devices to perform at least one of writing and reading of image signal during a relative movement.
Furthermore, the present invention is directed to an image reader device comprising: an image pickup device which is controllably exposed to an object to produce an image signal of the object; a mover which moves the object and the image pickup device relative to each other; a storage operable to store an image signal; a writing device which is operable to write an image signal in the storage; a reading device which is operable to read an image signal from the storage; a discriminator which discriminates whether a relative movement is executed between the object and the image pickup device; and a detector which detects the operation state of the reading device; a first controller which controls at least one of the writing and reading devices to perform at least one of writing and reading of image signal during a relative movement; and a second controller which controls the image pickup device to be exposed to the object when the reading device is detected to be in the reading operation.
Moreover, the present invention is directed to a method for reading an image of an object by use of an image reader apparatus including an image pickup device, a storage, a writing device, and a reading device, comprising the steps: exposing the image pickup device to the object to produce an image signal of the object; moving the object and the image pickup device relative to each other; and performing writing or reading of an image signal in or from the storage during a relative movement.
According to the present invention, it is discriminated whether one of the writing device and the reading device is in operation. The exposure of the image pickup device is controlled in accordance with a result of the discriminator. Also, at least one of writing and reading of an image signal is performed during a relative movement of the object and the image pickup device. Accordingly, the entire object image can be read in a shorter time.
In the case that the image pickup device is exposed after an intermittent relative movement is completed or the writing and the reading is completed, an accurate object image reading can be reliably carried out.
Also, in the case that the image pickup device is exposed when the reading device is executing the reading operation and an image signal is written after the reading operation is completed, the reading of an entire object image can be carried out in more shorter time.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will
Aoi Takeshi
Hashimoto Nobuo
Ishii Toru
Nakamura Kenji
Ogoshi Takeshi
Burns Doane , Swecker, Mathis LLP
Couso Jose L.
Do Anh Hong
Minolta Co. , Ltd.
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