Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Picture signal generator
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-03
2002-06-11
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Picture signal generator
C358S484000, C382S312000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06404515
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus adapted for use in reading images.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 20
shows the arrangement of a film scanner as an example of conventional image reading apparatuses.
Referring to
FIG. 20
, an illuminating light source
2801
is arranged to illuminate a film. A film holder
2802
is arranged to hold the film and to be movable in the direction of an arrow A as viewed in FIG.
20
. Light emitted from the illuminating light source
2801
passes through the film. An image forming lens
2803
is arranged to form an image of the light having passed through the film on a CCD linear image sensor
2804
(hereinafter referred to simply as the CCD).
The CCD
2804
is disposed such that its longitudinal direction coincides with a direction Z shown in FIG.
20
. Accordingly, because of the positional relation between the film holder
2802
and the CCD
2804
, a horizontal scanning direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the CCD
2804
, is perpendicular to a vertical scanning direction, which is the moving direction of the film holder
2802
. In adjusting focus, while the image forming lens
2803
(optical system) is kept stationary, the film holder
2802
holding the film original and a moving mechanism arranged to move the film holder
2802
including a shaft, etc., are moved in the direction of an optical axis (in the direction of an arrow B) by means of a focus adjusting motor (not shown), so that an in-focus state on the film is obtained.
An analog image processing circuit
2805
is arranged to perform gain setting and clamp processing actions on an analog image signal outputted from the CCD
2804
. An A/D converter
2806
is arranged to convert the analog signal into a digital signal. A digital image processing circuit
2807
processes the digital image signal and is provided with a gate array for processing a CCD driving pulse signal, etc. The digital image processing circuit
2807
is thus arranged to be capable of carrying out various processes at a high speed. A line buffer
2808
is arranged to temporarily store image data. An interface part
2809
is provided for communication with an external apparatus
2810
which is, for example, a personal computer or the like.
A system controller
2811
is arranged to store a sequence of actions of the whole film scanner and to cause various actions to be carried out in accordance with commands coming from the external apparatus
2810
. A CPU bus
2812
is arranged to connect the system controller
2811
to the digital image processing circuit
2807
, the line buffer
2808
and the interface part
2809
. The CPU bus
2812
is composed of an address bus and a data bus.
A vertical-scanning motor
2813
is provided for moving the film holder
2802
in the vertical scanning direction, i.e., in the direction of the arrow A. A stepping motor is employed as the vertical-scanning motor
2813
. A vertical-scanning motor driver
2814
is arranged to drive the vertical-scanning motor
2813
according to an instruction coming from the system controller
2811
. A vertical-scanning position detecting part
2815
is arranged to detect the datum position of the vertical scanning by detecting a projection of the film holder
2802
by means of a photo-interrupter. A light source lighting circuit
2816
is arranged to turn on the illuminating light source
2801
.
In the arrangement described above, the film scanner is arranged to output image data to the external apparatus
2810
through the communication of a software included in the system controller
2811
(hereinafter referred to as the firmware) with a software for operating the film scanner from the external apparatus
2810
such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as the driver software).
The procedures for operating the film scanner are next briefly described with reference to
FIG. 21
which is a flow chart. The power supplies of the film scanner and the external apparatus
2810
are assumed to be turned on to start the firmware and the driver software, and a film is assumed to be inserted in a predetermined position by a user under this condition.
At a step S
2901
, when the user operates the external apparatus
2810
to give an instruction for preview, the external apparatus
2810
communicates through the driver software with the firmware of the film scanner to send to the film scanner designated information about the kind of film, the reading range (a whole image plane, in this instance) and the reading resolution (low resolution, in this instance). At a step S
2902
, upon receipt of the designated information, the firmware makes electrical preparation by setting, as designated, information relative to the kind of the film, the reading range and the reading resolution.
At a step S
2903
, the system controller
2811
reads information from the vertical-scanning position detecting part
2815
and controls the vertical-scanning motor
2813
to move the film to an initial position. At a step S
2904
, the light source lighting circuit
2816
is instructed to turn on the light source
2801
. At a step S
2905
, the system controller
2811
outputs an instruction for output of timing pulses relative to reading one line, such as pulses for driving the CCD and controlling the address of a RAM.
At a step S
2906
, the vertical-scanning motor
2813
is driven at a predetermined speed. The digital image processing circuit
2807
is caused to perform an AE (automatic exposure) process on the basis of a signal obtained from the CCD
2804
in such a way as to set an apposite brightness. After the AE process, the vertical-scanning motor
2813
is driven to bring the film back to its datum position. The vertical-scanning motor
2813
is again driven to move the film approximately to its middle position and is then brought to a stop.
A focus adjusting action is next performed by moving the film holder
2802
in the direction of the optical axis. The digital image processing circuit
2807
is caused to sample a high-frequency component of each of signals outputted from all the picture elements of the CCD
2804
. The film holder
2802
is fixed in a position where a peak value of the high-frequency component is obtained by the sampling process. Then, the vertical-scanning motor
2813
is again driven to bring the film back to the datum position. The timing pulses related to one line reading are outputted. The image data is read for each line at a predetermined exposure time. After that, the digital image processing circuit
2807
is caused to perform its image processing action. Image data thus obtained is sent to the external apparatus
2810
.
At the next step S
2907
, upon completion of scanning the image reading area or range (the whole image plane, in this case), the system controller
2811
causes the vertical-scanning motor
2813
to bring the film back to the initial position. Then, the light source
2801
is put out. Each of the functions is brought to a stop as soon as all image data are outputted. At a step S
2908
, the firmware of the system controller
2811
enters a routine of waiting for the next command. At a step S
2909
, the image data is received by the external apparatus
2810
. The external apparatus
2810
then provides the user with a whole image of the film by serially displaying images received.
At a step
82910
, the user observes the image data provided for preview and further sets conditions for taking images as desired. The user then gives an instruction for main scanning on the basis of the image capturing conditions thus set. Then, like at the above-stated step S
2901
, the driver software of the external apparatus
2810
sends the designated information about the kind of the film, the reading area, i.e., a reading range designated by the user, and the reading resolution, i.e., a reading resolution designated by the user, to the firmware of the film scanner. At a step S
2911
, upon receipt of the information on the reading conditions from the extern
Ishino Toshiki
Onda Yoshinari
Canon Kubushiki Kaisha
Grant II Jerome
Robin Blecker & Daley
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