Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – Identifying – composing – or selecting
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-17
2002-12-10
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
Identifying, composing, or selecting
C355S018000, C355S040000, C358S302000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06493061
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus, and particularly to an image reading apparatus in which light transmitted from a transmitting original recording medium is imaged on a solid imaging element in an imaging optical system, so as to read the information from the original.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there are color image scanners, color photocopiers, and the like, as image reading apparatus for converting image information from original documents and the like into electric signals and importing this into a computer.
FIG. 23
is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a conventional image reading apparatus. This image reading apparatus is an apparatus with a 2-to-1 scanning optical system which irradiates light onto an original document recorded on a non-transparent sheet, and processes the light reflected from the sheet, i.e., reads a reflecting original. A 2-to-1 scanning optical system means an optical system in which part of the scanning optical system operates at ½ the scanning speed in the sub-scanning direction, as described later.
As shown in
FIG. 23
, a reflecting original
103
placed on an original table glass
100
is illuminated by direct light flux from a reflecting original illuminating lamp
101
and by reflected light flux from a reflecting shade
102
, and the reflected light from the reflecting original
103
is sent to a CCD
107
via a mirror
104
, roof mirror
105
, and imaging lens
106
, where multiple unit solid imaging elements arrayed in line fashion to form the CCD
107
convert the reflected light into electrical signals, thereby forming the image in the main scanning direction.
Also, regarding image forming in the sub-scanning direction, the reflecting original illuminating lamp
101
, reflecting shade
102
, and mirror
104
are mechanically moved in the sub-scanning direction at a predetermined scanning speed relative to the reflecting original
103
, and further the roof mirror
105
follows in the same direction at ½ of the predetermined scanning speed, keeping the length of the optical path from the reflecting original
103
to the CCD
107
(i.e., the conjugated relation) constant, thereby forming a two-dimensional image as a total when combined with the main scanning.
Also, particularly for color reading, the 3-line color image reading method is generally known, wherein a lamp having white spectral properties is used for the reflecting original illuminating lamp
101
, and a 3-line type CCD having filters for each of the colors of RGB is used for the CCD
107
, so as to simultaneously read the image information for each of the colors of RGB with a single scan on an image processing circuit, and the signals for each of the colors of RGB on the same line are overlaid to form a color image. A light source switchover color image reading method uses three lamps having the spectral distribution of each of the colors of R, G, and B, and a 1-line CCD having sensitivity over the entire white area.
It is also possible to transmit original reading system for positives, negatives, and the like, by adding a simple configuration to such image reading apparatuses.
FIG. 24
is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration in an image reading apparatus for reading transmitting originals. This image reading apparatus also is a 2-to-1 scanning optical system. Note that the configuration of the image reading apparatus shown in
FIG. 24
is the same as the configuration of the image reading apparatus shown in
FIG. 23
, so the same components will be denoted with the same reference numerals.
As shown in
FIG. 24
, the transmitting original
108
such as a positive or a negative placed on the original table glass
100
is illuminated with a transmitting original illuminating lamp
110
via a scattering plate
109
provided above, and a main scanning direction image is formed in the same manner with the transmitted light from the transmitting original
108
with the same process as that of the image recording apparatus shown in
FIG. 23
, i.e., by converting into electrical signals at the CCD
107
via the mirror
104
, roof mirror
105
, and imaging lens
106
. Also regarding the image forming in the sub-scanning direction here, the transmitting original illuminating lamp
110
and mirror
104
are mechanically moved in the sub-scanning direction relative to the transmitting original
108
while maintaining the same speed and same phase, and further in the same manner as with the reflecting original, the roof mirror
105
follows in the same direction at ½ of the scanning speed, keeping the length of the optical path from the transmitting original
108
to the CCD
107
(i.e., the conjugated relation) at a constant, thereby forming a two-dimensional image as a total when combined with the main scanning.
Also, image reading apparatuses with integrated optical systems which is a different method from the above-described 2-to-1 scanning optical system, are also known.
FIG. 25
is a diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of a conventional integrated optical system image reading apparatus that reads reflecting originals. Note that the configuration of the image reading apparatus shown in
FIG. 25
is basically the same as the configuration of the image reading apparatus shown in
FIG. 23
, so the same components will be denoted with the same reference numerals.
A reflecting original illuminating lamp
101
, reflecting shade
102
, mirrors
104
a,
104
b,
104
c,
imaging lens
106
, and CCD
107
are positioned within an optical unit
111
, and the optical unit
111
itself moves with respect to the reflecting original
103
.
FIG. 26
is a diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of a conventional integrated optical system image reading apparatus which reads transmitting originals. Note that the configuration of the image reading apparatus shown in
FIG. 26
is basically the same as the configuration of the image reading apparatus shown in
FIGS. 24 and 25
, so the same components will be denoted with the same reference numerals. Further, the operation of the image reading apparatus shown in
FIG. 26
is the same as the operation of the image reading apparatus shown in
FIG. 25
, so description thereof will be omitted.
The image reading by these integrated optical system image reading apparatuses is similar to a 2-to-1 scanning optical system, but with the transmitting original reading for example, as shown in
FIG. 26
, the transmitting original
108
such as a positive or a negative placed on the original table glass
100
is illuminated with a transmitting original illuminating lamp
110
via a scattering plate
109
provided above, and a main scanning direction image is formed by guiding the transmitted light from the transmitting original
108
to the integrated optical system. Also with respect to the image forming in the sub-scanning direction, the transmitting original illuminating lamp
110
and optical unit
111
are mechanically moved in the sub-scanning direction relative to the transmitting original
108
while maintaining the same speed and same phase, thereby forming a two-dimensional image as a total when combined with the main scanning.
Now, with the above 2-to-1 scanning optical system and integrated optical system transmitting original image reading apparatuses, two apparatuses are known for detecting foreign matter such as dust existing on the transmitting original or damage to the film surface such as scratches (this detection hereafter will be referred to as “foreign matter/scratch detection”), and removing the effects of the foreign matter and scratches by image processing from the read image. The following is a description of the foreign matter/scratch detection functions.
FIG. 27
is a diagram illustrating a first foreign matter/scratch detecting apparatus. This apparatus is particular a 2-to-1 scanning optical system, and basically has the same configuration as the image processing appara
Arita Shinichi
Hayashide Tadao
Kondo Kazuyuki
Adams Russell
Nguyen Hung Henry
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