Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – Focus or magnification control
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-10
2002-10-15
Mathews, Alan A. (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
Focus or magnification control
C355S040000, C355S044000, C355S059000, C358S449000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06466302
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to document scanning systems, and more particularly to a scanning system that includes document previewing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Copying or scanning a document on a copy or scanning system typically involves placing a document (either manually or automatically) in contact with an image capture surface. Because most copy machines and scanners accommodate different size documents, the image capture surface is usually larger than a typical 8.5 inch×11 inch (215.9 mm×279.4 mm) piece of paper. As a result of the large image capture surface, documents can be placed on the image capture surface in positions that do not correspond to the particular location required for copying or scanning, which will be referred to herein as the “image area.” Documents located in the wrong position on the image capture surface result in unacceptable images that are usually discarded, wasting time and resources.
Properly locating a document on an image capture surface is further complicated when features such as magnification or reduction are utilized. When magnification or reduction features are utilized, it is difficult to determine exactly how the document fits within the actual image area, and it is difficult to determine how images on the document will appear.
In order to determine the appearance of an image before a scanned image or a copy is actually generated, it would be advantageous to have a system that enables document previewing. In conventional photo-copiers, document copying is accomplished by illuminating a document and then directing reflected light from the document onto a photosensitive belt or platen. Changes in electrical charge on the photosensitive belt or platen are then utilized to transfer toner to a new piece of paper. While conventional copiers work well for their intended purpose, they do not include sensing hardware that can be easily utilized for document previewing.
In addition to conventional copiers, systems have been developed that utilize electronic imaging techniques to copy images from documents. Systems utilizing electronic imaging have been equipped with document previewing capability. Known copy systems with document previewing capabilities are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,524, entitled “Electronic Imaging Copier,” issued to Norris et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,525, entitled “Electronic Imaging Copier,” issued to Norris. Both copiers of Norris utilize a photo responsive device such as a linear charged coupled device (CCD) array to capture an electronic image of the target document. The scanned, electronic image is utilized to print a copy of the target document. The electronic image is captured by passing the linear CCD array by the document in a line-by-line manner.
Previewing a document with the Norris copiers involves scanning the document with a linear CCD array to create electronic image data and then displaying the electronic image data on a display device. The Norris copiers utilize the same scanning hardware for document previewing as is used for document copying. While the previewing feature of Norris works well for its intended purpose, previewing a document utilizing the same scanning hardware as is used for document copying requires a line-by-line scan of the document. The mechanical movements required for line-by-line scanning are time consuming and prevent real-time previewing of the target document.
Known preview systems have also been applied in image scanners that are used to create an electronic copy of a document. For example, an image scanner that includes a preview system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,635, entitled “A Scanning System in which a Portion of a Preview Scan Image of a Picture Displaced on a Screen is Selected and a Corresponding Portion of the Picture is Scanned in a Final Scan,” issued to Santos and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In Santos, the scanner can perform either a preview scan or a final scan. The preview scan is simply a lower resolution version of the final scan. Again, the same scanner hardware is utilized to perform the preview scan or the final scan. Whether the scanner is performing a preview scan or a final scan, the scanner hardware must sweep across the document in a line-by-line manner to capture the electronic image data. Although the preview system of Santos works well for its intended purpose, the time required to scan a document limits the ability to provide real-time previewing.
As a result of the drawbacks regarding prior art preview systems, what is needed is a preview system that can display a document located on an image capture surface without utilizing the document reproduction hardware, and what is needed is a preview system that can display a document in real-time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A document scanning system includes a preview sensor that is dedicated to document previewing and distinct from any other sensor that is involved in the document capture process. In one embodiment, the preview sensor is a two-dimensional sensor array that captures the outline of an entire document using parallel processing. The captured document outline is previewed on a display device to determine its position relative to an actual image area that is defined by the scanning system. In an enhanced embodiment of the system, the preview sensor captures an image that is on the document in addition to the outline of the document, so that the image of the document is also previewed relative to the image area. Providing a dedicated preview sensor that captures document position and image data in parallel enables real-time display of a document relative to the image area.
The document scanning system having the document previewing capability includes an image capture surface (i.e., a document scanning surface), a scanner system, a preview system and a display device. The image capture surface is preferably a conventional glass platen, as utilized in conventional photocopy machines and conventional document scanners. The image capture surface is transparent and provides a surface on which the desired document is placed for creating paper or electronic copies. Typically, the image capture surface is integrated with a cover that improves illumination of a document during copying or scanning.
The document scanning system may include a conventional scanner system, or a hybrid copy system that combines document scanning and printing to produce document copies. The conventional scanner system includes a light source and a linear photosensor array. In operation, a document placed on the image capture surface is illuminated and the linear photosensor array is scanned across the document to create an electronic copy of an image. The electronic copy of the image can then be stored in memory, displayed, printed and/or edited. As described above, known previewing techniques utilize a low resolution scan with the linear photosensor array to create a preview image.
The hybrid copy system combines electronic scanning and printing to copy a document. In the hybrid copy system, the document is scanned to create electronic image data. The electronic image data is used to drive a printer, such as a laser printer, to create a copy of the document that is located on the image capture surface.
Regardless of the type of system that is utilized to make document copies, a dedicated preview system is provided that operates in addition to the scanner system. In an embodiment, the preview system is a combination of hardware and software that is independent of the scanner system. The preview system displays, on the display device, the outline of a document that is placed on the image capture surface. In one embodiment, the outline of the document is displayed relative to an outline of the actual image area of the scanner system. In another embodiment, the preview system displays the image of the document relative to the actual image area in addition to the display of the outline of the document relative to the actual image area.
An embodiment of the preview
Robuck Daniel
Rousseau Paul
Hewlett--Packard Company
Nguyen Henry Hung
LandOfFree
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