Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-24
2001-10-30
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2724)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
C358S001120, C358S474000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06310691
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to optical scanning techniques, and more particularly to a new method for continuous unidirectional scanning which reduces mechanical hysteresis and reduces the area of unscanned media to zero by scanning along a spiral locus path. This method produces data which exactly matches the data requirements of a spiral path locus ink-jet printer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional optical scanners employ linear array optical sensors, and an apparatus for providing relative motion between the document or image to be scanned and the linear array sensor. In a general sense, the image is scanned by producing a series of scans of a given swath width, which are then assembled or processed by a processor in a rectilinear, Cartesian sense to provide the scanned data representing the image or document.
This invention improves upon the typical, rectilinear Cartesian document scan in such a way as to produce sampled information from printed, drawn or photographic media which exactly matches a method of ink-jet printing along a spiral path locus. This invention also provides a way to capture the information present on the media all the way to the edges of the scanned media the same as in flat-bed scanners, and results in a simpler mechanical structure for the scanner.
In the referenced co-pending application Ser. No. 09/066,621, entitled “Inkjet Printing Techniques Using Spiral Relative Motion Between the Print Medium and Printing Elements,” a method is describer which improves upon an ink-jet printing hysteresis problem, and an ink-jet printing margin problem. In this co-pending application, it is shown that, by printing in a uni-directional manner along a spiral path, both of these printing problems are reduced or eliminated. However, because document scanners typically scan information from text or photographic media in a raster or x-y Cartesian fashion, there then necessitates a re-sampling or conversion from rectangular coordinates to polar coordinates to effect the printing of the scanned data on a spiral path. It is realized that this conversion process could produce undesirable printing artifacts under some circumstances, and the purpose of this invention is to eliminate these artifacts entirely. Also, in many non-flatbed scanners, mechanical constraints do not allow the scanning sensors to view documents all the way to the document edges; hence information may be lost during a conventional non-flatbed scanning process. This invention also can result in a simplification of the mechanism required to move and house the scanner, since the scanning array may be mounted either in place of, or radially co-linear with, an ink-jet printing nozzle array, thus providing a printer and a scanner, both of which share electrical and mechanical parts to a large extent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method for optically scanning a flat image is provided in accordance with one aspect of the invention. The method includes a sequence of the following steps;
providing an optical sensor array;
supporting a flat medium to be optically scanned by the sensor array during a scanning cycle;
providing relative motion between the sensor array and the medium such that a spiral locus is defined by the sensor array relative to the media during an optical scanning cycle; and
collecting sensor data representing the image during the optical scanning cycle.
In a preferred embodiment, the step of providing relative motion is accomplished without causing the sensor array to stop and reverse its direction periodically during the scanning cycle.
In a further aspect of the invention, an optical scanning system comprises an optical sensor array comprising a plurality of sensor elements for collecting image data during an optical scanning cycle. A flat medium is positioned relative to the sensor array to permit optical sensing of an image carried by the flat medium during an optical scanning cycle. A relative motion apparatus provides relative motion between the sensor array and the medium such that a spiral locus is defined by the sensor array relative to the media during an optical scanning cycle.
The scanning system can further include, in a multi-function system, an ink jet pen having a nozzle array, and apparatus for providing relative motion between the nozzle array and the medium such that a spiral locus is defined by the nozzle array relative to a flat print medium during an ink jet printing cycle.
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Grant II Jerome
Hewlett--Packard Company
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