Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-27
2003-11-04
Nguyen, Henry Hung (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
C355S032000, C355S041000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06642993
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device and a controlling method thereof, and particularly to the image processing device and the controlling method thereof which result from improving an inter-line process of a read image signal from plural line sensors arranged parallel to each other in a colored-image processing device such as a copying machine or a scanner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, concerning a colored-image processing device such as a copying machine or a scanner, it has been considered necessary that respective reading drives of the plural line sensors are controlled at different timings when the image on a manuscript is read by using the plural line sensors for RGB arranged parallel to each other.
As a technique that meets these requirements, there has been known, for example, a method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2632871 (refer to Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 1-109966; it will be indicated as Document 1 below).
That is, in the method disclosed in Document 1, it is designed so that the reading timings of the respective line sensors will be controlled by implementing an interpolation process on image signals (RGB signals) arranged parallel to each other and output from three line sensors that read different lines on a manuscript in accordance with reading magnifications of the manuscript.
In this case, the method disclosed in Document 1 is designed so that outputs from the respective line sensors will be made to synchronize in all channels. Therefore, a line memory for three RGB line signals becomes necessary.
That is, if the outputs from the respective line sensors are made to synchronize in all channels in this manner, when, for example, reference of plural lines is necessary for formation of a distinction signal, a filter process and the like at the latter step, the line memory for three RGB line signals becomes necessary even when only one line signal is needed since extraction is implemented among signals of the plural lines synchronized with the line signal.
However, in this case, there is a problem that the capacity of the line memory for the line signals that are not used for the reference is wasted since only one line signal is needed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems that conventional techniques have, and to provide an image processing device and a controlling method thereof whose image reproducibility can be improved by implementing a necessary reference process by using at least one line signal as an ahead-reading signal when reading an image on a manuscript by using plural RGB line sensors arranged parallel to each other so that the capacity of a used memory can be mitigated while a substantially wider area can be referred to.
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing device comprising:
plural line sensors arranged parallel to each other in a predetermined order and with a predetermined interval, which read different lines on a manuscript, respectively;
a delay module which outputs an image signal output from at least one of the plural line sensors with a delay for a number of lines according to a number of pixels which corresponds to shifts of reading positions of the plural line sensors; and
an ahead-reading signal acquiring module which acquires the image signal output from at least one line sensor other than a last stage line sensor of the plural line sensors as an ahead-reading signal,
wherein the image processing device outputs the image signal wherein the shifts of the reading positions of the plural line sensors are corrected by the delay module, and outputs the ahead-reading signal acquired by the ahead-reading signal acquiring module.
Moreover, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image processing device according to the first aspect, wherein the plural line sensors are arranged so that they can acquire desired signals as the ahead-reading signal output by the ahead-reading signal acquiring module.
Moreover, according to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image processing device according to the first aspect further comprising a line interpolation module which implements line interpolation to the image signal output from at least one of the plural line sensors in correspondence with a change of the shifts of the reading position of the plural line sensors according to a reading magnification value of the manuscript.
Moreover, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image processing device according to the first aspect, wherein the delay module includes a first delay module which outputs an image signal output from at least one line sensor other than the last stage line sensor of the plural line sensors with a delay for a number of lines according to the number of pixels which corresponds to the shifts of reading positions of the plural line sensors; and
the ahead-reading signal acquiring module acquires the ahead-reading signal from the first delay module while including an ahead-reading signal plural-line reference module which enables to refer to plural lines of the acquired ahead-reading signal.
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned objects, according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing device comprising:
plural line sensors arranged parallel to each other in a predetermined order and with a predetermined interval, which read different lines on a manuscript, respectively;
delay means for outputting an image signal output from at least one of the plural line sensors with a delay for a number of lines according to a number of pixels which corresponds to shifts of reading positions of the plural line sensors;
ahead-reading signal acquiring means for acquiring the image signal output from at least one line sensor other than a last stage line sensor of the plural line sensors as an ahead-reading signal; and
reading position shift correcting means for correcting the shifts of reading positions of the plural line sensors based on the image signal delayed by the delay means and the ahead-reading signal acquired by the ahead-reading signal acquiring means.
Moreover, according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image processing device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the plural line sensors are arranged so that they can acquire desired signals as the ahead-reading signal output by the ahead-reading signal acquiring means.
Moreover, according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image processing device according to the fifth aspect further comprising line interpolation means for implementing line interpolation to the image signal output from at least one of the plural line sensors in correspondence with a change of the shifts of the reading position of the plural line sensors according to a reading magnification value of the manuscript.
Moreover, according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image processing device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the delay means includes first delay means which outputs an image signal output from at least one line sensor other than the last stage line sensor of the plural line sensors with a delay for a number of lines according to the number of pixels which corresponds to the shifts of reading positions of the plural line sensors; and
the ahead-reading signal acquiring means acquires the ahead-reading signal from the first delay means while including ahead-reading signal plural-line reference means for enabling reference to plural lines of the acquired ahead-reading signal.
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned objects, according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a controlling method of an image processing device comprising plural line sensors arr
Fuchigami Takahiro
Megawa Shunichi
Foley & Lardner
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Nguyen Henry Hung
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