Digital cameras
First Claim
1. A digital image capture apparatus configured to capture an image of a document (102) at least partially illuminated by ambient light, the apparatus comprising:
- an image capture device (101) comprising a detector (107) adapted to capture an image of said document;
an illumination source (106) for illuminating said document, a detector read-out circuit (108) for capturing image data from said detector (107) in response to a control signal;
a controller for controlling said detector read-out circuit (108) and said illumination source (106), wherein said controller provides a first control signal to said read-out circuit (108) to capture a first image of said document (102) when illuminated by said illumination source (106) at a first intensity and by said ambient light to produce a first image, and wherein said controller further provides a second control signal to said read-out circuit to capture a second image of said document (102) when said document (102) is illuminated by said illumination source at a second, lower, intensity and by said ambient light, said second, lower, intensity having a value greater than or equal to zero intensity but less than the first intensity; and
a processor (112) arranged to process said first captured image with said second captured image to produce a final image of said document.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A digital image capture apparatus is provided which is arranged to capture at least two images of a document and combine the images to produce a final image in which the effects of specular reflection and/or ambient light are removed. The apparatus includes a light source and a first image is captured with the source illuminating the document. A second ambient image is captured with the light source switched off, and the images are combined either by subtracting the ambient image from the first image or by replacing areas of the first image by corresponding areas of the ambient image.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A digital image capture apparatus configured to capture an image of a document (102) at least partially illuminated by ambient light, the apparatus comprising:
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an image capture device (101) comprising a detector (107) adapted to capture an image of said document;
an illumination source (106) for illuminating said document, a detector read-out circuit (108) for capturing image data from said detector (107) in response to a control signal;
a controller for controlling said detector read-out circuit (108) and said illumination source (106), wherein said controller provides a first control signal to said read-out circuit (108) to capture a first image of said document (102) when illuminated by said illumination source (106) at a first intensity and by said ambient light to produce a first image, and wherein said controller further provides a second control signal to said read-out circuit to capture a second image of said document (102) when said document (102) is illuminated by said illumination source at a second, lower, intensity and by said ambient light, said second, lower, intensity having a value greater than or equal to zero intensity but less than the first intensity; and
a processor (112) arranged to process said first captured image with said second captured image to produce a final image of said document. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
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18. A method of capturing an image of a document at least partially illuminated by ambient light, said method comprising providing a controllable light source;
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capturing a first image of said document with said light source illuminating said document at a first intensity;
capturing a second image of said document when illuminated by said light source at a second, lower, intensity; and
processing said first captured image with said second captured image to produce a final image of said document, wherein said second lower intensity is greater than or equal to zero intensity but less than said first intensity.
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21. A digital image capture apparatus configured to capture an image of a document (102) at least partially illuminated by ambient light, the apparatus comprising:
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a digital camera (101) comprising a detector (107) arranged to capture an image of said document;
a light source (106) for illuminating said document, a detector read-out circuit (108) for capturing image data from said detector (107) in response to a control signal;
a controller for controlling said detector read-out circuit (108) and said light source (106), wherein said controller provides a first control signal to said read-out circuit (108) to capture a first image of said document (102) when illuminated by said light source (106) at a first intensity and by said ambient light to produce a first image captured at a first exposure, and wherein said controller further provides a second control signal to said read-out circuit to capture a second image of said document (102) when said document (102) is illuminated only by said ambient light; and
a processor (112) arranged to process said first captured image with said second captured image to produce a final image of said document, and wherein said processor is further arranged to identify areas or points in said first captured image that correspond to glare spots, and to replace said identified points or areas with corresponding points or areas taken from said second image. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A digital image capture apparatus configured to capture an image of a document (102) at least partially illuminated by ambient light, the apparatus comprising:
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an image capture device (101) comprising a detector (107) adapted to capture an image of said document;
an illumination source (106) for illuminating said document, a detector read-out circuit (108) for capturing image data from said detector (107) in response to a control signal;
a controller for controlling said detector read-out circuit (108) and said illumination source (106), in which said controller provides a first control signal to said read-out circuit (108) to capture a first image of said document (102) when illuminated by said illumination source (106) at a first intensity and by said ambient light to produce a first image, and wherein said controller further provides a second control signal to said read-out circuit to capture a second image of said document (102) when said document (102) is illuminated by said illumination source at a second, lower intensity and by said ambient light; and
processor (112) arranged to process said first captured image with said second captured image to produce a final image of said document.
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Specification