Image reading apparatus

• US 20040012827A1
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Fujinawa, Nobuhiro, Shirahata, Takuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,164,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00267 with a viewing or projecting apparatus, e.g. for reading image information from a film H04N1/00262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00795 Reading arrangements details of scanning heads H04N1/024; scanning arrangements therefor H04N1/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00806 According to type of the original, e.g. colour paper or transparency, or reading a plurality of different types of original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00816 Determining the reading area, e.g. eliminating reading of margins
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0405 Different formats, e.g. A3 and A4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0455 using a single set of scanning elements, e.g. the whole of and a part of an array respectively for different formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0404 Scanning transparent media, e.g. photographic film
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0406 Scanning slides
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0408 Scanning film strips or rolls

Abstract

An image reading apparatus having an illuminating device for illuminating a film original, an image reading device for reading an image on the film original illuminated by the illuminating device and outputting image signals. The image reading apparatus further includes a type discriminating device for discriminating whether the film original is a first film original or a second film original having different film sizes, and a reading scope modifying device for modifying the reading scope of the image reading means according to the result of discrimination of the type discriminating means.

Claims

1. An image reading apparatus, comprising:

image reading means for reading an image on an original and outputting an image signal;

type determining means for determining whether the original is one of a first original having a first size and a second original having a second size; and

reading scope modifying means for modifying a reading scope of the image reading means according to the determination made by the type determining means.

2. An image reading apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determining means performs type determination of the original by detecting whether a perforation is present in a predetermined position.

3. An image reading apparatus of claim 1, wherein the type determining means performs type determination of the original according to a specification of the type of original.

4. An image reading apparatus of claim 1, further comprising loading detection means for detecting whether the original is loaded into the apparatus, wherein the determining means performs type determination of the original based on the detection performed by the loading detection means.

5. An image reading apparatus of claim 1, further comprising resolution modifying means for modifying a reading resolution of the image reading means according to the result of determination of the type determining means.

6. An image reading apparatus, comprising:

image reading means for reading an image on an original and outputting an image signal;

type determining means for determining whether the original is one of a first original having a first size and a second original having a second size; and

resolution modifying means for modifying a reading resolution of the image reading means according to the determination made by the type determining means.

7. An image reading apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image reading means comprises:

a line sensor having a plurality of photoelectric converters arranged in a row, the line sensor further having a main scanning direction in a direction of the rows;

moving means for moving at least one of the original and sensor in an auxiliary scan direction that crosses the main scanning direction, wherein an image on the original is read by successively performing a main scan and an auxiliary scan; and

control means for controlling an amount of movement in the auxiliary scan direction by the moving means according to the resolution modified by the resolution modifying means.

8. An image reading apparatus of claim 6, wherein the type determining means performs type determination of the original by detecting whether a perforation is present in a predetermined position.

9. An image reading apparatus of claim 6, wherein the type determining means performs type determination of the original according to a specification of the type of original.

10. An image reading apparatus of claim 6, further comprising loading detection means for detecting whether the original is loaded into the apparatus, wherein the type determining means performs type determination of the original based on the detection performed by the loading detection means.

11. An image reading apparatus, comprising:

a photoelectric converter that outputs an image signal of an original;

an original type detector that determines whether the original loaded in the apparatus is one of a first original having a first size and a second original having a second size; and

a controller coupled to the photoelectric converter and to the original type detector, to determine a reading scope of the photoelectric converter based on the determination made by the original type detector.

12. An image reading apparatus of claim 11, wherein the original type detector detects whether a perforation is present in a predetermined position.

13. An image reading apparatus of claim 11, wherein the original type detector includes a user input device by which a user specifies the type of original.

14. An image reading apparatus of claim 11, wherein the original type detector includes a loading detection sensor provided in paths of the different types of originals.

15. An image reading apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller also determines a reading resolution to be used with the photoelectric converter based on the determination made by the original type detector.

16. An image reading apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a movable optical system arranged relative to the photoelectric converter so as to focus an image of the original on the photoelectric converter;

and wherein

the controller determines the reading scope by determining a position of the movable optical system.

17. An image reading apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the reading scope by determining an amount of data output by the photoelectric converter that is to be discarded.

18. An image reading apparatus, comprising:

a photoelectric converter that outputs an image signal of an original;

an original type detector that determines whether the original loaded in the apparatus is one of a first original having a first size and a second original having a second size; and

a controller coupled to the photoelectric converter and to the original type detector, to determine a reading resolution to be used with the photoelectric converter based on the determination made by the original type detector.

19. An image reading apparatus of claim 18, wherein the photoelectric converter comprises:

a line sensor having a plurality of photoelectric converter elements arranged in a row, the line sensor further having a main scan direction in a direction of the rows;

a drive mechanism that moves at least one of the original and the line sensor in an auxiliary scan direction that crosses the main scanning direction, whereby an image on the original is read by successively performing a main scan using the plurality of photoelectric converter elements and an auxiliary scan using the original drive; and

wherein

the controller controls the amount of original feeding in the auxiliary scan direction by the original drive based on the determined reading resolution.

20. An image reading apparatus of claim 18, wherein the original type detector detects whether a perforation is present in a predetermined position.

21. An image reading apparatus of claim 18, wherein the original type detector includes a user input device by which a user specifies the type of original.

22. An image reading apparatus of claim 18, wherein the original type detector includes a loading detection sensor provided in the paths of the different types of originals.

23. A method of reading originals having different sizes, comprising:

reading an image on the original with a photoelectric converter that outputs an image signal;

determining whether the original is one of a first original having a first size and a second original having a second size; and

modifying a reading scope of the photoelectric converter according to the result of the determining step.

24. A method of claim 23, wherein the determining step includes detecting whether a perforation is present in a predetermined position.

25. A method of claim 23, further comprising modifying a reading resolution of the reading step according to the result of the determining step.

26. A storage medium that stores a control process for an image reading apparatus that has a photoelectric converter that outputs an image signal of an original that is scanned by the photoelectric converter, the control process comprising:

an original classification process for classifying an original loaded into the image reading apparatus as one of a first original having a first size and a second original having a second size different than the first size; and

a scanning variation process for changing a scanning range of the photoelectric converter based on a result of the original classification process.

27. The storage medium of claim 26, wherein the original classification process classifies the original based on whether a perforation is detected in a predetermined position.

28. The storage medium of claim 26, wherein the image reading apparatus also includes a loading sensor that detects whether an original is present in the apparatus, and

wherein the original classification process classifies the original based on the detection of said loading sensor.

29. The storage medium of claim 26, wherein the original classification process classifies the original based on a user input designation of the type of original loaded into the apparatus.

30. A storage medium that stores a control process for an image reading apparatus that has a photoelectric converter that outputs an image signal of an original that is scanned by the photoelectric converter, the control process comprising:

an original classification process for classifying an original loaded into the image reading apparatus as one of a first original having a first size and a second original having a second size different than the first size; and

a resolution changing process that changes a resolution of the scanning process performed by the photoelectric converter based on a result of the original classification process.

31. The storage medium of claim 30, wherein the original classification process classifies the original based on whether a perforation is detected in a predetermined position.

32. The storage medium of claim 30, wherein the image reading apparatus also includes a loading sensor that detects whether an original is present in the apparatus;

and

wherein the original classification process classifies the original based on the detection of said loading sensor.

33. The storage medium of claim 30, wherein the original classification process classifies the original based on a user input designation of the type of original loaded into the apparatus.

34. The storage medium of claim 30, wherein the photoelectric converter is a line sensor having a plurality of photoelectric converter elements arranged in a row in a main scanning direction, wherein the line sensor scans in the main scan direction;

and the image reading apparatus also includes a conveyor system that moves at least one of the original and the line sensors relative to each other in an auxiliary scan direction that crosses the main scanning direction;

wherein

the resolution changing process changes the resolution by changing the amount of movement in the auxiliary scan direction.