System and methods for multiple imaging element scanning and copying

• US 20040169870A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Cui, Chengwu, Lhamon, Michael E., Ahmed, Mohamed N., Love, Shaun T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,388,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10008 from scanner, fax or copier
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/403 Edge-driven scaling; Edge-based scaling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/006 Geometric correction correction of chromatic aberrations adapted to be used in an image pickup device containing an electronic image sensor H04N23/10; detecting, correcting, reducing or removing artefacts resulting only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4" H04N25/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/195 the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19515 in two directions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3876 Recombination of partial images to recreate the original image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0426 Scanning an image in a series of contiguous zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0434 specially adapted for scanning pages of a book
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0436 Scanning a picture-bearing surface lying face up on a support H04N2201/0434 takes precedence; using cylindrical picture bearing surfaces H04N1/06; with manual scanning H04N1/107

Abstract

A scanning or copying system can include imaging elements and one or more system processors that are programmed or adapted to perform image processing methods and algorithms on image data, and in some instances, to enhance the image. Image data is acquired using imaging elements. Some imaging elements may have overlapping or rotated fields of view or employ differing resolutions. For each imaging element, its output is recombined together with the output of one or more other imaging elements. To perform the recombination, the system can extract features in an overlapping region and match these features in multiple images. In some instances, the features matched can be edges. Alternatively, the recombination can be performed by positioning each subimage with respect to a larger image through image matching and location techniques. Parameters from the recombined image can be extracted and these parameters can be used to correct for geometrical and spatial distortions and thereby enhance the image.

Claims

1. An image generation system, the system comprising:

a) a plurality of imaging elements, wherein at least one imaging element of the plurality generates or can be configured to generate image data at a resolution different from at least one other imaging element; and

b) a system processor comprising one or more processing elements, the one or more processing elements programmed or adapted to combine images from the plurality of imaging elements or from a subset thereof.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of imaging elements are arranged in a 2 dimensional matrix.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of imaging elements are arranged in a 2×

N or an N×

2 matrix, where N is an integer greater than or equal to one.

4. The system of claim 2, and further comprising an illumination system comprising one or more illumination elements.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the illumination system is integrated with the matrix of imaging elements.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of the one or more illumination elements is associated with a group of one or more imaging elements in the matrix.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein a one-to-one correspondence exists between imaging elements and illumination elements.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein each of the illumination elements comprises an LED or fluorescent light source.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the imaging elements is mounted at an angle different from a mounting angle of at least one other imaging element.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the imaging elements is mounted or adapted to allow angling of the at least one imaging element.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the imaging elements is mounted or adapted to allow angling.

12. The system of claim 10, and further comprising an angle control interface in communication with the at least one angelable imaging element, wherein the angle control interface controls the angling of the at least one angelable imaging element.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one angelable imaging element comprises a plurality of angelable imaging elements and wherein the angle control interface is configured or adapted to independently control angling of each imaging element in the plurality of angelable imaging elements.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one angelable imaging element comprises a plurality of angelable imaging elements, wherein each of the plurality of angelable imaging elements is associated with a group of one or more angelable imaging elements and wherein the angle control interface is programmed or adapted to independently control angling of each group of angelable imaging elements.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the angle control interface receives parameters associated with an imaging task and automatically controls angling of the at least one angelable imaging element.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the system processor combines images based on matched edges.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of imaging elements are arranged in one or more concentric circles.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein a central imaging element has an area of view covering a first portion of the scan surface at a first resolution and at least one additional imaging element has an area of view covering a second portion of the scan surface at a second resolution.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first portion is larger than the second portion.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first portion includes the second portion.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the first resolution is lower than the second resolution.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the system processor is further programmed or adapted to recombine a first subimage with a second subimage by finding the location of the first subimage in a lower resolution image comprising the second subimage through a registration technique.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein each imaging element comprises a CMOS or CCD imager.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein each imaging element further comprises focusing optics.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the system processor is further programmed or adapted to perform image correction on the combined image.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the system processor is programmed or adapted to perform image correction by performing one or more image correction tasks selected from the group consisting of correction of geometric anomalies, illumination compensation, image enhancement, background removal and combinations thereof.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more image corrections tasks comprises correction of geometric anomalies and wherein the geometric anomalies corrected include curvature artifacts.

28. The system of claim 1, and further comprising an illumination system comprising one or more illumination elements.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein each of the illumination elements comprises an LED or fluorescent light source.

30. The system of claim 1, further comprising a system data store and wherein the system processor is further programmed or adapted to store acquired image data in the system data store.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the system processor is further programmed or adapted to combine partial images upon receipt of a request.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the request comprises imaging element subset selection or cropping parameters to automate the same.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the request includes an image correction selection.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising a user interface allowing entry of a parameter by a user.

35. An image generation system, the system comprising:

a) a plurality of imaging elements, wherein at least one imaging element of the plurality has, or can be configured to have, an area of view different from at least one other imaging element, such that it can include portions of one or more of the other imaging elements'"'"' areas of view;

b) a system processor comprising one or more processing elements, the one or more processing elements programmed or adapted to combine images from the plurality of imaging elements or from a subset thereof.

36. A method for generating an image, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving image data from a plurality of imaging elements, wherein the received image data from at least one imaging element is at a resolution different from received image data of a second imaging element; and

b) generating an image based on image data received from the at least one imaging element and the second imaging element.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of angling a subset of the plurality of imaging elements.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of angling each of the plurality of imaging elements.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of receiving a control signal comprising angling information for use in the angling step.

40. An image generation system, the system comprising:

a) first means for generating image data at a first resolution;

b) second means for generating image data at a second resolution different from the first resolution; and

c) means for combining image data generated at the first resolution by reference to image data generated at the second resolution.

41. An image generation system, the system comprising:

a) a plurality of imaging means for generating image data representative of an area of view, wherein at least one of the plurality has an area of view that differs from at least one other and wherein each imaging means comprises focus means for focusing on its area of view;

b) means for combining image data representative of a first area of view by reference to image data representative of a second area of view based on matched edges;

c) means for illumination comprising one or more illumination elements;

d) means for integrating and associating the one or more illumination elements with one or more of the plurality of imaging means;

e) angling means for angling at least one of the plurality of imaging means;

f) means for controlling the angling means; and

g) means for controlling the focusing means of at least one of the plurality of imaging means.

42. A method for generating an image, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving image data from a plurality of imaging elements wherein at least one imaging element generates, or can be configured to generate, image data at a resolution different from a second imaging element;

b) generating an image based on image data received from the at least one imaging element and the second imaging element based on matched edges;

c) illuminating an object with one or more illumination elements;

d) angling the one or more imaging elements;

e) controlling the angling of the imaging elements; and

f) focusing one or more of the imaging elements.

43. An image generation system, the system comprising:

a) a plurality of imaging elements, wherein at least one of the imaging elements is mounted or adapted to allow angling of the at least one imaging element; and

b) a system processor comprising one or more processing elements, the one or more processing elements programmed or adapted to combine images from the plurality of imaging elements or from a subset thereof.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein each of the imaging elements is mounted or adapted to allow angling.

45. The system of claim 43, and further comprising an angle control interface in communication with the at least one angelable imaging element, wherein the angle control interface controls the angling of the at least one angelable imaging element.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the at least one angelable imaging element comprises a plurality of angelable imaging elements and wherein the angle control interface is configured or adapted to independently control angling of each imaging element in the plurality of angelable imaging elements.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the at least one angelable imaging element comprises a plurality of angelable imaging elements, wherein each of the plurality of angelable imaging elements is associated with a group of one or more angelable imaging elements and wherein the angle control interface is programmed or adapted to independently control angling of each group of angelable imaging elements.

48. The system of claim 45, wherein the angle control interface receives parameters associated with an imaging task and automatically controls angling of the at least one angable imaging element.

49. An image generation system, the system comprising:

a) a plurality of imaging elements, wherein at least one of the imaging elements is mounted at an angle different from a mounting angle of at least one other imaging element; and

b) a system processor comprising one or more processing elements, the one or more processing elements programmed or adapted to combine images from the plurality of imaging elements or from a subset thereof.