Scanner read head for images and optical mark recognition

• US 20050237580A1
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scantron Corporation (MX Holdings One LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jeff Vanderstaeten, Terri Vanderstraeten
• Inventors: Coleman, Dave, Zajac, Joe
• Application Number:
  US11/106,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20050237580A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00331 with an apparatus performing optical character recognition character recognition G06V30/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00334 with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/44 Secrecy systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/007 Selecting or switching between a still picture apparatus or function and another apparatus or function H04N2201/0022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A scanner for scanning images and optical marks with optical mark recognition (OMR) is disclosed. A scanning system may include a scanning head configured to read documents comprising characters, marks, and images. The system may include firmware configured to switch between an image scanning mode and an optical mark recognition (OMR) mode, a processor to process data scanned from the scanning head in either the image scanning mode or the optical mark recognition mode, and at least one output port for the processed data.

Claims

1. A scanning system, comprising:

a scanning head configured to read documents comprising characters, marks, and images;

circuitry configured to switch between an image scanning mode and an optical mark recognition (OMR) mode;

a processor to process data scanned from the scanning head in either the image scanning mode or the optical mark recognition mode; and

at least one output port for the processed data.

2. The scanning system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises firmware configured to switch between an image scanning mode and an optical mark recognition (OMR) mode.

3. The scanning system of claim 1 wherein the scanning head is configured to scan one side of each document.

4. The scanning system of claim 3 wherein the scanning system is configured to scan a double-sided document, wherein the scanning system comprises another scanning head to scan an opposite side of the double-sided document.

5. The scanning system of claim 4 wherein the processor is configured to process scanned data from both sides of the double-sided document.

6. The scanning system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is configured to automatically recognize whether the scanned data are for the image scanning mode or the optical mark recognition mode.

7. The scanning system of claim 6 wherein the scanning system recognizes scanned data for the optical mark recognition mode by recognizing scanned data for any one of a start-of-form mark, a response control mark, and an end-of-form mark on each scanned document.

8. The scanning system of claim 1 wherein the scanning system comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) to facilitate switching between the image scanning mode and the optical mark recognition mode.

9. The scanning system of claim 1 wherein the scanning system comprises a first user-selectable option to scan in a manual mode or in an automatic mode.

10. The scanning system of claim 9 wherein the automatic mode automatically determines whether scanning is performed in the image scanning mode or the optical mark recognition mode.

11. The scanning system of claim 9 wherein the manual mode provides a second user-selectable option, wherein the second user-selectable option is configured for manual switching between the image scanning mode and the optical mark recognition mode.

12. The scanning system of claim 1 wherein the scanning head comprises a light-emitting diode lighting bar, a rod lens, and a circuit board with sensing devices.

13. The scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory to receive scanned data from the scanning head;

a field programmable gate array (FPGA) comprising data compression functionality to compress scanned data from the FIFO; and

a system bus configured to send scanned data from the FIFO to the FPGA, wherein the system bus is further configured to send compressed data from the FPGA to the processor.

14. A scanning method, comprising:

scanning a document; and

automatically determining a scanning mode for the document, wherein the scanning mode comprises an image scanning mode or an optical mark recognition mode, wherein automatically determining the scanning mode comprises;

using the optical mark recognition mode when recognizing data for a start-of-form mark on the document; and

using the image scanning mode when not recognizing data for the start-of-form mark on the document.

15. The scanning method of claim 14 wherein the scanning mode comprises a firmware scanning mode for the document, wherein the firmware scanning mode comprises the image scanning mode or the optical mark recognition mode in firmware.

16. The scanning method of claim 15 further comprising providing an option for a manual scanning mode or an automatic firmware scanning mode.

17. The scanning method of claim 16 wherein the automatic firmware scanning mode comprises automatic triggering of the image scanning mode or the optical mark recognition mode.

18. The scanning method of claim 15 wherein the manual scanning mode comprises a manual selection option to manually select the image scanning mode or the optical mark recognition mode.

19. The scanning method of claim 14 wherein the scanning a document comprises scanning a double-sided document.

20. An apparatus for scanning a document, comprising:

a scanning head comprising contact image sensors, the scanning head being configured to read images and marks on the document;

a processor configured to process scanned images and marks, wherein the processor is further configured to perform optical mark recognition (OMR) on the marks; and

a field programmable gate array (FPGA) comprising a compression algorithm to compress scanned data prior to sending the scanned data to the processor.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the apparatus further comprises a second scanning head to scan a side of the document opposite of a side for the first scanning head, wherein the apparatus is configured to scan single-sided documents and double-sided documents.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is configured to process scanned data for single-sided and double-sided documents.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the apparatus is configured to automatically determine whether scanning is performed in an image scanning mode or an optical mark recognition mode.