Two-Dimensional CMOS Sensor Array to Image Documents and Other Flat Objects

• US 20090273817A1
• Filed: 07/13/2009
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gregory F. Carlson, J. Daren Bledso, Patrick A. Mckinley, Todd A. Mcclelland
• Original Assignee: Gregory F. Carlson, J. Daren Bledso, Patrick A. Mckinley, Todd A. Mcclelland
• Inventors: Bledsoe, J. Daren, Carlson, Gregory F., McClelland, Todd A., McKinley, Patrick A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,542,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1017 the main-scanning components remaining positionally invariant with respect to one another in the sub-scanning direction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/195 the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0446 Constructional details not otherwise provided for, e.g. mounting of scanning components H04N2201/0448 takes precedence

Abstract

A flatbed scanner includes a housing, a transparent platen atop the housing for receiving an object to be scanned, and a carriage operable to travel along a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The carriage includes a light source for illuminating the object and a rectangular photodetector array for simultaneously detecting light intensity of multiple scan lines.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A flatbed scanner, comprising:

a housing;

a transparent platen atop the housing for receiving an object to be scanned;

a light source for illuminating the entire object;

optics for directing light reflecting off the entire object to a rectangular photodetector array; and

the rectangular photodetector array for simultaneously detecting light intensity of the entire object, the rectangular photodetector array comprising more than three rows of photodetectors.