Apparatus and method for automatically detecting and optically scanning graphic matter
First Claim
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1. An optical scanning apparatus comprising:
- a reflective scanning platform;
a carriage including a surface, and mounted within a scanner housing and adapted for reciprocating movement along a line extending in a first direction parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the scanner;
a scanning camera having an opto-electrical transducer positioned proximate to said reflective scanning platform and adapted for movement relative to said platform and in a predetermined direction;
a first light source mounted on said scanning camera proximate the reflective platform and adapted to illuminate a first region of said platform along in the field of view of the scanning camera;
a control circuit connected in circuit with said scanning camera;
a second light source, mounted on said carriage, coupled to said scanning camera and adapted to illuminate a second region of said platform that is in front of the field of view of the scanning camera in the direction of movement;
an object sensor mounted on said scanning camera and adapted to sense light reflected back from said second region; and
said control circuit including a discriminator circuit electrically connected to said sensor and said control circuit.
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Abstract
An optical scanning apparatus for retrieving digital electronic images representative of opaque objects. The apparatus is equipped with a reflective scanning platform for supporting an opaque object thereon. A scanning camera, equipped with a light source for illuminating the platform, is aligned to retrieve images from objects placed upon the reflective scanning platform. An object sensor included with the scanning camera detects the presence of such images. Using the sensor during scanning, provides automotive detection of the end of the object thereby reducing the scan time.
21 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An optical scanning apparatus comprising:
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a reflective scanning platform; a carriage including a surface, and mounted within a scanner housing and adapted for reciprocating movement along a line extending in a first direction parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the scanner; a scanning camera having an opto-electrical transducer positioned proximate to said reflective scanning platform and adapted for movement relative to said platform and in a predetermined direction; a first light source mounted on said scanning camera proximate the reflective platform and adapted to illuminate a first region of said platform along in the field of view of the scanning camera; a control circuit connected in circuit with said scanning camera; a second light source, mounted on said carriage, coupled to said scanning camera and adapted to illuminate a second region of said platform that is in front of the field of view of the scanning camera in the direction of movement; an object sensor mounted on said scanning camera and adapted to sense light reflected back from said second region; and said control circuit including a discriminator circuit electrically connected to said sensor and said control circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An optical scanning apparatus for scanning an object comprising:
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a scanner housing; a scanning reflective platform formed in the upper surface of said scanner housing; a cover having a relatively non-reflective region and a relatively reflective region and adapted to cover objects places on said platform; a scanning camera having a CCD and positioned proximate to said reflective scanning platform; at least one light source coupled to said scanning camera; a control circuit connected in circuit with said scanning camera; and an object sensor mounted on said scanning camera in spaced apart relation to said CCD, adapted to sense light generated by said light source and reflected from the relatively non-reflective region of said cover and connected in circuit with said control circuit; whereby in response to a first light reflection from said object placed upon said reflective scanning platform, a first signal is generated, and in response to a second light reflection from said relatively non-reflective region, a second signal is generated, when said first light reflection has greater luminance than the second light reflection.
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17. An optical scanning apparatus for scanning of an object comprising:
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a reflective scanning platform; a carriage adapted for linear motion beneath said platform; a scanning camera positioned on said carriage, proximate to said reflective scanning platform and adapted to detect reflections from said reflective platform that have been reflected from at least one mirror positioned in a light path between said platform and said camera; a light source coupled to said scanning camera and adapted to illuminate a first region of said platform; a CPU connected in circuit with said scanning camera; an object sensor mounted on said carriage and adapted to detect reflections directly from said reflective scanning platform and at a time prior to detection of reflection by said camera; and a discriminator circuit electrically connected to said sensor and said CPU circuit to provide an output signal indicative of the presence or absence of an object to be scanned.
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18. An optical scanning apparatus for scanning an object and determining the presence and absence of an object to be scanned comprising:
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a reflective scanning platform; a scanning camera adapted for reciprocating movement in a predetermined direction parallel to the longitudinal centerline of said reflective scanning platform; at least one light source coupled to said scanning camera and adapted to illuminate said scanning platform; an object sensor positioned and adapted to sense reflections of light directly through said platform and to generate a first signal indicative of the presence of an object and a second signal indicative of the absence of an object, said first signal and said second signal being proportional to the amount of light reflected; a control circuit connected in circuit with said scanning camera, in circuit with said object sensor and including means for discriminating between said first signal and said second signal; and means for scanning said object incrementally and in response to said control circuit upon receipt of said first signal.
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19. An optical scanning apparatus for reflective scanning an object, comprising:
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a scanner housing; a scanner lid operatively attached to said scanner housing, having a closed position and including a surface with light absorbing properties; a reflective scanning platform; said scanner lid in its closed position overlying said scanning platform; a scanning camera having a predetermined field of view on said reflective scanning platform; said scanning camera movable relative to said scanning platform to perform scanning in a scanning direction; at least one light source coupled to said scanning camera and adapted to illuminate a region of the platform ahead of the field of view in the scanning direction; a control circuit connected in circuit with said scanning camera and adapted to scan a object when the presence is detected; an object sensor mounted on said scanning camera and adapted and positioned to generate signals proportional to intensity of light reflected from said platform under said surface and without being reflected from a mirror positioned in a light path between said platform and said camera; and said control circuit electrically connected to said object sensor and adapted to stop scanning of said object in response to receipt of said signals.
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20. An optical scanning method, for implementation of scanning an object and detecting the presence oor absence of the object, in a scanner having at least one light source, an optical object sensor, a scanning camera and a control circuit mounted on a movable carriage and comprising the steps of:
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moving said carriage in a line along a first direction from a position ahead of an object positioned on a stationary scanning platform positioned above said carriage to a position behind the object; generating light from at least one light source and reflecting said light from said stationary scanning platform; generating object sensor signals in said optical object sensor that are proportional to light reflected through said platform; discriminating between first object sensor signals and second object sensor signals, the first signals corresponding to relatively low luminance and representative of ambient light reflected from said platform and the second object sensor signals representative of light corresponding to relatively high luminance and reflected from an object; setting an interrupt flag upon receipt of said object sensor signals being greater than a threshold signal value; checking for the presence of an object by checking said interrupt flag; scanning said object incrementally; and detecting the end of said object.
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Specification