Skew correction apparatus and method

• US 6,415,064 B1
• Filed: 05/26/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: S-Printing Solution Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Oh, Hyang-Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kassa, Yosef
• Application Number:
  US09/320,287
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 382/289, 382/290, 382/291, 382/293, 382/295, 382/296, 382/282, 382/275, 382/294, 382/287, 382/151, 382/181, 382/194, 356/138, 356/139.05, 702/150, 358/488, 358/496, 358/448, 358/449
• US Class Current: 382/289
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1478 of characters or characters lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3878 Skew detection or correction

Abstract

A skew correction apparatus and method enhance transmission efficiency or recognition efficiency in facsimile transmissions or optical character recognition (OCR) by correcting the format of the copy which is input and read in a skewed manner. The skew is corrected in accordance with the following steps or functions: counting the number of pixels in a main-scanning direction until copy discriminating data are met, starting from two spots of the read data in a sub-scanning direction; sensing a skew direction of the copy using the counted number of pixels; reading skew correction data corresponding to a difference between the number of pixels of the two spots in the main-scanning direction; and correcting the skew by reading in the main-scanning direction the changed coordinates by line units with respect to all lines of the copy in the sub-scanning direction according to the skew correction data and skew direction. As a result, cost is curtailed by performing corrections on a skew angle using a low cost processor through a simplified skew correction procedure without a complicated operation for calculating a skew angle or rotating an image on a copy in accordance with the calculated skew angle.

Claims

1. A skew correction apparatus in an image processor for reading data on a one-page copy and performing image processing, said skew correction apparatus comprising:

a read data storing unit for storing the data read from the one-page copy;

a counter for counting a number of pixels in a main-scanning direction until copy discriminating data are met, starting from two spots of said data stored in said read data storing unit in a sub-scanning direction;

a lookup table data storing unit for storing skew correction data corresponding to a difference between the number of pixels of said two spots counted in the main-scanning direction; and

a processing unit for correcting skew by sensing a skew direction of said copy according to a selected rule using said difference between the number of pixels counted, and by reading by line units changed coordinates from said read data storing unit according to the skew correction data stored in said lookup table data storing unit.

2. A skew correction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said copy discriminating data comprise first white pixel data of said two spots in the main-scanning direction.

3. A skew correction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lookup table data storing unit stores lookup table data which comprises:

the difference between the number of pixels of said two spots in the main-scanning direction;

a pixel interval for determining a number of pixels to be read in the main-scanning direction from said data stored in said read data storing unit according to said difference between number of pixels; and

a number of repetition times for determining a number of times of reading, in the main-scanning direction at said pixel intervals, said data stored in said read data storing unit corresponding to coordinates changed between one sub-scanning line and any adjacent sub-scanning line.

4. A skew correction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processor comprises a device provided with a facsimile function.

5. A skew correction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensing of the skew direction comprises sensing said skew direction as “

right”

when a value obtained by subtracting a number of pixels at a second spot in the sub-scanning direction from a number of pixels at a first spot in the sub-scanning direction is larger than “

0”

, and sensing said skew direction as “

left”

when a value obtained by subtracting a number of pixels at a second spot in the sub-scanning direction from a number of pixels at a first spot in the sub-scanning direction is smaller than “

0”

.

7. A skew correction method according to claim 5, wherein said skew correction data comprises:

a pixel interval for determining a number of pixels to be read in the main-scanning direction according to said difference between the number of pixels of said two spots in the main-scanning direction; and

a number of repetition times for determining a number of times of reading, in the main-scanning direction at pixel intervals, data corresponding to coordinates changed between one sub-scanning line and a next sub-scanning line.

8. A skew correction method according to claim 7, wherein said step of correcting the skew comprises reading a pixel corresponding to coordinates where moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction during repetition of said pixel interval if said number of repetition times is “

0”

, and repeatedly reading said pixel interval according to said number of times of reading and reading a pixel corresponding to coordinates where moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction if said number of repetition times is other than “

0”

, and number of repetition times +1 reads the pixel corresponding to coordinates where moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction during running of the pixel interval +1.

9. A skew correction method according to claim 8, wherein said corresponding coordinates correspond to a position where lines in the sub-scanning direction are decreased by one when said skew direction is left, and correspond to a position where lines in the sub-scanning direction are increased by one when said skew direction is right.

6. A skew correction method for correcting a one-page copy which is read and stored in a skewed manner, said method comprising the steps of:

counting a number of pixels in a main-scanning direction until copy discriminating data are met, starting from two spots of said read data in a sub-scanning direction;

sensing a skew direction of said copy using said counted number of pixels;

reading skew correction data corresponding to a difference between said counted number of pixels of said two spots in the main-scanning direction; and

correcting a skew according to a selected rule using said difference between said counted number of pixels by reading, in the main-scanning direction, the changed coordinates by line units with respect to all lines of said copy in the sub-scanning direction according to said skew correction data and said skew direction.

10. A skew correction apparatus in an image processor for reading data on a one-page copy and performing image processing, said skew correction apparatus comprising:

read data storing means for storing the data read from the one-page copy;

counter means for counting a number of pixels in a main-scanning direction until copy discriminating data are met, starting from two spots of said data stored in said read data storing means in a sub-scanning direction;

lookup table data storing means for storing lookup table data including skew correction data corresponding to a difference between the number of pixels of said two spots counted in the main-scanning direction; and

processing means for correcting skew by sensing a skew direction of said copy by using said difference between the number of pixels counted and by reading changed coordinates from said read data storing means according to the skew correction data stored in said lookup table data storing means.

11. A skew correction apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said copy discriminating data comprises first white pixel data of said two spots in the main-scanning direction.

12. A skew correction apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said lookup table data comprises:

the difference between the number of pixels of said two spots in the main-scanning direction;

a pixel interval for determining a number of pixels to be read in the main-scanning direction from said data stored in said read data storing means according to said difference between the number of pixels; and

a number of repetition times for repeatedly reading, in the main-scanning direction at said pixel intervals, said data stored in said read data storing means corresponding to coordinates changed between one sub-scanning line and an adjacent sub-scanning line.

13. A skew correction apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said image processor comprises a device provided with a facsimile function.

14. A skew correction apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said sensing of the skew direction comprises sensing said skew direction as “

right”

when a value obtained by subtracting a number of pixels at a second spot in the sub-scanning direction from a number of pixels at a first spot in the sub-scanning direction is larger than “

0”

, and sensing said skew direction as “

left”

when a value obtained by subtracting a number of pixels at a second spot in the sub-scanning direction from a number of pixels at a first spot in the sub-scanning direction is smaller than “

0”

.

15. A skew correction method for correcting a one-page copy which is read and stored in a skewed manner, said method comprising the steps of:

counting a number of pixels in a main-scanning direction until copy discriminating data are met, starting from two spots of said read data in a sub-scanning direction;

sensing a skew direction of said copy using said counted number of pixels;

reading skew correction data corresponding to a difference between the counted number of pixels of said two spots in the main-scanning direction; and

correcting a skew by reading, in the main-scanning direction, the changed coordinates by line units with respect to all lines of said copy in the sub-scanning direction according to said skew correction data and said skew direction;

wherein said step of sensing the skew direction comprises sensing said skew direction as “

right”

when a value obtained by subtracting a number of pixels at a second spot in the sub-scanning direction from a number of pixels at a first spot in the sub-scanning direction is larger than “

0”

, and sensing said skew direction as “

left”

when a value obtained by subtracting a number of pixels at a second spot in the sub-scanning direction from a number of pixels at a first spot in the sub-scanning direction is smaller than “

0”

.

16. A skew correction method according to claim 15, wherein said skew correction data comprises:

a pixel interval for determining a number of pixels to be read in the main-scanning direction according to said difference between the number of pixels of said two spots in the main-scanning direction; and

a number of repetition times for determining a number of times of reading, in the main-scanning direction at pixel intervals, data corresponding to coordinates changed between one sub-scanning line and a next sub-scanning line.

17. A skew correction method according to claim 16, wherein said step of correcting the skew comprises reading a pixel corresponding to coordinates where moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction during repetition of said pixel interval if said number of repetition times is “

0”

, and repeatedly reading said pixel interval according to said number of times of reading and reading a pixel corresponding to coordinates where moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction if said number of repetition times is other than “

0”

, and number of repetition times +1 reads the pixel corresponding to coordinates where moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction during running of the pixel interval +1.

18. A skew correction method according to claim 17, wherein said corresponding coordinates correspond to a position where lines in the sub-scanning direction are decreased by one when said skew direction is left, and correspond to a position where lines in the sub-scanning direction are increased by one when said skew direction is right.

19. A skew correction method according to claim 15, wherein said step of correcting the skew comprises reading a pixel corresponding to coordinates where moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction during repetition of a pixel interval if a number of repetition times is “

0”

, and repeatedly reading said pixel interval according to a number of times of reading and reading a pixel corresponding to coordinates where moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction if said number of repetition times is other than “

0”

, and said number of repetition times +1 reads the pixel corresponding to coordinates where the number of pixels moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction during running of the pixel interval +1.

20. A skew correction method for correcting a one-page copy which is read and stored in a skewed manner, said method comprising the steps of:

counting a number of pixels in a main-scanning direction until copy discriminating data are met, starting from two spots of said read data in a sub-scanning direction;

sensing a skew direction of said copy using said counted number of pixels;

reading skew correction data corresponding to a difference between the counted number of pixels of said two spots in the main-scanning direction; and

correcting a skew by reading, in the main-scanning direction, the changed coordinates by line units with respect to all lines of said copy in the sub-scanning direction according to said skew correction data and said skew direction;

wherein said step of correcting the skew comprises reading a pixel corresponding to coordinates where moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction during repetition of a pixel interval if a number of repetition times is “

0”

, and repeatedly reading said pixel interval according to a number of times of reading and reading a pixel corresponding to coordinates where moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction if said number of repetition times is other than “

0”

, and said number of repetition times +1 reads the pixel corresponding to coordinates where the number of pixels moved with respect to one sub-scanning line along said skew direction during running of the pixel interval +1.