Method and user interface for performing a scan operation for a scanner coupled to a computer system

• US 6,628,416 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1999
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1999
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Umax Data Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Hsu, T. J., Hsu, Chuan-Yu, Liu, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US09/417,985
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 358/442, 358/444, 358/473, 358/1.6, 358/1.1, 382/167, 382/176
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A method and user interface is provided for use on a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, which allows the user to acquire scanned images in an easier and more user-friendly manner. The method allows the user to scan an original document without requiring the user to have learned knowledge background in the science of image processing, and also allows the scanner to perform only one scan operation on the original document. These features allow the use of the scanner to be easier and more user-friendly than the prior art. By the, method, the first step is to determine a set of image processing settings by a scanner driving program that are suited for optimal scan of the original document; and then the scanner is activated to perform a scan operation on the original document based on the image processing settings to thereby obtain a primitive scanned image. Next, an image-enhancement process is performed on the primitive scanned image to thereby obtain a quality-enhanced image; and finally, the quality-enhanced image is transferred to the application program for use by the application program.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a user interface incorporated in a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, the computer system running a scanner driver and an application program;

the method comprising the steps of;

determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;

obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses image processing settings through the scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes an automatic cutting routine; and

obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

2. A method implemented on a user interface incorporated in a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, the computer system running a scanner driver and an application program;

the method comprising the steps of;

determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;

obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses image processing settings through the scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement, process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes a distortion correction routine; and

obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

3. A method implemented on a user interface incorporated in a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, the computer system running a scanner driver and an application program;

the method comprising the steps of;

determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;

obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses image processing settings through the scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes a color calibration routine; and

obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

4. A method implemented on a user interface incorporated in a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, the computer system running a scanner driver and an application program;

the method comprising the steps of;

determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;

obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses image processing settings through the scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes an automatic character recognition routine; and

obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

5. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:

a scanner, for scanning an original document to an image data;

a computer system, for storing and processing the image data from the scanner;

a scanner driving program, for driving the scanner and then performing an image-enhancement process on the image data stored in the computer system;

an application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface comprising the steps of;

determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;

obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses image processing settings through the scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes an automatic cutting routine; and

obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

6. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:

a scanner, for scanning an original document to an image data;

a computer system, for storing and processing the image data from the scanner;

a scanner driving program, for driving the scanner and then performing an image-enhancement process on the image data stored in the computer system;

an application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface comprising the steps of;

determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;

obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses image processing settings through the scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes a distortion correction routine; and

obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

7. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:

a scanner, for scanning an original document to an image data;

a computer system, for storing and processing the image data from the scanner;

a scanner driving program, for driving the scanner and then performing an image-enhancement process on the image data stored in the computer system;

an application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface comprising the steps of;

determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;

obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses image processing settings through the scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes a color calibration routine; and

obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

8. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:

a scanner, for scanning an original document to an image data;

a computer system, for storing and processing the image data from the scanner;

a scanner driving program, for driving the scanner and then performing an image-enhancement process on the image data stored in the computer system;

an application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface comprising the steps of;

determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;

obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses image processing settings through the scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes an automatic character recognition routine; and

obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.