Image reading apparatus

• US 7,161,626 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Nara, Wataru
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Nhan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/411,629
• Time in Patent Office: 2,657 Days
• Field of Search: 348/243, 348/251, 348/222.1, 348/223.1, 348/241, 348/248, 358446-448, 358/461, 358/464, 358/463, 382/254, 382/274
• US Class Current: 348/243
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4076 dependent on references outside the picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/63 applied to dark current

Abstract

A CCD photoelectrically converts image information obtained from optically reading an original image, line by line, and outputs an image signal. Several of the photoelectric sensors of a CCD of the CCD portion form an optical black portion. A black shading correcting portion corrects the image signal using a black reference level. The black reference level is obtained from the optical black portion of the CCD for each line during an operation of the reading of the original image. The black reference level used by said black shading correcting portion for each line is obtained using black reference values, each of the black reference values being data of the optical black portion for a respective one of a plurality of lines.

Claims

1. An image reading apparatus, comprising:

photoelectrically converting means for photoelectrically converting image information obtained from optically reading an original image, line by line, and outputting an image signal, said photoelectrically converting means having optically shielding means provided at a portion thereof; and

black shading correcting means for correcting the image signal using a black reference level, said black reference level being obtained from said portion of said photoelectrically converting means for each line during an operation of the reading of the original image,

wherein the black reference level used by said black shading correcting means for each line is obtained using black reference values, each of the black reference values being data of said portion of said photoelectrically converting means for a respective one of a plurality of lines,

wherein the black reference level is a moving average of averages of the black reference values for the plurality of lines,

wherein each black reference value for a respective line is an average of pixel values in a main scan direction, the moving average being obtained from moving-averaging, in a sub-scan direction, the black reference values.

2. The image reading apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the moving-averaging comprises averaging data of a predetermined number of immediately antecedent lines, the data of each of the predetermined number of immediately antecedent lines comprising an average taken through a relevant line.

3. An image reading apparatus, comprising:

photoelectrically converting means for photoelectrically converting image information obtained from optically reading an original image, line by line, and outputting an image signal, said photoelectrically converting means having optically shielding means provided at a portion thereof; and

black shading correcting means for correcting the image signal using a black reference level, said black reference level being obtained from said portion of said photoelectrically converting means for each line during an operation of the reading of the original image,

wherein the black reference level used by said black shading correcting means for each line is obtained using black reference values, each of the black reference values being data of said portion of said photoelectrically converting means for a respective one of a plurality of lines,

wherein the black reference level for each line is obtained from moving-averaging averages of the black reference values for the plurality of lines.

4. The image reading apparatus, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plurality of lines comprise the current line and preceding lines.

5. The image reading apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the moving-averaging comprises averaging data of a predetermined number of immediately antecedent lines, the data of each of the predetermined number of immediately antecedent lines comprising an average taken through a relevant line.

6. An image reading apparatus, comprising:

a photoelectric unit which photoelectrically converts image information obtained from optically reading an original image, line by line, and outputs an image signal, said photoelectric unit having an optically shielding member provided at a portion thereof; and

a black shading correcting unit which corrects the image signal using a black reference level, said black reference level being obtained from said portion of said photoelectric unit for each line during an operation of the reading of the original image,

wherein the black reference level is obtained using black reference values, each of the black reference values being data of said portion of said photoelectrically converting means for a respective one of the plurality of lines,

wherein the black reference level is a moving average of averages of the black reference values for the plurality of lines,

wherein the black reference value for a respective line is an average of pixel values in a main scan direction, the moving average being obtained from moving-averaging, in a sub-scan direction, the black reference values.

7. The image reading apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the moving-averaging comprises averaging data of a predetermined number of immediately antecedent lines, the data of each of the predetermined number of immediately antecedent lines comprising an average taken through a relevant line.

8. An image reading apparatus, comprising:

a photoelectric unit which photoelectrically converts image information obtained from optically reading an original image, line by line, and outputs an image signal, said photoelectric unit having an optically shielding member provided at a portion thereof; and

a black shading correcting unit which corrects the image signal using a black reference level, said black reference level being obtained from said portion of said photoelectric unit for each line during an operation of the reading of the original image,

wherein the black reference level is obtained using black reference values, each of the black reference values being data of said portion of said photoelectrically converting means for a respective one of the plurality of lines,

wherein the black reference level for each line is obtained from moving-averaging averages of the black reference values for the plurality of lines.

9. The image reading apparatus, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the plurality of lines comprise the current line and preceding lines.

10. The image reading apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the moving-averaging comprises averaging data of a predetermined number of immediately antecedent lines, the data of each of the predetermined number of immediately antecedent lines comprising an average taken through a relevant line.