Image processing terminal apparatus, system and method

• US 7,477,783 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2004
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsuo Nakayama
• Original Assignee: Mitsuo Nakayama
• Inventors: Nakayama, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed; Samir A
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANCHY JR, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US10/824,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20040208369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 382/182, 382/173
• US Class Current: 382/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments

Abstract

An image processing terminal apparatus includes an image capture device configured to optically scan an intended area on a document by moving the terminal apparatus over the document and to capture image data of each of serial static images of the intended area for position calculation and image data of each of serial static images of the intended area for character recognition, alternately, and an image process device configured to calculate position information of the each of serial static images of the intended area for character recognition based on image data of predetermined areas in the each of serial static images of the intended area for position calculation.

Claims

1. An image processing terminal apparatus comprising:

an image capture device having a first light-emitting element emitting light from above in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of a document when capturing image data of an intended area, a second light-emitting element emitting light in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the document when capturing a small image area, and an image sensor comprising a first area and a second area, wherein the first area captures a plurality of large image information by optically motion-scanning the document with the first light-emitting element, and the second area captures small image information selected from at least two predetermined areas with respect to the plurality of large image information by optically motion-scanning the document with the second light-emitting element;

an image process device configured to calculate relative position coordinates by referring to the small image information captured in the second area of the image sensor in the image capture device; and

an output device configured to output the position information of the small image area resulting from the calculation in the image process device and the corresponding large image information.

2. The image processing terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a resolution of the small image area where position coordinates are calculated is different from a resolution of the large image information.

3. The image processing terminal apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

a display device; and

an input device configured to input data from an external computer, wherein the large image information is outputted from the output device to the computer for character recognition at the computer according to entire image data that has been formed based on the position information data, and a result thereof is inputted to the input device to be displayed on the display device.

4. The image processing terminal apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display device displays the large image information while scanning the image.

5. The image processing terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is connected with the computer via wired means such as a high-speed bidirectional communication bus or via wireless means such as optical communication or radio wave and used as a pointing device.

6. The image processing terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is incorporated into a mobile phone and connected with a server via wireless public switched telephone network of the mobile phone to send the large image information and a position information of the small image obtained in the image processing terminal device to the server.

7. A method of image processing in an image processing terminal apparatus, wherein an intended area on a document is motion-scanned by using the image processing terminal apparatus, comprising the steps of:

emitting light by a first light-emitting element from above in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of a document when capturing image data of an intended area;

emitting light by a second light-emitting element in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the document when capturing a small image area;

capturing a plurality of large image information into a first area of an image sensor in an image capture device by optically motion-scanning the document with the first light-emitting element and capturing small image information selected from at least two predetermined areas with respect to the plurality of large image information into a second area of the image sensor in the image capture device by optically motion-scanning the document with the second light-emitting element;

processing image by calculating relative position coordinates by referring to the small image information captured in the second area of the image sensor in the image capture device; and

outputting the position information of the small image area resulting from the calculation in the image process device and the corresponding large image information.