System for illuminating an original using additional colors and capturing an image thereof

• US 8,705,146 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: King, Anthony Michael, Miller, Mark Eric, Sellers, Ronald Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Cheukfan
• Application Number:
  US12/625,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20110122465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 358/473, 358/474, 358/483, 358/482, 358/505, 358512-514, 358/509, 358/49, 382/312, 382/313, 250/208.1, 250234-236, 250/239, 250/216, 362/800
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/484 with sequential colour illumination of the original

Abstract

An imaging device including a base and an enclosed chamber positioned on the base. The enclosed chamber has a scanning surface inclined with respect to the base, a reflecting member positioned opposite to the scanning surface and an imaging member adjacent the scanning surface and oriented towards the reflecting member. The imaging member is illuminated with a red, a green, a blue, and an additional color LED. In one embodiment the additional color is a color other than red, green, and blue. In an alternate embodiment the additional color is Ultraviolet (UV) or Infra-Red (IR).

Claims

1. An imaging device for illuminating and imaging an original, the imaging device comprising:

a base; and

an enclosed chamber, the enclosed chamber including;

an imaging surface for holding the original, the imaging surface inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the base;

a plurality of light sources arranged around a perimeter of the imaging surface for illuminating the imaging surface and the original;

a reflective member positioned opposite to the imaging surface for receiving and reflecting light from the plurality of light sources and reflected from the original on the imaging surface; and

an imaging member disposed adjacent to an edge of the imaging surface and oriented towards the reflective member, to receive the reflected light from the reflective member.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources include at least one red color LED, at least one blue color LED, and at least one green color LED.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of light sources include at least one LED having a color other than red, blue, and green.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources include at least one red color LED, at least one blue color LED, at least one green color LED, and at least one of an ultraviolet LED and an infrared LED.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1, the enclosed chamber further comprising a ledge disposed along at least a portion of one edge of the imaging surface to support the original placed on the imaging surface.

6. The imaging device according to claim 1, the predetermined angle being about 80 degrees.

7. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging member is a monochromatic imaging member.

8. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light guides, each of the plurality of light guides positioned in front of a respective one of the plurality of light sources, the plurality of light guides securing the plurality of light sources to the imaging surface.

9. A method for illuminating and imaging an original in an imaging device, comprising:

placing the original on an imaging surface in the imaging device;

illuminating the original from a perimeter of the imaging surface with a first light source that includes a first color;

receiving at a reflecting member light from the first light source and reflected from the original and reflecting the received light to a camera positioned adjacent to an edge of the imaging surface;

capturing with the camera a first image of the original illuminated by the first color;

illuminating the original from the perimeter of the imaging surface with a second light source that includes a second color, the second color being different from the first color;

receiving at the reflecting member light from the second light source and reflected from the original and reflecting the received light to the camera;

capturing with the camera a second image of the original illuminated by the second color;

illuminating the original from the perimeter of the imaging surface with a third light source that includes a third color, the third color being different from the first and second colors;

receiving at the reflecting member light from the third light source and reflected from the original and reflecting the received light to the camera;

capturing with the camera a third image of the original illuminated by the third color;

illuminating the original from the perimeter of the imaging surface with at least one additional light source that includes an additional color, the additional color being different from the first, second, and third colors;

receiving at the reflecting member light from the at least one additional light source and reflected from the original and reflecting the received light to the camera;

capturing at least one additional image of the original illuminated by the additional color with the camera;

processing the first image, the second image, and the third image, to obtain a composite color image of the original; and

processing the at least one additional image of the original to obtain information relating to the original.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first color comprises red, the second color comprises green, and the third color comprises blue.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the additional color comprises at least one of an ultra-violet light source and an infrared light source.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one additional light source comprises an ultraviolet light source and the additional information includes at least one of an edge location of the original, a media type of the original and a gamut of the original.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one additional light source comprises an infrared light source and the additional information includes at least one of dirt locations on the original and dust locations on the original.

14. A method for illuminating and imaging an original in an imaging device, the method comprising:

placing the original on an imaging surface in the imaging device;

illuminating the original from a perimeter of the imaging surface with a first light source that includes a first color;

receiving at a reflecting member light from the first light source and reflected from the original and reflecting the received light to a camera positioned adjacent to an edge of the imaging surface;

capturing with the camera a first image of the original illuminated by the first color;

illuminating the original from the perimeter of the imaging surface with a second light source that includes a second color, the second color being different from the first color;

receiving at the reflecting member light from the second light source and reflected from the original and reflecting the received light to the camera;

capturing with the camera a second image of the original illuminated by the second color;

illuminating the original from the perimeter of the imaging surface with a third light source that includes a third color, the third color being different from the first and second colors;

receiving at the reflecting member light from the third light source and reflected from the original and reflecting the received light to the camera;

capturing with the camera a third image of the original illuminated by the third color;

illuminating the original from the perimeter of the imaging surface with at least one additional light source that includes an additional color;

receiving at a reflecting member light from the at least one additional light source and reflected from the original and reflecting the received light to the camera;

capturing with the camera at least one additional image of the original illuminated by the additional color, the additional color being different from the first, second, and third colors; and

processing the first image, the second image, the third image, and the at least one additional image to obtain a composite color image of the original in which metameric mismatch is substantially eliminated.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first color comprises red, the second color comprises green, and the third color comprises blue.