Abstract:
A scanning device (10) for forming a scanned electronic image (54) includes an imaging sensor (22) and at least one navigation sensor (24 and 26). The imaging sensor is a linear array of sensor elements, with a two-dimensional navigation sensor array at each end. The scanning device has three degrees of freedom, since position information from the navigation sensors allows manipulation of an image signal from the imaging sensor to reduce distortion artifacts caused by curvilinear scanning. Acceptable sources of the position information include printed matter and contrast variations dictated by variations in the inherent structure-related properties (64) of the medium (14) on which the scanned image is formed. Illumination for optimal operation of the navigation system may be introduced at a grazing angle (30) in some applications or in the normal to a plane of the original in other applications.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of reconstructing an image from scanned parts of an original image obtained by relative movement between a scanning device and the original image so that adjacent scanned image swaths overlap. The scanning device comprises navigation means for determining the position of the scanning device relative to the original image. Navigation corrections are calculated by correlating features within the area of overlap between adjacent swaths.
Abstract:
PCT No. PCT/US92/04734 Sec. 371 Date Feb. 2, 1994 Sec. 102(e) Date Feb. 2, 1994 PCT Filed Jun. 5, 1992 PCT Pub. No. WO92/22109 PCT Pub. Date Dec. 10, 1992A laser beam scanning apparatus employs a movable reflector (32) having a large number of flat reflective sides (44) a deflector (16) which shifts the laser beam (10) at high speed across a plurality of the reflective sides (44). The movement of reflector (32) is synchronized with the deflection of the laser beam (10) to produce a desired scan pattern in a first scan direction (X). The reflective sides (44) of the movable reflector (32) may be angled relative to each other in a second direction (Y) to produce different scan lines thereby providing an X-Y scan pattern. The combined high speed beam deflection and motion of the reflector (32) provide scanning of the beam (10) in parallel scan segments thereby providing high scanning speed of the beam with a high degree of resolution.
Abstract:
The present invention uses a multiple line sensor array (33) for capturing the desired pixels of an object (30). Each sensor is provided with a plurality of photosensitive elements positioned substantially adjacent to each other so as to capture with multiple photosensitive elements the light from one scene pixel area of the scanned media (30). By monitoring the absolute position of the object (30), a feedback signal is generated and used to determine which photosensitive elements are sensing the desired scene pixel area thereby compensating for speed variations in the scanning motion. In another variation of the present invention a weighted average is taken of selected photosensitive elements to obtain a value for the desired scene pixel location. A summation of the signals from the lines of the sensor that are in the correct position multiplied by the correct weighting factor determined by the position sensor feedback will thereby reduce the image degradation caused by varying scanning speeds.
Abstract:
A thermal head drive circuit in which printing data PD of n bits (n is an integer of 2 or greater) are successively fed to a data input terminal, heat-generating elements (21 to 2n) of a number of n in a thermal head (1) are heated in response to the values of bits of the printing data PD to effect the printing operation, and in which prior to heating the heat-generating elements (21 to 2n) by one printing data PDk, an inverted data PDK-1 obtained by inverting a printing data PDk-1 just before the printing data PDk is supplied to the heat-generating elements (21 to 2n) to pre-heat them. There is further provided a copying machine of the manually scanning type to which the thermal head drive circuit is adapted.
Abstract:
A pixel clock generator includes a frequency divider 4 that generates a pixel clock PCLK based on a high frequency clock VCLK, a comparator 5 that calculates an error Lerr in the time obtained by integrating a cycle of the pixel clock PCLK for a target number RefN from a time when synchronization signals SPSYNC and EPSYNC are detected, a filter 6, and a frequency calculating unit 7 that sets a frequency dividing value M of the frequency divider 4. The filter 6 and the frequency calculating unit 7 calculate an average of a frequency of the pixel clock PCLK based on the error Lerr, determine a reference error value from the error Lerr in N-cycles, calculate offset values of the frequencies of N pieces of pixel clocks PCLK based on a difference between the reference error value and the error Lerr, and calculate the frequency dividing value M based on a result obtained by adding the circularly selected offset values and the average of the frequency of the pixel clock PCLK.
Abstract:
In a method of electronic recording of information from an information carrier, a position-coding pattern (3) is placed on top of or under the information carrier. The information on the information carrier and the position-coding pattern (3) are imaged with the aid of a plurality of partial images. The position-coding pattern is used to determine where the partial images should be stored in a memory area. The partial images in the memory area together constitute an image of the information on the information carrier. The position-coding pattern is filtered out of the partial images. A product, a device, and software used for implementing the method are also described.
Abstract:
An engraving system (10) and method is disclosed having multiple engraving heads (22, 24) wherein the operation of each head is controllable so that a vertical and/or horizontal screen may be independently controlled, enabling each engraving head to engrave in accordance with different screen rulings selected by a user. The engraving system includes a signal generator for controlling the vertical screen by utilizing a plurality of vertical scalers which use a cylinder factor signal corresponding to the rotational position of a cylinder (16) and as screen variables, such as a screen angle and screen ruling, to generate independent vertically scaled signals which are used to independently energize the engraving heads to engrave patterns defining different vertical resolutions or vertical screens. This system and method also discloses a drive system (28) for independently driving the engraving heads using the cylinder factor signal and the screen variables to enable the engraving heads to engrave patterns having differing horizontal resolution or horizontal screens.
Abstract:
This invention is a hand-held and self-contained electronic scanning apparatus (10) for scanning information on a document (D) disposed outside the apparatus (10) that includes a housing (12) that can be manually positioned adjacent a surface of a document (D) and manually swept across a scanning area on the medium during a scanning sequence. The scanner disposed in the housing (12) contains a scan head with a plurality of scan elements such as light sensitive elements for scanning information such as an image on a document (D) within the scanning area. An electronic control circuit is also disposed in the housing (12) for controlling the scanner to scan information on the document (D) during a scanning sequence. The control circuit comprises compensation means for reducing image distortion based on detecting the position of the light sensitive elements during a scanning sequence.
Abstract:
In a process for correcting pyramidal errors due to misinclination of facet surfaces of a rotating polygonal mirror (8) that receives light and is used to deflect a beam of light, wherein a misinclination of a facet surface prompts a corrective deflection of the light beam (5) reflected by the specific facet surface (12), at a correction angle opposite to the deflection by misinclination, the invention provides a continuous check on the orientation of the facet surfaces (16) as they pass a measuring point (15), a measure of the angle of misinclination when it occurs and an adjustment of twice the measure as angle of correction of the corrective deflection. A device for carrying out the process has a light-exposed rotating polygonal mirror (8) as well as a deflection device (9, 10) for corrective deflection of the light beam (5) in the event of a misinclination of facet surfaces and a control device which is used to drive the deflection device. With a measuring device (13) the orientation of each facet surface (16) can be continuously monitored with each pass of the measuring point (15), the angle of misinclination can be determined when it occurs and, as a function thereof, an input signal can be sent to the control device (36).