Lid position determination based on area scanning

Abstract

The first area and the second area of ​​the scanning surface can be scanned by the image sensor. The cover can be coupled to the scanning surface and have an open position and a closed position, the cover covering the first area and the second area when in the closed position. The position of the cover can be determined based on a comparison of the scan of the first area with the scan of the second area.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Copiers, scanners, and related devices may have a cover to cover the scanning surface. Whether the cover is open, closed, or in another position may affect the behavior of the device. Summary of the invention

[0002] Various examples are described below with reference to the following figures:

[0003] Figure 1 An apparatus having a scanning surface and a cover according to various examples is shown;

[0004] Figure 2 An apparatus having a scanning surface, a cover, and a document feeding indicator according to various examples is shown;

[0005] Figure 3 A storage device storing scan instructions, comparison instructions, and determination instructions according to various examples is shown;

[0006] Figure 4 A computer system having a processor and a memory device according to various examples is shown; and

[0007] Figure 5 Methods of determining lid open based on comparison of two regions of a scan line according to various examples are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] The position of a lid covering a scanning surface may affect the behavior of a copier, scanner, or similar device. Lifting the lid may indicate to the user that a document is about to be scanned or copied. A device in power saving mode may wake up in response to lifting the lid.

[0009] The scanner of such a device can be used to detect whether a lid is open or closed. When a lid is covering the scanned surface, the scanner can detect contrasting portions of the lid. When the lid is open, the contrasting portions of the lid become blurred together. The scanner can scan areas of the scanned surface from time to time, determining whether the lid is open or closed based on comparison of the areas. If one area is white and another area is black, detecting similar shades of gray in both areas may indicate that the lid has been opened. This can allow detection of the lid position without adding components specific to that purpose.

[0010] Figure 1An apparatus 100 having a scanning surface 110 and a cover 120 is shown according to various examples. The apparatus 100 includes an image sensor 150. The scanning surface 110 may be a piece of glass or plastic against which a document is placed for scanning or copying. The scanning surface 110 includes a first area 140 and a second area 130. The first area 140 and the second area 130 may not be obvious from an inspection of the scanning surface 110, but may be specific locations imaged by the image sensor. The first area 140 and the second area 130 may be outside of the portion of the scanning surface 110 that is scanned when scanning a document. The first area 140 and the second area 130 may be located at other locations on the scanning surface 110, such as on the top side or the bottom side, or near the coupling point between the cover 120 and the scanning surface 110.

[0011] The image sensor 150 may be a photoresistor, a photodiode, a charge coupled device, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, or any number of other imaging sensors. A light source may be used in conjunction with the image sensor, or as part of the sensor, and used to illuminate the document on the scanning surface 110. Although scanning is discussed throughout this document, scanning is intended to include the image sensing portion of a scanning operation, a copying operation, or similar functionality. The image sensor 150 may include or be a portion of a line scanner that scans lines across the scanning surface 110 to assemble an image.

[0012] The cover 120 can be opened and closed. When closed, the cover 120 can cover the scanning surface 110. Closing the cover 120 can help perform scanning or copying of documents placed on the scanning surface 110. The cover 120 can generally provide a white image to the scanning surface 110. The cover 120 can limit the amount of ambient light presented to the scanning surface 110 during scanning.

[0013] Figure 2The device 200 with a scanning surface 210, a cover 220, and a document feeding indicator 265 according to various examples is shown. The scanning surface 210 includes a first area 240 and a second area 230. The first area 240 and the second area 230 can be aligned along a first scan line 270 across the scanning surface 210. A second scan line 280 across the scanning surface 210 can indicate the position where the image sensor begins to scan a document placed against the scanning surface 210. The image sensor can then start at the second scan line 280 and scan the document in a direction away from the first scan line 270. The image sensor can stay in a parked position along the first scan line 270. The divider 215 can divide the scanning surface 210 into a parked area for the image sensor and a placement area for the document to be scanned. In various examples, the second scan line 280 can be on the opposite side of the scanning surface 210 from the first scan line 270. The scanned document can advance from the second scan line 280 toward the first scan line 270 and stop just approaching the first scan line 270.

[0014] The cover 220 may include a document feed indicator 265. The document feed indicator 265 may be part of an automatic document feed system that feeds documents from a tray onto the scanning surface 210 for scanning or copying. In various examples, the document feed indicator 265 may include a logo or be part of a logo. An automatic document feed tray may be part of the cover 220. When the cover 220 is closed, a document placed in the tray may press a joystick or other device that moves the logo. The logo may move the document feed indicator 265 within a cutout 260 in the cover 220. The cutout 260 may include a hole in the surface of the cover 220 that leads to a recessed area in the cover 220. The logo may be visible as the document feed indicator 265 when scanning is performed along a scan line 275, which may correspond to the first scan line 270. The surface of the cover 220 near the cutout 260 may be a light color. When the cover 220 is closed, the cutout 260 may appear dark when scanned. The dark color may be caused by the cutout 260 being recessed from the surface of the cover 220 or being obscured by light generated as part of the scan. The cutout 260 may be darkened, such as by using a different color of plastic or paint. Scan line 275 may correspond to first scan line 270. When the cover 220 is closed, scanning along first scan line 270 may image a portion of the cover 220 passing through the cutout 260 and the document feed indicator 265 along scan line 275. When the cover 220 is closed, scan line 285 may correspond to second scan line 280. When the cover 220 is closed and there is no paper in the automatic document feed tray, the document feed indicator 265 may be close to the scan surface 210 and appear as a lighter portion within the cutout 260 when scanning is performed along scan line 275. When cover 220 is closed and paper is present in the automatic document feed tray, document feed indicator 265 may be recessed into cutout 210 and away from scanning surface 210 , which may cause document feed indicator 265 to appear darker or more blurred within cutout 260 when scanning is performed along scan line 275 .

[0015] In various examples, when the lid 220 is closed, the second area 230 may be aligned with a light colored portion of the lid 220. The first area 240 may be aligned with the cutout 260. If a document feed indicator 265 is present, the first area 240 may be opposite a portion of the cutout 260 where the document feed indicator 265 is not present. This may allow a scan of the first scan line 270 to detect dark colors in the first area 240, regardless of whether the document feed indicator 265 is indicating the presence of a document in the tray. The device 200 may scan along the first scan line 270, including scans of the first area 240 and the second area 230. If the lid is closed, the scan of the second area 230 may detect light colors on the surface of the lid 220, while the scan of the first area 240 may detect dark colors caused by the cutout 260. Comparing the scan of the first area 240 with the scan of the second area 230 may indicate a high contrast level between the first area 240 and the second area 230, indicating that the lid is closed. When the lid 220 is open, the contrast between the first area 240 and the second area 230 may be reduced because the focus of the scanner may be limited to the scanning surface 210 and its immediate vicinity. If the lid 220 is fully open, the scan of the first scan line 270 may be detecting ambient light in the room or scanning the ceiling, which may be very blurry due to the distance of the ceiling from the scanning surface 210. A comparison of the scan of the first area 240 and the scan of the second area 230 may have a low contrast, indicating that the lid 220 may be open. The comparison may be able to distinguish various states between the open and closed states, such as a slightly cracked open or a transitional state between open and closed.

[0016] In various examples, the scanning of the first scan line 270 can detect whether the lid 220 is open and whether the document feeding indicator 265 indicates the presence of a document. The second area 230 can correspond to a lightly colored portion of the lid 220. The first area 240 can correspond to a portion of the cutout 260 that will provide a dark image when scanned. The third area can correspond to the document feeding indicator 265, which can produce a darker or lighter colored image when scanned based on the presence or absence of a document in the document tray. The scanning of the first scan line 270 can be performed. If there is sufficient contrast between the first area 240 and the second area 230, the device 200 can determine that the lid 220 is closed, otherwise the lid 220 may be open. If the lid 220 is closed, the device 200 can analyze the scanning of the first scan line 270 corresponding to the document feeding indicator 265. Based on this analysis, the device 200 can determine whether the document is in the tray. If the cover 220 is closed and there is no document in the tray, the device 200 can wait for a certain time and perform another scan along the first scan line 270 for cover detection and automatic document feeding detection. If the cover 220 is open or there is a document in the tray, the device 200 can wake up from the power saving mode or illuminate the control panel.

[0017] In various examples, the cover 220 may not include a cutout 260 corresponding to the first area 240. The cover 220 may have a portion corresponding to the first area 240 that is formed of a darker plastic or has a sticker or paint to provide a contrasting image. The corresponding portion of the cover 220 may be colored in a particular manner depending on the light used to perform the scan. For example, if green light is used to perform the scan, the paint may be non-green to absorb the green light. Various colors of light may be used to perform the scan along the first scan line 270. The selection of light may be based on the level of contrast provided between the first area 240 and the second area 230 when the cover is closed, or it may be based on the amount of power consumption when performing the scan of the first scan line 270. The intensity and duration of the light may be selected to avoid causing interference, such as flashes that may be visible when the cover 220 is open. The light may use a low intensity or invisible intensity that still allows detection by the image sensor.

[0018] In various examples, lid detection can operate regardless of the ambient lighting conditions in which the device 200 is used. Whether the device 200 is in a bright room or a dark room, when the lid 220 is open, the contrast between the first area 240 and the second area 230 can be sufficient to determine that the lid 220 is open because both areas can receive approximately the same level of ambient lighting.

[0019] In various examples, depending on the position of the lid, the position of the first area 240 and the second area 230 may change along the first scan line 270. As the lid 220 is raised, the darker portion provided by the cutout 260 may be seen by scanning as it moves along the first scan line 270 toward the hinge or coupling between the lid 220 and the scanning surface 210. The first area 240 and the second area 230 may be made large enough to accommodate such movement, or they may be selected based on where the darker portion is detected.

[0020] Figure 3 A storage device 300 storing scanning instructions 330, comparison instructions 340, and determination instructions 350 according to various examples is shown. The machine-readable instructions 330, 340, 350 may be executed by a processor. The storage device 300 may include a hard drive, a solid state drive (SSD), a flash memory, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a random access memory (RAM).

[0021] In various examples, scanning instructions 330 may include instructions to perform a scan of a scan line on a scanning surface. The scan line may scan a first area and a second area. When the lid is closed, the first area may correspond to a dark colored portion of the lid or a cutout in the lid. When the lid is closed, the second area may correspond to a light colored portion of the lid. There may be additional areas, such as an area corresponding to an indicator (such as a logo) of an automatic document feeding system.

[0022] In various examples, comparison instructions 340 may include instructions to compare a scan of a first area with a scan of a second area. If the lid is closed when the scan is performed, there may be a high contrast between the scan of the first area and the scan of the second area. If the lid is open when the scan is performed, there may be a low contrast between the scan of the first area and the scan of the second area. Comparison instructions 340 may determine a contrast level. Comparison instructions 340 may make other comparisons, such as comparing specific color values. Comparison instructions 340 may compare the brightness of the scan of the first area and the scan of the second area. The comparison may result in a contrast value, such as a contrast ratio.

[0023] In various examples, the determining instruction 350 may determine whether the lid is open or closed based on the comparison performed by the comparing instruction 340. A predetermined threshold value of contrast may be used. If the contrast between the first area and the second area is higher than the predetermined threshold, the determining instruction 350 may determine that the lid is closed. If the contrast between the first area and the second area is lower than the predetermined threshold, the determining instruction 350 may determine that the lid is open. The determining instruction 350 may also analyze a third area corresponding to a document feed mark or indicator. The first area may correspond to a recess in the lid to create a dark area when scanned. The recess may extend beyond the first area to include a document feed indicator corresponding to the third area. Although both the first area and the third area may correspond to a portion of the recess, the first area and the third area may not overlap.

[0024] Figure 4 A computer system 400 is shown with a processor 410 and a storage device 420 according to various examples. The processor 410 may be coupled to the storage device 420, such as via a bus. The processor 410 may include a microprocessor, a microcomputer, a microcontroller, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or discrete logic. The processor 410 may execute machine-readable instructions 430, 440, 450, 460 that implement the methods described herein, such as in conjunction with Figure 5 Describe the method.

[0025] The storage device 420 may include machine-readable instructions 430, 440, 450, 460, such as scan instructions 430, compare instructions 440, determine instructions 450, and document feed instructions 460. The machine-readable instructions 430, 440, 450, 460 may be executable by the processor 410.

[0026] In various examples, document feeding instructions 460 can control an automatic document feeding system. Determine instructions 450 or document feeding instructions 460 can determine that a document is present in an automatic document feeding system. Document feeding instructions 460 can cause a button or display to illuminate. Document feeding instructions 460 can control an automatic document feeding system to be scanned or copied on a scanning surface and then placed in an output tray.

[0027] Figure 5 A method 500 of determining that a lid is open based on a comparison of two regions of a scanned line is shown according to various examples. The method 500 includes scanning a line of a scan surface (block 510). The method 500 includes comparing a first region of the line with a second region of the line (block 520). The method 500 includes determining that a lid is open based on the comparison, the lid to cover the scan surface (block 530).

[0028] In various examples, a scanning or copying device may change state or operation depending on a determination of a lid position. If the device is in a standby mode, changing the lid position may cause the device to wake up. A button, liquid crystal display (LCD) or light emitting diode (LED) panel, or other control may be illuminated. A menu on a control panel may be updated or modified based on the state of the lid.

[0029] In various examples, the scan may scan a line through the first area and the second area. The line may be a single pixel wide. A wider scan may be used to perform the comparison of the first area and the second area. The first area and the second area may be wide enough to provide overlap with corresponding portions on the cover, as there may be some variation in positioning due to a hinge or other mechanism used to couple the cover to the scanning surface.

[0030] In various examples, the first area can correspond to a portion of the cover that includes a document feeding indicator. Based on the scan, it can be determined that the document is present in a document feeder of the automatic document feeding system. As a result, the automatic document feeding system can cause the document to be scanned. When causing the document to be scanned, the automatic document feeding system can first verify that the cover is closed, rather than attempting to perform a scan when the cover is open.

[0031] The above discussion is intended to illustrate the principles and various examples of the present disclosure. Once the above disclosure is fully appreciated, many changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted as including all such changes and modifications.

Claims

1. A device for determining the position of a lid, include: Scan surfaces including: Region 1; and Second area; An image sensor for scanning a scanning surface; a cover coupled to the scanning surface, the cover having an open position and a closed position relative to the scanning surface, the cover covering a first area corresponding to a dark colored portion of the cover or a cutout in the cover and a second area corresponding to a light colored portion of the cover when the cover is in the closed position; and A controller configured to cause the image sensor to scan the first area and the second area, the controller determining whether the lid is in the closed position based on a comparison of the scan of the first area and the scan of the second area, wherein the comparison indicates a contrast level, color value, brightness, or a combination thereof between the first area and the second area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a mark to indicate an automatic document feeding status, the mark covering a portion of the first area when the cover is in the closed position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is to determine whether a document is present in the automatic document feed based on a scan of the first area.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the cover includes an aperture that covers a portion of the first region when the cover is in the closed position.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the scanning surface comprises a third area, and the cover comprises a mark for indicating a document feeding state, and when the cover is in a closed position, the mark covers the third area.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing machine readable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: scanning a first area of ​​the scan surface, the first area corresponding to a dark colored portion of the cover or a cutout in the cover; scanning a second area of ​​the scan surface, the second area corresponding to a lightly colored portion of the cover; comparing the scan of the first region to the scan of the second region, wherein the comparison indicates a contrast level, color value, brightness, or a combination thereof between the first region and the second region; and Based on the comparison, it is determined whether the lid is open.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to scan a third area of ​​the scanning surface to generate an image of the document to be scanned, wherein the third area does not overlap with the first area.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein comparing the scan of the first area to the scan of the second area comprises comparing a first brightness of the scan of the first area to a second brightness of the scan of the second area.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to determine whether a document is present in the document feed based on the scanning of the first area.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to scan the first area using green light.

11. A method for lid position determination, include: scanning a line of the scanning surface, the line spanning the scanning surface and passing through a first area corresponding to a dark colored portion of the cover or a cutout in the cover and a second area corresponding to a light colored portion of the cover; comparing a first region through which the line passes to a second region, wherein the comparison indicates a contrast level, color value, brightness, or a combination thereof between the first region and the second region; and Based on the comparison, it is determined that the cover is open and that the cover is to cover the scanning surface.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising illuminating a control in response to the determining.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein scanning a line comprises scanning a single pixel width line.

14. The method according to claim 11, include: determining, based on the first region, that a document is present in the document feed; and Scan the document. The method of claim 14 , wherein the scanning the document is based on a determination that the lid is closed.

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