Image reading system

Abstract

To provide an image reading system whose convenience is improved by performing image processing suitable for use of a user on an image obtained by reading an original.SOLUTION: An image reading system includes: image reading means for reading an original; image dividing means for dividing the image read by the image reading means; blank determining means for determining whether or not there is a blank equal to or larger than a threshold in the divided image; and a blank image processing means for processing the divided image when the blank determining means determines that there is a blank.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image reading system, and more particularly to an image reading system for reading a long image in an image reading apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] When reading an image that is long in the sub-scanning direction and dividing it into standard sizes, there arises a problem that an image with a very small amount of information remains in the final image. For example, a margin (blank space) is usually provided at the lower end of an image as the layout of a document, and as a result of dividing this document, a blank image may be created.

[0003] In order to solve such a problem, in Patent Document 1, when dividing every predetermined number of lines and the number of lines in the final image is less than the predetermined number of lines, the predetermined number of lines is increased so that the number of lines in the final image becomes equal to or more than the predetermined number of lines. When the predetermined number of lines reaches the limit, the magnification is changed for division so that the number of lines in the final image becomes equal to or more than the predetermined number of lines, thereby disclosing a technique for preventing the creation of a blank image.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the conventional technique, since the size for division or the magnification is changed according to the final image, there is a possibility that it does not conform to the user's purpose.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading system with improved convenience by performing image processing suitable for the user's purpose.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In view of the above, the image reading system according to the present invention is image reading means for reading a document, image dividing means for dividing the image read by the image reading means, blank determination means for determining whether there is a blank equal to or greater than a threshold value in the divided image, and blank image processing means for performing processing on the divided image when it is determined by the blank determination means that there is a blank, and is characterized by having the same.

Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image reading system with improved convenience by performing image processing suitable for the user's use on an image read by dividing a long document.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] <Embodiment 1> FIG. 1 shows an image reading apparatus A, which is an apparatus that conveys one or a plurality of transport media S stacked on a mounting table 1 one by one into the apparatus through a path RT, reads the image thereof, and discharges it to a discharge tray 2.

[0011] The transport medium S to be read is, for example, a sheet such as OA paper, a check, a bill, cards, etc., and may be a thick sheet or a thin sheet. Examples of cards include an insurance card, a driver's license, a credit card, etc. The transport medium S also includes booklets such as a passport. The present invention uses a long document such as a receipt as the transport medium S.

[0012] As a feeding mechanism for feeding the transport medium S along the path RT, a first transport unit 10 is provided. In the case of the present embodiment, the first transport unit 10 includes a feed roller 11 and a separation roller 12 disposed opposite to the feed roller 11, and sequentially transports the transport media S on the mounting table 1 one by one in the transport direction D1.

[0013] The second transport unit 20 provided as a transport mechanism on the downstream side in the transport direction of the first transport unit 10 includes a drive roller 21 and a driven roller 22 that is driven by the drive roller 21, and transports the transport medium S transported from the first transport unit 10 to its downstream side.

[0014] The third transport unit 30 on the downstream side in the transport direction from the second transport unit 30 includes a drive roller 31 and a driven roller 32 that is driven by the drive roller 31, and transports the transport medium S transported from the second transport unit 20 to the discharge tray 2. That is, this third transport unit 30 functions as a discharge mechanism.

[0015] Here, in the image reading device A of the present embodiment, an image is read by an image reading unit 70 which is an image reading means disposed between the second transport unit 20 and the third transport unit 30.

[0016] Next, the control unit 8 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control unit 8 of the image reading device A.

[0017] The control unit 8 includes a CPU 81, a storage unit 82, an operation unit 83, a communication unit 84, and an interface unit 86.

[0018] The CPU 81 controls the entire image reading device A by executing a program stored in the storage unit 82. The storage unit 82 is composed of, for example, a RAM, a ROM, etc.

[0019] The operation unit 83 is composed of, for example, a switch, a touch panel, etc., and receives operations from the operator.

[0020] The communication unit 84 is an interface for information communication with an external information processing device 90. When assuming a PC (personal computer) as the external information processing device, examples of the communication unit 84 include a USB interface and a SCSI interface. In addition to such a wired communication interface, the communication unit 84 may also be a wireless communication interface, or may be provided with both a wired communication interface and a wireless communication interface.

[0021] The interface unit 86 is an I / O interface that performs data input / output with the actuator 85 and the sensor 87. The actuator 85 includes the drive units 3 and 4, the transmission unit 5, etc. shown in FIG. 1. The sensor 87 includes the double-feed detection sensor 40, the medium detection sensors 50 and 60, the image reading unit 70, etc.

[0022] The external information processing device 90 is an information processing device that controls the image reading device A via the communication unit 84 and the communication unit 94. The external information processing device 90 has a scanner driver and an image capture application for controlling the image reading device A installed therein, and by these, it is possible to cause the image reading device A to read the transport medium S and receive the read image. In this embodiment, it is assumed that a PC is used as the external information processing device 90.

[0023] The basic operation of the image reading device A will be described.

[0024] When the control unit 8 receives an instruction to start image reading from, for example, an external personal computer to which the image reading device A is connected, it starts driving the first transport unit 10 to the third transport unit 30. The transport medium S loaded on the mounting table 1 is transported one by one from the transport medium S located at the bottommost position.

[0025] During the transport, the double-feed detection sensor 40 determines whether there is double-feed of the transport medium S. If it is determined that there is no double-feed, the transport continues. If it is determined that there is double-feed, the transport may be stopped, or the subsequent intake of the transport medium S by the first transport unit 10 may be stopped and the transport medium S in the double-feed state may be discharged as it is.

[0026] Based on the detection result of the medium detection sensor 60, the control unit 8 starts reading an image of the transport medium S transported by the second transport unit 20 by the image reading unit 70, temporarily stores the read image in the storage unit 82, and transmits it to the external personal computer. The transport medium S from which the image has been read is discharged to the discharge tray 2 by the third transport unit 30, and the image reading process of the transport medium S is completed.

[0027] The image segmentation unit 88 functions as an image segmentation means for segmenting the read image temporarily stored in the storage unit 82, and the CPU 81 plays that role. At this time, as will be described later, the CPU 81 segments the image by the number of lines corresponding to the segmentation size specified by the user, and stores it in the storage unit 82 again.

[0028] Although the CPU 81 plays the role of the image segmentation unit 88, the image segmentation unit 88 may be provided in the control unit 8 separately from the CPU 81.

[0029] The external information processing apparatus 90 shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the external information processing apparatus 90 connected to the image reading apparatus A.

[0030] The external information processing apparatus 90 includes a CPU 91, a storage unit 92, an operation unit 93, a communication unit 94, a display unit 95, a blank determination unit 96, and an image processing unit 97. The blank determination unit 96 and the image processing unit 97 may have the CPU 91 play that role.

[0031] The CPU 91 controls the entire external information processing apparatus by executing the program stored in the storage unit 92.

[0032] The storage unit 92 is composed of, for example, a RAM or the like, and stores computer programs, data received from the communication unit 94, and the like.

[0033] The operation unit 93 is composed of, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, or the like, and the user can input various instructions to the CPU 91 by operating this operation unit 93.

[0034] The communication unit 94 is an interface for performing information communication with the image reading apparatus A. Examples of the communication unit 94 include a USB interface and an SCSI interface. In addition to such a wired communication interface, the communication unit 94 may also be a wireless communication interface, or may be provided with both a wired communication interface and a wireless communication interface.

[0035] The display unit 95 is composed of a CRT, a liquid crystal screen, etc., and can display the processing result by the CPU 91 in the form of images, characters, etc. When the read image is sent from the image reading device A via the communication unit 94, the CPU 91 stores the read image in the storage unit 92.

[0036] The blank determination unit 96 functions as a blank determination means for obtaining the ratio of the blank in the target image among the read images stored in the storage unit 92 and determining whether there is a blank in the image. The ratio of the blank in the target image is obtained as follows.

[0037] First, the CPU 91 obtains the total number of lines A, which is the total number of lines of the target image stored in the storage unit 92. Next, the CPU 91 creates an image area 100 showing the outline of the printing area in FIG. 4 described later, which consists of characters, images, etc. based on the target image. The image area 100 has vertices 101A, 101B, 101C, and 101D. The CPU 91 obtains the number of lines L from the line of vertex 101A to vertex 101B of the image area 100 to the line of vertex 101C to vertex 101D, and substitutes the total number of lines A and the number of lines L of the target image into the following formula to obtain the blank ratio SP (%).

[0038] Blank ratio SP (%) = (1 - L / A) × 100

[0039] Next, the CPU 91 compares and determines whether the blank ratio SP (%) is equal to or greater than the threshold value V (%). In this embodiment, the value of the threshold V is fixed in advance, and the blank determination unit 96 stores the value of the threshold V in the storage unit 92.

[0040] Note that it is not necessarily required to fix the value of the threshold V, and the threshold V may be changeable from the operation unit 93.

[0041] When the result of the comparison by the CPU 91 shows that the blank ratio SP (%) is equal to or greater than the threshold value V (%), the blank determination unit determines that there is a blank, and when the blank ratio SP (%) is less than the threshold value V (%), it determines that there is no blank.

[0042] The image processing unit 97 performs image processing on the target image. The image processing unit 97 includes a binarization process for binarizing the target image, a blank deletion process for deleting areas other than the image area 100 created by the blank determination unit 96, a reduction process for reducing the target image, and an insertion process for inserting the target image into a specified image.

[0043] Note that other image processing may be included, or the external information processing device 90 may perform splitting processing including splitting of the image performed by the image splitting unit 88 of the image reading device A.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a read image temporarily stored in the storage unit 92 after the reading process.

[0045] The image area 100 can be extracted as follows.

[0046] First, the target image is binarized by the image processing unit 97, and pixels that become the boundary between white pixels and black pixels are traced, so that four sides indicating the contour of the printing area are linearly approximated, and four straight lines indicating the contour of the image area 100 are estimated. Next, the intersection points of the four estimated straight lines are calculated. These intersection points correspond to the vertices 101A to 101D of the image area 100.

[0047] P1 is the pre-final image P1 that is the image immediately before the final image among the read images temporarily stored in the storage unit 92. P2 is the final image P2 among the read images temporarily stored in the storage unit 92.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a flow of the reading process in the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a dialog for setting the size when splitting the image read by the image reading device A, and is displayed on the display unit 95 of the external information processing device 90.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 5(a), the processing on the external information processing device 90 side will be described.

[0050] First, the user sets the size for dividing the long manuscript using the dialog box in FIG. 6 (S200).

[0051] When the user operates the operation unit 93 and presses S1 in FIG. 6, the CPU 91 stores the dividing size in the storage unit 92 (S201).

[0052] After the CPU 91 finishes storing in the storage unit 92, it transmits the information on the dividing size stored in the storage unit 92 to the image reading device A via the communication unit 94 (S202). Subsequently, the CPU 91 transmits an instruction to start reading to the image reading device A via the communication unit 94 (S203).

[0053] After transmitting the reading start instruction, it waits (S204) for the image reading device A to perform the image reading process described later. After the image reading process, the CPU 91 receives the read image sent from the image reading device A via the communication unit 94 and temporarily stores it in the storage unit 92 (S205). When the storage of the read image in the storage unit 92 is completed, the flow of the reading process ends.

[0054] Next, with reference to FIG. 5(b), the image reading process performed by the image reading device A will be described.

[0055] The image reading device A receives the dividing size via the interface unit 86 (S206).

[0056] When the CPU 81 receives the dividing size (S206), it stores the received information on the dividing size in the storage unit 82 (S207).

[0057] After storing the dividing size, the image reading device A receives a reading start instruction via the interface unit 86 (S208). When the CPU 81 receives the reading start instruction, it reads the long manuscript and temporarily stores the read image in the storage unit 82 (S209).

[0058] The CPU 81 divides the image stored in the storage unit 82 in step S209 using the image dividing unit 88 and stores it again in the storage unit 82 (S210).

[0059] Note that in this embodiment, the splitting process is performed after reading the long manuscript, but it may be split while reading the image.

[0060] Subsequently, the CPU 81 transmits the image stored in the storage unit 82 to the external information processing device 90 via the interface unit 86 (S211).

[0061] When the image transmission to the external information processing device 90 (S211) is completed, the reading process ends, and the process proceeds to step S205 shown in Fig. 5(a).

[0062] Fig. 7 is a flowchart regarding the blank image process after the reading process in this embodiment. Fig. 8 is a dialog for selecting the image process for the final image P2 determined to have a blank by the blank determination unit 96. Fig. 9 is a dialog screen for displaying the image processed in step S303 described later. The CPU 91 serves as blank image processing means for performing the blank image process.

[0063] The CPU 91 uses the blank determination unit 96 to determine whether there is a blank for the final image P2 among the divided read images stored in the storage unit 92 in the process of step S205 shown in Fig. 5(a) above (S300).

[0064] If it is determined that there is a blank (S300: YES), the CPU 91 displays the dialog in Fig. 8 described later on the display unit 95 (S301).

[0065] If it is determined that there is no blank (S300: NO), the CPU 91 saves the read image temporarily stored in the storage unit 92 (S307).

[0066] When the user operates the operation unit 93 to select S2 in FIG. 8 and gives an instruction to delete the blank in the final image P2 (S302: YES), the CPU 91 functions as a processing determination means and determines to perform blank deletion. The CPU 91 uses the image processing unit 97 to perform blank deletion on the final image P2 temporarily stored in the storage unit 92 (S303).

[0067] When the user operates the operation unit 93 to select S3 in FIG. 8 and gives an instruction not to delete the blank in the final image P2 (S302: NO), the CPU 91 functions as a processing determination means and determines not to perform blank deletion. The CPU 91 stores the image sent from the image reading device A in the storage unit 92 (S307).

[0068] The CPU 91 temporarily stores the result of the blank deletion image processing performed in step S303 in the storage unit 92 separately from the area where the image sent from the image reading device A is stored, and displays the dialog shown in FIG. 9 below on the display unit 95 (S304).

[0069] P1 shown in FIG. 9 is the final pre-image P1 stored in the storage unit 92, which is the same as P1 in FIG. 4. P3 is the image obtained by performing blank deletion image processing on the final image P2 in step 303 of FIG. 7.

[0070] When the user operates the operation unit 93, selects S4 shown in FIG. 9, and gives an instruction to save the image (S305: YES), the storage unit 92 stores the final image P3 after the blank image processing temporarily stored in the storage unit 82 and the images other than the final image P2 among the images sent from the image reading device A (S306). When the user selects S5 shown in FIG. 9 and gives an instruction not to save the image (S305: NO), the CPU 91 stores the image sent from the image reading device A in the storage unit 92 (S307).

[0071] When the storage of the image in the storage unit 92 is completed, the flow after the reading process ends.

[0072] As described above, in Embodiment 1, for the final image P2 of the image obtained by dividing and reading a long manuscript, the user can choose whether to divide it into a specified size or change it to an image with blank spaces removed. Also, it becomes possible to check the scanned image when it is divided.

[0073] <Embodiment 2> In Embodiment 1, the blank spaces of the final image P2 were removed. In this embodiment, not only the margins (blank spaces) of the final image P2 are removed as in Embodiment 1, but also an explanation will be given for the case where the final image P3 obtained by performing blank image processing is included in the pre-final image P1. The same structure and the same control as in Embodiment 1 will be omitted from the explanation. This image reading system has the same configuration as that described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, and the same reference numerals will be used for the following explanation.

[0074] FIG. 10 is a flowchart regarding the blank processing after the reading process in this embodiment. FIG. 11 is a dialog displayed when the image size of the final image P3 after the blank image processing is equal to or less than a certain threshold value. FIG. 12 shows a dialog for displaying the image on which image processing is performed in step S407 described later. The CPU 91 serves as blank image processing means for performing blank image processing.

[0075] The explanation of steps S400 to S403 shown in FIG. 10 is omitted because it is the same as the processing from the blank determination (S300) to the image processing (S303) in FIG. 7.

[0076] The explanation of steps S411 to S414 shown in FIG. 10 is omitted because it is the same as the processing from the dialog display (S304) to the image saving (S307) in FIG. 7.

[0077] As a result of the CPU 91 removing the blank spaces of the final image P2 in step S403, when the image size of the final image P3 after the image processing becomes equal to or less than a certain threshold value (S404: YES), the dialog shown in FIG. 11 described later is displayed on the display unit 95 (S405).

[0078] When the CPU 91 deletes the blank in the final image P2 in step S403 and the image size of the final image P3 after the blank image processing becomes equal to or larger than a certain threshold value (S404: NO), the CPU 91 displays the dialog of FIG. 9 on the display unit 95 (S411).

[0079] When the dialog shown in FIG. 11 is displayed on the display unit 95 (S405) and the user operates the operation unit 93 to select S6 shown in FIG. 11 and gives an instruction to include the final image P3 after the blank image processing in the pre-final image P1 (S406: YES), the CPU 91 performs a reduction process on the pre-final image P1 temporarily stored in the storage unit 92 using the image processing unit 97, and inserts the final image P3 after the blank image processing into the reduced pre-final image P4 (S407).

[0080] In this embodiment, although the image processing is performed only on the pre-final image P1 to reduce it, the reduction process may be performed on all the divided images.

[0081] When the user operates the operation unit 93 to select S7 shown in FIG. 11 and gives an instruction not to include the final image P3 after the blank image processing in the pre-final image P1 (S406: NO), the CPU 91 displays the dialog of FIG. 9 on the display unit 95 (S411).

[0082] The CPU 91 temporarily stores the image P5 obtained by performing the image processing of inserting the final image P3 after the blank image processing into the reduced pre-final image P4 in step S407 in the storage unit 92 separately from the area where the image transmitted from the image reading device A is stored, and displays the dialog of FIG. 12 described later on the display unit 95 (S408).

[0083] The dialog shown in FIG. 12 is a dialog for displaying the image P5 obtained by performing the image processing in step S407. As described above, P4 is the pre-final image obtained by performing the reduction process in step S407 of FIG. 10, P3 is the final image obtained by performing the blank image processing in step S403 of FIG. 10, and P5 is the image obtained by performing the image processing of inserting the final image P3 after the blank image processing into the reduced pre-final image P4.

[0084] When the user operates the operation unit 93 to select S8 shown in FIG. 12 and instructs to save the image P5 (S409: YES), the CPU 91 stores in the storage unit 92 the image P5 temporarily stored in the storage unit 92 and the images other than the penultimate image P1 and the final image P2 among the images sent from the image reading device A, and then ends the process (S410).

[0085] When the user operates the operation unit 93 and selects S9 shown in FIG. 12 (S409: NO), the CPU 91 displays the dialog of FIG. 9 on the display unit 95 (S411).

[0086] When the saving of the image to the storage unit 92 is completed, the flow after the reading process ends.

[0087] As described above, in Embodiment 2, the blank is deleted from the final image of the image obtained by dividing and reading the long manuscript, and when the size of the final image is equal to or less than a certain threshold value, the final image can be included in the penultimate image.

[0088] <Embodiment 3> In Embodiment 2, an embodiment in which the blank of the final image P2 is deleted and the final image P3 after blank deletion is included in the penultimate image P4 obtained by reducing the penultimate image P1 was described. However, the process of reducing the penultimate image P1 may not suit the user's purpose.

[0089] Therefore, in Embodiment 3, when including the final image P3 after blank image processing in the penultimate image P1, it is determined whether there is a blank area where the final image P3 after blank image processing can be inserted into the penultimate image P1. An embodiment in which the final image P3 after blank image processing is included when there is a blank area will be described.

[0090] The description of the same structure and the same control as in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 is omitted. This image reading system has the same configuration as that described in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, and the same reference numerals will be used in the following description. Also, since the flow of the reading process in FIG. 5 is the same, it is omitted.

[0091] FIG. 13 is a flowchart regarding blank image processing after reading processing in the present embodiment. FIG. 14 is a dialog displayed when the blank area of the pre-final image P1 is larger than the final image P3 after blank image processing. FIG. 15 shows a dialog displayed in step S511 described later, and FIG. 16 shows a dialog displayed in step S508 described later. The CPU 91 serves as blank image processing means.

[0092] Explanation of steps S500 to S503 shown in FIG. 13 is omitted because it is the same as the processing from blank determination (S300) to image processing (S303) in FIG. 7.

[0093] Explanation of steps S511 to S514 shown in FIG. 13 is omitted because it is the same as the processing from dialog display (S304) to image saving (S307) in FIG. 7.

[0094] After the CPU 91 deletes the blank in the final image P2 in step S503, it uses the blank determination unit 96 to determine whether there is a blank in the pre-final image P1 temporarily stored in the storage unit 92.

[0095] The CPU 91 compares and determines the blank area of the pre-final image P1 and the size of the final image P3 with the blank deleted (S504).

[0096] When the blank area of the pre-final image P1 is larger (S504: YES), the CPU 91 displays the dialog of FIG. 14 described later on the display unit 95 (S505). When the blank area of the pre-final image P1 is smaller (S504: NO), the CPU 91 displays the dialog of FIG. 15 on the display unit 95 (S511).

[0097] When the user operates the operation unit 93 and selects S10 shown in FIG. 14 and gives an instruction to include the final image P3 after blank image processing in the pre-final image P1 (S506: YES), the CPU 91 uses the image processing unit 97 to insert the final image P3 with the blank deleted and temporarily stored in the storage unit 92 into the blank area of the pre-final image P1 temporarily stored in the storage unit 92 (S507).

[0098] When the user operates the operation unit 93, selects S11 in FIG. 14, and gives an instruction not to include the final image P3 after blank image processing in the pre-final image P1 (S506: NO), the CPU 91 displays the dialog in FIG. 15 on the display unit 95 (S511).

[0099] The CPU 91 temporarily stores the image P6 subjected to image processing in step S507 in the storage unit 92 separately from the area where the image transmitted from the image reading device A is stored, and displays the dialog in FIG. 16 described later on the display unit 95 (S508).

[0100] The dialog shown in FIG. 16 is a dialog for displaying the image P6 subjected to image processing in step S507. As described above, P1 is a pre-final image having a blank area, P3 is the final image subjected to image processing in step S503 of FIG. 13, and P6 is the image subjected to image processing in step S507 of FIG. 13.

[0101] When the user operates the operation unit 93, selects S12 in FIG. 16, and gives an instruction to save (S509: YES), the CPU 91 stores in the storage unit 92 the image P6 temporarily stored in the storage unit 92 and the images other than the pre-final image P1 and the final image P2 among the images sent from the image reading device A.

[0102] When the user operates the operation unit 93, selects S13 in FIG. 16, and gives an instruction not to save (S509: NO), the CPU 91 displays the dialog in FIG. 15 on the display unit 95 (S511).

[0103] When the storage of the processed image in the storage unit 92 is completed, the reading process ends.

[0104] In the third embodiment, the final image P3 after blank image processing was inserted into the blank area of the pre-final image P1. However, it is not necessarily the pre-final image P1. For example, the blank area may be examined for all the divided images so that it can be inserted into the blank area selected by the user.

[0105] As described above, in Embodiment 3, it has become possible to delete blanks from the final image P2 of the image obtained by dividing and reading a long manuscript, and when there is a blank area in the pre-final image P1, include the final image P3 after blank image processing in that blank area.

[0106] The present invention is not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiments, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0107] For example, in the reading flow of FIG. 4, although the external information processing device 90 is performing image processing, it may be performed by the image reading device A and the user may be made to operate on the final image with the operation unit 83.

[0108] Also, although a dialog for deleting the blanks in the final image P2 or allowing the user to select is displayed in FIGS. 7, 10, and 13, it is not necessarily required to display the dialog. For example, setting items may be added to the dialog for setting the division size in FIG. 6 to delete the blanks in the final image P2. Alternatively, the blanks in the final image P2 may be set in advance to be deleted.

[0109] Furthermore, the dialogs shown in the above embodiments are examples, and the designs such as the display content and arrangement are not limited to this.

[0110] Note that although the user selects and sets the division size, it is not limited to this, and the division size may be set in advance.

[0111] Also, the processes of all the above embodiments may be combined.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0112] A Image reading device 8 Control unit 10 First conveyance unit 20 Second conveyance unit 30 Third conveyance unit 70 Image reading unit 90 External information processing device

Claims

1. an image reading means for reading a document, an image dividing means for dividing the image read by the image reading means, a blank determination means for determining whether there is a blank of a threshold value or more in the divided image, an image reading system, comprising: a blank image processing means for performing processing on the divided image when it is determined by the blank determination means that there is a blank.

2. The image reading system according to claim 1, wherein the blank image processing means deletes a blank in a final image among the divided images.

3. The image reading system according to claim 1, wherein the blank image processing means deletes a blank in a final image among the divided images, performs image processing on a pre-final image, and includes the final image in the pre-final image.

4. The image reading system according to claim 1, wherein the blank determination means determines whether there is a blank in a pre-final image among the divided images, and when there is a blank in the pre-final image, the blank image processing means includes the final image in the pre-final image.

5. The image reading system according to claim 1, further comprising a processing determination means for determining whether to perform processing by the blank image processing means on the final image when it is determined by the blank determination means that there is a blank in the final image among the images divided by the image dividing means.

6. The image reading system according to claim 5, wherein the processing determination means determines based on an input of a user.

Images