Scanner

Abstract

This scanner comprises: a housing; a transparent window, which is arranged on the upper surface of the housing and forms a scan area; lighting for emitting light at an identification card arranged in the scan area; a first mirror, which is arranged below the transparent window and reflects the light reflected from the identification card arranged in the scan area; and a camera, which is arranged inside the housing and acquires an image of the identification card arranged in the scan area on the basis of the light reflected by the first mirror. The first mirror is arranged to be inclined inside the housing so as to reflect, in the direction parallel to the surface of the transparent window, the light incident on the reflective surface in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the transparent window.

Description

scanner

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a scanner for reading a user identification card.

[0002] An identification card is a document issued by the government to citizens that serves to prove the nationality and identity of the cardholder. For example, representative types of identification cards include a resident registration card that proves the owner's resident information, a driver's license that proves driving qualification information, or a passport that proves the user's nationality and identity.

[0003] These identification cards basically record the owner's photo and identity information in the form of images, and recently, the owner's identity verification information is also stored in the form of electronic documents through RFID tags embedded in the identification cards.

[0004] Meanwhile, during an identity verification, the screening officer receives the identity card from the owner, inputs the information stored on the card into a computer to identify the owner who submitted the card, and determines whether there are any issues with the owner's identity. However, this method has the problem of taking a long time to verify identity because the screening officer must manually input the information of the identity card owner and compare it, and there is a concern that identity information may not be accurately identified.

[0005] To this end, ID scanners are used to rapidly scan identification cards to recognize their information and compare it with data stored on a server; however, conventional ID scanners have the disadvantage of poor portability and transportability due to their large size. Therefore, there is a need for a scanner capable of accurate ID scanning while maintaining high portability.

[0006] The aforementioned background technology is one that the inventor possessed or acquired in the process of deriving the contents of the disclosure of the present application, and it cannot be considered as prior art disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of this application.

[0007] One objective according to the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a scanner that can improve convenience and storage by reducing its height.

[0008] One objective according to the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a scanner capable of reducing or preventing the phenomenon in which an image of an identification card is damaged by external light of the scanner.

[0009] A scanner according to one embodiment may include a housing, a transparent window disposed on the upper surface of the housing and forming a scanning area, a light source that irradiates light onto an identification card disposed in the scanning area, a first mirror disposed on the lower side of the transparent window and reflecting light reflected from the identification card disposed in the scanning area, and a camera disposed inside the housing and acquiring an image of the identification card disposed in the scanning area based on the light reflected by the first mirror. The first mirror may be disposed at an angle inside the housing to reflect light incident on the reflective surface in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the transparent window in a direction parallel to the surface of the transparent window.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the scanner is disposed inside a housing and further includes a second mirror that reflects light reflected from a first mirror, and the camera can acquire an image of an identification card based on the light reflected by the second mirror.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the first mirror may be positioned inside a housing such that a left optical axis connecting the upper end of the first mirror and the end of the transparent window closest to the first mirror forms a 45-degree angle with respect to the surface of the transparent window.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the first mirror may be positioned so that the upper portion of the first mirror contacts a transparent window. The first mirror may be positioned so that the lower portion opposite the upper portion is closer to the second mirror than the upper portion.

[0013] According to one embodiment, when looking at the upper surface of the housing, the length of the transparent window in the first direction from the first mirror toward the second mirror may be the same as the length from the upper part of the first mirror to the lower part of the first mirror.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the first mirror may be positioned so that the lower portion of the first mirror contacts the bottom surface inside the housing.

[0015] According to one embodiment, when looking at the upper surface of the housing, the first mirror may be positioned to overlap with the scan area, and the second mirror may be positioned not to overlap with the scan area.

[0016] According to one embodiment, a non-scan area is formed on the upper surface of the housing in a first direction from the first mirror toward the second mirror with respect to the scan area, and a tag module including one or more tag sensors may be disposed at the lower part of the non-scan area. When viewed from the upper surface of the housing, the second mirror and the camera may be disposed so as to overlap the non-scan area.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the second mirror is positioned at an angle within the housing such that the upper portion of the second mirror is closer to the first mirror than the lower portion of the second mirror, and can receive light reflected by the first mirror and emit it downward.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the camera may be positioned below the second mirror.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the scanner may further include a memory and at least one processor connected to the memory and configured to execute at least one computer-readable program contained in the memory. The processor may be configured to recognize an image of an identification card from an initial image acquired through a camera, and to correct distortion of the recognized image of the identification card so that the recognized image of the identification card has a constant width, thereby acquiring a corrected image of the identification card.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the camera transmits an initial image acquired through the camera to an external electronic device, and an image of an identification card is recognized by the electronic device from the initial image acquired through the camera, and the recognized image of the identification card can be generated as a corrected image of the identification card by correcting the distortion of the recognized image of the identification card by the electronic device.

[0021] A scanner according to an embodiment can reduce or prevent the phenomenon in which a spot of external light overlaps the image of an identification card during the process of acquiring an image of an identification card with an area smaller than the scanning area, by arranging the first mirror to reflect light reflected from the identification card in a direction parallel to the surface of the scanning area.

[0022] The scanner according to the embodiment can reduce thickness by minimizing the gap between the transparent window forming the scanning area and the first mirror, while simultaneously minimizing damage to the image of the identification card caused by an external light source.

[0023] The effects of the scanner according to the embodiments are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below.

[0024] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present disclosure together with the detailed description of the invention; therefore, the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a scanner according to one embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a scanner according to one embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a scanner according to one embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a scanner according to one embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a scanner according to one embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing the top surface of a scanner according to one embodiment, illustrating an example of acquiring an image of an identification card with an area smaller than the scanning area.

[0031] FIG. 7 exemplarily illustrates an initial image obtained through a camera in the example shown in FIG. 6.

[0032] Figure 8 illustrates an example of correcting distortion in an initial image acquired through a camera.

[0033] The various embodiments described in this specification are illustrative for the purpose of clearly explaining the technical concept of this disclosure and are not intended to limit it to specific embodiments. The technical concept of this disclosure includes various modifications, equivalents, alternatives, and embodiments optionally combined from all or part of each embodiment described in this specification. Furthermore, the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure is not limited to the various embodiments presented below or the specific descriptions thereof.

[0034] Terms used in this specification, including technical or scientific terms, may have the meaning generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains, unless otherwise defined.

[0035] Expressions used herein such as “comprising,” “may compose,” “possessing,” “possessing,” “having,” and “possessing” imply the existence of the subject feature (e.g., function, operation, or component, etc.) and do not exclude the existence of other additional features. That is, such expressions should be understood as open-ended terms implying the possibility of including a second embodiment.

[0036] In this specification, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly specifies them as singular. Additionally, plural expressions include singular expressions unless the context clearly specifies them as plural. Throughout the specification, when a part is described as including a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components.

[0037] Additionally, the terms 'module' or 'part' as used in the specification refer to software or hardware components, and the 'module' or 'part' performs certain roles. However, the meaning of 'module' or 'part' is not limited to software or hardware. The 'module' or 'part' may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium or configured to run on one or more processors. Thus, as an example, the 'module' or 'part' may include components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, and at least one of processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, or variables. The components and the functions provided within the 'module' or 'part' may be combined into a smaller number of components and 'modules' or 'parts', or further separated into additional components and 'modules' or 'parts'.

[0038] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a ‘module’ or ‘part’ may be implemented as a processor and memory. The term ‘processor’ should be broadly interpreted to include a general-purpose processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a controller, a microcontroller, a state machine, etc. In some environments, the term ‘processor’ may refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. The term ‘processor’ may also refer to a combination of processing devices, such as, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other combination of such configurations. Additionally, the term ‘memory’ should be broadly interpreted to include any electronic component capable of storing electronic information. 'Memory' may refer to various types of processor-readable media, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Non-Volatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable-Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable PROM (EEPROM), Flash Memory, Magnetic or Optical Data Storage Devices, Registers, etc. If a processor can read information from memory and / or write information to memory, the memory is said to be in an electronic communication state with the processor. Memory integrated into a processor is in an electronic communication state with the processor.

[0039] Expressions such as "first," "second," or "first," "second" as used in this specification are used to distinguish one object from another when referring to a plurality of objects of the same kind, unless otherwise indicated in the context, and do not limit the order or importance of said objects.

[0040] Expressions used herein such as “A, B, and C,” “A, B, or C,” “A, B, and / or C,” or “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and / or C,” “at least one selected from A, B, and C,” “at least one selected from A, B, or C,” “at least one selected from A, B, and / or C,” etc., may mean each of the listed items or all possible combinations of the listed items. For example, “at least one selected from A and B” may refer to (1) A, (2) at least one of A, (3) B, (4) at least one of B, (5) at least one of A and at least one of B, (6) at least one of A and B, (7) at least one of B and A, and (8) all of A and B.

[0041] As used herein, the expression “based on” is used to describe one or more factors affecting an act or action of a decision or judgment described in the phrase or sentence containing such expression, and such expression does not exclude additional factors affecting said act or action of a decision or judgment.

[0042] As used in this specification, the expression that a certain component (e.g., a first component) is "connected" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component) may mean that the said certain component is not only directly connected or connected to the said other component, but is also connected or connected through a new other component (e.g., a third component).

[0043] As used herein, the expression "configured to" may have meanings such as "set to," "capable of," "modified to," "made to," or "capable of." Such expression is not limited to the meaning of "specifically designed in hardware," and, for example, a processor configured to perform a specific operation may mean a generic-purpose processor capable of performing that specific operation by executing software.

[0044] Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings and the description thereof, identical or substantially equivalent components may be given the same reference numerals. Furthermore, in the description of the various embodiments below, the description of identical or corresponding components may be omitted, but this does not mean that such components are not included in the embodiments.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a scanner according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a scanner according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a scanner according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a scanner according to one embodiment.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a scanner (1) according to one embodiment can be used to acquire an image of an identification card, such as a resident registration card, driver's license, or passport, and to verify the identity information of a user through the acquired image of the identification card. Generally, the identification card includes optical information such as text, images, photos, or barcodes in which the user's identity information is recorded, and is configured to contain an electronic chip, such as an IC chip, capable of determining whether the identification card is forged.

[0047] In one embodiment, the scanner (1) may be configured to scan various types of identification cards to obtain optical information in which user information is recorded, and to recognize information of an electronic chip embedded in the identification card. In one embodiment, the scanner (1) may be formed in a small size so as to be carried in a handheld manner, and may have high portability and transportability by having a minimized thickness.

[0048] In one embodiment, the scanner (1) may include a housing (100), a transparent window (110), a light (180), a first mirror (120), a second mirror (130), a camera (140), a tag module (170), a processor (150), and a communication unit (160).

[0049] In one embodiment, the housing (100) may form the exterior of the scanner (1). The housing (100) may be formed in a three-dimensional shape such as a rectangular prism as shown in FIG. 2, but the shape of the housing (100) is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the housing (100) may form an internal space in which components are accommodated. The housing (100) may include a bottom surface (103) forming the bottom, a top surface (101) opposite to the bottom surface (103), and a side surface (102) surrounding the internal space between the bottom surface (103) and the top surface (101).

[0050] In one embodiment, the upper surface (101) of the housing (100) may be formed in the shape of a cover that covers the internal space. For example, the upper surface (101) of the housing (100) may be connected to the side surface (102) of the housing (100) by a hinge structure so as to selectively open and close the internal space of the housing (100).

[0051] In one embodiment, the housing (100) may include a scan area (101a) formed on the upper surface (101) and a non-scan area (101b) formed on the upper surface (101) and positioned in a first direction (e.g., +X direction) relative to the scan area (101a). As described below, the scanner (1) can acquire an image of an identification card in the scan area (101a) and recognize electronic information of the identification card, such as an electronic chip such as an IC chip, in the non-scan area (101b). In one embodiment, an opening may be formed on the upper surface (101) of the housing (100) that is open in correspondence with the scan area (101a). The opening may communicate with the internal space of the housing (100) to form a path through which light passes from the upper part of the housing (100), e.g., the scan area (101a), into the housing (100). In one embodiment, the scan area (101a) formed in the housing (100) may be formed with a size and area corresponding to or greater than the size of a passport (i.e., the largest size identification card).

[0052] In one embodiment, the housing (100) may include a support member (104) formed on the upper surface (101) to wrap around at least a portion of the edge of the scan area (101a). The support portion is formed protruding from the upper surface (101) of the housing (100) and can perform the function of aligning the ID card on the scan area (101a) by supporting the side (102) of the ID card at the edge of the scan area (101a) when the ID card is placed in the scan area (101a). For example, when two corners of the ID card come into contact with the support portion, it can be understood that the ID card is aligned in the correct position with respect to the scan area (101a). For example, the support portion may be formed in a shape that supports the -Y direction side and the -X direction side of the scan area (101a) based on FIG. 2. However, it should be noted that this is merely an example, and the support portion may be positioned differently depending on the correct position of the ID card set in the scanner (1).

[0053] In one embodiment, a transparent window (110) may be placed on the upper surface (101) of the housing (100) to close the opening. The internal space may be isolated from the outside of the housing (100) through the transparent window (110). The transparent window (110) may be formed of a light-transmitting material. By forming a scan area (101a) on the upper surface (101) of the housing (100), the transparent window (110) may support an identification card placed on top, while allowing light to pass between the internal space of the housing (100) and the identification card placed on top. In one embodiment, the surface of the transparent window (110) facing the outside of the housing (100) may form substantially co-planar with the upper surface (101) of the housing (100). Although not shown in the drawing, a step may be formed at the edge of the opening so that a transparent window (110) can be seated on the upper surface (101) of the housing (100), and a light-blocking film may be placed between the transparent window (110) and the opening to prevent light from leaking out.

[0054] In one embodiment, the light (180) can irradiate light onto an identification card placed in the scan area (101a). The light (180) is placed in the internal space of the housing (100) and can irradiate light toward the scan area (101a). For convenience of explanation, the light irradiated by the light (180) toward the scan area (101a) is referred to as "internal light," and the light entering through the scan area (101a) from outside the housing (100) is referred to as "external light." In one embodiment, the light (180) may be provided in multiple numbers, and each light (180) may include one or more light sources that generate white light, IR (infrared-ray), or UV (ultraviolet). The arrangement and number of light (180) within the housing (100) may vary, and a description thereof will be omitted.

[0055] In one embodiment, the first mirror (120) and the second mirror (130) may constitute at least part of an optical system that forms a light path so that light reflected from an identification card placed in the scan area (101a) can be directed toward the camera (140). Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the scanner (1) is shown forming an optical system through the first mirror (120) and the second mirror (130), but it should be noted that this is merely an example and the scanner (1) may further include one or more mirrors to transmit light reflected from the first mirror (120) to the camera (140).

[0056] In one embodiment, the first mirror (120) may be placed inside the housing (100). The first mirror (120) may be placed below the transparent window (110), e.g., below the scan area (101a), and may reflect light reflected from an identification card placed in the scan area (101a) into a set light path. The first mirror (120) may be an optical mirror having a flat reflective surface and may be formed in a substantially rectangular shape. In one embodiment, the first mirror (120) may be placed at an angle inside the housing (100) so that the reflective surface faces a first direction (e.g., +X direction) and the scan area (101a) (e.g., +Y direction). For example, the first mirror (120) may be placed so that the vertical axis (C) of the first mirror forms a 45-degree angle (θ1) with respect to the surface of the transparent window (110). In this case, the first mirror (120) may have the lower part (122) adjacent to the floor of the interior space positioned closer to the first direction than the upper part (121) adjacent to the transparent window (110).

[0057] According to this structure, the first mirror (120) can emit light incident from the upper scanning area (101a), that is, light reflected from the identification card placed in the scanning area (101a) and incident on the reflective surface, in a first direction (e.g., +X direction) where the second mirror (130) is placed. For example, if the first mirror (120) is positioned at an angle such that the vertical axis of the first mirror (120) forms a 45-degree angle with respect to the surface of the transparent window (110), light (A1) incident on the first mirror (120) in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the transparent window (110), as shown in FIG. 3, can be reflected by the first mirror (120) to form an emitted light (A2) that is reflected in a direction parallel to the surface of the transparent window (110). That is, light incident on the first mirror (120) through the transparent window (110) can be emitted to the second mirror (130) without being reflected back to the scan area (101a). Therefore, when external light is incident on the first mirror (120) through the transparent window (110), the phenomenon in which the external light reflected by the first mirror (120) overlaps with the image of the identification card located in the scan area (101a) can be reduced or prevented.

[0058] In one embodiment, the gap between the upper portion of the first mirror (120) and the transparent window (110) may be formed to be almost non-existent. For example, the first mirror (120) may be positioned so that the upper portion (121) contacts the lower surface of the transparent window (110). According to such a structure, the space in the Z-axis direction between the transparent window (110) and the first mirror (120) may be omitted or minimized, so the height (h1) of the slim housing (100) may be minimized or reduced. In one embodiment, the lower portion (122) of the first mirror (120) may substantially contact the bottom surface of the internal space of the housing (100). However, depending on the shape of the housing (100) or the support structure of the first mirror (120), a gap may be formed between the internal bottom surface of the housing (100) and the first mirror (120).

[0059] In one embodiment, when looking at the upper surface of the housing (100), the length (L1) in the first direction of the transparent window (110) (e.g., length in the X-axis direction) may be substantially the same as the height of the first mirror (120), for example, the length (L2) from the top to the bottom. For example, assuming the length (L1) in the first direction of the transparent window (110) is about 90 mm, the length (L2) from the top to the bottom of the first mirror (120) may be about 90 mm. In this case, the housing (100) may have a minimum height (h1) of about 65 mm or less, for example, when the top part (121) of the first mirror (120) contacts the transparent window (110) and the bottom part (122) contacts the bottom of the housing (100).

[0060] In one embodiment, the second mirror (130) is positioned inside the housing (100) and can receive light reflected from the first mirror (120) and emit it along a set light path. For example, light incident on the second mirror (130) can be reflected through the reflective surface of the second mirror (130) and emitted toward the camera (140). In one embodiment, the second mirror (130) may be positioned spaced apart from the first mirror (120) in a first direction. In one embodiment, the second mirror (130) may be positioned at an angle within the housing (100) such that the upper portion (131) of the second mirror (130) is closer to the first mirror (120) than the lower portion of the second mirror (130). The reflective surface (130a) of the second mirror (130) may face the reflective surface (120a) of the first mirror (120). In this case, light incident on the second mirror (130) may be emitted in a direction toward the lower part of the second mirror (130). However, the light path formed by the second mirror (130) is exemplary, and the arrangement and angle of the second mirror (130) are not limited to the illustrated example.

[0061] In one embodiment, the second mirror (130) may be formed to have a smaller area than the first mirror (120). The upper portion (131) of the second mirror (130) may be positioned adjacent to the upper surface (101) of the housing (100). The lower portion (132) of the second mirror (130) may be spaced apart from the inner bottom of the housing (100). Thus, the minimum height of the housing (100) may not be limited by the second mirror (130).

[0062] In one embodiment, the camera (140) receives light emitted from the second mirror (130) and can acquire an image of an identification card placed in a scan area through the received light. The camera (140) may be positioned so that the optical axis of the lens faces the reflective surface (130a) of the second mirror (130). The position and angle of placement of the camera (140) within the housing (100) may be determined in correspondence with the position and angle of the second mirror (130), and it should be noted that if an additional mirror not shown is placed between the second mirror (130) and the camera (140), the camera (140) may be positioned at a position and angle capable of receiving light reflected from the identification card. However, the camera (140) is not limited thereto and may receive light emitted from the first mirror (120) and acquire an image of an identification card placed in a scan area through the received light. In this case, the arrangement of the camera (140) to receive light emitted from the first mirror (120) may be different from that shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0063] In one embodiment, the camera (140) may include an image sensor that converts light into an electrical signal. For example, the camera (140) may include a CCD (charged coupled device) or CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) image sensor and may include one or more optical lenses for focusing light on the image sensor. The type of camera (140) is not limited as long as it is a camera (140) used for image scanning.

[0064] In one embodiment, when looking at the upper surface (101) of the housing (100), the first mirror (120) may be positioned so as to overlap the scan area (101a), and the second mirror (130) and camera (140) may be positioned so as not to overlap the scan area (101a). Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, being positioned so as to overlap the scan area (101a) may indicate being positioned to face each other in a second direction (e.g., Z direction) perpendicular to the first direction. For example, the second mirror (130) and camera (140) may be positioned so as to overlap the lower part of a non-scan area (101b) located in the first direction relative to the scan area (101a). According to this structure, light entering the housing (100) through the transparent window (110) does not directly enter the second mirror (130) and the camera (140), but can be indirectly entered through the light path formed by the first mirror (120). Therefore, the phenomenon in which external light entering from the outside of the housing (100) directly enters the second mirror (130) and the camera (140) and damages the image acquired by the camera (140) can be reduced or prevented.

[0065] In one embodiment, the tag module (170) can recognize the electronic chip of the identification card. The tag module (170) may include one or more tag sensors (171). The tag sensor (171) may be, for example, an RFID tag sensor or an NFC sensor. The tag module (170) can recognize information stored in the electronic chip of the identification card through the tag sensor (171) and transmit it to the processor (150). In one embodiment, the tag module (170) may be placed below the non-scan area (101b) of the housing (100). The tag module (170) can recognize information of the electronic chip from the identification card placed in the non-scan area (101b).

[0066] In one embodiment, the processor (150) can control the operation of the scanner (1). In one embodiment, the processor (150) can identify information of an identification card recognized through the scanner (1). The processor (150) is electrically connected to a communication unit (160), requests information regarding the recognized identification card from an external server (e.g., a user identity lookup server), and can identify user information regarding the identification card through the information received from the external server. For example, the processor (150) can perform a user identity lookup by reading and processing the user information received from the external server through the communication unit (160) and the user information recognized through the scanner (1).

[0067] In one embodiment, the processor (150) can control the scanner (1) to recognize information on the identification card when the identification card is placed on the upper surface (101) of the scanner (1). For example, when the processor (150) recognizes that the identification card is placed in the scan area (101a), it can selectively control the operation of a plurality of lights (180) so that light can be irradiated onto the scan area (101a). In one embodiment, the processor (150) can control the operation of the camera (140) to acquire an image of the identification card.

[0068] In one embodiment, the processor (150) can correct an image obtained through the camera (140) to obtain an image of an identification card with the distortion corrected. If distortion occurs in the initial image of the identification card obtained due to a difference in the optical path through the distortion correction unit, the processor (150) can correct the shape of the image of the identification card to remove the distortion. For example, the processor (150) may include a distortion correction unit (151).

[0069] Although not described, the processor (150) may be configured to correct the color of the acquired initial image or correct the resolution to obtain a clear image of the identification card. A description of this is omitted.

[0070] In one embodiment, the scanner (1) can communicate with an electronic device outside the scanner (1). For example, the scanner (1) can transmit an initial image acquired by the camera (140) to the electronic device. At this time, the scanner (1) can transmit the initial image using the communication unit (160). Afterward, the electronic device can acquire an image of the identification card based on the initial image. For example, the processor of the electronic device can perform the operation(s) performed by the processor (150) of the scanner (1) described above. For example, the electronic device includes a processor, and the processor of the electronic device can acquire an image of the identification card based on the initial image, correct the color of the initial image, and / or correct the resolution.

[0071] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a scanner according to one embodiment. An identification card (O) is placed on a transparent window (110) so that the identification card (O) can be scanned on the upper surface of the housing (100). With respect to a first direction (e.g., X-axis direction), one end (101b) of the transparent window may be close to the upper part (121) of the first mirror. For example, one end (101b) of the transparent window may come into contact with the upper part (121) of the first mirror. One end (101b) of the transparent window may face one end of the identification card (O) and / or one end of the scan area (101a). In this case, a left optical axis (LA1) connecting one end (101b) of the transparent window and the upper part (121) of the first mirror may be formed.

[0072] In one embodiment, a scanning area (101a) for the ID card (O) and an optical focus (LF) for the first mirror (120) may be formed. A left optical axis (LA1) may pass through the optical focus (LF). A first point (101d) of the transparent window may face the other end of the ID card (O). The other end of the ID card (O) may be opposite to one end of the ID card (O) with respect to the first direction. A right optical axis (LA3) connecting the first point (101d) of the transparent window and the optical focus (LF) may be formed.

[0073] Additionally, the second point (101c) of the transparent window may face the center of the ID card (O). The center of the ID card (O) may be an intermediate point between one end of the ID card (O) and the other end of the ID card (O) with respect to the first direction. An intermediate optical axis (LA2) connecting the second point (101c) of the transparent window and the optical focal point (LF) may be formed.

[0074] In one embodiment, the first mirror (120) may be positioned so that the left optical axis (LA1) forms an angle of about 90 degrees with respect to the surface of the transparent window (110) and / or the bottom surface of the transparent window (110). At this time, the first mirror (120) may be positioned so that it forms an angle of 45 degrees (θ1) with respect to the surface of the transparent window (110).

[0075] In one embodiment, the ID card (O) may be smaller than the size of the transparent window (110). External light (EL) may be incident toward the first mirror (120) through an area exposed on the upper surface of the transparent window (110). The external light (EL) incident toward the first mirror (120) is reflected by the first mirror (120), and the reflected light may be reflected by the ID card (O). The reflected light by the ID card (O) may be reflected again by the first mirror (120). In this case, the reflected light re-reflected by the first mirror (120) may be emitted to an area other than the second mirror (130). As a result, a light spot may not be formed in the image formed by scanning the ID card (O).

[0076] In one embodiment, incident external light (EL) may be reflected back through the ID card (O) and the first mirror (120), and the reflected light may be emitted from the lower part of the second mirror (130). When the reflected light emitted from the lower part of the second mirror (130) is reflected to the camera (140) by the second mirror (130), a light spot may be formed in the image generated by the camera (140). Even if a light spot is formed, the light spot may be formed in a place other than the area corresponding to the ID card in the image generated by the camera (140), so that the image of the ID card may not be damaged or distorted. A manner in which the image of the ID card can be prevented from being distorted or damaged due to the light spot will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

[0077] FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating the top surface of a scanner according to one embodiment, illustrating an example of acquiring an image of an identification card with an area smaller than the scanning area. FIG. 7 exemplarily illustrates an initial image acquired through a camera in the example illustrated in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 illustrates an example of correcting distortion of the initial image acquired through a camera.

[0078] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, the process of obtaining an image of an identification card through a scanner (1) will be explained.

[0079] In one embodiment, since the scanner (1) needs to acquire image information of various types of identification cards (O), the scan area (101a) can be set to fit the size of a large identification card, for example, a passport. As shown in FIG. 6, when acquiring an image of an identification card (O) with an area smaller than the scan area (101a), the image of the identification card (O) can be acquired with the identification card placed in the correct position. In this case, the support member (104) supports two corners of the identification card (O) so that the user can guide the correct position of the identification card (O) when placing the identification card (O) in the scan area (101a).

[0080] In a state as shown in FIG. 6, when an image of the scan area (101a) is acquired, external light can be incident into the housing (100) through the transparent window (110) portion corresponding to the remaining scan area (101a), excluding the area where the ID card (O) is placed. At the same time, internal light reflected from the ID card (O) can also be incident into the housing (100) through the transparent window (110).

[0081] In one embodiment, light incident into the housing (100) through the transparent window (110) can be reflected by the first mirror (120) and emitted along the light path. As previously mentioned, since the first mirror (120) is positioned so that its reflective surface forms a 45-degree inclination with respect to the surface of the transparent window (110), light incident on the first mirror (120) through the transparent window (110) can be emitted only in a direction parallel to the surface of the transparent window (110), e.g., a first direction. Therefore, the phenomenon of external light incident from outside the housing (100) through the transparent window (110) being reflected into the identification card by the first mirror (120) can be prevented. For example, light incident on the first mirror (120) through different parts of the scan area (101a) can form an image (I) of the scan area (101a) that does not overlap with each other.

[0082] Therefore, in the process of acquiring an image of an ID card (O) with an area smaller than the scan area (101a), the light spot (N) formed by the external light received by the camera (140) as shown in FIG. 7 overlaps with the image (IO) of the ID card, thereby preventing the image (IO) of the ID card acquired by the camera (140) from being damaged.

[0083] Meanwhile, due to differences in the light path of reflected light corresponding to each part of the ID card (O), a phenomenon may occur in which the image (IO) of the ID card acquired by the camera (140) is distorted. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the initial image (I) acquired by the camera (140) may include a distorted image (IO) of the ID card having different widths depending on the position. In one embodiment, the processor (150) may acquire an image (IF) of the ID card from which distortion has been removed through image correction via a distortion correction unit (151), as illustrated in FIG. 8. For example, the processor (150) may recognize the image (IO) of the ID card by separating the area corresponding to the ID card (O) from the initial image (I) of the scan area (101a) acquired through the camera (140). The processor (150) may correct the distortion of the image (IO) of the ID card so that the recognized image (IO) of the ID card has a constant width (W). For example, the processor (150) can correct the size of the ID card image (IO) according to the size of the ID card image (IO) so that the ID card image matches a set size. In another example, the processor (150) can detect the minimum width (W1) and maximum width (W2) of the ID card image (IO) and, based on the detection result, generate an ID card image (IF) with distortion corrected to have a constant width. For example, the processor (150) can generate a corrected image (IF) by correcting the width of the ID card image (IO) to match the minimum width (W1), correcting it to match the maximum width (W2), or correcting the ID card image (IO) to match an intermediate width between the minimum width (W1) and the maximum width (W2) or a set width.

[0084] As explained above, a person skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that this disclosure may be implemented in other specific forms without altering its technical concept or essential features. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the claims set forth below rather than by the detailed description, and all modifications or variations derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and equivalent concepts should be interpreted as being included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0085] The features and advantages described herein are not all included, and in particular, many additional features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by considering the drawings, the specification, and the claims. Furthermore, it should be noted that the language used in this specification has been chosen primarily for readability and instructional purposes and may not be chosen to describe or limit the subject matter of this disclosure.

[0086] The foregoing description of the embodiments of the present disclosure is provided for illustrative purposes only. It is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the exact form disclosed or to make it incomplete. Those skilled in the art will understand that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the foregoing disclosure.

[0087] Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the detailed description but by any of the claims of the application based thereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of embodiments of the present disclosure is illustrative and does not limit the scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. Regarding scanners, Housing; A transparent window disposed on the upper surface of the above housing and forming a scan area; Lighting that illuminates an identification card placed in the above-mentioned scanning area; A first mirror disposed below the transparent window and reflecting light reflected from an identification card disposed in the scanning area; and It includes a camera disposed inside the housing and acquiring an image of an identification card disposed in the scanning area based on light reflected by the first mirror, A scanner, wherein the first mirror is obliquely positioned inside the housing to reflect light incident on the reflective surface in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the transparent window in a direction parallel to the surface of the transparent window.

2. In Paragraph 1, It further includes a second mirror disposed inside the housing and reflecting light reflected from the first mirror, The above camera is a scanner that acquires an image of the identification card based on light reflected by the second mirror.

3. In Paragraph 1, The first mirror above is, A scanner disposed inside the housing such that a left optical axis connecting one end of the transparent window closest to the upper end of the first mirror and the upper end of the first mirror forms a 90-degree angle with respect to the surface of the transparent window.

4. In Paragraph 2, The first mirror above is, The upper portion of the first mirror is positioned to be in contact with the transparent window, and A scanner in which a lower portion opposite to the upper portion is positioned to be closer to the second mirror than the upper portion.

5. In Paragraph 4, A scanner in which, when looking at the upper surface of the housing, the length of the transparent window in the first direction from the first mirror toward the second mirror is the same as the length from the upper part of the first mirror to the lower part of the first mirror.

6. In Paragraph 4, The first mirror above is, A scanner in which the lower portion of the first mirror is positioned to contact the bottom surface inside the housing.

7. In Paragraph 2, With the upper surface of the above housing viewed, A scanner in which the first mirror is positioned to overlap the scan area and the second mirror is positioned not to overlap the scan area.

8. In Paragraph 7, On the upper surface of the housing, a non-scan area is formed that is located in a first direction toward the second mirror from the first mirror with respect to the scan area, and A tag module including one or more tag sensors is disposed at the lower part of the above-mentioned non-scan area, and A scanner in which, when looking at the upper surface of the housing, the second mirror and camera are positioned to overlap the non-scan area.

9. In Paragraph 2, The above second mirror is, A scanner configured such that the upper portion of the second mirror is positioned obliquely within the housing so as to be closer to the first mirror than the lower portion of the second mirror, and receives light reflected from the first mirror and emits it downward.

10. In Paragraph 1, Memory; and It further includes at least one processor connected to the memory and configured to execute at least one computer-readable program contained in the memory, and The above at least one processor is, A scanner configured to recognize an image of the identification card from an initial image obtained through the camera, and to obtain a corrected image of the identification card by correcting the distortion of the recognized image of the identification card so that the recognized image of the identification card has a constant width.

Images