Distributed Image Processing Device Halting Scan to Free Resources
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing systems face inefficiencies when image processing performance is low or communication speed is slow, leading to resource occupation and delayed document reading, preventing immediate start of next document scans.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device that performs distributed image processing with an information processing terminal, allowing the image processing device to halt processing and transmit images, enabling immediate start of next document scans by freeing resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If image processing is performed by the image reading device, then image processing quality is maintained, but the device cannot start reading the next document immediately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing workflow into two parts: (1) the image reading device performs initial image reading and generates scanned images, then transmits them to the information processing device; (2) the information processing device performs the actual image processing (such as character recognition). This segmentation allows the image reading device to complete reading tasks quickly without being blocked by lengthy processing operations, while still ensuring quality processing is performed by the dedicated information processing device.
2Measurement precision
If character recognition processing is performed by the image reading device, then processing accuracy is maintained, but the device occupies CPU resources for a long period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the time-consuming character recognition processing from the image reading device and relocates it to the information processing device. The image reading device only performs the essential function of scanning and transmitting images, while the character recognition processing is performed separately by the information processing device that has the necessary computational resources and processing capability.
3Device complexity
If distributed processing is not performed, then device simplicity is maintained, but resource utilization is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary information processing device that acts as a mediator between the image reading device and the final output. This intermediary device receives scanned images from the image reading device, performs the necessary image processing and character recognition, and then outputs the results. This intermediary approach enables distributed processing that improves resource utilization without significantly increasing the complexity of individual devices.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing device is capable of communicating with an information processing terminal and performing image processing on a scanned image together with the information processing terminal in a distributed manner. The image processing device includes: a document feeder that automatically feeds pages of a document continuously one by one; an image reader that generates a scanned image of one page by reading the document; an image processor that generates a processed image by performing image processing on the scanned image generated by the image reader; a halt processor that makes the image processor halt the image processing; and a transmission processor that transmits the processed image generated as a result of the image processing to the information processing terminal and transmits a scanned image not to be subjected to the image processing to the information processing terminal during the image processing or after halt of the image processing.