Document Arrangement Detection for Simultaneous Front-Back Scanning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image processing apparatuses require users to pre-arrange documents on a table with specific imaginary reading areas and set storage destinations, imposing a heavy operational burden as users must distinguish between front and back surfaces during scanning, limiting flexibility and ease of use.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus that includes a document table, an image input unit, an individual image extractor, a storage for association information, and determiners to automatically determine the arrangement status and reading surface of documents, allowing for easy extraction and processing of both document surfaces without prior preparation, enabling simultaneous reading of front and back surfaces without user consciousness of their order.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users pre-arrange documents on document table with imaginary reading areas and set storage destinations, then document reading can be performed, but user operational burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of document arrangementVSAvoidcomplexity of reading preparation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines document arrangement status and reading surfaces without requiring user preparation or manual configuration. The control unit detects document positions and orientations, then autonomously determines which surfaces to read and in what order, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring user intervention for arrangement and configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection of document arrangement status before reading begins. By detecting document positions and orientations in advance, the control unit can pre-determine the reading sequence and surfaces to be read, eliminating the need for users to pre-arrange documents in specific imaginary reading areas or pre-configure storage destinations for each area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If users distinguish between front and back surfaces during scanning, then accurate reading can be achieved, but operational burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of surface identificationVSAvoidease of scanning operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit automatically determines which surfaces are front surfaces and which are back surfaces based on detected document arrangement status. The system performs self-service by autonomously identifying reading surfaces and determining the reading sequence, eliminating the need for users to manually distinguish between front and back surfaces during the scanning operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from document detection results to dynamically determine reading surfaces and sequences. By continuously monitoring document arrangement status and using this information to adjust reading plans, the system achieves accurate surface identification without requiring user input or manual distinction between front and back surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If fixed scanning order is used for front and back surfaces, then reading process is simplified, but flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of scanning processVSAvoidflexibility of document arrangement

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The reading sequence is dynamically determined based on detected document arrangement status rather than following a fixed predetermined order. The control unit adapts the reading plan according to actual document positions and orientations, allowing the system to maintain simplicity while achieving flexibility through dynamic adjustment of the reading process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes reading parameters (sequence and surfaces) based on detected document arrangement status. By making reading parameters variable rather than fixed, the system can adapt to different document arrangements while maintaining a simple operational interface, resolving the contradiction between process simplicity and arrangement flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10757290B2Image processing apparatus being able to simultaneously read and extract image data

Publication Date: 2020.08.25 SHARP KK

AI summary

An image processing apparatus including: a document table on which at least one document is arrangeable; an image input unit reading the document arranged on the document table; an individual image extractor extracting image data read by the image input unit on a document basis to obtain image data of an individual image; a storage storing association information between an arrangement status of the document with respect to the document table and a reading surface of the document to be read by the image input unit; an arrangement status determiner determining the arrangement status of the document with respect to the document table on the basis of the image data of the individual image; and a reading surface determiner determining the reading surface of the document read by the image input unit on the basis of the association information and the arrangement status determined by the arrangement status determiner.