Image Reading Apparatus Single-Pass Document Cropping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image reading apparatuses require reading each source document multiple times, leading to prolonged processing time and increased resource utilization when handling multiple documents on a document setting table.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes an image data generation unit, a downsized image data generation unit, a document information generation unit, and an image cropping unit, which reads, downsizes, analyzes, and crops image data to detect document positions and orientations, allowing for efficient acquisition of individual document data in a single pass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the reading operation is performed the same number of times as the number of source documents, then each document can be read individually and accurately, but the processing time is prolonged and resource utilization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a single reading operation to capture all source documents simultaneously, then subsequently analyzing the captured image data to detect document positions and extract individual document images. This preliminary capture step eliminates the need for multiple sequential reading operations, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining reading accuracy through post-processing analysis.
2Loss of time
If multiple source documents are read simultaneously in a single pass, then processing time is reduced, but it becomes difficult to detect individual document positions and orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the complex task of document analysis into distinct processing stages: first capturing all documents simultaneously, then detecting document positions and orientations in the captured image, and finally extracting individual document images based on detected positions. This segmentation enables simultaneous reading while maintaining accurate document position detection through systematic image analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a captured image data representation of all source documents placed on the document setting table. This captured image serves as a copy that can be analyzed to detect document positions and orientations without requiring physical manipulation or multiple reading passes of the original documents, thus reducing processing time while enabling accurate detection.
3Reliability
If individual reading operations are performed for each source document, then document processing is accurate and systematic, but resource utilization and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining multiple reading operations into a single simultaneous capture operation. Instead of performing separate reading operations for each source document, the system captures all documents in one pass, then uses image analysis to process them individually. This merging reduces operation complexity and resource utilization while maintaining processing reliability through systematic post-processing of the captured image data.
Data Source
AI summary
An image reading apparatus includes a document setting table, an image data generation unit, a downsized image data generation unit, a document information generation unit, and an image cropping unit. The image data generation unit reads a plurality of source documents placed on the document setting table and generates image data representing the plurality of source documents. The downsized image data generation unit generates downsized image data by reducing a size of the image data. The document information generation unit analyzes the downsized image data to detect respective positions of the plurality of source documents and generate document information indicating the detected positions. The image cropping unit cuts out a plurality of regions from the image data according to the document information and acquires a plurality of items of cropped image data respectively representing the plurality of source documents.