Image Reading Apparatus Blank Page Detection Using Segmented Background
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image reading apparatuses struggle to accurately detect and process documents of irregular sizes without compromising processing speed or increasing costs, as they are limited to standard sizes and require cumbersome manual input or complex sensor configurations for irregular size detection.
Innovation Solution
An image reading apparatus with a document size detector that associates the document with standard sizes, a background color plate for contour determination, and a blank page determiner that adjusts its reference area based on detected size thresholds, allowing for efficient blank page determination in both SPF crop and standard size modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a non-white background color plate (e.g., gray) is used to detect document contours for irregular size documents, then document size detection accuracy is improved, but the background of read document images becomes blurred due to color see-through
Solution Approach 1:
The background color plate is divided into different color regions: a non-white region (gray) for detecting document contours and determining document areas, and a white region for reading document images. This local differentiation allows the system to use the appropriate background color for each specific task, resolving the contradiction between accurate contour detection and clear image reading.
Solution Approach 2:
The background color plate is segmented into functionally distinct areas: a first region with non-white color for contour detection and a second region with white color for image reading. This segmentation enables the system to perform both contour detection and image reading without the harmful effects of color see-through affecting the final document images.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a document size detector is added to detect irregular size documents, then document size detection capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the document feeding device itself to perform size detection by detecting the presence or absence of documents at multiple positions, rather than requiring separate complex detection sensors. This self-service approach enables irregular size document detection while minimizing additional device complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The document feeding device is designed to perform multiple functions: both feeding documents and detecting document sizes. By integrating detection capability into the existing feeding mechanism, the system achieves versatility in handling both standard and irregular size documents without significantly increasing device complexity.
3Measurement precision
If manual input is required for irregular size documents, then detection accuracy is maintained, but operational complexity and user burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects document sizes using the document feeding device's position detection capability, eliminating the need for manual size input. This self-service approach maintains detection accuracy while significantly improving ease of operation by removing the burden of manual data entry from the user.
4Measurement precision
If the blank page determination area is set inside the document edge, then blank page determination accuracy is improved, but processing time increases due to additional contour detection
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs contour detection and determines document areas in advance before blank page determination. By pre-establishing the document area boundaries using the non-white background color plate, the system can quickly perform blank page determination without needing to perform additional real-time contour analysis, thus reducing processing time while maintaining accuracy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution balances processing speed and cost by accurately determining document sizes and blank page areas for irregular documents, reducing processing time and operational complexity while maintaining high accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
an image reading device that reads, as an image, a document and surroundings thereof at the reading position
Implementation Method 2
reads, as an image, a document and surroundings thereof
Implementation Method 3
a document area determiner that determines a document area by discriminating a contour of the document, based on a density difference or a color difference between the background color plate and the document in the read image
Implementation Method 4
discriminating a contour of the document, based on a density difference or a color difference
Data Source
AI summary
An image reading apparatus includes: a document size detector that detects either a length or a width of a fed document before reading, and associates the document with a standard size equal to or approximate thereto; an image reading device that reads a document and surroundings thereof at a reading position; a background color plate to be read as an image of the surroundings; a document area determiner that determines a document area; and a blank page determiner that determines a blank page determination area for determining whether a document is a blank page or not. When either of the detected length or width is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value, the blank page determiner determines the blank page determination area, based on the associated standard size, and otherwise determines the blank page determination area, based on the document area.