Scanner Document Size Identification via Ambient Light Exclusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for identifying document size based on light intensity are inaccurate when ambient light is incident at an angle close to parallel to the document, leading to incorrect size determination.
Innovation Solution
A scanner system with a light-emitting unit, photometric units, and a control unit that differentiates between ambient light and reflected light by varying the photometric conditions, allowing for precise document size identification by excluding positions with low light-blocking possibilities and determining document presence based on intensity thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ambient light measurement is used to determine document presence, then document size identification can be performed, but measurement precision deteriorates when ambient light is incident at an angle close to parallel to the document
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by measuring ambient light intensity at multiple positions before the actual scanning process begins. These preliminary measurements are used to identify positions where documents are likely to be present, and only those positions are subjected to further analysis during scanning. This preliminary classification eliminates the need to process all positions equally, improving both accuracy and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning area is segmented into multiple positions along the scanning direction, and each position is independently evaluated for document presence probability based on ambient light measurements. This segmentation allows the system to focus computational resources only on positions where documents are likely to be present, rather than processing the entire scanning area uniformly.
2Measurement precision
If all positions are processed for document size identification, then complete coverage is achieved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by measuring ambient light intensity at multiple positions before the actual scanning process begins. These preliminary measurements are used to identify positions where documents are likely to be present, and only those positions are subjected to further analysis during scanning. This preliminary classification eliminates the need to process all positions equally, improving both accuracy and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of performing complete document size identification processing at all positions, the system applies partial action by limiting detailed analysis only to positions identified as having high document presence probability. This selective processing approach maintains measurement precision for relevant areas while significantly reducing overall processing time by excluding positions where documents are unlikely to be present.
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
The system achieves high precision in document size identification by distinguishing between document presence and absence, even under conditions of parallel ambient light, by narrowing down calculation processing to specific positions and using multiple photometric conditions to assess light intensity differences.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of photometric units configured to receive light reflected by the document and output an intensity of light
Implementation Method 2
a light-emitting unit configured to irradiate a document with light
Data Source
AI summary
A scanner identifies a document size on the basis of the intensity of light outputted in a photometric condition different from a first photometric condition, by photometric units provided to a position subject to determination that is a position excluding a position where light of an intensity not less than a first threshold value is received in the first photometric condition, among a plurality of positions to which the photometric units are provided. The first photometric condition is a condition where a document cover is open and a light-emitting unit is not emitting light.