Scanner Preview System for Document Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in aligning documents correctly on imaging systems like scanners and copiers, leading to suboptimal scan quality and increased resource wastage due to misalignment.
Innovation Solution
A previewing device with a covering member and sensing unit that captures an image of the imaging surface when closed, displaying a preview on a connected display unit to guide users in aligning documents accurately before the imaging operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If visual indications (moldings, painted arrows, markings) are provided on the housing to guide document alignment, then users can be guided about positioning, but these indications may be overlooked or missed by users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2D static markings on the housing to a dynamic visual display on the imaging surface itself. The preview image displayed on the imaging surface provides alignment guidance in a new dimension (the imaging plane), making the alignment information directly visible and cannot be missed by users during document placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a preview imaging system as an intermediary between the document placement area and the user's perception. This intermediary captures the imaging surface, processes it to enhance visibility, and displays it on a display unit, ensuring alignment information is effectively communicated to users who may have visual impairments or attention issues.
2Manufacturing precision
If users manually align documents without preview, then the imaging system operates simply, but users may fail to align documents correctly leading to unacceptable scans
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by capturing and displaying a preview image of the document on the imaging surface before the actual imaging operation. This allows users to verify and adjust document alignment, home position placement, and document positioning before committing to the scan, thereby improving alignment precision without significantly complicating the core imaging function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a visual copy (preview image) of the imaging surface and displaying it on a separate display unit. This copy provides users with additional visual information about document alignment without altering the physical imaging process, enabling better alignment verification while maintaining system simplicity.
3Manufacturing precision
If users perform multiple scans to achieve correct alignment, then optimal image quality can be obtained, but time and resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the alignment verification action in advance by displaying a preview image before the actual imaging operation. Users can identify and correct alignment issues during the preview stage, eliminating the need for multiple re-scans to achieve correct alignment, thereby reducing time loss while maintaining image quality standards.
Data Source
AI summary
A previewing device that includes a covering member coupled to an imaging surface and a sensing unit operatively coupled to the covering member. The sensing unit is adapted to automatically capture an image corresponding to the imaging surface upon detecting the covering member is in a closed configuration. A preview unit is operatively coupled to the sensing unit is configured to display a preview of image data corresponding to an image on the imaging surface.