Image Scanner Sensor Placement Order Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in assigning the intended order to document image data obtained through multiple cropping in image scanning devices, as they need to manually correct filenames due to errors in determining the scanning order, which is cumbersome and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

An image scanning device with sensors under the platen that detect the presence and direction of documents, deducing the placement order based on the temporal changes in sensor combinations, allowing automatic assignment of the correct order to document image data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a common multiple cropping function is used to extract document image data, then document image data can be extracted from placement-area image data, but the pieces of document image data are arranged in a fixed scanning order that does not match the user's intended order, requiring manual correction of filenames

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assigning intended order to document image dataVSAvoidtime required for manual correction of filenames

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of document presence and placement direction using sensors before the scanning process. This preliminary action captures the actual placement order information, which is then used to automatically assign filenames in the correct order, eliminating the need for manual correction after scanning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses sensors to detect the actual placement of documents and feeds this information back to the file naming process. The detection results regarding document presence and placement direction are used to dynamically determine the correct order for assigning filenames, ensuring automatic matching of filenames with the user's intended order.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If users manually assign filenames to document image data, then the intended order can be achieved, but the process becomes cumbersome and errors may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of document order assignmentVSAvoidcomplexity of the filing process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically detecting document placement through sensors and autonomously assigning filenames in the correct order without requiring user intervention. The sensors detect document presence and placement direction, and the system automatically processes this information to generate correctly ordered filenames, eliminating manual operations and associated errors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical manual process of filename assignment with an automated sensing and detection system. Sensors detect document placement physically, and this physical detection information is converted into automatic file naming operations, substituting manual mechanical actions with automated sensor-based operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If multiple cropping is performed without considering placement order, then document extraction is efficient, but the assigned order may not match the intended order requiring rework

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of document extractionVSAvoidprecision of document order assignment

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of document placement direction and presence before the multiple cropping extraction process. This preliminary action captures the actual placement order information, which is then used during extraction to ensure documents are processed and named in the correct order, maintaining both efficiency and precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses sensor feedback regarding document placement direction to guide the multiple cropping extraction process. The detection results are fed back to the extraction and naming operations, ensuring that the efficiency of automated extraction does not compromise the precision of order assignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10616430B2Image scanning device, multifuction peripheral, image scanning method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium

Publication Date: 2020.04.07 SHARP KK

AI summary

An image scanning device includes a placement-area image data capturing unit that captures placement-area image data corresponding to an area where documents are placed on a platen, a document image data capturing unit that captures pieces of document image data, each of which corresponds to one of the documents, and acquires positions of the pieces of document image data, in accordance with the placement-area image data captured by the placement-area image data capturing unit, a placement order acquiring unit that acquires an order in which the documents, each of which corresponds to one of the pieces of document image data, have been placed in accordance with at least the positions of the pieces of document image data, each of which corresponds to one of the documents, and a sequencing unit that assigns to the pieces of document image data the order acquired by the placement order acquiring unit.