JPH0354408A - Encoder, image input device, and character recognition device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field 1] The present invention relates to an encoder that detects the amount of movement of an object and outputs a signal according to the amount of movement, an image input device equipped with the encoder, and a character recognition device. Regarding the equipment. (Prior art 1) Currently, images such as documents and pictures are frequently taken into recording devices in daily life using an optical image input device. is equipped with an encoder that detects the amount of movement of the paper surface and outputs a signal according to the amount of movement, and the optical image human-powered device captures images in accordance with the signal. 6 Conventionally, the encoder The encoder shown in Fig. 4 is mainly used.
04, which has a roller in contact with the surface of a non-readable object such as a paper surface, the roller rotates in accordance with the movement of the paper surface, etc., and the rotation of the roller is controlled by some method. 401 (403
), the rotation of the disk 403 blocks the light from the photo ink converter 404, and the photo ink block 404
I got a 3rd grade. Also, an encoder as shown in Figure 5 is used. The encoder has a drum 503 on which white portions 505 and black portions 504 are regularly arranged, and the drum 503 rotates according to the amount of movement of the non-readable object. 501, the reflected light on the surface of the drum 503 is detected by an optical sensor 502, and a signal is output. In addition, the above-mentioned image-powered devices and character recognition devices equipped with encoders are equipped with rollers, etc. on the surface that comes into contact with the non-readable object, which inputs the amount of movement of the non-readable object as kinetic energy. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the encoder described above must always input the momentum of the non-readable object using a mechanical method, and the number of parts of the encoder increases considerably. As a result, there are many problems such as increased cost, decreased yield, and the need for a large amount of space.

In addition, image input devices and character recognition devices equipped with the encoder have rollers, etc. on the surface that comes into contact with non-readable objects, are difficult to scan because of the encoder, and are small because they require a lot of space. It has many problems, such as being unable to convert images into images, and being unable to input images unless the rollers are in contact and rotating.

Therefore, the present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to reduce the number of parts and points, and to provide an encoder that detects the movement of non-readable objects in a non-contact manner in a small space. Not very easy to scan,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a small-sized image input device and a character recognition device.

[Means for Solving the Problems 1] The encoder of the present invention has (1) at least an ultrasonic output section and an ultrasonic input section,
An ultrasonic wave is irradiated from the ultrasonic output unit to an object moving in parallel in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the ultrasonic output unit, a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave on the object is detected by an ultrasonic manual unit, It is characterized by outputting the amount of movement of an object moving in a direction almost perpendicular to the axial direction of the ultrasonic output unit based on changes in ultrasonic waves. (2) The amount of movement of the object is determined by detecting a phase shift between an input ultrasonic wave and an output ultrasonic wave.

(3) The amount of movement of the object is determined by using the Doppler effect of input ultrasonic waves.

The image input device of the present invention is characterized in that (4) it is equipped with at least the encoder described above.

The character recognition device of the present invention is characterized in that (5) it is equipped with at least six encoders.

[Implementation Example 1] The present invention will be explained in detail below based on examples.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an encoder that utilizes the phase shift of ultrasonic waves according to the present invention. The encoder has an ultrasonic output section 101 and an ultrasonic input section 102, and the ultrasonic input section 102 has a structure that resonates with the ultrasonic waves output from the ultrasonic output section 101. As shown in FIG. 1, the encoder of the present invention is positioned and oriented so that the sound waves generated by the ultrasonic output section 101 are reflected on an object 104 such as a paper surface and enter the ultrasonic input section 102. Each is installed. Further, the structure is such that the sound waves emitted from the #E sound wave output section 101 spread through the medium. Therefore, in the case where the encoder moves parallel to the surface of the object at a certain speed, the sound waves irradiated from the ultrasonic output section 101, reflected on the surface of the object, and input to the ultrasonic input section 102 are generated when the encoder is stationary. The sound waves that enter the ultrasonic input unit 102 follow a completely different route when The route 107 shown in FIG. 1 is the route when moving, and the decoy! Since the ultrasonic input unit 102 has moved to the position 106 after being moved to the position 106, the sound waves that follow the path 107 reach the ultrasonic input unit 106. Therefore, the path 107 in the moving state is shorter than the path Nl03 in the static state, so the input sound wave has a shorter path than the human power wave in the static state. This causes a phase shift. FIG. 2 shows the above-mentioned phases, where waveforms 201 and 211 show the phases of waves output from the ultrasonic output section, waveform 2l2 is a waveform in a stationary state, and waveform 202 is a/} in a moving state; Not shown. From the figure, the phase shifts 203 and 213 of the waves can be calculated, and since the phase shift 203 while moving is smaller than the phase shift 213 while stationary, it is estimated that the wave path is shorter. can. In addition, since the distance between the ultrasonic output section, the ultrasonic input section, and the object is constant, the phase shift
The speed of encoder movement can be estimated. Figure 3 shows the principle of an encoder that uses the Doppler effect. A wave is applied to an object that moves relative to the output and input parts of the wave, and the reflected wave is called IT! It is well known that the Doppler effect is observed when Therefore, since the encoder is moving, the relative speed of the encoder is detected by emitting ultrasonic waves to a stationary object other than the encoder and measuring the reflected waves. FIG. 3 shows a diagram in which ultrasonic waves are radiated outward from a moving encoder and reflected waves are measured. Waveform 301
and 311 are the sound waves emitted by Uθ from the ultrasonic output section,
Waveforms 302 and 312 are sound waves obtained at the ultrasound input section. Compared to the wavelengths 303 and 301 of the sound waves directly emitted from the ultrasonic output section, a change in the wavelength can be seen in the input sound waves 304 and 314. Therefore, the speed of movement of the encoder body can be detected from the change in wavelength. In addition, by using an encoder that utilizes the phase shift of ultrasonic waves or the Doppler effect of ultrasonic waves in image input devices and character recognition devices, mechanical movement of rollers etc. Since there is no encoder that does this, it is possible to eliminate the influence of the encoder during scanning. Further, since there is no need to install an encoder on the contact surface, it is possible to realize an image-powered device and a handheld character recognition device with a very small contact surface. The image input device and the handheld character recognition device have a very small contact surface, so they have many advantages, such as being able to input images upright (6M) and being easy to scan. [Invention 0) Effect 1 The encoder of the present invention consists of an ultrasonic output section and an ultrasonic input section, and detects the moving speed of an object by inputting the reflected waves of the externally irradiated sound waves, so it can detect the movement of the object. It has the great effect of being able to detect without contact. In addition, since the main part is only the ultrasonic input/output section, the number of parts is smaller than that of a normal mechanical encoder, which has the effect of lowering costs, and it does not require as much space, so it can be applied easily. It becomes possible to make products using encoders smaller.

Furthermore, the image input device and character recognition device of the present invention using the encoder are not subject to any restrictions of the encoder during scanning, and therefore have the advantage of being extremely easy to use. Furthermore, since there is no need to be present on the contact surface with the non-readable object, the contact surface can be made smaller, and this has the effect that the location being read can be clearly seen.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams showing the principle of an encoder using the phase shift of ultrasonic waves according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the principle of an encoder using the Doppler effect of ultrasound according to the present invention. FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams showing conventional encoders. 101, 105...Ultrasonic output section 102.106...Ultrasonic input section 103.107...Ultrasonic path 104...Target object 301.311...Output waveform 302, 312 ...Input waveform 303, 313...Output wavelength 304, 314...Input wavelength 401, 403...Encoder disk 402...
...Slit 404... Photo ink bar 501...
...LED 502 ...Sensor 503 ...Drum or higher

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) It has at least an ultrasonic output section and an ultrasonic input section,
The ultrasonic output section irradiates ultrasonic waves to an object that moves in parallel in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the ultrasonic output section, and the ultrasonic input section detects reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves on the object. An encoder characterized in that it outputs the amount of movement of an object moving in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of an ultrasonic output section based on changes in ultrasonic waves. (2) The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the amount of movement of the object is determined by detecting a phase shift between an input ultrasonic wave and an output ultrasonic wave. (3) The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the amount of movement of the object is determined using the Doppler effect of input ultrasonic waves. (4) An image input device equipped with at least the encoder. (5) A character recognition device equipped with at least the encoder.