JPH046301Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] - Technical field of the invention This invention relates to an image reading device that reads image information on a document as a digital signal, and is capable of reading only information within a desired area on the document. The present invention relates to a partial image reading device.

・Technical background Image reading devices are used to input text or graphic information displayed on a document into electronic computers or facsimile machines as electrical signals, but generally there is no need to input the information into the document. Because information is often included, there is an increasing demand for a partial image reading device that can input only information within a desired area on a document.

・Prior art and problems To specify the reading area in a conventional partial image reading device, a mark indicating the reading range is attached to the edge of the document, and the sensor reads this mark to determine the reading area. There are methods that surround the reading area on the document with a cursor and detect the position of the cursor to determine the set reading area, and methods that measure the coordinates of the reading area on the document in advance. There are known devices in which input is specified using a numeric keypad provided on the reading device or the processing device itself. However, methods that place marks on the original have the disadvantage that the original is smeared, and the mark must be added or erased every time the reading area is changed.
There was a problem in that input errors due to incorrect markings were likely to occur. Further, in the case of specifying the reading area using a cursor or numeric keypad, the task of specifying the reading area is extremely complicated, and the input processing takes time.

On the other hand, there are devices in which the document table of the image reading device is formed by a digitizer, and the document is placed on the document table and the reading area is specified by pressing operation, or the document is placed on a separate digitizer and the reading area is pressed. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 171879/1983 discloses an apparatus that performs partial reading by inputting information by operation and then transferring the original to an image reading apparatus.

However, when the document table is used as a digitizer, it is necessary to run a carrier equipped with a light source lamp, a reflecting mirror, etc. above the document table, which complicates the structure of the device and causes problems in maintaining the accuracy of the device.
Furthermore, a device in which a digitizer for specifying a reading area is provided separately has a problem in that the installation space of the entire device becomes large. Furthermore, with a digitizer that allows you to specify areas on a document, you must press the surface of the document directly with a pen, etc., so if you repeatedly specify areas, the document may be smeared or the surface of the document may become uneven. It has the disadvantage of becoming boring.

・Purpose of the invention This invention was made to solve the problems of the conventional methods mentioned above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a partial image reading device with a compact structure.

- Structure of the invention The image reading device of this invention has marks or steps for document positioning on the plate surface of the document cover of the image reading device, and a digital or analog touch screen using a transparent conductive film on the plate surface. A panel is attached to the document cover so that it can be opened and closed, and a storage device is provided to temporarily store the coordinate information input from the touch panel, and the image reading device reads the information based on the stored coordinate information. The device is characterized in that the area is controlled, and the document is set on the plate surface, the touch panel is covered with the document, and the desired reading area on the document is designated by a pressing operation, and then reading is performed. By doing so, it is possible to easily specify a reading area when reading a partial image.

- Embodiment of the invention Figures 1 to 3 show an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the main structure of the image reading device, in which 1 is a housing, 2 is a transparent plate provided on the top surface of the housing, 3 is a carrier that runs along the transparent plate 2, and 4 is a carrier 3. 5 is a reflecting mirror attached to carrier 3, 6 and 7 are light source lamps attached to carrier 3, and 8 and 9 are a pair of carriers attached to carrier 4. a reflecting mirror 10, a mapping lens 11, a one-dimensional image sensor 12, and a pivot 14 mounted on the housing 1 to hold down the original 13 set on the transparent plate 2.
15 is a touch panel provided on the document cover 12 so as to be openable and closable; and 16 is a linear scale for detecting the position of the carrier 3.

The image information of the document 13 set on the transparent plate 2 passes through reflecting mirrors 5, 8, and 9, and is imaged onto the light receiving surface of the image sensor 11 by the mapping lens 10, and the mirror 5 scans along the transparent plate 2. As a result, the signals are sequentially converted into digital signals and read. However, the present invention relates to means for specifying a reading area when reading an image, and the structure of the image sensor and reading mechanism section is not limited to that of the illustrated embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3, the touch panel 15 consists of two layers of transparent conductive films 17 and 18 with a slight gap between them. By pressing the surfaces, the films 17 and 18 come into contact with each other. The position signal is output as a voltage signal. 1
9, 20 and 21, 22 are electrodes, 23 is electrode 1
DC power supply for applying a constant voltage between 9 and 20,
24 and 25 are output lines. The transparent conductive films 17 and 18 are usually made by depositing a thin conductive layer of gold or iridium tin oxide on a transparent polyester film.
Using the uniform electrical resistance of 7, 18, both 17,
The X-Y coordinates of contact position 18 are output lines 24 and 25
output as a voltage signal.

Before reading the original 13, the original 13 is set at a predetermined position on the upper surface of the original cover 12 with the reading surface facing upward, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. Original cover 12
There are protrusions 26, 2 that serve as a reference when setting the original 13.
7, 28 are provided, and the original 13 is set along the stepped portions of the protrusions 26, 27, 28, and the origin of the X-Y coordinates of the original surface at that time is 0 point. When the touch panel 15 is placed over the document 13 and a desired reading area is pressed from above the touch panel 15, the position coordinates are output from the touch panel 15 as a voltage signal. Therefore, the position coordinates are stored in registers 34 to 37, which will be described later.
The document 13 is inverted and set on the transparent plate 2, and a reading operation is performed. At this time, manuscript 1
3 is reversed as shown by arrow A in Figure 2,
The reference point of the document during reading is point P, and the direction of the X coordinate is opposite. Imaginary line B of manuscript 13 in Figure 2
If you flip it in the direction shown by , the reference point of the document when reading will be the top left corner of the transparent plate 2 in the diagram.
Since the direction of the Y coordinate will be reversed, it is necessary to decide in advance in which direction the document 13 should be reversed and set on the transparent plate 2.

The voltage signals outputted to the output lines 24 and 25 by pressing the touch panel 15 are outputted by the X-Y position detector 29 as an X-direction voltage Vx and a Y-direction voltage Vy, and the A-D converter 30, 31
are converted into digital quantities by comparator 3.
In steps 2 and 33, the values stored in registers 34 to 37 are compared and the maximum and minimum values are stored in register 3.
4 to 37. Then, the position y of the carrier 3 detected by the linear scale 16 is
A reading command is given to the image sensor 11 when Ymax>y>Ymin. The image sensor 11 has X in the region Ymax>y>Ymin
The reading width control device 3 reads information on the total width in the direction.
8 and read width control device 38 register 3
Based on the coordinate information of the X-direction reading area stored in 4 and 35, information outside the specified area is deleted and output. That is, in the embodiment shown in FIG.
Only the image information of a rectangular area that includes the specified reading area on the document will be output.

・Effects of the invention As described above, according to the image reading device of the invention, before reading a document, the operator places the document on the board surface on which the touch panel is provided and selects the desired reading area from the touch panel. By pressing and specifying the document with your fingertip, etc., and then reading the document, it becomes possible to read the desired partial image information without fail with an extremely simple operation, making it possible to input partial image information into a computer or facsimile. can be done extremely easily. In addition, there is no need to mark the reading area on the document, and the position is specified with the touch panel covering the document, so there is no risk of staining the document or damaging its surface.
The device structure does not become complicated or the installation area of the device increases.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figures show an embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the main structure of an image reading device;
The figure is a perspective view explaining the reading operation, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control system. In the figure, 1 is a housing, 2 is a transparent plate, 3, 4 are carriers, 5, 8, 9 are reflective mirrors, 10 is a mapping lens, 11 is an image sensor, 12 is a document cover,
13 is a document, 15 is a touch panel, 16 is a linear scale, 17 and 18 are transparent conductive films, 2
6, 27, and 28 are protrusions, and 34 to 37 are registers.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In an image reading device, a document table formed of a transparent plate 2 is provided on the top surface of a housing 1, and a document cover 12 that can be opened and closed is attached to the top surface of the document table when closed. Document positioning marks or stepped portions 26, 27, and 28 are provided, and a touch panel 15 made of two layers of transparent conductive film with a slight gap is placed on the document cover 12 when the document cover is closed. Storage devices 34, 35, which are attached to the top surface of 12 so as to be openable and closable, and which temporarily store position information input from the touch panel.
36 and 37, and the reading area of the document is controlled based on the stored position information.