U.S. patent application number 16/003461 was filed with the patent office on 2019-06-27 for image processing apparatus and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA. The applicant listed for this patent is TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Koji Endo, Takahiro Hagiwara, Yusuke Hamada, Kazuhiro Kamimura, Akihiro Mizutani, Takuya Nishigaki, Kazuhiro Ogura, Sho Sakuma, Yoshinori Sato, Ryo Takimura, Hajime Tomizawa, Hiroshi WATANABE.
Application Number | 20190199889 16/003461 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 66951669 |
Filed Date | 2019-06-27 |
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00003.png)
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00004.png)
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00005.png)
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00006.png)
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00007.png)
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00008.png)
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00009.png)
![](/patent/app/20190199889/US20190199889A1-20190627-D00010.png)
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20190199889 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WATANABE; Hiroshi ; et
al. |
June 27, 2019 |
IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD
Abstract
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus
includes an image reading device, a storage device, and a control
unity. The image reading device reads an image on a sheet. The
storage device stores information. The control unit that determines
a detection area of an encoded image based on a teacher image which
is an image read from a predetermined teacher sheet by the image
reading device, records information indicating the detection area
in the storage device, detects an encoded image in the detection
area among the images read from a sheet to be read after the
teacher sheet, and decodes the detected encoded image.
Inventors: |
WATANABE; Hiroshi; (Yokohama
Kanagawa, JP) ; Mizutani; Akihiro; (Kannami Tagata
Shizuoka, JP) ; Hagiwara; Takahiro; (Chiba Chiba,
JP) ; Ogura; Kazuhiro; (Hiratsuka KANAGAWA, JP)
; Kamimura; Kazuhiro; (Mishima Shizuoka, JP) ;
Sato; Yoshinori; (Mishima Shizuoka, JP) ; Tomizawa;
Hajime; (Nagaizumi Sunto Shizuoka, JP) ; Hamada;
Yusuke; (Mishima Shizuoka, JP) ; Sakuma; Sho;
(Mishima Shizuoka, JP) ; Endo; Koji; (Shimizu
Sunto Shizuoka, JP) ; Takimura; Ryo; (Nagaizumi Sunto
Shizuoka, JP) ; Nishigaki; Takuya; (Nagaizumi Sunto
Shizuoka, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
66951669 |
Appl. No.: |
16/003461 |
Filed: |
June 8, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 1/6047 20130101;
H04N 1/00395 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04N 1/60 20060101
H04N001/60; H04N 1/00 20060101 H04N001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 22, 2017 |
JP |
2017-246552 |
Claims
1. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image reading
device configured to read an image including at least one encoded
image on a plurality of sheets; a control panel operable to receive
an input selecting between a first setting and a second setting,
wherein the second setting designates a different detection method
of the at least one encoded image on the plurality of sheets than a
detection method used in the first setting; a storage device
configured to store information; and a control unit configured to:
in response to receiving a selection of the first setting,
determine a detection area of an encoded image based on a teacher
image read from a first sheet of the plurality of sheets, detect an
encoded image in the determined detection area in each of the
plurality of sheets, decode the detected encoded image, and record
information indicating the detection area in the storage device,
and in response to receiving a selection of the second setting,
detect an encoded image from an image read from each of the
plurality of sheets, and decode the detected encoded image.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sheet
providing the teacher image is a sheet different from a remainder
of the plurality of sheets to be read.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sheet
providing the teacher image is a part of the plurality of the
sheets to be read.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit
detects an encoded image from an area different from the detection
area in the teacher image when the encoded image within the
detection area may not be decoded.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the encoded image
detected or decoded by the control unit comprises a barcode.
6. A method performed by a computer of an image processing
apparatus, the method comprising: receiving an input selecting
between a first setting and a second setting, wherein the second
setting designates a different detection method of the at least one
encoded image on the plurality of sheets than a detection method
used in the first setting; in response to receiving the input
corresponding to the first setting, determining a detection area of
an encoded image based on a teacher image which is an image read
from a predetermined teacher sheet by an image reading device that
reads an image on a sheet; recording information indicating the
detection area in a storage device; detecting an encoded image in
the detection area among the images read from a sheet to be read
after the teacher sheet; and decoding the detected encoded image;
and in response to receiving the input corresponding to the second
setting, detecting an encoded image from an image read from each of
the plurality of sheets; and decoding the detected encoded
image.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: loading a document
having at least two pages; receiving a user selection in a control
unit of the image processing apparatus; reading the at least two
pages in an image reading device of the image processing apparatus;
and saving images of the at least two pages into a memory device of
the image processing apparatus.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the saved images include the
teacher image.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the teacher image is read from a
first page of the document.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the teacher image is compiled
from two or more read pages of the document.
11. The method of claim 7, further comprising saving the decoded
encoded image to the memory device of the image processing
apparatus.
12. (canceled)
13. The method of claim 6, wherein detecting the encoded image in
the detection area among the images read from the sheet to be read
after the teacher sheet is subsequent to receiving the user
selection in the control unit.
14. The method of claim 6, wherein the encoded image includes a
barcode.
15. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a control panel
operable to receive an input from a user, the input selecting one
of a first setting and a second setting, wherein the second setting
designates a different detection method of the at least one encoded
image on a plurality of sheets than a detection method used in the
first setting; a display operable to communicate one or more
options to the user, including options to select between the first
setting and the second setting; an image reader having a document
loader for loading at least one page of the plurality of sheets and
an imaging unit for reading the at least one page into digital
information; a storage device operable to store the digital
information; and a processor operable to retrieve the digital
information from the storage, in response to the input from the
user, to process the digital information and identify an encoded
image, and to decode the encoded image and save the decoded
information in the storage device, wherein the processor operable
to process the digital information includes determining, upon
receiving a selection of the first setting from the input, a
detection area based on a teacher image read from a first sheet of
the plurality of sheets for identifying the encoded image; and upon
receiving a selection of the second setting from the input,
detecting the encoded image from at least one of the plurality of
sheets for identifying the encoded image.
16. (canceled)
17. The image processing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or
more option further includes a third option to process an entire
area in a page without specifying a detection area, and wherein the
processor operable to detect an encoded image from the entire
area.
18. The image processing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the
processor is further operable to apply a mask upon receiving the
selection of the second setting, in the digital information of the
at least one read page by using at least one mask variable
determined from the detection area and extract the encoded image
therein.
19. The image processing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the
processor cancels the mask when the encoded image is not
successfully extracted.
20. The image processing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the
processor continues to process the at least one page until a last
page is detected.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to
Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-246552, filed Dec. 22, 2017,
the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
FIELD
[0002] Embodiments described herein relate generally to an image
processing apparatus and a method.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A scanner can read an encoded image formed on a sheet. The
encoded image is, for example, a barcode. When reading the barcode
formed on the sheet, the scanner detects the barcode by searching
the entire area of the sheet. Therefore, it takes time to read the
barcode in some cases. Alternatively, a user sets a reading
position on the sheet by using a personal computer or the like. The
scanner reads the barcode from the reading position on the sheet to
be read. In this case, the time for the scanner to read the barcode
is shortened. However, the work of setting the reading position is
complicated, and it takes time to set up in some cases.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is an external view showing an overall configuration
example of an image processing apparatus according to an
embodiment.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a configuration example
of an image reading unit.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a block view showing a configuration of the image
processing apparatus.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a functional block view of a control unit.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a view showing a display example of a barcode scan
execution screen.
[0009] FIG. 6 is a view showing a display example of the barcode
scan execution screen.
[0010] FIG. 7 is a view showing a display example of the barcode
scan execution screen.
[0011] FIG. 8 is a view showing a display example of a barcode area
designation screen.
[0012] FIG. 9 is a view showing a display example of a teacher
original document barcode scan execution screen.
[0013] FIG. 10 is a view showing barcode detection from entire
image information.
[0014] FIG. 11 is a view showing barcode recognition when a barcode
area portion is masked.
[0015] FIG. 12 is a view showing an example of mask variables.
[0016] FIG. 13 is a view showing an example of barcode data.
[0017] FIG. 14 is a view showing a display example of a screen
during execution of processing.
[0018] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing barcode scanning.
[0019] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing teacher original document
reading processing.
[0020] FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing barcode data recognition
processing.
[0021] FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing barcode scanning.
[0022] FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing barcode scanning.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] An objective of an example embodiment is to provide an image
processing apparatus and a method for shortening the time required
to read an encoded image from a sheet.
[0024] In general, according to some embodiments, the image
processing apparatus includes an image reading device, a storage
device, and a control unit. The image reading device reads an image
on a sheet. The storage device stores information. The control unit
that determines a detection of an encoded image based on a teacher
image which is an image read from a predetermined teacher sheet by
the image reading device, records information indicating the
detection area in the storage device, detects an encoded image in
the detection area among the images read from a sheet to be read
after the teacher sheet, and decodes the detected encoded
image.
[0025] Hereinafter, the image processing apparatus and the method
of the embodiment will be described with reference to drawings.
[0026] The image processing apparatus of the embodiment acquires
information from an encoded image formed on a sheet. The encoded
image is an image representing coded information. The image
processing apparatus obtains information before encoding by
decoding the encoded image by a predetermined decoding rule.
Hereinafter, a case where the encoded image is a barcode will be
described as an example. The barcode may be a one-dimensional
barcode or two-dimensional barcode.
[0027] In many cases, the task of entering a document with a
barcode is a routine task. For documents with barcodes, the same
form (template) is often used. Therefore, the image processing
apparatus of the embodiment detects a position or an area where a
barcode is formed from one of these documents and identifies a
barcode area based on the detection result. For other documents the
image processing apparatus recognizes an image included in the
identified barcode area by the barcode. That is, the image
processing apparatus performs the following processing.
[0028] (1) The image processing apparatus performs a scan job of a
teacher original document. The teacher original document is the
original document used to identify a barcode area processing
apparatus detects the position or area of the barcode in the
scanned page and identifies the barcode area. In the subsequent
scan job at the original document to be read, the image processing
apparatus performs barcode recognition on the image of the barcode
area identified by using the teacher original document and does not
perform barcode recognition on image outside the barcode area.
[0029] (2) When scanning a plurality of pages of original
documents, the image processing apparatus detects the position or
area of the barcode on a first page and identifies the barcode
area. For the pages after the first page, the image processing
apparatus performs barcode recognition on the image of the barcode
area identified by using the first page and does not perform
barcode recognition on images outside the barcode area.
[0030] As described above, the image processing apparatus does not
need to search the barcode from the entire page of the original
document to be read. Therefore, it is faster to read the barcode
than when the barcode is searched from the entire area on the page.
In addition, when an, image similar to the barcode is included in
the original document to be read, the possibility of erroneous
recognition by the image processing apparatus may also be
reduced.
[0031] FIG. 1 is an external view showing an overall configuration
example of an image processing apparatus 100 according to the
embodiment. The image processing apparatus 100 is, for example, a
multi-function peripheral. The image processing apparatus 100
operates as a barcode scanner. The image processing apparatus 100
includes a display 110, a control panel 120, a printer 130, a sheet
accommodating unit 140, and an image reading unit 200. The printer
130 of the image processing apparatus 100 may be an apparatus that
fixes a toner image or an ink jet type apparatus.
[0032] The image processing apparatus 100 reads an image appearing
on a sheet generates digital data, and generates an image file. The
sheet is, for example, an original document, pager on which
characters, images, and the like are described. The sheet may be
anything that may be read by the image processing apparatus
100.
[0033] The display 110 is an image display apparatus such as a
liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence (EL)
display. The display 110 displays various information on the image
processing apparatus 100.
[0034] The control panel 120 has a plurality of buttons. The
control panel 120 receives a user's operation. The control panel
120 outputs a signal corresponding to the operation performed by
the user to the control unit of the image processing apparatus 100.
The display 110 and the control panel 120 may be configured as an
integral touch panel.
[0035] The printer 130 forms an image on a sheet based on the image
information generated by the image reading unit 200 or the image
information received via a communication path. The printer 130
forms an image by the following processing, for example. An image
forming unit of the printer 130 forms an electrostatic latent image
on a photoconductive drum based on the image information. The image
forming unit of the printer 130 forms a visible image by attaching
a developer to the electrostatic latent image. A specific example
of the developer is a toner. A transfer unit of the printer 130
transfers the visible image onto the sheet. A fixing unit of the
printer 130 fixes the visible image on the sheet by heating and
pressurizing the sheet. The sheet on which the image is formed may
be a sheet stored in the sheet accommodating unit 140 or may be a
sheet pointed by hand.
[0036] The sheet accommodating unit 140 accommodates a sheet used
for image formation in the printer 130.
[0037] The image reading unit 200 reads image information to be
read as light and shade of light. The image reading unit 200
records the read image information. The recorded image information
may be transmitted to another information processing device via the
network. The recorded image information may be formed on the sheet
by the printer 130.
[0038] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a configuration example
of the image reading unit 200.
[0039] The image reading unit 200 includes an original document
table 20, a first carriage 21, a second carriage 22, an imaging
unit 23, and an image reading control unit 24. The original
document table 20 may be provided with an automatic document feeder
(ADF). The direction in which the first carriage 21 moves is a
sub-scanning direction y. In the original document table 20, the
direction orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction y is a main
scanning direction x. The direction orthogonal to the main scanning
direction x and the sub-scanning direction y is a height direction
z.
[0040] The original document table 20 includes an original document
table glass 201, a shading plate 202, an original document scale
203, and a through lead glass 204.
[0041] The original document table glass 201 has a placement
surface 201a on which a sheet S is placed. The shading plate 202 is
constituted by a white member. The shading plate 202 has white as a
reference at the time of shading correction for an image
(hereinafter, referred to as "read image") read from the sheet S.
The shading plate 202 has a long shape in the main scanning
direction x. The original document scale 203 shows the position of
the sheet S placed on the original document table glass 201. At the
end of the original document scale 203, a front-end reference
portion 203a is provided. The front-end reference portion 203a
forms a step difference with the placement surface 201a of the
original document table glass 201, thereby forming a convex portion
for pressing the end portion of the sheet S. The position of the
sheet S is determined by being pressed against the front-end
reference portion 203a on the original document table glass 201. On
the placement surface 201a, the position for placing the corner of
the front-end of the sheet S is predetermined. By positioning the
corner of the front-end of the sheet S at a predetermined position,
the main scanning direction x and the sub-scanning direction y are
positioned.
[0042] The first carriage 21 includes a light source 211, a
reflector 212, and a first mirror 213. The light source 211 emits
light. The reflector 212 reflects the light emitted from the light
source 211. The light reflected by the reflector 212 is uniformly
irradiated on the shading plate 202 and the sheet S. Based on the
reflected light of the irradiated light, the light distribution
characteristic of the main scanning direction x at a reading
position of the sheet S is adjusted. The first mirror 213 reflects
the light reflected by the shading plate 202 and the sheet S toward
the second mirror 221 of the second carriage 22.
[0043] The second carriage 22 includes a second mirror 221 and a
third mirror 222. The second mirror 221 reflects the light
reflected by the first mirror 213 to the third mirror 222. The
third mirror 222 reflects the light reflected by the second mirror
221 to a condensing lens 231 of the imaging unit 23.
[0044] The imaging unit 23 includes the condensing lens 231, a CCD
sensor 232, and a CCD substrate 233. The condensing lens 231
collects the light reflected by the third mirror 222. The
condensing lens 231 forms an image of the condensed light on an
imaging surface (reading surface) of the CCD sensor 232. The CCD
sensor 232 is mounted on the CCD substrate 233. For example, the
CCD sensor 232 is a hybrid four-line sensor. The hybrid four-line
sensor includes a three-line sensor that reads a color image and a
one-line sensor that reads a monochrome image. The three-line
sensor reads light of R (red), G (green) and B (blue). The CCD
sensor 232 converts light formed by the condensing lens 231 into
electric charge. By this conversion, the CCD sensor 232 converts
the image formed by the condensing lens 231 into an electric
signal. The CCD substrate 233 generates image data based on an
electric signal generated by photoelectric conversion of the CCD
sensor 232. When generating the image data, the CCD substrate 233
generates image data by using the correction information previously
obtained by the shading correction. The CCD substrate 233 outputs
the generated image data to the image reading control unit 24. The
above-described processing performed by the CCD substrate 233 is
executed by the analog front end (AFE) mounted on the CCD substrate
233.
[0045] The image reading control unit 24 controls the first
carriage 21, the second carriage 22, and the imaging unit 23. For
example, the image reading control unit 24 controls the movement of
the first carriage 21, the turning on and off of the light source
211 of the first carriage 21. For example, the image reading
control unit 24 controls the operation of the imaging unit 23.
[0046] The first carriage 21 moves in the sub-scanning direction y
according to the control of the image reading control unit 24. As
the first carriage 21 moves, the second carriage 22 moves at a
speed of 1/2 in the same direction as that of the first carriage
21. Through this operation, even when the first carriage 21 moves,
the optical path length of the light reaching the imaging surface
of the CCD sensor 232 does not change. That is, the optical path
length of the light in an optical system constituted by the first
mirror 213, the second mirror 221, the third mirror 222, and the
condensing lens 231 is constant. In other words, the optical path
length from the placement surface 201a to the imaging surface of
the CCD sensor 232 is constant.
[0047] For example, in the example of FIG. 2, the first carriage 21
moves from left to right along the sub-scanning direction y. As the
first carriage 21 moves in the sub-scanning direction y, a reading
position P with respect to the sheet S also moves. Therefore, the
reading position P moves from left to right along the sub-scanning
direction y. The reading position P is a position corresponding to
one line of the main scanning direction x. As the reading position
P moves in the sub-scanning direction y, the image of the reading
position P of the sheet S is sequentially formed on the imaging
surface of the CCD sensor 232. The CCD sensor 232 outputs a signal
corresponding to the image of the imaged reading position P as a
signal for one line of the main scanning direction x. The CCD
substrate 233 generates image data of the entire sheet S based
signals of a plurality of lines.
[0048] FIG. 3 is a block view showing a configuration of the image
processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. The image
processing apparatus 100 includes a communication unit 101, a
processor 102, a hard disk drive (HDD) 103, a memory 104 scanner
105, a display 110, control panel a printer 130 and a sheet
accommodating unit 140. The communication unit 101, the processor
102, the HDD 103, the memory 104, the scanner 105, the display 110,
the control panel 120, the printer 130, and the sheet accommodating
unit 140 are connected by a bus 106. Since the configuration of the
display 110, the control panel 120, the printer 130, and the sheet
accommodating unit 140 are as described above, the description
thereof will be omitted.
[0049] The communication unit 101 is a network interface. The
communication unit 101 communicates with the information processing
apparatus via a communication path. The information processing
apparatus is, for example, a personal computer, a server, or the
like. In this view, a file server 300 is shown a an information
processing apparatus.
[0050] The processor 102 is, for example, a central processing unit
(CPU). When the power of the image processing apparatus 100 is
turned on, the processor 102 loads the program stored in the HDD
103 into the memory 104. The processor 102 executes the program
loaded in the memory 104. By executing the program, the processor
102 operates as a control unit 10 shown in FIG. 4 to be described
later.
[0051] The HDD 103 is an auxiliary storage device. The HDD 103
stores programs and various data. The memory 104 is a main storage
device. The memory 104 is, for example, a random access memory
(RAM). The memory 104 stores data to be directly referred to when
the processor 102 executes processing.
[0052] The scanner 105 (image reading device) reads an image on a
sheet. The scanner 105 is realized by the image reading unit 200 in
FIG. 1.
[0053] FIG. 4 is a functional block view of the control unit 10. In
this view, functional blocks related to the present embodiment are
extracted and shown. The control unit 10 controls each unit of the
image processing apparatus 100. The control unit 10 includes a
scanner control unit 11 and an information acquisition unit 12.
[0054] The scanner control unit 11 controls the scanner 105. The
canner control unit include the function of the image reading
control unit 24 shown in FIG. 2. The information acquisition unit
12 determines a detection area of an encoded image based on a
teacher image which is an image read from a predetermined teacher
sheet by the scanner 105. The teacher sheet is a sheet different
from the sheet to be read. Alternatively, the teacher sheet is a
part of sheets included in the plurality of pages of sheets to be
read. The information acquisition unit 12 records information
indicating the detection area of the encoded image in the HDD 103.
The information acquisition unit 12 detects an encoded image with
respect to the detection area in the image of the sheet to be read
by the scanner 105 after the teacher sheet. The information
acquisition unit 12 decodes the detected encoded image.
[0055] Next, an operation outline of the image processing apparatus
100 will be described.
[0056] First, the information acquisition unit 12 of the image
processing apparatus 100 displays a barcode scan execution screen
on the display 110.
[0057] FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are diagrams showing display examples of
the barcode scan execution screen. The barcode scan execution
screen G11-1 shown in FIG. 5, the barcode scan execution screen
G11-2 shown in FIG. 6, and the barcode scan execution screen G11-3
shown in FIG. 7 include a single-sided/double-sided setting button
B11, a resolution setting button B12, a color mode setting button
B13, a barcode detection area setting button B14, a save
destination setting button B15, and a start button B16. The
contents of current settings are displayed on the buttons B11 to
B15. In the following description, the barcode scan execution
screens G11-1, G11-2, and G11-3 are collectively referred to as a
barcode scan execution screen G11.
[0058] The single-sided/double-sided setting button B11 is a button
for setting whether to scan one side of the original document or to
scan both sides. The resolution setting button B12 is a button for
setting the resolution of scanning. The color mode setting button
B13 is a button for setting whether to perform scanning in color or
in black and white.
[0059] The barcode detection area setting button B14 is a button
for setting a barcode detection area. The barcode scan execution
screen G11-1 shows a case where the setting of a current barcode
detection area is "entire area in the page". The "entire area in
the page"indicates a setting in which the barcode area is detected
by scanning the entire page of the original document. The barcode
scan execution screen G11-2 shows a case where the setting of the
current barcode detection area, is "stored area".
[0060] The "stored area" indicates a setting in which the barcode
area in the page is detected and stored by using the teacher
original document and the barcode of the original document to be
scanned is read out from the stored barcode area. The barcode scan
execution screen G11-3 shows a case where the setting of the
current barcode detection area is "Barcode area of the first page".
"Barcode area of the first page" is a setting which the entire page
of the first page of the plurality of pages of the original
documents is scanned, the barcode area is detected, and the
detected barcode area is applied to the second and subsequent
pages.
[0061] The save destination setting button B15 is a button for
setting the save destination of the scan result data. The save
destination is, for example, a shared folder of the file server
300. The start button B16 is a button for instructing the barcode
scanning start of the original document.
[0062] FIG. 8 is a view showing a display example of a barcode area
designation screen G21. When detecting that the user presses the
barcode detection area setting button B14 in the barcode scan
execution screen G11, the information acquisition unit 12 displays
the barcode area designation screen G21 shown in this view on the
display 110. The barcode area designation screen G21 includes
buttons B21 to B23 for designating an area for detecting a barcode.
The button B21 is a button for designating "Detect the area at the
barcode position from the first page". The button B22 is a button
for designating "Scan the original document and detect e barcode
position". The button B23 is a button for designating "Do not
designate an area. Detect a barcode from the entire area in the
page".
[0063] When the user presses any one of the buttons B21 to B23, the
information acquisition unit 12 saves the setting designated by the
pressed button in the HDD 103. In the barcode area designation
screen G21, when "Scan the original document and detect the barcode
position" is selected by button B22, the information acquisition
unit 12 displays the teacher original document barcode scan
execution screen on the display 110.
[0064] FIG. 9 is a view showing a display example of the teacher
original document barcode scan execution screen G31. The teacher
original document barcode scan execution screen G31 is a screen for
instructing the execution of scanning of the teacher original
document. In the teacher original document scan, the scanner 105
reads a specific original document as the teacher original document
in order to designate the barcode area. The information acquisition
unit 12 detects the position of barcode from the scan result of the
teacher original document and sets the position as the barcode
area.
[0065] The teacher original document barcode scan execution screen
G31 includes a single-sided/double-sided setting button B31, a
resolution setting button B32, a color mode setting button B33, and
a start button B34. The contents of current settings are displayed
on the buttons B31 to B33. The single-sided/double-side setting
button B31 is a button for setting whether to scan one side of the
original document or to scan both sides. The resolution setting
button B32 is a button for setting the resolution of scanning. The
color mode setting button B33 is a button for setting whether to
perform scanning in color or in black and white. The start button
B34 is a button for instructing the barcode scanning start of the
teacher original document.
[0066] In the teacher original document barcode scan execution
screen G31, the user performs scan reading setting (setting of
single-sided/double-sided, resolution, and color mode). The user
places the teacher original document on the placement surface 201a
and presses the start button 834. The scanner control unit 11
detects the start button B34 being pressed and reads the original
document by scanning according to the reading setting. The
information acquisition unit 12 detects the barcode from the entire
area of the image information obtained by the scanning and
determines the barcode as a barcode area. Thereafter, the
information acquisition unit 12 displays the barcode scan execution
screen G11-2 (FIG. 6) on the display 110.
[0067] The user sets the original document to be read on the
placement surface 201a and presses the start button B16 of the
barcode scan execution screen G11-2. When detecting the start
button B16 being pressed, the scanner control unit 11 controls the
scanner 105 to read the original document to be read. The
information acquisition unit 12 masks the barcode area portion in
the image information of each read page and extracts the image
information in the barcode area. The information acquisition unit
12 recognizes the extracted image information by the barcode. The
information acquisition unit 12 sets the barcode recognition result
in a barcode file. The scanner control unit 11 saves the barcode
file in the save destination in association with the entire image
files including the entire image information of each page of the
original document to be read. The save destination is a shared
folder of the file server 300 set in the barcode scan execution
screen G11.
[0068] FIG. 10 is a view showing barcode detection from the entire
image information. In this view, barcode detection of the entire
page is performed by repeating the search from the left side to the
right side of image information A1 stored in the HDD 103 in order
from the top to the bottom of the image information A1.
[0069] FIG. 11 is a view showing barcode recognition when the
barcode area portion is masked. The masking prioritizes reading
(e.g., reading first or reading only) the image information
included in a barcode area A2 of the image information A1 stored in
the HDD 103 as an area for barcode recognition. As shown in this
view, the area to be recognized as a barcode may be made smaller
than the entire page by the mask. Therefore, compared with the case
where barcode detection is performed from the entire image
information (FIG. 10), the time required for barcode data
recognition processing may be shortened.
[0070] FIG. 12 is a view showing an example of mask variables to be
used as a mask of the barcode area portion. The mask variables
shown in this view represents the barcode area in the image area by
using XY coordinates in a XY plane with a predetermined position of
the image area as an origin. The upper left corner of the
rectangular barcode area is a start position and the lower right
corner is an end position. StartX is the X coordinate of the
starting position, StartY is the Z coordinate of the starting
position, EndX is the X coordinate of the ending position, and EndY
is the Y coordinate of the ending position. In this view, a setting
example when there is one barcode area in the original document is
shown. When there are a plurality of barcode areas in the original
document, the XY coordinates of the start position and the end
position of each barcode area are set in each of Area 1, Area 2,
and . . . .
[0071] FIG. 13 is a view showing an example of the barcode data set
in the barcode file. The barcode data shown in this view includes a
page (Page) of the original document, a start position (Start
Position) and an end position (End Position) of the barcode area,
and a barcode recognition result (Value). The barcode file contains
barcode data of each page of the original document to be read.
[0072] FIG. 14 is a view showing a display example of a processing
in progress screen G41. While the scan for the original document to
be read is being executed after the start button B16 is pressed,
the information acquisition unit 12 displays the processing in
progress screen shown in this view on the display 110.
[0073] In the barcode area designation screen G2 shown in FIG. 8,
when the user selects "Detect the area at the barcode position from
the first page" with the button B21, the image processing apparatus
100 operates as follows. The information acquisition unit 12
displays the barcode scan execution screen G11-3 (FIG. 7) on the
display 110. The user sets the original document to be read on the
placement surface 201a and presses the start button B16 of the
barcode scan execution screen G11-3. During the processing after
the start button B16 is pressed, the scanner control unit 11
displays the processing in progress screen G41 (FIG. 14) on the
display 110. The scanner control unit 11 controls the scanner 105
to continuously scan the plurality of pages of original documents
to be read. The information acquisition unit 12 treats the first
page as the teacher original document, extracts the barcode area
from the image information of the first page, and generates mask
variables. The information acquisition unit 12 masks the image
information by using the barcode area indicated by the mask
variables and extracts the image information in the barcode area to
recognize the barcode from the second and subsequent pages.
Information acquisition unit 12 sets the barcode recognition result
in the barcode file in the same manner as above. The information
acquisition unit 12 saves the barcode file and the entire image
file including the entire image information of each page in
association with each other in a shared folder of the file server
300.
[0074] In addition in the barcode area designation screen G11 shown
in FIG. 8, when the user selects "Do not designate an area, Detect
a barcode from the entire area in the page" with the button B23,
the image processing apparatus 100 operates as follows. The
information acquisition unit 12 displays the barcode scan execution
screen G11-1 (FIG. 6) on the display 110. The user sets the
original document to be read on the placement surface 201a and
presses the start button B16 of the barcode scan execution screen
G11-1. The information acquisition unit searches the images of each
page of the original document to be read, detects a barcode, and
performs barcode recognition without using the information of the
barcode area and masking the image information scanned by the
scanner control unit 11. The information acquisition unit 12 set
the barcode recognition result in the barcode file in the same
manner as above. The information acquisition unit 12 saves the
barcode file and the entire image file including the entire image
information of each page in association with each other in a shared
folder of the file server 300.
[0075] Next, the processing flow of the image processing apparatus
100 will be described.
[0076] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing o barcode scanning. This view
is a main flow of barcode scanning performed by the control unit
10.
[0077] The scanner control unit 11 detects the start button B16
being pressed in the barcode scan execution screen G11. The scanner
control unit 11 obtains scan settings set by the user in the
barcode scan execution screen G11. The scanner control unit 11
switches the display on the display 110 to the processing in
progress screen G41 (FIG. 14). The scanner control unit 11 controls
the scanner 105 to read the original document according to the scan
settings. The scanner control unit 11 converts the image
information read by the scanner 105 into an electronic file for
each page and saves the file in the HDD 103 (ACT 101).
[0078] The information acquisition unit 12 branches the processing
according to the barcode detection area set by the user in the
barcode area designation screen G21 (ACT 102). When the information
acquisition unit 12 determines that "Do not designate an area.
Detect a barcode from the entire area in the page" is set (ACT 102:
no area designated), the processing proceeds to ACT 103. When the
information acquisition unit 12 determines that "Scan the original
document and detect the barcode position" is set (ACT 102: teacher
original document), the processing proceeds to ACT 107. When the
information acquisition unit 12 determines that "Detect the area at
the barcode position from the first page" is set (ACT 102: first
page), the processing proceeds to ACT 112.
[0079] When the processing branches to a route without area
designation in the ACT 102, the information acquisition unit 12
reads image information from the HDD 103 and holds the image
information in the memory 104. The information acquisition unit 12
reads the file of the first page (leading page) from the image
information (ACT 103). The information acquisition unit 12 performs
barcode data recognition processing on the entire area of the
current page indicated by the read file as an area to be recognized
as a barcode (ACT 104). The barcode data recognition processing
will be described in detail in FIG. 16, which will be described
later. The information acquisition unit 12 obtains barcode data in
which the result of barcode data recognition processing is set. The
information acquisition 12 adds barcode data to the barcode file in
XML format to be stored in the HDD 103 according to the data format
shown in FIG. 13 and save the file.
[0080] The information acquisition unit 12 determines whether or
not the current page is a last page (ACT 105). If it is determined
that the current page is not the last page (ACT 105: No), the
information acquisition unit 12 reads the file of the next page of
the current page from the image information stored in the memory
104 (ACT 106). The information acquisition unit 12 repeats the
processing from the ACT 104. Then, if it is determined that the
current page is the last page in (ACT 105: YES), the information
acquisition unit 12 proceeds to ACT 119.
[0081] When the processing branches to a route of the teacher
original document in ACT 102, the information acquisition unit 12
reads the mask variables saved in the teacher original document
reading executed in advance from the HDD 103. The teacher original
document reading will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
16, which will be described later. Further, the information
acquisition 12 reads the image information from the HDD 103 and
holds the information in the memory 104. The information
acquisition unit 12 reads the file of the first page (leading page)
from the image information (ACT 107). The information acquisition
unit 12 masks the read age file by using the mask variables and
extracts the barcode area image (ACT 108). The information
acquisition unit 12 obtains the barcode data by performing the
barcode data recognition processing of FIG. 16 which will be
described later with the extracted image as a barcode recognition
target area (ACT 109). The information acquisition unit 12 adds
barcode data to the barcode file in the XML format to be stored in
the HDD 103 according to the data format shown in FIG. 13 and save
the file.
[0082] The information acquisition unit 12 determines whether or
not the current page is the last page (ACT 110). If it is
determined that the current page is not the last page (ACT 110:
NO), the information acquisition unit 12 reads the file of the next
page of the current page from the image information stored in the
memory 104 (ACT 111). The information acquisition unit 12 repeats
the processing from the ACT 108. Then, if it is determined that the
current page is the last page in ACT 110 (ACT 110: YES), the
information acquisition unit 12 proceeds to ACT 119.
[0083] When the processing branches to a route of the first page in
ACT 102, the information acquisition unit 12 reads the image
information from the HDD 103 and holds the image information in the
memory 104. The information acquisition unit 12 reads the file of
the first page (leading page) from the image information (ACT 112).
The information acquisition unit 12 obtains the barcode data by
performing the barcode data recognition processing of FIG. 16 which
will be described later, with the entire area of the first page
indicated by the read file as a barcode recognition target area
(ACT 113). The information acquisition unit 12 adds barcode data to
the barcode file in the XML format to be stored in the HDD 103
according to the data format shown in FIG. 13 and save the file.
Further, the information acquisition unit 12 generates mask
variables based on the information of the position where the
barcode is detected in the ACT 113 and holds the variables in the
memory 104 (ACT 114).
[0084] The information acquisition unit 12 determines whether or
not the current page is the last page (ACT 115). If it is
determined that the current page is not the last page (ACT 115:
NO), the information acquisition unit 12 reads the file of the next
page of the current page from the image information stored in the
memory 104 (ACT 116). The information acquisition unit 12 masks and
extracts the barcode area image by using the mask variables
generated in ACT 114 (ACT 117) into the read image file. The
information acquisition unit 12 obtains the barcode data by
performing the barcode data recognition processing of FIG. 16 which
will be described later with the extracted image as a barcode
recognition target area (ACT 118). The information acquisition unit
12 adds barcode data to the barcode file in the XML format to be
stored in the HDD 103 according to the data format shown in FIG. 13
and save the file. The information acquisition unit 12 repeats the
processing from the ACT 115. Then, if it is determined that the
current page is the last page in ACT 115 (ACT 115: YES), the
information acquisition unit 12 proceeds to ACT 119.
[0085] If it is determined that the current page is the last page
in ACT 105, ACT 110, or ACT 115, the information acquisition unit
12 reads the image file and the barcode file from the HDD 103. The
information acquisition unit 12 transfers the read image file and
the barcode to the file server 300 of the save destination via the
network (ACT 119). When the transfer is completed, the information
acquisition unit 12 displays the barcode scan execution screen G11
on the display 110. If the setting at the previous barcode scan
execution is "Do not designate an area. Detect a barcode from the
entire area in the page", the information acquisition unit 12
displays the barcode scan execution screen G11-1, if the setting at
the previous barcode scan execution is "Scan the original document
and detect the barcode position", the information acquisition unit
12 displays the barcode scan execution screen G11-2, and if the
setting at the previous barcode scan execution is "Detect the area
at the barcode position from the first page", the information
acquisition unit 12 displays the barcode scan execution screen
G11-3 on the display 110.
[0086] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing teacher original document
reading processing.
[0087] The scanner control unit 12 detects the start B34 of the
teacher original document barcode scan execution screen G31 (FIG.
9) being pressed. The scanner control unit 11 obtains scan settings
by the user in the teacher original document barcode scan execution
screen G31. The scanner control unit 11 switches the display on the
display 110 to the processing in progress screen G41 (FIG. 14). The
scanner control unit 11 controls the scanner 105 to read teacher
original document according to the scan settings. The scanner
control unit 11 converts the image information read by the scanner
105 into an electronic file and saves the file in the HDD 103 (ACT
201).
[0088] The information acquisition unit 12 reads the image
information of one page from the file saved in the HDD 103 (ACT
202). The information acquisition unit 12 obtains barcode data by
performing barcode data recognition processing of FIG. 16 which
will be described later, with the entire area of one page as a
barcode recognition target area (ACT 203). The information
acquisition unit 12 adds barcode data which is the recognition
result of the barcode to the barcode file in the XML format to be
stored in the HDD 103 according to the data format shown in FIG.
13. The information acquisition unit 12 extracts the coordinates of
the start position of the barcode area and the coordinates of the
end position from the barcode file and holds the coordinated in the
memory 104 as mask variables (ACT 204). The information acquisition
unit 12 displays the barcode scan execution screen G11-2 on the
display 110.
[0089] When the scan setting is double-sided, the information
acquisition unit 12 performs the processing of ACT 202 and ACT 203
for each of the front side and the back side. The information
acquisition unit 12 adds information on the front side or the back
side to the mask variables. When applying the mask variables to the
image file of an original document to be read in the ACT 108 of
FIG. 15, the mask variables of the front side are applied to the
image file of the front side and the mask variables of the back are
applied to the image file of the back side.
[0090] The control unit 10 may hold the mask variables held in the
memory 104 in the ACT 204 in the HDD 103 in association with the
teacher original document name input by the user. In this case, on
the barcode area designation screen G21, the control unit 10
detects that the button B22 designating "Scan the original document
and detect the barcode position" is selected and displays a teacher
original document selection screen on the display 110. The teacher
original document selection screen is a screen for selecting the
teacher original document to be used from the list including a
"anew teacher original document" and the teacher original document
name stored in the HDD 103. If the user selects the "new teacher
original document", the control unit 10 displays the teacher
original document barcode scan execution screen G31 on the display
110 and performs the teacher original document reading of FIG. 16.
If the user selects one of the teacher original document names, the
control unit 10 displays the barcode scan execution screen G11-2 on
the display 110 and performs the barcode scanning of FIG. 15. The
information acquisition unit 12 reads the mask variables of the
selected teacher original document name from the HDD 103, holds the
mask variables in the memory 104, and performs the processing of
the ACT 108.
[0091] In addition, after the image processing apparatus 100
performs the ACT 101 of FIG. 15, the user may input a barcode
detection area. The information acquisition unit 12 determines
whether the processing in the ACT 102 is to be branched according
to the input. When the user selects the teacher original document,
the image processing apparatus 100 performs processing after ACT
107 after acquiring the mask variables by using the mask variables
of the input teacher original document name or the new teacher
original document.
[0092] FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing barcode data recognition
processing.
[0093] The information acquisition unit 12 searches a barcode
pattern from the image information to be stored in the memory 104
(ACT 301). The barcode pattern is a pattern that matches the form
of the barcode. When detecting the barcode pattern, the information
acquisition unit 12 acquires the position information of the
barcode area in which the barcode pattern is detected. The position
information is represented by the coordinates of the start position
and the end position of the barcode area. The information
acquisition unit 12 holds mask variables (FIG. 12) in which the
position information of the barcode area is set in the memory 104.
The information acquisition unit 12 may set the coordinates of the
start position and the end position of the area obtained by adding
a predetermined margin to each of the upper, lower, left and right
of the detected barcode area as mask variables.
[0094] The information acquisition unit 12 decodes and encodes the
image information in the barcode area (ACT 302). The information
acquisition unit 12 holds the encoded barcode recognition result in
the memory 104. The information acquisition unit 12 generates an
XML file in which the position information of the barcode area and
the encoded barcode recognition result are set and saves the file
in the HDD 103 as barcode data (FIG. 13) (ACT 303). If the decoding
of the barcode image results in an error, the information
acquisition unit 12 sets the barcode recognition result indicating
the error in the barcode data.
[0095] In the barcode scanning, if the barcode recognition of the
masked barcode area results in an error, the image processing
apparatus 100 may perform barcode recognition for the entire page.
This processing will be described with reference to FIGS. 18 and
19.
[0096] FIGS. 18 and 19 are flowcharts showing another barcode
scanning of the image processing apparatus 100, In FIGS. 18 and 19,
the same steps as those shown in FIG. 11 are denoted by the same
reference numerals, and a detailed description thereof will be
omitted.
[0097] The processing of ACT 101 to ACT 106 shown in FIG. 18 is the
same as the processing of FIG. 15. When the processing branches to
a route of the teacher original document in ACT 102, the
information acquisition unit 12 performs the processing of ACT 107
to ACT 109 in the same manner as the processing of FIG. 15. That
is, the information acquisition unit 12 reads the mask variables
obtained based on the teacher original document from the HDD 103.
The information acquisition unit 12 reads the image information
from the HDD 103, holds the image information in the memory 104,
and reads the file of the first page from the image information
(ACT 107). The information acquisition unit 12 masks the read image
file by using the mask variables and extracts the barcode area
image (ACT 108). The information acquisition unit 12 performs
barcode data recognition processing on the extracted image (ACT
109).
[0098] The information acquisition unit 12 determines whether or
not barcode data recognition of the ACT 109 is successful (ACT
501). If it is determined that the barcode data recognition is
successful (ACT 501: YES), the information acquisition unit 12 adds
the barcode data to the barcode file to be stored in the HDD 103
and saves the file. On the other hand if it is determined that
barcode data recognition of the ACT 109 is not successful (ACT 501L
NO), the information acquisition unit 12 cancels the masking
performed on the image file of the current page (ACT 502). The
information acquisition 12 performs barcode data recognition
processing with the entire area of the current page as a barcode
recognition target area (ACT 503). The information acquisition unit
12 adds the barcode data obtained by the barcode data recognition
processing of the ACT 503 to the barcode file in the XML format to
be stored in the HDD 103 and saves the file.
[0099] If it is determined that the recognition of ACT 109 is
successful (ACT 501; YES), or after the processing of ACT 503, the
information acquisition unit 12 performs processing after ACT 110.
In other words, if it is determined that the current page is not
the last page (ACT 110: NO), the information acquisition unit 12
reads the file of the next page (ACT 111) and repeats the
processing from the ACT 108. Then, if it is determined that the
current page is the last page (ACT 110; YES) the information
acquisition unit 12 proceeds to ACT 119.
[0100] When the processing branches to a route of the first page in
the ACT 102, as shown FIG. 19, the information acquisition unit 12
performs the processing of ACT 112 and ACT 113 in the same manner
as the processing of FIG. 15. That is, the information acquisition
unit 12 reads the image information from the HDD 103, holds the
image information in the memory 104, and reads the file of the
first page from the image information (ACT 112). The information
acquisition unit 12 performs barcode data recognition processing on
the entire area of the read file as a barcode recognition target
area (ACT 113).
[0101] The information acquisition unit 12 determines whether or
not barcode data recognition of the ACT 113 is successful (ACT
601). If it is determined that the barcode data recognition is not
successful (ACT 601; NO), the information acquisition unit 12
determines whether or not the current page is the last page (ACT
602). If it is determined that the current page is not the last
page (ACT 602; NO), the information acquisition unit 12 reads the
file of the next page of the current page from the image
information stored in the memory 104 (ACT 603). The information
acquisition unit repeats the processing from the ACT 113.
[0102] If it is determined that the barcode data recognition of ACT
113 is successful (ACT 601: YES), the information acquisition unit
12 performs processing of ACT 114 to ACT 118 in the same manner as
in FIG. 15. That is, the information acquisition unit 12 adds
barcode data to the barcode file to be stored in the HDD 103 and
saves the file. The information acquisition unit 12 generates mask
variables based on the information of the position where the
barcode is detected in the ACT 113 and holds the variables in the
memory 104 (ACT 114).
[0103] If it is determined that the current page is not the last
page (ACT 115: NO), the information acquisition unit 12 reads the
file of the next page from the image information (ACT 116). The
information acquisition unit 12 extracts an image of the barcode
area by using the mask variables generated in the ACT 114 into the
read image file (ACT 117). The information acquisition unit 12
performs barcode data recognition processing with the extracted
image as a barcode recognition target area (ACT 118).
[0104] The information acquisition unit 12 determines whether or
not barcode data recognition of the ACT 118 is successful (ACT
604). If it is determined that the barcode data recognition is
successful (ACT 604: YES), the information acquisition unit 12 adds
the barcode data to the barcode file to be stored in the HDD 103
and saves the file. The information acquisition unit 12 repeats the
processing after the ACT 115.
[0105] On the other hand, if it is determined that barcode data
recognition of the ACT 118 is not successful (ACT 605: NO), the
information acquisition unit 12 cancels the masking performed on
the image file of the current page (ACT 605). The information
acquisition unit 12 performs processing from the ACT 113. As a
result, the information acquisition unit 12 performs barcode data
recognition processing with the entire area or the current page as
a barcode recognition target area.
[0106] After the processing of ACT 106, if it is determined that
the current page is the last page in ACT 115 (ACT 115: YES), or it
is determined that the current page is the last page in ACT 602
(ACT 602: YES), the information acquisition unit 12 proceeds to the
ACT 119 in FIG. 18. The information acquisition unit 12 reads the
image file and the barcode file from the HDD 103 and transfers the
image file and the barcode file to the file server 300 of the save
destination via the network (ACT 119).
[0107] In the above description, the case where the encoded image
is a barcode has been described as an example, but the encoded
image may be other than barcode. The information acquisition unit
12 searches the entire page and detects a feature indicating an
area including the encoded image. The feature to be detected may be
a feature of the encoded image itself or a feature of another image
formed around the encoded image. The feature is, for example shape,
color, or a combination of shape and color. Based on the detected
feature, the information acquisition unit 12 detects the area
including the encoded image and decodes the encoded image in the
area according to a predetermined decoding rule.
[0108] A part of the functions of the image processing apparatus
100 in the above-described embodiment may be realized by a
computer. In that case, the part of the functions may be realized
by recording a program for realizing this function on a
computer-readable recording medium and causing the computer system
to read and execute the program recorded on the recording medium.
The "computer system" referred to here includes hardware such as an
OS and peripheral devices. In addition, "the computer-readable
recording medium" is, for example, a portable medium such as a
flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM or the like,
or a storage device such as a hard disk built in the computer
system. Further, the "computer-readable recording medium" may
include a medium that dynamically holds a program for a short
period of time, such a communication line when a program is
transmitted via a network such as the Internet or a communication
line such as a telephone line, and a medium that holds a program
for a certain period of time, such as a volatile memory inside the
computer system serving as a server or client in that case. In
addition, the above program may be for realizing a part of the
above-described functions and further, may be realized by combining
the above-described function with a program already recorded in the
computer system.
[0109] According to at least one embodiment described above, by
having the control unit 10, it is possible to shorten the time
required to read the encoded image from the sheet.
[0110] While certain embodiments have been described, these
embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not
intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel
embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other
forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in
the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without
departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying
claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or
modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the
inventions.
* * * * *