Abstract:
An optical text scanning device compatible with a small handheld computer such as a personal digital assistant (PDA). The scanning device allows for a clear view of the text that is scanned simultaneous to the scanning process so that the operator can continuously align the device to the text. The scanned images of the text are converted in real-time to standard byte or word characters for subsequent display on the computer's viewing screen. The operator can quickly verify the accuracy of the conversion by comparing the displayed character with the actual character of text on the surface that is being scanned. Scanned text characters are stored in standard digital text files for ease of manipulation.
Abstract:
A digital tracing method and device, comprising a flat acquisition element (3) for digitizing a document (7) and a flat display element (5) for displaying said digitized document mounted on said flat acquisition element (3).
Abstract:
A scanning method that provides a quick start to the first scan and maintains the quality level of the final scan is disclosed. The first scan, or preview scan, is done without waiting for the lamp to stabilize. The time between the preview scan and the final high quality scan is used to stabilize the lamp.
Abstract:
A document presentation device comprising an imaging unit that takes images of documents and a display unit that displays the images of documents taken by the imaging unit.
Abstract:
A portable flatbed scanner with one transparent platen facing the original document and another transparent platen at the back of the housing for the scanning mechanism. The original document is placed face up, but the portable flatbed scanner is placed face down on the original document, and the user can see the original document through the two transparent platens. Therefore, the effect of “what you see is what you scan” is achieved. As a result, the scanning area can be set without a prescan and the portable flatbed scanner can be used as a standalone scanner. Bibliographic information can be associated with a scanned image.
Abstract:
A document camera is described for capturing an electronic image of a document, for subsequent optical character recognition. In order to avoid the need for a user to look through a viewfinder of the camera, the camera comprises a projector for projecting an optical field of view indicator on to the document. The user can see the projected indicator on the document page, indicating the effective field of view of the camera. The camera may include auto-focus and zooming mechanisms. In one form, the camera processes a detected image to determine a capture zone corresponding to whole regions of the document falling entirely within the field of view. The projected indicator is controlled to indicate only the capture zone. When the image is to be captured, the camera zooms in to the capture zone to capture the image at maximum resolution.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a camera (1) that projects a pattern of visible light (28) onto an object such as a document (10) to be photographed to indicate to a photographer the area of the object within view of the camera. The camera comprising image capture means (18), a lens (2) arranged to image the document (10) in an object plane onto the image capture means (18), an image framing projector (2,20,22) operable to project visible optical radiation (24,26) onto the object plane to indicate to a user of the camera (1) the bounds (28) of the document (10) imaged onto the image capture means (18), and a camera attitude sensor system (9,15) for sensing the attitude of the camera (1). The image framing projector (2,20,22) is operable in response to the attitude sensor system (9,15) to project the optical radiation (24,26) onto the object plane only when the attitude sensor system (9,15) senses that the camera (1) is oriented so that the optical radiation (24,26) will be projected downwards.
Abstract:
A hand held electronic scanning device that preferably has a front surface provided with abutments so that, when the front surface is laid on a supporting surface, operating buttons on the front surface will not contact the supporting surface and a transparent member covering a display window opening will also not contact the support surface to avoid scuffing thereof.
Abstract:
Apparatus for scanning an image comprising a manually-operated scanning device with a photoelectric source and having a light tunnel extending from the photoelectric source to a side of the manually-operated scanning device. The scanning device with light tunnels offers high contrast edges and encourages proper alignment of the image being scanned. In one embodiment, the scanning device has a light tunnel extending from each vertical side corresponding to and illuminating the horizontal axis to be scanned. In another embodiment, the scanning device has, in addition to light tunnels illuminating the horizontal axis, light tunnels extending from the front or horizontal side of the scanning device to illuminate the vertical boundary that is scanned by the scanning device. The light tunnels in the invention provide the user with a highly visible reference of exactly where the manually-operated scanning device's scan window is located at a particular instance.
Abstract:
An image-reading device is provided with a case having an empty section, a scanner for scanning an original so as to output image data derived from the original by reciprocally moving inside the empty section, a transparent reading-use window that faces the reading region of the original with respect to the scanner, and a transparent confirming-use window that is formed in the case so as to face the reading-use window, with the empty section located in between. This device enables visual confirmation of the original through the reading-use window, the empty section and the confirming-use window. Therefore, the device allows the operator to confirm a positional relationship between the reading-use window that forms the image-reading surface for the scanner and the original to be read through visual observation, readily as well as accurately. Thus, the device makes it possible to readily output the image data accurately.