Lexmark International, Inc.

Texas Instruments Corporation

Other

Mark Eric Miller

Anthony Michael King

Mitchell R Rowlette

Craig M Nold

Mahesan Chelvayohan

Ronald Todd Sellers

Robert B Brown

William Michael Connors

Walter H Bailey

Ronald E Garnett

Matthew Ryan Keniston

Timothy Lee Anderson

Kevin Garcia

Mark A Eifler

Joseph C Miller

Alan R Sawyers

Paul Scott Nicholas Sherrill

Kathleen R Mattone

Matthew Ryan Lashinsky

Robert K Chaney, Jr

An imaging device having an imaging unit for illuminating and capturing an original positioned on the imaging surface. The imaging surface is illuminated by an illumination system including a plurality of light sources that non-uniformly illuminates the imaging surface such that the corner areas of imaging surface is illuminated more than the non-corner areas of the imaging surface. In one embodiment the light sources are arranged around the perimeter of the imaging surface. In an alternate embodiment the light sources are located outside the field of view of a lens of the image capturing unit.

System for non-uniformly illuminating an original and capturing an image therof

Scanning devices and method of use that permit the capture of high resolution images of an original that is illuminated by a light source that is located outside of the optical field of view of an image detector. In one aspect, the image detector may be a monochrome sensor that sequentially captures different color plane images of an original that is illuminated by different colors. The different color plane images may be processed to generate a full color copy of the original. Light and images may be directed through tapered optical waveguides to minimize the volume of the scanning device. The image detector may include a first associated waveguide while the light source may include a second associated waveguide.

Image illumination and capture in a scanning device

An imaging device including a base and an enclosed chamber positioned on the base. The enclosed chamber has a scanning surface inclined with respect to the base, a reflecting member positioned opposite to the scanning surface and an imaging member adjacent the scanning surface and oriented towards the reflecting member. The imaging member is illuminated with a red, a green, a blue, and an additional color LED. In one embodiment the additional color is a color other than red, green, and blue. In an alternate embodiment the additional color is Ultraviolet (UV) or Infra-Red (IR).

System for illuminating an original using additional colors and capturing an image thereof

An illumination device for an image capture system according to one example embodiment includes an integrating light pipe having an input face and an output face. The integrating light pipe is positioned to receive light from a light source at the input face and transmit the light at the output face. A projection element is positioned to focus the light from the output face to a document plane to be imaged by an image sensor. A uniformity correction device is positioned to attenuate the light from the output face so that the light has a substantially uniform intensity at the image sensor and a less uniform intensity at the document plane than at the image sensor.

Illumination device for an image capture system

A contact image scanner comprises a light source, pixel sensors generating a signal, a lens focusing reflected light onto the pixel sensors, a color matrix filter filtering the reflected light, and a signal processing circuit generating a digital image. The method provides pixel sensors for generating a signal in response to incident light, projects light from a light source onto a document in a sequential fashion, reflects the light onto the pixel sensors, filters the reflected light with a color matrix filter, and processes the signal to generate the digital image. With the method and apparatus, each scan line of the document is illuminated with white light only once. The pixel sensors corresponding to red, green, and blue colors of each pixel of the scan line read the pixel of the scan line substantially at the same time in a substantially overlapping manner in a scan line direction without overlapping in an orthogonal direction.

Method and apparatus for contact image scanning

A scanner for demarcating each media sheet of a multiplicity of media sheets and a method thereof. The scanner includes a platen, a scanlid, an illuminating mechanism and a scanhead. The platen accommodates the multiplicity of media sheets. The scanlid is pivotally coupled to the platen and provides a background for scanning the multiplicity of media sheets. The illuminating mechanism is coupled to the scanlid and is activated for illuminating the background. The scanhead scans the multiplicity of media sheets. A single background image of the multiplicity of media sheets is captured by activating the illuminating mechanism during scanning. A single foreground image of the multiplicity of media sheets is captured by deactivating the illuminating mechanism during scanning. Edges of each media sheet are detected in the background image, and are combined with the foreground image to extract content thereof.

System and method for demarcating media sheets during a scan operation

Imaging devices and methods that permit the capture of digital images of an original document sequentially illuminated by a plurality of light sources. In one aspect, a first digital image is captured using illumination from a first illumination angle, a second digital image is captured using illumination from a second illumination angle, and the first and second digital images are combined to obtain a composite digital image of the document. The obtained composite digital image is free of reflection artifacts corresponding to the first and second illumination angles.

Phased illumination method for image capture system

A method for providing image illumination calibration includes: generating a plurality of images of a calibration target at a plurality of exposure levels, each image of the plurality of images being represented by a total pixel area; identifying a plurality of zones of the total pixel area, each zone of the plurality of zones corresponding to a particular image of the plurality of images at a particular exposure level of the plurality of exposure levels, with each zone representing a pixel sub-area that excludes saturated pixels; combining the plurality of zones for the plurality of images of the calibration target to generate a final calibration image; and generating a shading table to correct the final calibration image to obtain a uniform image of the calibration target over the total pixel area, the shading table including gain and offset values associated with each pixel of the total pixel area.

Method for providing image illumination calibration for an imaging apparatus

A scan bar for scanning a media sheet in an image scanning device and a method for scanning the media sheet in the image scanning device are disclosed. The scan bar comprises a sensor arrangement and a lens arrangement. The sensor arrangement comprises a first sensor region and a second sensor region. Light reflected from the media sheet is focused by the lens arrangement onto the sensor arrangement. Each of the first sensor region and the second sensor region is capable of generating image data corresponding to the media sheet from the focused light received from the lens arrangement for scanning the media sheet. The image data generated by the first sensor region is of relatively higher resolution than image data generated by the second sensor region.

Scan bar for scanning media sheet in image scanning device and method thereof

A collapsible support structure has pairs of leg members () pivotally joined intermediate their length in crossed fashion by a connection member () that is capable of sliding longitudinally with the pivotal joint as the leg members extend in a scissors&#x2014;like manner to support an object.

Collapsible support structure

A collapsible top ( ) fits over a child's pull wagon ( ), may be taken apart easily, and flatly packaged for store display or mail order shipment. It has a light weight, flexible frame ( ) universally adjustable to fit the various sizes of wagon beds ( ). In principle, however, the top may be scaled up as a tent for adults, or as a canopy for outdoor recreation. The top includes a cover material ( ) stretched between a pair of spaced hoop members ( ). They are bowed into an arch above their lower ends which are fitted into mounting brackets ( ) secured to the corners of the wagon. A spreader rod ( ) forces apart the arched portions of the hoop members sufficiently at the top to develop an overhang beyond the ends of the wagon, thereby allowing the lower legs adjustment to any wagon size, and creating internal mutual stresses between the frame and the cover in a modular, unitary structure strengthened thereby enough to avoid having to use intermediate ribs or other support parts.

Collapsible top for child's vehicle, one-piece method of assembly and packaging design for storage and transport

A control used in a two stage HVAC system has a power supply from a 24 VAC transformer which is full wave rectified (D D D D ) to create DC voltages for a microcontroller (U ) and relays (K -K ). All of the control information needed for the two stage control system is sent to the control from a room thermostat ( ) having first and second stage cooling signal terminals (Y , Y ) over a single line by connecting a diode between the Y , Y terminals creating separate microprocessor recognizable signals.

Method and apparatus for wiring room thermostat to two stage HVAC system

In a receiver circuit module (,) having a microcontroller (U,), an output line (FILTER_LED) connectable to a source circuit module (,) is also used as an input. A switch (SW,) disposed in the source circuit module is closed to change the wave form which is read by the microcontroller as an input signal to drive a 5V signal to the gate of a solid state switch (Q,) turning it on to thereby energize an output device in the source circuit module via the same output line (FILTER_LED). By means of the dual function of the output line the control can notify a user of an HVAC system, for example, of system problems with a blinking light and/or an audible alarm as well as serving to notify the user at a remote location that selected maintenance is due, such as a need to change filters without additional control lines. The source circuit module can be mounted near the thermostat of the HVAC system or on the central heating and cooling unit.

Method and apparatus using phases for communication in thermostat circuit

An integrated heat pump and electrical heat control (,) has thermostat signal inputs (O, W,, W,, G, Y) along with a defrost sensor input (DF_IN). The defrost sensor (,) is located in an outdoor unit (,) which also includes a compressor contactor (CC), condenser fan (,) and reversing valve (,) relays (K,, K,, K,) controlled by micro-controller (U,). The normally closed condenser fan relay (K,) is energized through the defrost sensor forming a hardware lock-out in which the defrost sensor contacts must be closed for relay (K,) to be actuated de-energizing the condenser fan. The compressor contactor (CC) is energized through a low pressure switch (,) and high pressure switch (,) forming another hardware interlock. The evaporator fan is energized by relay (K,) controlled by micro-controller (U,) and matched to the compressor for improved efficiency and comfort.

Growing community of inventors

Versailles, KY, United States of America

Mark Eric Miller