The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 08, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 17, 1997
Yoshinori Kanesaka, Nagano, JP;
Shuichi Ichinose, Nagano, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A specified lightness of a scanned image can be obtained by selecting from among plural gamma functions or by changing a light amount signal output by the line sensor of the scanning apparatus. Changing the light amount output may be accomplished by controlling the lighting time of each light source, or by adjusting the interval of a shift pulse of the line sensor, or by controlling the charge storage time of the line sensor. A controller adjusts the lighting time of the light source or the gradient of the gamma function in response to a specified lightness from an external computer so that image data in such specified lightness can be obtained. For example, in the case where the lightness is increased, if the user wishes a high quality image, the lighting time is increased, whereas if the user attaches importance to high speed reading, the gradient of the gamma function is increased. Further, in the case where the lightness is decreased, if the user wishes a high quality image, the gradient of the gamma function is decreased, whereas if the user attaches importance to high speed reading, the lighting time is shortened.