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:
Mar. 13, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 18, 1998
Timothy E. Neale, Hampstead, NH (US);
Richard J. Strazdas, Westford, MA (US);
Agfa Corporation, Wilmington, MA (US);
Abstract
An autofocus process for imaging optics of a scanner comprises performing multiple scan-line image captures of the document to be scanned. In the preferred embodiment, these captures are of essentially the same scan-line. A focal position of imaging optics, which forms a scan-line image, is adjusted relative to an image detector in between the multiple scan-line captures of image data. In the preferred embodiment, the imaging optics is adjusted. Relay optics or a position of the image detector could alternatively be adjusted. In any case, a focus setting for a subsequent scanning operation is then calculated based on the image data from the multiple scan-line captures. In the preferred embodiment, this calculation yields a lens position for the imaging optics. The invention thus allows autofocussing to the document to be scanned. Problems associated with loss of calibration are avoided. Moreover, the system is able to adapt to documents where the image is not at the scanner's nominal focal plane.