JPH04290375A - Image scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily set a unit part to an image scanner main body by making data transfer between the image scanner main body and the unit part to non- contact data communication using a magnetic connection means. CONSTITUTION:An image scanner 101 is composed of an image scanner main body 102 and an IC card 103 with liquid crystal display as the unit part to be magnetically connected to the main body 102. The IC card 103 is separated from the main body 102. Here, by the magnetic connection between a coil 109 of the main body 102 and a coil 115 of the IC card 103 permits non-contact data communication between the main body 102 and the IC card 103. The image scanner can be set only by putting the IC card 103 on the main body 102.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image scanner, and more particularly to an image scanner that can be used wirelessly.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are image scanners of this type as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional image scanner, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the image scanner shown in FIG.

In these figures, an image scanner 1
is an image scanner body 2 and a liquid crystal display IC card 3 that is detachably attached to the image scanner body 2.
It is composed of two units.

The image scanner main body 2 includes an image sensor 4 that reads a document on which pictures, figures, etc. are drawn and inputs the image data, and a binarization circuit that performs binarization processing on the image data from the image sensor 4. (halftone processor) 12, a D-RAM 5 for storing the binarized image data, a program ROM 6 provided as a system data compression means, an LED array, a cold cathode tube, etc. , a PIA (Priheral Interface Adapter) circuit 9 for controlling the light source 7 and the rotary encoder 8 that sets the image input range, and their DRAM 5 and program ROM.
6. CPU 1 controlling PIA circuit 9 via bus 10
It consists of 1 etc. Here, the light source 7 irradiates the surface of the document on which a picture or the like is drawn.

Note that 13 is a start switch connected to the PIA circuit 9, 14 is a zoom switch, and 15 is an interface circuit for exchanging data conversion with the host computer.

The image scanner main body 2 also has a confirmation window 2a for confirming image data from the display section 17a of the IC card 3 with a liquid crystal display inserted into the image scanner main body 2, and An insertion opening 2b is formed.

On the other hand, the IC card 3 with a liquid crystal display attached to the image scanner main body 2 has an S-RAM 16 which is an image data storage memory serving as a data storage means, and a display device 17 provided with a display section 17a using a liquid crystal. and a power supply unit 18 made of a paper battery, solar battery, lithium battery, etc. In addition, 19 is a display driver circuit connected to the display device 17, 20 is a DC/DC converter connected to the power supply unit 18, 21 is an S-RAM 16,
This is a bus to which a display driver circuit 19 is connected.

Based on this configuration, the connector portion 3a of the IC card 3 is inserted into the insertion slot 26 of the image scanner body 2.
By inserting the IC card into the image scanner body 2, driving power is supplied from the power supply section 18 of the IC card 3 to the image scanner body 2, thereby forming a wireless image scanner 1, which can be easily carried and used anywhere. .

When inputting a desired image using this image scanner 1, the user grasps the image scanner 1, turns on the start switch 13, and slides the image on the document on which the desired image is drawn. The image data will be input.

Moreover, while checking the input image data displayed on the display section 6a of the IC card 3 from the outside through the confirmation window 2a of the image scanner body 2, the image data is input to the S-RAM 16 of the IC card 3. That will happen.

0012

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional image scanner described above, it is necessary to insert (insert) the connector portion 3a of the IC card 3 with a liquid crystal display into the insertion opening 2b of the image scanner body 2. IC
There is a problem in that it takes time and effort to set the card 3 into the image scanner body 2.

Furthermore, with the IC card 3 set in the image scanner main body 2, the display section 6a of the IC card 3 (
Since the angle of the display surface (display surface) cannot be changed and the display section 6a (display surface) is fixed, there is a problem in that the image is difficult to see.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image scanner that can eliminate the conventional effort of setting a unit section into an image scanner body, and also allows images displayed on the display means of the unit section to be easily viewed. It is in.

[0015]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The image scanner of the present invention has an image input/output means for inputting image data, a storage means for storing image data from the image input/output means, and input/output of the storage means is controlled. an image scanner body having a control means; a data storage means for storing image data transmitted from the image scanner body under the control of the control means; and a display of image data stored in the data storage means. In a wireless image scanner consisting of a unit part provided separately from the image scanner main body and having a display means, the unit part and the image scanner main body are arranged so that non-contact data communication can be performed between the unit part and the image scanner main body. It is characterized by comprising a magnetic coupling means for magnetically coupling.

[0016]

[Operation] In the image scanner having the above configuration, when the unit section is placed on the image scanner main body, the unit section and the image scanner main body can be magnetically coupled by the magnetic coupling means, so that there is no connection between the unit section and the image scanner main body. Contact data communication is possible.

[0017] Since it is only necessary to arrange the unit section on the image scanner main body, it is possible to save the labor of setting it as in the conventional case. Further, if the angle at which the unit is arranged with respect to the image scanner body can be freely changed, the image displayed on the display means of the unit can be easily viewed.

[0018]

Embodiments Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an image scanner according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the image scanner main body of the image scanner according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of a main part for explaining the operation of the socket provided in the image scanner main body of FIG. 2.

In FIG. 1, an image scanner 101 includes an image scanner main body 102, and an IC card with a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as an IC card) 103, which is magnetically coupled to the image scanner main body 102 and serves as a unit section of the present invention. It consists of This IC card 103
is provided separately from the image scanner main body 102.

[0020] On the top surface of the image scanner main body 102,
A storage button 103, a call button 104, a transfer button 105, a display scan button 106, and the like are provided. Further, a start switch 107 is provided on the top surface of the image scanner body 102 to start reading a document on which pictures, figures, etc. are drawn.

Further, a power switch 108 is provided on the side surface of the image scanner body 102. Further, inside the upper surface side of the image scanner main body 102, a magnetic coupling coil 109 is wound in a ring shape and arranged in a ring shape surrounded by a dotted line.

[0022] Also, on the front side of the image scanner main body 102, there is an IC that can be slid upward as shown by the dashed line.
A socket 110 is provided for mounting the card 103. This socket 110 is used to freely set the angle of the screen of the display section 114a of the IC card 103. An insertion slot 111 for an IC card 103 is provided on the top side of the socket 110. This socket 110
, from the state in FIG. 2 (the state indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 1) to the arrow 11
Slide it in two directions (upward) to get the state shown in FIG. 3. In the state shown in FIG. 3, the socket 110 is rotatable in the direction of an arrow 113. Therefore, after inserting the IC card 103 into the socket 110 as shown in FIG. 1, the socket 110 can be rotated and positioned so that the screen of the display section 114a is at an easy-to-see angle. ing. Note that the socket 110 can be returned to its original state as shown in FIG.

Now, in the state shown in FIG.
Insert the C card 103 into the socket 11 at the desired angle.
When the socket 110 is positioned by rotating the
It becomes as shown in. The IC card 103 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a display section 114a. A magnetic coupling coil 115 wound in a ring shape is embedded in a ring-shaped portion surrounded by a dotted line around the screen of the display section 114a.

Here, by magnetically coupling the coil 109 and the coil 115, the image scanner main body 102 is
Contactless data communication is possible between the C cards 103. The magnetic coupling means of the present invention is composed of a coil 109 and a coil 115.

It should be noted that the IC card 10 can be inserted with the socket 110 in the state shown in FIG. 2, that is, without using the socket 110.
3 on the top surface of the image scanner body 102, the corresponding coils 109 and 115 can be magnetically coupled.

Next, inside the image scanner main body 102,
As shown in FIG. 2, a light source 121 such as an LED array or a cold cathode tube illuminates a document on which a picture or figure is drawn, a lens 122 condenses reflected light from the document, and a lens 122.
Image sensor 1 that detects light from 2 and obtains image data
23 and a rotary encoder 124 for setting an image input range. Here, the light source 121, lens 122, and image sensor 123 constitute image input means of the present invention.

Further, inside the image scanner body 102, as shown in FIG. 2, there is a control board 1 for performing image processing, transmission, etc.
25 are provided. This control board 125 is provided with a circuit portion within a block 126 indicated by a chain line in FIG. 4, which will be described later.

Further, a power supply section 127 is provided inside the image scanner main body 102 as shown in FIG. 2, and a power switch 108 is connected to this power supply section 127.

Further, a connector portion 128 is provided inside the image scanner body 102 as shown in FIG.
This connector section 128 includes a connector that can be connected to an external host computer such as a word brosetter or a personal computer (this connector is connected to a CPU (described later) via an interface circuit 129).
136. ) and a connector for receiving power from the outside via an AC adapter.

FIG. 4 shows an image scanner (
2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the image scanner of FIG. 1. FIG. Note that in FIG. 4, the same parts as in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and explanations thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 4, the image scanner main body 10
First, the circuit within the block 126 indicated by the dashed dotted line in No. 2 will be described.

131 is a binarization circuit (halftone processor) that performs binarization processing on the image data from the image sensor 123, and 132 stores the image data that has been subjected to the binarization processing. A D-RAM 133 is a program ROM in which various programs for controlling the entire image scanner 101 and programs for compressing system data are stored in advance. 134 is a PIA circuit for controlling the light source 121 and the rotary encoder 124;
A start switch 107 is connected to the A circuit 134. The on/off instruction by this start switch 107 is sent to the CPU 1 via the PIA circuit 134 and the bus 135.
36.

[0033] Here, the CPU as the control means of the present invention
136 is D-RAM 132, program ROM 133
and PIA circuit 134 via bus 135.

Further, 137 is a signal processing section connected to the CPU 136, 138 is a signal transmitting/receiving section connected to this signal processing section 137, and a magnetic coupling coil 109 is connected to this signal transmitting/receiving section 138. There is. The signal transmitting/receiving section 138 performs data communication with the IC card 103 through the coil 109. The signal processing unit 137
It performs signal processing on transmission data from the CPU 136 and outputs it to the signal transmission and reception section 138.
Performs signal processing on the received data from 38 and sends it to CP
This is output to U136.

Next, the IC card 103 in FIG. 4 is an S.
A display device 114 provided with a RAM 139, a display section 114a using liquid crystal, a power supply section 14 made of a paper battery, a solar cell, a lithium battery, etc., a display driver circuit 141 connected to the display device 114, and an S・RAM1
36 and the display driver circuit 138 via the bus 142; a signal processing section 144 connected to the CPU 143; a signal transmitting/receiving section 145 connected to the signal processing section 144; It is composed of a magnetic coupling coil 115.

Here, the signal transmitting/receiving section 145 connects the coil 1
15 for data communication with the image scanner main body 102. The signal processing unit 144
The CPU 143 performs signal processing on the transmission data from the signal transmission/reception section 143 and outputs it to the signal transmission/reception section 145.
This is what is output to.

[0037] The CPU 143 is connected to the image scanner main body 1.
02 via the magnetic coupling means (coils 109, 115), the signal transmitting/receiving section 145, and the signal processing section 144, the command is determined, and the S-RAM 139
Write and read data.

Based on the above configuration, the IC card 1
03 on the image scanner body 102 as shown in FIG. 1, or place the IC card 103 on the image scanner body 1.
02 and turn on the power switch 108. Next, when using the image scanner 101 to input and output a desired image, hold the image scanner 101 in your hand, turn on the start rich 107, and slide the document on which the desired image is drawn. Image data is inputted by the image sensor 123 just by doing this. The image data is supplied to the CPU 136 via the binarization circuit 131. The CPU 136 stores the binarized image data in the D-RAM 132.

In this case, the image scanner main body 10
When the display scan button 106 of No. 2 is pressed, the CPU 136
The image data stored in the D-RAM 132 is transferred to the signal processing section 137, the signal transmitting/receiving section 138, and the magnetic coupling means (coil 1
09, 115), signal transmitting/receiving section 145, signal processing section 14
4 to the CPU 143. The CPU 143 stores the received image data in the S-RAM 139 and displays it on the display device 114. Therefore, while checking the input image data displayed on the display section 114a of the IC card 103 in real time, the operator transfers the image data to the DRAM 1 of the image scanner body 102.
32 and the S-RAM 139 of the IC card 103.

Next, first input a desired image using only the image scanner main body 102, and then store the image data in the DRAM.
132, and then place the IC card 103 on the top surface of the image scanner body 102. Then, when you press the transfer button 105 on the top of the image scanner main body 102,
Based on the control of the PU 136, the image data stored in the D-RAM 132 is transferred to the IC card 1 as described above.
The data is transferred to the S-RAM 139 in 03. This S.R.A.
The image data stored in M139 can be displayed on the display section 114a of the display device 114.

[0041] If a cable from a personal computer is connected to the corresponding connector of the connector section 128 of the image scanner main body 102, the image inputted by the image scanner main body 102 can be stored in the memory of the personal computer and simultaneously displayed on the display screen of the personal computer. be able to. In addition, images can be input using only the image scanner body 102, and then a cable from a personal computer can be connected to the corresponding connector of the connector section 128 of the image scanner body, and any image can be D/R.
It can also be read from AM132 and transferred to a personal computer.

Furthermore, due to the magnetic coupling between the coil 109 of the image scanner body 102 and the coil 115 of the IC card 103, the image scanner body 102 and the IC card 1
Since contactless data communication is possible between 03 and 03, a wireless image scanner 101 is configured. This image scanner 101 is small like an electronic notebook. Therefore, this image scanner 101 can be easily carried and used anywhere.

As can be seen from the above explanation, in the present invention,
Since the data transfer between the image scanner body 102 and the IC card 103 is a non-contact data communication using magnetic coupling means, the IC card 103 is connected to the image scanner body 1.
Just place it on the top of 02. Therefore, IC card 1
03 into the image scanner main body 102, it does not require the time and effort of the conventional setting.

When using the socket 110 provided in the image scanner body 102, rotate the socket 110 in the direction of the arrow 113 in the state shown in FIG. The angle of the display surface 114a can be adjusted so that the image display is easy to see.

Furthermore, since the IC card 103 is not inserted into the image scanner body 102, the shape of the image scanner body 102 can be made more compact.

In this embodiment, the image scanner main body 102 and the IC card 103 each use power supplies 127 and 140, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the image scanner main body 102
A power supply unit may be provided in either one of the IC cards 103 and the other IC card 103, and power may be supplied from one of the IC cards 103 to the other.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the IC card 10
3, S-RAM139 is used as image data storage memory.
However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0048] The present invention is not limited to this example, but
Various applications and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0049]

As described above, by using the image scanner according to the present invention, the following various effects can be obtained.

(1) Since the data transfer between the image scanner body and the unit part is a non-contact data communication using magnetic coupling means, the magnetic coupling means can be transferred by simply placing the unit part on the nourishing surface of the image scanner body. The configuration can be configured in advance so that contactless data communication can be performed. Therefore, setting the unit part into the image scanner main body does not require the time and effort required in the conventional setting process.

(2) If the unit section is arranged at an angle with respect to the image scanner body such that the image displayed on the display means of the unit section is easy to see, the image displayed on the display means of the unit section will be easy to see.

(3) Since the unit part is not inserted into the image scanner body, the shape of the image scanner body can be made more compact.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an image scanner according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the image scanner main body of the image scanner according to the present invention.

3 is a side view of a main part for explaining the operation of a socket provided in the image scanner main body of FIG. 2; FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image scanner according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional image scanner.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional image scanner.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Image scanner 102 Image scanner body 103 IC card with LCD display 107 Start switch 109,115 Magnetic coupling coil 110 Socket 114 Display device 114a Display section 121 Light source 123 Image sensor 127,140 Power supply section 131 Binarization circuit 132 D.RAM 133 Program ROM 134 PIA circuit 136,143 CPU 137, 144 Signal processing section 138, 145 Transmission/reception unit 139 S・RAM

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image scanner main body comprising an image input/output means for inputting image data, a storage means for storing image data from the image input/output means, and a control means for controlling input/output of the storage means. , comprising a data storage means for storing image data transmitted from the image scanner main body under the control of the control means, and a display means for displaying the image data stored in the data storage means. , a wireless image scanner comprising a unit section provided separately from the image scanner main body, wherein the unit section and the image scanner main body are arranged so that non-contact data communication can be performed between the unit section and the image scanner main body. An image scanner characterized by comprising a magnetic coupling means for magnetic coupling. 2. The image scanner according to claim 1, wherein the unit section is configured to be arranged at an appropriate angle with respect to the image scanner main body. 3. The image scanner according to claim 1, wherein a power supply section for supplying driving power is provided in either or both of the image scanner main body and the unit section.