Acquiring and using three-dimensional information in a document scanning system
US7586655B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 2003 |
| Grant date | Sep 8, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 19, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N2201/0458
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Systems and methods for acquiring and using three-dimensional imaging data to improve the process of scanning bound documents are disclosed. The system includes a camera for capturing an image of documents such as books, and a second camera for gathering data regarding the first camera's field of view. Signal processing logic analyzes the data gathered by the second camera and uses it to determine whether the imaging camera's view was obstructed. If it is determined that the imaging camera's view was obstructed, then remedial action can be taken, such as removing the obstruction, recapturing the image, and/or flagging the image for further processing. The second camera may include a laser range finder, a scanning laser range finder, an ultrasonic range finder, a device that utilizes auto-focus range finding technology, a binocular camera array, and/or a trinocular camera array.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.