Method and user interface for performing a scan operation for a scanner coupled to a computer system

US RE43,086 E1
Filed: 09/27/2005
Issued: 01/10/2012
Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1999
Status: Expired due to Term

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1. A method implemented on a user interface incorporated in a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, the computer system running a scanner driver and an application program;

, the method comprising the steps of;

determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;

obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses the image processing settings through the scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes an automatic cutting routine; and

obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

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Abstract

A method and user interface is provided for use on a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, which allows the user to acquire scanned images in an easier and more user-friendly manner. The method allows the user to scan an original document without requiring the user to have learned knowledge a background in the science of image processing, and also allows the scanner to perform only one scan operation on the original document. These features allow the use of the scanner to be easier and more user-friendly than the prior art. By the, method, the first step is to determine In the method, first a scanner driver program suited for optimizing the scan of the original document determines a set of image processing settings by a scanner driving program that are suited for optimal scan of the original document; and then. Then the scanner is activated to perform a scan operation on the original document based on the image processing settings to thereby obtain a primitive scanned image. Next, an image-enhancement process is performed on the primitive scanned image to thereby obtain a quality-enhanced image; and finally, the quality-enhanced image is transferred to the application program for use by the an application program.

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25 Claims

1. A method implemented on a user interface incorporated in a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, the computer system running a scanner driver and an application program;
- , the method comprising the steps of;
  
  determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;
  
  obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses the image processing settings through the scanner driving program;
  
  performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes an automatic cutting routine; and
  
  obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

2. A method implemented on a user interface incorporated in a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, the computer system running a scanner driver and an application program;
- , the method comprising the steps of;
  
  determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;
  
  obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses the image processing settings through the scanner driving program;
  
  performing an image-enhancement, process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes a distortion correction routine; and
  
  obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

3. A method implemented on a user interface incorporated in a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, the computer system running a scanner driver and an application program;
- , the method comprising the steps of;
  
  determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;
  
  obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses the image processing settings through the scanner driving program;
  
  performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes a color calibration routine; and
  
  obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

4. A method implemented on a user interface incorporated in a computer system coupled with a scanner for performing a scan operation on an original document, the computer system running a scanner driver and an application program;
- , the method comprising the steps of;
  
  determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a scanner driving program;
  
  obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses the image processing settings through the scanner driving program;
  
  performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes an automatic character recognition routine; and
  
  obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

5. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:
- athe scanner, for scanning an original document to an image data;
  
  a computer system, for storing and processing the image data from the scanner;
  
  a scanner driving program, for driving the scanner and then performing an image-enhancement process on the image data stored in the computer system;
  
  andan application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface comprising comprises the steps of;
  
  determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a the scanner driving program;
  
  obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses the image processing settings through the scanner driving program;
  
  performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes an automatic cutting routine; and
  
  obtaining a the final image by the image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

6. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:
- athe scanner, for scanning an original document to an image data;
  
  a computer system, for storing and processing the image data from the scanner;
  
  a scanner driving program, for driving the scanner and then performing an image-enhancement process on the image data stored in the computer system;
  
  andan application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface comprising comprises the steps of;
  
  determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a the scanner driving program;
  
  obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses the image processing settings through the scanner driving program;
  
  performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes a distortion correction routine; and
  
  obtaining a the final image by the image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

7. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:
- athe scanner, for scanning an original document to an image data;
  
  a computer system, for storing and processing the image data from the scanner;
  
  a scanner driving program, for driving the scanner and then performing an image-enhancement process on the image data stored in the computer system;
  
  andan application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface comprising comprises the steps of;
  
  determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a the scanner driving program;
  
  obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses the image processing settings through the scanner driving program;
  
  performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes a color calibration routine; and
  
  obtaining a the final image by the image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

8. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:
- athe scanner, for scanning an original document to an image data;
  
  a computer system, for storing and processing the image data from the scanner;
  
  a scanner driving program, for driving the scanner and then performing an image-enhancement process on the image data stored in the computer system;
  
  andan application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface comprising comprises the steps of;
  
  determining a set of image processing settings required for the original document by a the scanner driving program;
  
  obtaining a primitive scanned image in a manner that the scanner uses the image processing settings through the scanner driving program;
  
  performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes an automatic character recognition routine; and
  
  obtaining a the final image by the image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the final image is transferred to the application program.

9. A method, comprising:
- obtaining an image processing setting for a target of a scan;
  
  obtaining a primitive scanned image of the scan target using the obtained image processing setting through a scanner driving program;
  
  performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes at least one of an automatic cutting routine, a distortion correction routine, a color calibration routine, or an automatic character recognition routine; and
  
  obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to an application program.
- View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- - 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
    - checking for another scan target to be scanned, the checking based on an input from a user interface;
      
      if the checking indicates no additional scanning, then transferring the final image to the application program; and
      
      if the checking indicates another scan target to be scanned, then causing the scanner to scan a second time before transferring the final image to the application program.
  - 11. The method of claim 9, further comprising obtaining the image processing setting for the scan target based on an input from a user interface.
  - 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the final image is obtained using only a single scanning of the scan target.
  - 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the application program is an image editing program or a word processor.
  - 14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
    - selecting, using the scanner driving program, a subset of available image processing settings, the subset selected based on the scan target; and
      
      issuing a scan request that includes at least the obtained image processing setting, wherein the obtained image processing setting is one of the settings from the subset.

15. A memory device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
- obtaining a primitive scanned image using an image processing setting through a scanner driving program;
  
  performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes at least one of an automatic cutting routine, a distortion correction routine, a color calibration routine, or an automatic character recognition routine; and
  
  obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to an application program.
- View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- - 16. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:
    - checking for another scan job, the checking based on an input from a user interface;
      
      if the checking indicates no additional scanning, then transferring the final image to the application program; and
      
      if the checking indicates another scan job, then causing the scanner to scan a second time before transferring the final image to the application program.
  - 17. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise obtaining the image processing setting for a scan target based on an input from a user interface.
  - 18. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the final image is obtained using only a single scanning of a scan target.
  - 19. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the application program is an image editing program or a word processor.
  - 20. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:
    - selecting, using the scanner driving program, a subset of available image processing settings, the subset selected based on a scan target; and
      
      issuing a scan request that includes at least the obtained image processing setting, wherein the obtained image processing setting is one of the settings from the subset.

21. An apparatus, comprising:
- means for obtaining a primitive scanned image using an image processing setting through a scanner driving program;
  
  means for performing an image-enhancement process on the primitive scanned image, wherein the image-enhancement process includes at least one of an automatic cutting routine, a distortion correction routine, a color calibration routine, or an automatic character recognition routine; and
  
  means for obtaining a final image by the image-enhancement process, wherein the final image is transferred to an application program.
- View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
- - 22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:
    - means for checking if there is another scan job; and
      
      means for transferring the final image to the application program based on a result of the checking.
  - 23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for determining the image processing setting based on a scan target associated with the primitive scanned image.
  - 24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the final image is obtained using only a single scanning of a scan target.
  - 25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the application program is an image editing program or a word processor.

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Current Assignee
Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
Original Assignee
Transpacific Systems LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
Inventors
Hsu, Chuan-Yu, Hsu, T. J., Liu, Jay
Primary Examiner(s)
Grant, II, Jerome

Application Number

US11/237,579
Time in Patent Office

2,296 Days
Field of Search

358/1.15, 358/442, 358/444, 358/473, 358/1.6, 358/1.1, 358/474, 382/167, 382/176
US Class Current

358/1.15
CPC Class Codes

H04N 1/00204   with a digital computer or ...

H04N 2201/0081   Image reader H04N2201/0091 ...

H04N 2201/0082   Image hardcopy reproducer H...

Method and user interface for performing a scan operation for a scanner coupled to a computer system

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25 Claims

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Method and user interface for performing a scan operation for a scanner coupled to a computer system

First Claim

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