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

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 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 a set of image processing settings by a scanner driving program that are suited for optimal scan of the original document; and 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 application program.

Description

resulted resulting from the image-enhancement process is transferred to the application program 40 for use by the application program 40. The application program 40 can be either an image editing program or a word processor that can accept the quality-enhanced image as an image file.

In the next step S112, the user interface 50 displays a message asking whether the user wants to scan another document. If the user responds with YES, the procedure returns to the step S100; otherwise, the procedure is ended.

In conclusion, the invention has the following advantages over the prior art.

First, it requires the scanner to perform only one scan operation on the original document rather than two scan operations required by the prior art (the U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,635). The invention is therefore more efficient to use than the prior art.

Second, the invention allows the image-enhancement process to be entirely carried out automatically without requiring the user to have knowledge background in the science of image processing, so that the use of the scanner is easier and more user-friendly.

Third, since the invention allows the user to carry out the scan operation without having to spend time and material on training, the use of the scanner is more cost-effective than the prior art.

Fourth, the invention provides an image-enhancement process that includes a comprehensive set of image processing routines which would meet most user's demands in image processing.

Fifth, the invention allows the image acquisition to be mostly performed automatically, allowing the operation of the scanner to be more simplified and user-friendly.

The invention has been described using exemplary preferred embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements. The scope of the claims, therefore, should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.

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 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 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 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 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:

a 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;

an application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface 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 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.

6. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:

a 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;

an application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface 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 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.

7. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:

a 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;

an application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface 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 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.

8. A user interface for a scanner, comprising:

a 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;

an application program, for receiving a final image processed by the image-enhancement process, wherein a method implemented on the user interface 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 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.

9. 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 an original scanned image using an image processing setting through a scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement process on the original 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.

10. The memory device of claim 9, 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.

11. The memory device of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise obtaining the image processing setting for a scan target based on an input from a user interface.

12. The memory device of claim 9, wherein the final image is obtained using only a single scanning of a scan target.

13. The memory device of claim 9, wherein the application program is an image editing program or a word processor.

14. The memory device of claim 9, 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.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing device configured to:

obtain an original scanned image using an image processing setting through a scanner driving program;

perform an image-enhancement process on the original 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

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

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

check if there is another scan job; and

transfer the final image to the application program based on a result of the checking.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing device is further configured to determine the image processing setting based on a scan target associated with the original scanned image.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the final image is obtained using only a single scanning of a scan target.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the application program is an image editing program or a word processor.

20. A method, comprising:

obtaining an image processing setting for a target of a scan;

obtaining an original scanned image of the scan target using the obtained image processing setting through a scanner driving program;

performing an image-enhancement process on the original 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.

21. The method of claim 20, 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.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising obtaining the image processing setting for the scan target based on an input from a user interface.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the final image is obtained using only a single scanning of the scan target.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the application program is an image editing program or a word processor.

25. The method of claim 20, 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.