Image reading apparatus and control method thereof

An image reading apparatus comprising:

• a reading unit that is configured to successively read a plurality of documents one document at a time, the plurality of documents including at least two documents including a preceding document followed by a succeeding document, the reading unit also configured to generate image data as a result of reading each of the plurality of documents;
• a storage unit that is configured to store the image data generated by the reading unit;
• a transport unit that is configured to successively transport the plurality of documents one document at a time along a transport path that passes the reading unit;
• a feeding unit that is configured to transport each document separated from a document group to the transport unit along the transport path;
• a controller that is configured to set, at a first speed or less, a feeding operation of the feeding unit after a leading end of a preceding document transported from the feeding unit reaches the transport unit, and sets, at a second speed, the feeding operation after a rear end of the preceding document passes a predetermined position, the second speed being higher than the first speed;
• and
• an acquisition unit that is configured to acquire size information indicating a size of the preceding document, wherein
• the controller is further configured to
• set, at the second speed, the feeding operation a first time after a rear end of a succeeding document following the preceding document passes the predetermined position when the size information indicates a first size, and
• set, at the second speed, the feeding operation a second time after the rear end of the succeeding document passes the predetermined position, the second time being longer than the first time, when the size information indicates a second size larger than the first size.

A method of controlling an image reading apparatus, the image reading apparatus including a reading unit that generates image data by successively reading a plurality of documents one document at a time, the plurality of documents including at least two documents including a preceding document followed by a succeeding document, the image reading apparatus further including a storage unit that stores the image data read by the reading unit, a transport unit that successively transports the plurality of documents one document at a time along a transport path that passes the reading unit, and a feeding unit that transports each document of the plurality of documents that have been separated from a document group to the transport unit along the transport path, the method comprising:

• a first step of stopping a feeding operation of the feeding unit after a leading end of a preceding document transported from the feeding unit reaches the transport unit, the stopping of the feeding operation thereby stopping movement of the succeeding document towards the transport unit, and restarting the feeding operation after a rear end of the preceding document passes a predetermined position, the restarting of the feeding operation thereby moving the succeeding document towards the transport unit;
• and
• a second step of acquiring size information indicating a size of the preceding document, wherein
• the first step includes
• restarting the feeding operation a first time after a rear end of a succeeding document following the preceding document passes the predetermined position when the size information indicates a first size, and
• restarting the feeding operation a second time after the rear end of the succeeding document passes the predetermined position, the second time being longer than the first time, when the size information indicates a second size larger than the first size.