Scanning device, apparatus and method for image processing

A scanning device comprising:

• a feeding unit that feeds a scan-target medium;
• a first scanning unit including
• a first scanning element array arranged in a main scanning direction which is a direction along a width direction of the scan-target medium;
• a first light guide arranged in the main scanning direction;
• and
• a first light source that is arranged at one side of the main scanning direction and emits a light beam on the scan-target medium through the light guide, wherein the first scanning unit is configured to scan a first surface of the scan-target medium in the main scanning direction to acquire a first image;
• a second scanning unit including
• a second scanning element array arranged in the main scanning direction;
• a second light guide arranged in the main scanning direction;
• and
• a second light source that is arranged at one side of the main scanning direction and emits a light beam on the scan-target medium through the light guide, wherein
• the second scanning unit is configured to scan a second surface of the scan-target medium in the main scanning direction to acquire a second image;
• and
• an output unit that outputs a first image signal of the first image from the first scanning unit and a second image signal of the second image from the second scanning unit, wherein the first scanning unit and the second scanning unit are arranged to face each other to scan the first surface and the second surface concurrently,
• the first light source and the second light source are arranged on the same end in the width direction of the scan-target medium such that the first light source and the second light source face each other,
• the first image and the second image are mirrored images of each other when the scanning directions of the first scanning element array and the second scanning element array are the same, and one of the first image and the second image is inverted so that the output unit outputs normal images of the first surface and the second surface.

An image processing method of processing an image signal output from a scanning device that includes

• a feeding unit that feeds a scan-target medium;
• a first scanning unit including
• a first scanning element array arranged in a main scanning direction which is a direction along a width direction of the scan-target medium;
• a first light guide arranged in the main scanning direction;
• and
• a first light source that is arranged at one side of the scanning direction and emits a light beam on the scan-target medium through the light guide, wherein
• the first scanning unit is configured to scan a first surface of the scan-target medium in the main scanning direction to acquire a first image;
• a second scanning unit including
• a second scanning element array arranged in the main scanning direction;
• a second light guide arranged in the main scanning direction;
• and
• a second light source that is arranged at one side of the scanning direction and emits a light beam on the scan-target medium through the light guide, wherein
• the second scanning unit is configured to scan a second surface of the scan-target medium in the main scanning direction to acquire a second image;
• and
• an output unit that outputs a first image signal of the first image from the first scanning unit and a second image signal of the second image from the second scanning unit, wherein
• the first scanning unit and the second scanning unit are arranged to face each other to scan the first surface and the second surface concurrently,
• the first light source and the second light source are arranged on the same end in the width direction of the scan-target medium such that the first light source and the second light source face each other, and
• the scanning directions of the first scanning element array and the second scanning element array are the same, the method comprising:
• receiving a first image acquired from the first signal and a second image acquired from the second signal;
• inverting a mirror image acquired from one of the first signal and the second signal;
• and
• outputting normal images of the first surface and the second surface.

An image processing apparatus comprising a scanning device that scans an image on a scan-target medium;

• and an information processing device that receives and processes signals output from the scanning device as a result of scanning, wherein
• the scanning device includes:
• a feeding unit that feeds a scan-target medium;
• a first scanning unit including
• a first scanning element array arranged in a main scanning direction which is a direction along a width direction of the scan-target medium;
• a first light guide arranged in the main scanning direction;
• and
• a first light source that is arranged at one side of the scanning direction and emits a light beam on the scan-target medium through the light guide, wherein
• the first scanning unit is configured to scan a first surface of the scan-target medium in the main scanning direction to acquire a first image;
• a second scanning unit including
• a second scanning element array arranged in the main scanning direction;
• a second light guide arranged in the main scanning direction;
• and
• a second light source that is arranged at one side of the scanning direction and emits a light beam on the scan-target medium through the light guide, wherein
• the second scanning unit is configured to scan a second surface of the scan-target medium in the main scanning direction to acquire a second image;
• and
• an output unit that outputs a first image signal of the first image from the first scanning unit and a second image signal of the second image from the second scanning unit, wherein
• the first scanning unit and the second scanning unit are arranged to face each other to scan the first surface and the second surface concurrently,
• the first light source and the second light source are arranged on the same end in the width direction of the scan-target medium such that the first light source and the second light source face each other, and
• the information processing device includes:
• a receiving unit that receives the first image and the second image from the scanning device;
• an image inverting unit that inverts one of the first image and the second image when the scanning directions of the first scanning element array and the second scanning element array are the same and the first image and the second image are mirrored images of each other;
• and
• an image output unit that outputs normal images of the first surface and the second surface, one of which is inverted by the image inverting unit, to a display device.