Image reading apparatus

Abstract

An image reading apparatus includes a carriage, a reference plate, a transportation mechanism, and a processor. The carriage acquires an image in a main scanning direction. The transportation mechanism transports the carriage in a sub-scanning direction. The processor causes the carriage to move in a first direction using the transportation mechanism and thereby detects foreign matter that is present on the reference plate, using the carriage. When the carriage is caused to move in the first direction and thus shading data is acquired from the reference plate, the processor reads the shading data from a data acquisition area other than an area where the foreign matter is present. If the carriage is caused to move in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction and thereby shading data is acquired from the reference plate, the processor reads the shading data from the data acquisition area.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.