Method and apparatus for scanning a signature document

A high speed electronic imaging system having a scanner section, a platen, a user interface suitable for programming dimensional information defining a desired imaging area of an input document and a reciprocating scanning device for scanning a page or pages of the input document located on the platen, comprising:

• programming means for programming a cropping offset, cropping distance, and page size to define the desired imaging area of each page (A,B) of a signature-type document;
• means for locating said signature-type document on the platen for scanning;
• means, moving in a first direction, for scanning said A page to generate electrical signals representative of the imaging area of page A;
• means, continuing to move in the first direction, for scanning said B page to generate electrical signals representative of the of imaging area of page B.

A high speed electronic imaging system comprising:

• a scanner section;
• a platen;
• a user interface suitable for programming dimensional information defining desired imaging areas of an input document, including a cropping offset, cropping distance, and page size to define the desired imaging area of each page (A,B) of a signature-type input document, and wherein said user interface further comprises:
• a video display;
• means for specifying a signature-type of the input document;
• means for specifying which sides of the input document are to be imaged;
• means for specifying the image area to be cropped from the input document;
• and
• means for indicating the size of a gutter region between the A and B pages of the input document;
• means for locating said signature-type document on the platen for scanning, said signature-type document comprising a plurality of pages bound together on a common edge, so as to resemble a book;
• means for scanning said A page through said crop distance in a first direction;
• and
• means for scanning said B page through said crop distance in the first direction.

An electronic imaging system having a scanner section, a platen, and a reciprocating scanning device for scanning an input document located on the platen to generate image signals representative of the input document, comprising:

• means for scanning a first input document in a first direction to generate image signals representative of an image thereon;
• means for outputting image signals associated with scanning the first document in said first direction, whereby said image signals are oriented in a first orientation;
• means for reversing the direction of travel of said reciprocating scanning device;
• means for scanning a second input document in said reverse direction to generate image signals representative of an image thereon;
• means for outputting image signals associated with scanning the second document in said reverse direction, whereby said image signals are oriented in a reversed orientation;
• and
• an electronic signal for indicating the orientation of the image signals being output by said system.

In an electronic imaging system having a scanner section, a platen, and a reciprocating scanning device for scanning a signature-type input document located on the platen to generate image signals representative of the input document, said signature type input document having an A page and a B page on the face thereof, a method of scanning a pair of signature-type input documents in a single scanning cycle, comprising the steps of:

• locating a first signature-type input document on said platen;
• scanning a first image region associated with said A page in a first direction to generate image signals representative of said A page;
• scanning a second image region associated with said B page in said first direction to generate image signals representative of said B page;
• reversing the direction of said reciprocating scanning device;
• locating a second signature-type input document on said platen;
• scanning the second image region associated with said B page in said reverse direction to generate image signals representative of said B page of the second signature-type input document;
• and
• scanning the first image region associated with said A page in said reverse direction to generate image signals representative of said A page of the second signature-type input document, thereby completing said single cycle with said reciprocating scanning device.

An electronic imaging system having a scanner section, a platen, and a reciprocating scanning device for scanning an input document located on the platen to generate image signals representative of the input document, comprising:

• means for scanning a first input document in a first direction to generate image signals representative of an image thereon, wherein said first input document is a signature-type document having an A and a B page on a single face thereof, and wherein said means for scanning a first input document in a first direction further includes:
• means for scanning only a predefined image region associated with said A page in said first direction;
• and
• means for subsequently scanning only a predefined image region associated with said B page in said first direction;
• means for outputting image signals associated with scanning the first document in said first direction, whereby said image signals are oriented in a first orientation;
• means for reversing the direction of travel of said reciprocating scanning device;
• means for scanning a second input document in said reverse direction to generate image signals representative of an image thereon;
• means for outputting image signals associated with scanning the second document in said reverse direction, whereby said image signals are oriented in a reversed orientation;
• and
• an electronic signal for indicating the orientation of the image signals being output by said system.