Check imaging illumination with focus/defocus and fibre optic light guide means
AssigneeUnisys Corporation
InventorsJohn Vala, Gerald Banks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A check Sorter-Imager-Processor with two (or more) imaging sites, each lit by a beam through a fibre-optic array, with a lens focusing the beam on each array such that a shift in lens-focus reduces output light from the array--the two sites being thus "matched" in light-intensity by merely focus-adjusting these lenses.
Claims11
A method for illuminating checks in a check-processing system wherein a large number of checks are rapidly, continuously transported past two or more imaging stations, each station having a prescribed image-site, and being illuminated by prescribed source means which projects two or more illumination-beams, one to each station;
- said method for each said beam comprising:
- providing focus means for each said beam;
- providing a fibre-optic array intercepting each said beam path, to thereby define an input-beam thereto at or near the approximate focal point of said focus means, said array being arranged to exhibit an entry-face of prescribed diameter and an exit-face configured to illuminate the respective image-site relatively uniformly thus defining an exit beam, the fibres of the array being arranged and distributed, in uniform, random fashion completely across this exit-face;
- and,
- with said focus means, de-focusing said input beam to change beam-diameter, at said entry-face, sufficient to spread the beam sufficiently beyond the entry-face to thus controllably reduce the amount of the beam entering said entry-face.
A method of illuminating checks in a check-processing system wherein a large number of checks is rapidly transported past one or more imaging stations, each station having a prescribed image-site and being illuminated by prescribed source means which projects one or more illumination-beams to each said station;
- said method comprising:
- intercepting each said beam with focus means and arranging it so that its focal point can be shifted;
- disposing a fibre-optic array in the path of each said beam, at or near the approximate focal point of said focus means, while arranging and operating the array to exhibit an entry-face of prescribed configuration and diameter, plus an exit-face of prescribed configuration and diameter, and configuring said exit-face to illuminate its respective site relatively uniformly with an "exit-beam" therefrom;
- arranging and adapting said focus means to defocus its beam and so change beam-diameter at said entry-face, sufficient to spread the beam sufficiently beyond said entry-face of said array as to so controllably reduce the amount of the beam entering the array.
A method of operating a check processing system wherein a large number of checks is rapidly, continuously transported past two or more imaging stations, each station having a prescribed image-site and being illuminated by prescribed Source means which projects an illumination-beam to each said station;
- this method comprising:
- intercepting each said beam with focus means adapted to change the focal point thereof;
- and providing a fibre-optic array for each beam, while adapting each array to exhibit a relatively circular entry-aperture of prescribed diameter and an exit-face configured to illuminate its respective site, while arranging and adapting said focus means to vary the focal-point of its beam and so change beam-diameter at said entry-face sufficient to spread its beam well beyond the aperture and so controllably reduce the amount of the beam entering its array.
A method for illuminating checks in a check-processing system wherein a large number of checks are rapidly, continuously transported past two or more imaging stations, each station having a prescribed image-site, and being illuminated by prescribed source means which projects two or more illumination beams, one to each said station;
- said method for each said beam comprising:
- providing adjustable-focus lens focus means for each said beam;
- providing a fibre-optic array intercepting each said beam path, to thereby define an input-beam thereto at or near the approximate focal point of said focus means, said array being arranged to exhibit an entry-face of prescribed diameter and an exit-face configured to illuminate the respective image-site relatively uniformly thus defining an exit beam, the fibres of the array being arranged and distributed, in uniform, random fashion completely across this exit-face;
- with said focus means, de-focusing said input beam to change beam-diameter, at said entry-face, sufficient to spread the beam sufficiently beyond the entry-face to thus controllably reduce the amount of the beam entering said entry-face, and so balancing and matching exit beams to provide essentially the same level of illumination;
- and also providing human-spectrum imaging camera means to capture a check image from each said imaging station;
- and wherein photopic filter means is introduced to adjust the illumination to more closely match the response spectrum of the human eye.
A method for illuminating checks in a check-processing system wherein a large number of checks are rapidly, continuously transported past two or more imaging stations, each station having a prescribed image-site, adapted to project images of said checks and being illuminated by prescribed source means which projects two or more illumination beams, one to each said station;
- said method for each said beam comprising:
- providing camera means for so registering said check images;
- providing adjustable-focus means for each said beam;
- providing a fibre-optic array intercepting each said beam path, to thereby define an input-beam thereto at or near the approximate focal point of said focus means, said array being arranged to exhibit an entry-face of prescribed diameter and an exit-face configured to illuminate the respective image-site relatively uniformly thus defining an output-beam, the fibres of the array being arranged and distributed, in uniform, random fashion completely across this exit-face;
- with said focus means, de-focusing said input beam to change beam-diameter, at said entry-face, sufficient to spread the beam sufficiently beyond the entry-face to thus controllably reduce the amount of the beam entering said entry-face, and providing filter means to shift the projected images to more closely match the wavelength response of said camera means.
A method of illuminating checks in a check-processing system wherein a large number of checks is rapidly transported past one or more imaging stations, each station having a prescribed image-site for projecting check images and being illuminated by prescribed source means which projects one or more illumination-beams to each said station;
- said method comprising:
- directing said check images to camera means via associated filter means adapted to better match the images to the spectral response of said camera means;
- intercepting each said beam with focus means and arranging it so that its focal point can be shifted;
- disposing a fibre-optic array in the path of each said beam, at or near the approximate focal point of said focus means, while arranging and operating the array to exhibit an entry-face of prescribed configuration and diameter, and an exit-face of prescribed configuration and diameter, and configuring said exit-face to illuminate its respective site relatively uniformly with an exit-beam therefrom;
- and
- arranging and adapting said focus means to defocus its beam and so change beam-diameter at said entry-face, sufficient to spread the beam sufficiently beyond said entry-face of said array as to so controllably reduce the amount of the beam entering the array.
A method of operating a check processing system wherein a large number of checks is rapidly, continuously transported past two or more imaging stations, each station having a prescribed image-site adapted to project check images and being illuminated by prescribed Source means which projects an illumination-beam to each said station;
- this method comprising:
- directing said check images to camera means via associated filter means adapted to better match the images to the spectral response of said camera means;
- intercepting each said beam with focus means adapted to change the focal point thereof;
- and providing a fibre-optic array for each beam, while adapting each array to exhibit a relatively circular entry-aperture of prescribed diameter and an exit-face configured to illuminate its respective site, while arranging and adapting said focus means to vary the focal-point of its beam and so change beam-diameter at said entry-face sufficient to spread its beam well beyond the aperture and so controllably reduce the amount of the beam entering its array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.