Apparatus and method of processing microfiche images

An unattended pre-calibrated microfiche image processing apparatus, comprising:

• an unattended low resolution wide area pre scan station for identifying active image areas and borders on a plurality of light passing documents transported seriatim along a prescan path, said low resolution wide area pre scan station generating a plurality of active image area signals indicative of the active image areas and borders on each one of said plurality of light passing documents wherein said prescan station includes a fixed lens and a camera;
• and
• an unattended high resolution line scan station having a high resolution line scanner responsive to individual ones of said plurality of active image area signals for focusing said high resolution line scanner on only the active image areas of said light passing documents and for converting the image information carried on the individual ones of said light passing documents into corresponding enhanced digital information signals indicative of the image information carried on the individual ones of said light passing documents.

An unattended pre-calibrated microfiche image processing apparatus, comprising:

• an unattended low resolution wide area pre scan station for identifying active image areas and borders on a plurality of light passing documents transported seriatim along a prescan path, said low resolution wide area pre scan station generating a plurality of active image area signals indicative of the active image areas and borders on each one of said plurality of light passing documents;
• and
• an unattended high resolution line scan station having a high resolution line scanner responsive to individual ones of said plurality of active image area signals for focusing said high resolution line scanner on only the active image areas of said light passing documents and for converting the image information carried on the individual ones of said light passing documents into corresponding enhanced digital information signals indicative of the image information carried on the individual ones of said light passing documents wherein said high resolution line scan station includes a movable lens and a movable camera.