JP2004030187A - Electronic device having image reading function and image reading method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic apparatus having an image reading function in which a high-definition image is read in compact configuration with simple operation. <P>SOLUTION: A scanner part 31 is mounted on the front of an LCD 21. A panel of the scanner part 31 is a translucent film-like member and has a number of photodetectors. When reading an image, first of all, a back light 22 is turned on, a white image is displayed on the LCD 21, and a read target is irradiated with emitted light. Then, light reflected on the read target is detected by the scanner part 31 so that the image is read. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mobile phone, a portable information terminal, a mobile computer, and other electronic devices having an image reading function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, small electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants have been widely used. This type of device is expected to be applied to various uses beyond the inherent functions of the device due to its excellent portability and convenience. Recently, devices capable of sending and receiving e-mails and connecting to the Internet have been put into practical use, and are beginning to be used for online shopping and mobile banking. Devices equipped with image input / output devices such as digital cameras, printers, and hand scanners have also appeared.
[0003]
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 7-283910 proposes a handy scanner that can be mounted in a PC card slot of a portable information terminal. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-203837 proposes a mobile phone with a facsimile function in which a scanner unit is provided on a side surface or a back surface of the mobile phone.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional scanner as described above, the image reading unit is configured in a line shape, and it is necessary to perform manual scanning by tracing the object to be read during image reading. Therefore, the operability is poor, and it is unavoidable that the image is distorted due to the variation in the scanning speed, and high-quality image reading cannot be performed.
[0005]
However, it is not realistic to increase the area of the image reading unit or provide a mechanical scanning mechanism in order to improve operability and image quality. This is because not only is there a restriction on the arrangement of parts such as the display and the buttons, so that a significant design change is required, but also the size of the electronic device itself is increased, and portability and convenience may be impaired.
[0006]
In addition, when adding such a new device, the problem of power consumption must be considered. In particular, in the case of a scanner, a light source for irradiating an object to be read is required, so that it is difficult to incorporate the scanner into a portable electronic device, and this can be said to be one obstacle to practical application.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device having an image reading function capable of reading a high-quality image with a compact configuration and simple operation. It is in.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, in the electronic apparatus of the present invention, a reading unit for reading image information of an object to be read is mounted on the front of the display unit. Therefore, it is possible to realize a compact electronic device having an excellent design without causing an increase in the size of the electronic device or a change in design when adding the reading unit. In general, the display means is a portion occupying the largest area in the electronic device, and accordingly, it is easy to secure a sufficiently large area (scan size) of the reading means.
[0009]
It is preferable that the reading means reads the image information of the object to be read by detecting light reflected by the object to be read among the light emitted from the display means. According to this configuration, since the image reading is performed using the display unit as the light source, it is not necessary to provide the reading unit with a dedicated light source. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size and power consumption of the electronic device.
[0010]
Here, when the reading unit performs the reading process of the image information, it is preferable to display a plain monochrome image on the display unit. That is, the reading is performed by displaying a plain monochrome image on the display means, irradiating the reading object with the light emitted from the display means, and detecting the light reflected by the reading object by the reading means (light amount detecting means). It reads the image information of the object. By displaying a monochromatic image, the amount of light and the wavelength of the light irradiated to the object to be read become uniform, so that the image can be read accurately and with high quality.
[0011]
Further, a white image may be displayed as a single-color image. Thereby, the light emission luminance (light amount) of the display means is maximized, and the wavelength region of the light emission covers the entire visible light region. Therefore, the amount of reflected light reflected by the object to be read increases, and the resolution of image reading can be improved. Further, by widening the wavelength range of the emitted light, it is possible to obtain good image information regardless of the color of the object to be read.
[0012]
It is preferable that the monochrome image is displayed over substantially the entire display area of the display means. As a result, the scan size can be maximized, so that the image can be read without any problem even if the object to be read is slightly deviated from the center of the reading unit, and the operability is improved.
[0013]
At this time, it is also preferable that the plain monochrome image and the guide image for guiding the operation method are switched at predetermined time intervals and displayed on the display unit, and the reading process is performed by the reading unit when the monochrome image is displayed. is there. In the state where the monochrome image is displayed, the operation method is not understood and the user is unfriendly and may cause confusion such as misunderstanding as a failure. However, by switching and displaying the monochrome image and the guide image, user-friendly processing can be realized.
[0014]
Note that a configuration may be employed in which the monochrome image is displayed in a part of the display area of the display unit. This is for improving operability by displaying an operation guide at the end of the display area.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be illustratively described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
Here, a mobile phone will be described as an example of the electronic device. However, the application scope of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an electronic device including a display unit, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a mobile computer, may be used. Are all applicable. Among them, the ones to which the present invention is preferably used are relatively small and portable electronic devices.
[0017]
(1st Embodiment)
First, a hardware configuration of a mobile phone as an electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[0018]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an appearance of a mobile phone according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile phone 1 includes a display unit 2, numeric buttons 3, function buttons 4, a microphone 5, a speaker 6, an antenna 7, and the like. There is no difference from a telephone.
[0019]
When making a voice call, the user inputs a telephone number with the number buttons 3 or selects an address book from the function button 4 to call a destination, and makes a call. When sending / receiving e-mail or connecting to the Internet, the user activates and executes those functions from the function button 4.
[0020]
Here, the display unit 2 employs a relatively large-sized color display for displaying a homepage or an image. The display unit 2 of the present embodiment not only functions as a display unit that displays an image, but also functions as a reading unit that reads an image. This will be described later.
[0021]
FIG. 2 shows an internal configuration of the mobile phone 1. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10 is a control unit that executes various functions of the mobile phone 1 and controls each member. A ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, an input unit 14, a voice control unit 15, a communication control unit 16, an LCD controller 20, a controller 30, and the like are connected to the CPU 10 via a bus 11. ing.
[0022]
The ROM 12 is a rewritable nonvolatile memory, and stores software for implementing various functions of the mobile phone 1. This software includes programs downloaded from the Internet and the like, in addition to built-in programs preinstalled from the time of shipment of the mobile phone 1. A program for realizing an image reading process described later is provided by pre-installation or download and stored in the ROM 12. The CPU 10 reads out programs and data from the ROM 12 as necessary, and performs arithmetic processing and control processing while using the RAM 13 as a work area.
[0023]
The input of the user by pressing the numeric button 3 or the function button 4 is received and processed by the input unit 14. The voice control unit 15 controls the microphone 5 and the speaker 6, and the communication control unit 16 realizes communication with a communication base station via the antenna 7.
[0024]
The LCD controller 20 is a circuit that controls an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 21, a backlight 22, and a frame buffer 23. The LCD 21 is a display means for displaying an image. In the present embodiment, a transmissive TFT color LCD having a backlight 22 is used. However, other types of LCD such as STN (Supertwisted Nematic) and other types of LCD such as reflection type may be used as the LCD. Further, the display means is not limited to the LCD, and a PDP (Plasma Display Panel), a FED (Field Emission Display), an ELD (Electroluminescence Display), or the like can be suitably used.
[0025]
The controller 30 is a circuit that controls the scanner unit 31 and the scan buffer 32. The detailed configuration will be described with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG.
[0026]
The scanner unit 31 includes a glass substrate 33 on which a plurality of light receiving elements (hereinafter, simply referred to as “elements”) 34 are arranged in a matrix. As the element 34, an optical semiconductor element such as a phototransistor can be used.
[0027]
In the figure, for simplicity of description, a configuration in which six elements 34 in the row direction × six elements in the column direction are arranged is illustrated, but in practice, several elements 34 are arranged in the row direction and the column direction at intervals of several tens μm. One hundred to several thousand elements 34 are arranged. This element interval determines the resolution of the scanner unit 31. In the present embodiment, the elements 34 are arranged so that the resolution is about 400 dpi.
[0028]
Each element 34 is connected to a row wiring 35 and a column wiring 36. The row wiring 35 is connected to the scanning circuit 37, and the column wiring 36 is connected to the readout circuit 38.
[0029]
At the time of image reading, the scanning circuit 37 applies a predetermined voltage to one of the plurality of row direction wirings 35 (the selected row) to be read. At this time, when light strikes the element 34 connected to the selected row, a current corresponding to the amount of light flows through the column direction wiring 36. The readout circuit 38 A / D converts this current to generate one row of image data. Then, scanning is performed by sequentially switching the selected row, and image data for one frame is obtained. This image data is stored in the scan buffer 32. The image reading for one frame is performed in about 0.1 sec.
[0030]
The controller 30 includes an image processing program therein, and performs predetermined processing on image data in the scan buffer 32 as necessary. For example, when the object to be read is a fingerprint, feature points of the fingerprint are extracted from the image data, and fingerprint data is generated by parameterizing the feature points. When the object to be read is a barcode, a decoding process is performed to generate code data. The program executed by the CPU 10 can acquire image data, fingerprint data, and code data via the controller 30.
[0031]
The scanner unit 31 having the above configuration is integrally mounted on the front surface (front surface) of the LCD 21. That is, here, the display unit 2 is configured by the LCD 21, the backlight 22, and the scanner unit 31. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional structure of the display unit 2.
[0032]
The LCD 21 is a full-color LCD in which a liquid crystal layer 26 and a color filter 27 are sealed between two glass substrates 24 and 25. On the back side of the LCD 21, a backlight 22 as a light source is arranged.
[0033]
On the other hand, the scanner unit 31 includes a glass substrate 33 having the element 34 and a coating layer 39 for protecting the element 34. The panel composed of the glass substrate 33 and the coating layer 39 is a light-transmitting film-shaped member, and transmits the light L emitted from the LCD 21 with almost no attenuation.
[0034]
The light reflected by the reading target 40 among the transmitted light L is detected by the element 34. At this time, since the amount of reflected light varies depending on the color, shape, material, and the like of the object to be read, the scanner unit 31 can acquire image information of the object to be read in accordance with the amount of light as image data. That is, in the present embodiment, the scanner unit 31 functions as a light amount detecting unit that detects the amount of light reflected by the object to be read, and further functions as a reading unit that reads image information of the object to be read.
[0035]
In this manner, the mobile phone 1 of the present embodiment can read the image information of the reading target 40 arranged on the front surface of the display unit 2 by using the emitted light L of the display unit 2.
[0036]
Next, an image reading process in the mobile phone 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0037]
FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a program for executing an image reading process. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the image reading process.
[0038]
The image reading process described below is realized by executing the program 50 stored in the ROM by the CPU. The program 50 includes a backlight control unit 51 that controls ON / OFF of the backlight 22, an image drawing unit 52 that draws an image on the LCD 21, and a scanner control unit 53 that performs processing on the scanner unit 31.
[0039]
When the program 50 is started, first, the backlight control unit 51 turns on the backlight 22 (step S100). Note that the program 50 is activated by a user pressing a function button or the like.
[0040]
Subsequently, the image drawing unit 52 writes a single-color image with no pattern in the frame buffer 23, and causes the LCD 21 to display the single-color image (step S101). Then, when the user brings the display unit of the mobile phone into contact with the object to be read, light emitted from the LCD 21 is irradiated on the object to be read. Any object can be read as long as the display unit can be brought into contact therewith. For example, as shown in FIG. 7A, a finger 41 can be pressed against the display unit 2 to read a fingerprint, and as shown in FIG. 7B, a barcode 42, characters, images, and the like printed on paper or the like can be displayed. Can also be read.
[0041]
Here, the reason why the plain monochrome image is displayed is to make the light amount and the wavelength of the light irradiated to the object to be read uniform and to perform the image reading accurately. In the present embodiment, a white image is displayed as a single-color image. Thereby, the light emission luminance (light amount) of the LCD 21 is maximized, and the wavelength region of the light emission covers the entire visible light region. If the light emission luminance of the LCD 21 is increased, the amount of light reflected by the object to be read is also increased, so that the resolution of image reading can be improved. In addition, by widening the wavelength range of the emitted light, it is possible to obtain good image information regardless of the color of the object to be read.
[0042]
Subsequently, the scanner control unit 53 sends a scan instruction to the controller of the scanner unit 31 (Step S102).
[0043]
Under the control of the controller, the scanner unit 31 detects the amount of light reflected by the object to be read, reads the image information, and stores the image data in the scan buffer 32 (step S200). The controller performs predetermined image processing on the image data (step S201). When the image data itself is used on the program 50 side, the image processing on the controller side does not need to be particularly performed. Finally, the controller notifies the program 50 of the end status regarding the scan processing (Step S202).
[0044]
The scanner control unit 53 obtains information such as whether or not the scan processing has been successful or whether or not the image processing on the controller side has been successful, by looking at the end status. If the process has not been performed normally, the process returns to step S102, and the scan process is repeated (step S103).
[0045]
If it is determined that the processing has been performed normally, the scanner control unit 53 reads the scan data from the controller (steps S104 and S203), and displays a scan completion message on the LCD 21 (step S105).
[0046]
The scan data thus obtained can be used for various purposes by the program 50 (step S106). An example is described below.
[0047]
(1) When a fingerprint is read By using it as a release key for releasing the secret mode of the mobile phone, it is possible to protect privacy information and prevent unauthorized use at the time of theft. In addition, by using it as an authentication key for signing on a site on the Internet, a more secure Internet service can be realized. Further, by using the key as an authentication key for personal authentication in electronic payment such as mobile banking, the burden on the user can be reduced, and a safe and convenient financial / payment service can be realized.
[0048]
(2) When Bar Code is Read The mobile phone can be operated based on the information included in the bar code. For example, if a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is included in the barcode, the homepage is accessed. If the barcode includes personal information such as an address, a name, a telephone number, and an e-mail address, the personal information is automatically input to the address book of the mobile phone.
[0049]
(3) When reading a character or an image A scanned image can be used as a simple memo by holding and browsing the scanned image as it is. Further, it can be converted into text data by character recognition. If the text data is a URL or the like, the homepage may be accessed. Further, the scanned image can be transmitted as a facsimile image.
[0050]
As described above, by providing the scanner unit, functions such as a fingerprint scanner, a barcode reader, an image scanner, an OCR (Optical Character Reader) or a facsimile are added to the mobile phone, and the functionality of the mobile phone is improved. Added value can be increased.
[0051]
According to the configuration of the present embodiment, since the scanner unit is mounted on the front of the LCD, the addition of the scanner unit (image reading device) does not increase the size or change the design of the mobile phone.
[0052]
In addition, since a sufficiently large scan size can be ensured, it is not necessary to perform manual scanning, and high-quality image reading can be performed.
[0053]
Further, since the image is read using the LCD as a light source, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated light source in the scanner unit. Therefore, the size and power consumption of the mobile phone can be reduced.
[0054]
In addition, since a white image is displayed on the LCD when the reading process is performed, accurate and stable high-quality image reading can be performed.
[0055]
(Second embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the monochrome image is displayed on the LCD in the image reading process. However, in this state, the operation method is unclear and the user is unfriendly and may cause confusion such as misunderstanding as a failure. There is also. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the monochrome image and the guide image for guiding the operation method are switched and displayed. Since other configurations and operations are the same as those in the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the same components, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0056]
An image reading process according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the image reading process, and FIG. 9 is a screen transition diagram.
[0057]
When the program 50 is started, first, the backlight control unit 51 turns on the backlight 22 (step S300).
[0058]
Subsequently, the image drawing unit 52 writes the guide image in the frame buffer 23 and causes the LCD 21 to display the guide image (step S301). Here, the guide image is a message image that guides the user on an operation method for the image reading process. For example, in the example of FIG. 9A, a message “Please hit the screen on the barcode and press the ○ button” is displayed on the display unit 2. Then, a wait is performed for a predetermined time while the guide image is displayed (step S302).
[0059]
After that, the image drawing unit 52 writes a single color image with no pattern in the frame buffer 23, and displays the single color image on the LCD 21 (step S303). Here, as in the first embodiment, a white image is displayed on the entire screen (FIG. 9B).
[0060]
Subsequently, the scanner control unit 53 sends a scan instruction to the controller of the scanner unit 31 (Step S304). The processing on the controller side is the same as that of the first embodiment.
[0061]
The scanner control unit 53 obtains information such as whether or not the scan processing has been successful or whether or not the image processing has been successfully performed on the controller side, by checking the end status of the controller.
[0062]
If the processing has been performed normally, the scanner control unit 53 reads the scan data from the controller (steps S306 and S203), and displays a scan completion message on the LCD 21 (step S307). Then, a predetermined process is performed on the obtained scan data (step S308).
[0063]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S305 that the scanning process has not been performed normally, the process returns to step S301, and the guide image is displayed on the LCD 21 again. That is, the white image and the guide image are alternately displayed every predetermined time until the scanning process succeeds.
[0064]
Here, image switching is controlled so that one or two frames per second become a white image and the rest become a guide image. In a general mobile phone, display is performed at 8 to 10 frames / second, so that it is sufficiently possible to perform image reading processing during a display period of 1 or 2 frames.
[0065]
According to the configuration of the present embodiment described above, further more user-friendly processing can be realized in addition to the functions and effects described in the first embodiment.
[0066]
(Other embodiments)
In each of the above embodiments, when the image reading is successful, the scan completion message is displayed on the LCD. However, when the object to be read covers the entire LCD, for example, when reading a barcode, the message is displayed. It is difficult to confirm that it was displayed. Therefore, the following configuration is also preferable.
[0067]
A display unit (LCD) for displaying an image, and mounted on a front surface of the display unit, and reads image information of the read target by detecting light reflected by the read target among light emitted from the display unit. A reading unit (scanner unit), a control unit (CPU) for displaying a plain monochrome image on the display unit when the reading unit performs the reading process of the image information, and a notice that the reading process is completed. An electronic device having an image reading function, comprising: a notification unit that notifies a user.
[0068]
The notification means may be configured to be used as a notification lamp for notifying an incoming call to the mobile phone, a message lamp provided on the back of the mobile phone, and the like, and to emit light when the reading process is completed. . Alternatively, the notification means may be configured to be used as a sound source and a speaker included in the mobile phone so that a predetermined completion sound is emitted when the reading process is completed.
[0069]
When the mobile phone has a second display (LCD) separately from the display, it is also preferable to display a message indicating that the reading process has been completed on the second display.
[0070]
According to the above configuration, even when the object to be read covers the entire display means, the user can confirm that the image reading process has been completed.
[0071]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, a high-quality image can be read with a compact configuration and simple operation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an appearance of a mobile phone according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the mobile phone of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a scanner unit of the mobile phone of FIG. 1;
4 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of a display unit of the mobile phone of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a program for executing an image reading process.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an image reading process according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a mode of image reading.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an image reading process according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a screen transition diagram in an image reading process according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 mobile phones (electronic devices)
2 Display unit 3 Numeric buttons 4 Function buttons 5 Microphone 6 Speaker 7 Antenna 10 CPU (control means)
11 Bus 12 ROM
13 RAM
14 input unit 15 voice control unit 16 communication control unit 20 LCD controller 21 LCD (display means)
Reference Signs List 22 backlight 23 frame buffer 24, 25 glass substrate 26 liquid crystal layer 27 color filter 30 controller 31 scanner unit (reading unit, light amount detecting unit)
32 scan buffer 33 glass substrate 34 element 35 row wiring 36 column wiring 37 scanning circuit 38 reading circuit 39 coating layer 40 reading object 41 finger 42 barcode 50 program 51 backlight control unit 52 image drawing unit 53 scanner control unit

Claims (12)

Display means for displaying an image;
A reading unit mounted on a front surface of the display unit and reading image information of the read target by detecting light reflected by the read target among light emitted from the display unit;
When the reading unit performs the reading process of the image information, a control unit that displays a plain monochrome image on the display unit,
An electronic device having an image reading function provided with the function. The control means switches a plain monochrome image and a guide image for guiding an operation method at predetermined time intervals and causes the display means to display the monochrome image, and the reading means performs a reading process when the monochrome image is displayed. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the operation is performed. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the non-patterned monochrome image is a white image. 4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the monochrome image is displayed over substantially the entire display area of the display unit. An image reading method using display means for displaying an image and light amount detection means mounted on a front surface of the display means,
Displaying a plain monochrome image on the display means,
Irradiating the object to be read with light emitted by the display means,
An image reading method for reading image information of the object to be read by detecting light reflected by the object to be read by the light amount detecting means. An image reading method using display means for displaying an image and light amount detection means mounted on a front surface of the display means,
Switching and displaying a plain monochrome image and a guide image for guiding the operation method at predetermined time intervals on the display means,
Irradiating the object to be read with light emitted by the display means,
An image reading method for reading image information of the object to be read by detecting the light reflected by the object to be read when the monochrome image is displayed by the light amount detecting means. 7. The image reading method according to claim 5, wherein the non-patterned monochrome image is a white image. 8. The image reading method according to claim 5, wherein the monochrome image is displayed over substantially the entire display area of the display unit. A program that can be executed by an electronic device including a display unit that displays an image, and a light amount detection unit that is mounted on a front surface of the display unit,
Displaying a plain monochrome image on the display means,
A program for reading out image information of the object to be read by detecting the light reflected by the object to be read among the light emitted by the display means with the light amount detecting means. A program that can be executed by an electronic device including a display unit that displays an image, and a light amount detection unit that is mounted on a front surface of the display unit,
The display unit switches and displays a plain monochrome image and a guide image for guiding an operation method at predetermined time intervals,
A program for reading the image information of the object to be read by detecting the light reflected by the object to be read when the monochrome image is displayed by the light amount detecting means. The program according to claim 9, wherein the plain monochrome image is a white image. The program according to claim 9, wherein the monochrome image is displayed over substantially the entire display area of the display unit.

Images