An image reading apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a platen glass on which a document is placed; a light source, an image sensor; an image reading unit for optically reading an image of a reading area of the image sensor; a rotatable document cover for covering the platen glass; a cover state detection unit for the document cover; a control unit to detect a sensor output level of the image sensor; and a document size specification unit for the document. The control unit causes the image reading unit to perform a reading operation for specifying the size of the document in the main scanning direction in a state in which the document cover is open, and causes the light source to emit a predetermined light amount in the reading operation, which is larger than the light amount when the document image is read from the document.

A post-processing apparatus is connected to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet. The post-processing apparatus includes a post-processor, a sensor, and a controller. The post-processor performs post-processing on the sheet. The sensor is provided in a space where the post-processor operates and provides an output based on a presence of a foreign substance in the space. The controller acquires a first output value from the sensor prior to the image forming apparatus forming the image on the sheet, acquires a second output value from the sensor after the image forming apparatus forms the image on the sheet and before the post-processor performs the post-processing on the sheet, and determines whether or not the foreign substance is present in the space based on the first output value and the second output value.

An image reading device includes a background member, an illumination unit opposed to the background member, and a reader. The illumination unit emits light to a recording medium having an image thereon. The reader receives a reflection from the recording medium to read the image. The background member has a facing surface that faces the recording medium. The facing surface includes a reference portion on a center portion in a width direction of the background member. The reference portion has a higher reflectance than an end portion of the facing surface in the width direction.

Method and systems of automated document processing described herein include activating in sequence a plurality of illumination modules of an illumination source to illuminate a document, where the plurality of illumination modules are located at different positions relative to the document. The document can be imaged each time the document is illuminated by an illumination module to provide a plurality of images. A shadow profile of the document can be obtained based on the plurality of images. One or more of a boundary of the document and presence of a fastener attached to the document can be identified using the shadow profile. Any fasteners present may be removed using a robot arm.

An image reading apparatus includes a medium mounting portion configured to mount a medium; a feeding means configured to feed a medium from the medium mounting portion; at least one edge guide each configured to regulate a corresponding one of at least one medium width direction edge of the medium having been mounted on the medium mounting portion; a reading means configured to read the medium and disposed on a further downstream side than the at least one edge guide in the medium feeding direction; and at least one medium detection means configured to detect the medium and disposed on a further downstream side than the at least one edge guide in the medium feeding direction and further outside in the medium width direction than at least one edge regulation position for the edge regulation by the at least one edge guide.

An image forming apparatus includes an exit tray, a displacing mechanism, and a controller. A sheet is ejected on the exit tray. The displacing mechanism displaces a position of the sheet on the exit tray. The controller controls the displacing mechanism. The controller determines whether the sheet is a valid sheet that meets a predetermined condition or an invalid sheet that does not meet the predetermined condition. The controller controls the displacing mechanism so that a position of the valid sheet differs from a position of the invalid sheet on the exit tray.

An image forming apparatus includes processing circuitry and an image forming device. The processing circuitry is configured to acquire characteristic information of a recording medium measured, and apply a preset calculation criterion to the characteristic information to calculate an image forming condition. The image forming device is configured to form an image on the recording medium based on the image forming condition calculated by the processing circuitry.

A reading device includes a light source, an image sensor, a background board, and an image processing circuitry. The light source irradiates visible light and invisible light to a subject. The image sensor receives the visible light and the invisible light, each of which is reflected from the subject, to capture a visible image and an invisible image. The background board is provided in an image capturing range of the image sensor. The background board is a background portion. The image processing circuitry detects a feature amount of the subject and the background portion from at least one of the visible image and the invisible image.

A post-processing apparatus is connected to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet. The post-processing apparatus includes a post-processor, a sensor, and a controller. The post-processor performs post-processing on the sheet. The sensor is provided in a space where the post-processor operates and provides an output based on a presence of a foreign substance in the space. The controller acquires a first output value from the sensor prior to the image forming apparatus forming the image on the sheet, acquires a second output value from the sensor after the image forming apparatus forms the image on the sheet and before the post-processor performs the post-processing on the sheet, and determines whether or not the foreign substance is present in the space based on the first output value and the second output value.

An image reading apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a platen glass on which a document is placed; a light source, an image sensor; an image reading unit for optically reading an image of a reading area of the image sensor; a rotatable document cover for covering the platen glass; a cover state detection unit for the document cover; a control unit to detect a sensor output level of the image sensor; and a document size specification unit for the document. The control unit causes the image reading unit to perform a reading operation for specifying the size of the document in the main scanning direction in a state in which the document cover is open, and causes the light source to emit a predetermined light amount in the reading operation, which is larger than the light amount when the document image is read from the document.