A compact illuminator for a direct part marking (DPM) scanner is provided to perform dual-field, multi-color, multi-directional, multi-distance illumination functions. The illuminator can selectively provide dark field and bright field illumination with broad spectrum white or narrow band color, in combination with directions for near contact distance as well as far distance barcode readings. Specifically, illuminator includes a front edge illuminator with customized LED optics, a dome diffuser, an LED board assembly, and a reflective sleeve surrounding the dome diffuser. The board assembly can further include an alternative on/off plural point source bright field spot illuminating system. A method for scanning DPM indicia focuses on generating illumination light using an illumination assembly, illuminating the DPM indicia, detecting reflected and/or scattered light, and capturing under different illumination conditions and combining at least two consecutive images of the DPM indicia, followed by processing and decoding the obtained image.

An image reading apparatus compares a difference in luminance value between a pixel of interest in image information acquired via a reading unit and a pixel separated from the pixel of interest by a first distance with a first threshold value. Further, the image reading apparatus compares a difference in luminance value between the pixel of interest and a pixel present within a range to a pixel separated from the pixel of interest by a second distance that is larger than the first distance with a second threshold value. The image reading apparatus determines whether or not the pixel of interest is an edge pixel at an original end portion based on results of those comparisons, and determines an original size based on a result of the determination.

An image reading apparatus compares a difference in luminance value between a pixel of interest in image information acquired via a reading unit and a pixel separated from the pixel of interest by a first distance with a first threshold value. Further, the image reading apparatus compares a difference in luminance value between the pixel of interest and a pixel present within a range to a pixel separated from the pixel of interest by a second distance that is larger than the first distance with a second threshold value. The image reading apparatus determines whether or not the pixel of interest is an edge pixel at an original end portion based on results of those comparisons, and determines an original size based on a result of the determination.

An image processing apparatus includes an edge pixel extractor for extracting an edge pixel from an input image, an end pixel extractor for extracting an end pixel in the input image, an edge pixel addition module for adding the end pixel extracted by the end pixel extractor as an edge pixel based on a pixel value of a pixel located within a first range from the end pixel, a straight line extractor for extracting straight lines from the edge pixel extracted by the edge pixel extractor and the end pixel added as an edge pixel by the edge pixel addition module, and a rectangle region detector for detecting a rectangle region from the extracted straight lines.

An image processing apparatus includes an edge pixel extractor for extracting an edge pixel from an input image, an end pixel extractor for extracting an end pixel in the input image, an edge pixel addition module for adding the end pixel extracted by the end pixel extractor as an edge pixel based on a pixel value of a pixel located within a first range from the end pixel, a straight line extractor for extracting straight lines from the edge pixel extracted by the edge pixel extractor and the end pixel added as an edge pixel by the edge pixel addition module, and a rectangle region detector for detecting a rectangle region from the extracted straight lines.

In an image processing apparatus according to the present disclosure, a printing system includes a movement detection unit that detects scanning, which is movement in a first direction, and an operation of making a line break, which is movement in a second direction crossing the first direction, of a printing apparatus main body that includes a printing unit that performs printing on a printing medium. The printing system further includes a notification unit that selectively makes first notification that prompts scanning along with printing by the printing unit, second notification that prompts scanning along with no printing by the printing unit, and third notification that prompts the operation of making a line break, in accordance with a detection result of the printing unit.

In an image processing apparatus according to the present disclosure, a printing system includes a movement detection unit that detects scanning, which is movement in a first direction, and an operation of making a line break, which is movement in a second direction crossing the first direction, of a printing apparatus main body that includes a printing unit that performs printing on a printing medium. The printing system further includes a notification unit that selectively makes first notification that prompts scanning along with printing by the printing unit, second notification that prompts scanning along with no printing by the printing unit, and third notification that prompts the operation of making a line break, in accordance with a detection result of the printing unit.

An image reading apparatus includes an image reading part that reads an image formed on a recording medium, an accommodating unit that accommodates the image reading part and supports the image reading part in such a manner that the image reading part is capable of being displaced toward a side on which the recording medium is to be disposed, and an urging member that urges, in the accommodating unit, the image reading part toward the side on which the recording medium is to be disposed. The accommodating unit includes an urging-member-mounting portion in which the urging member is mounted, and at least one window is formed in the urging-member-mounting portion on a side opposite to a side on which the image reading part is disposed.

A printer includes: a processor; a head configured to perform printing; a sensor configured to detect an amount of movement of the printer; and a scanner configured to acquire an image including a frame described on a material to be printed beforehand, the scanner being disposed forward of the head in a moving direction of the printer. The processor executes during scanning for frame detection over the material to be printed, frame detection processing to detect the frame based on the amount of movement and the image without performing the printing, and during scanning for printing over the material to be printed, print processing to perform the printing with the head based on the frame detected.

A printing apparatus comprises: a printer that includes a printing mechanism that performs printing on a printing medium, the printing mechanism being provided in a print area; a housing that includes an opening region for exposing the printing mechanism to outside; and a guiding mechanism that represents a position of the print area. The guiding mechanism is provided at a position directly above the print area and visible from outside. Accordingly, when a user performs printing on the printing medium using this printing apparatus, the user can easily grasp a position of the print area by means of the guiding mechanism, and therefore can print on a desired position on the printing medium.