A viewing aid includes a camera, a viewing surface within a field of view of the camera, a memory, a display, and software programmed to track a tracking element within the field of view. Viewing material is placed on the viewing surface. The camera, viewing surface, and material all remain substantially stationary. The camera captures and stores an initial image of the material in the memory. The software then tracks the location of a tracking element within the field of view then maps the location to a portion of the initial image in memory using an X-Y coordinate system, and/or identifies character elements of the material adjacent the tracking element then maps the character elements to corresponding character elements of the initial image in memory. An enhanced image is then displayed on the display corresponding to the mapped portion of the initial image.

An image processing apparatus obtains image data by photographing a document which is put on a document plate. The apparatus includes an obtaining unit and a correction unit. The obtaining unit photographs the document plate and obtains calibration image data. The correction unit uses the calibration image data obtained by the obtaining unit, so as to correct the image data obtained by photographing the document which is put on the document plate.

An imaging apparatus for use with a subject may include a light source structured to irradiate the subject with a yellow light, a magenta light and a cyan light at a delayed illumination timing; and a plurality of photodetectors structured to detect the intensity of the light coming from the subject when the yellow light is irradiated, the intensity of the light coming from the subject when the magenta light is irradiated, and the intensity of the light coming from the subject when the cyan light is irradiated.

An operability of a user in an image processing apparatus such as a camera scanner is improved. For this purpose, the image processing apparatus has: a pickup image obtaining unit for obtaining a pickup image on a stage through an imaging unit; a distance image obtaining unit for obtaining a distance image on the stage through a solid measuring unit; a detecting unit for detecting the putting of an object on the stage based on the obtained pickup image; a projecting unit for projecting an operation display regarding the reading of the object onto the stage through a projector when the putting of the object is detected; a recognizing unit for recognizing a gesture of the user on the stage based on the obtained distance image; and a reading unit for obtaining a read image of the object in accordance with the gesture to the projected operation display.

Disclosed is a video processor for a magnifier camera. In particular, the disclosure relates to a video processor that eliminates the use of a frame buffer. This, in turn, reduces the latency otherwise present in the video signal. The disclosed video processor also allows selected portions of the display to be shaded. This highlights the non-shaded portions of the display while at the same time allowing the entire object to be perceived by the user.

Provided is an image reading apparatus that can read an image with highly accurate and stable density and color while illuminating the image with a color sequential projector thereof. The image reading apparatus according to the present invention includes: an image pickup unit configured to image an original that is mounted on a mounting surface; a projecting unit configured to project an image on the mounting surface by sequentially switching and emitting light of a plurality of colors; and a control unit configured to control the projecting unit so as to project a first black image, a first color image, and a second black image in this order during the imaging by the image pickup unit.

A viewing aid includes a camera, a viewing surface within a field of view of the camera, a memory, a display, and software programmed to track a tracking element within the field of view. Viewing material is placed on the viewing surface. The camera, viewing surface, and material all remain substantially stationary. The camera captures and stores an initial image of the material in the memory. The software then tracks the location of a tracking element within the field of view then maps the location to a portion of the initial image in memory using an X-Y coordinate system, and/or identifies character elements of the material adjacent the tracking element then maps the character elements to corresponding character elements of the initial image in memory. An enhanced image is then displayed on the display corresponding to the mapped portion of the initial image.

An image recording method is disclosed. The image recording device has a camera having an image sensor and an objective lens, wherein the camera defines an image recording region, and the image sensor has a capture area having a plurality of image pixels which can be activated and read out in pixel groups, and a marking unit having a light source. The emission of the marking light is performed such that a visually perceptible light marking is generated inside the image recording region, and is performed in a predetermined manner to generate light marking within a light incidence region, which forms a subregion of the image recording region and the image capture is performed using chronologically offset collection, pixel group by pixel group, of exposure information, wherein the emission of the marking light is interrupted for the collection of the exposure information for each pixel group.

Platens for imaging devices are disclosed. An example platen for an imaging device includes a body to be removably coupled to an upper surface of the imaging device. The body includes a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion. An object whose image is to be captured is to be placed on the first portion.

A image reading apparatus includes a first placement unit, a second placement unit, a first reading unit, a second reading unit, a rotating mechanism, and a switch-over mechanism that switches over the first placement unit and the second placement unit between a horizontal state and an inclined state. The rotating mechanism rotates the first reading unit and the second reading unit, so that, in the horizontal state, the first image reading unit and the second image reading unit read a medium placed on the first placement unit and a medium placed on the second placement unit respectively, and, in the inclined state, the first image reading unit and the second image reading unit read a medium placed on the second placement unit and a medium placed on the first placement unit respectively.