An image reading apparatus including a reading unit comprising a photodetector configured to read an image information on a sheet, and a projecting portion, a case storing the photodetector therein, the case comprising a transparent portion configured to transmit light to be received by the photodetector, and a portion defining an opening through which the projecting portion is projected outward from the case, and an elastic portion provided to fill a space where the projecting portion is not present in the opening. The case movably stores the photodetector within a range where the projecting portion is movable in the opening.

Microscope slide scanner. In an embodiment the microscope slide scanner comprises a single enclosure unit that includes at least one objective lens, at least one line scan camera, at least one communication port, and at least one processor. The line scan camera may be configured to capture image data of a sample as a plurality of image stripes via the objective lens. The communication port provides communication over a network. The processor may align the plurality of image stripes into a contiguous image of at least a portion of the sample, and executes a web server that provides an operator interface over the network to one or more remote devices.

In accordance with an embodiment, an image reading apparatus comprises a carriage, a stepping motor and a processor. The carriage acquires an image. The stepping motor moves the carriage. The processor outputs a first clock signal for driving the stepping motor if a present position of the carriage is unknown and outputs a second clock signal, of which a frequency is higher than that of the first clock signal, for driving the stepping motor if the present position of the carriage can be recognized.

A reading device includes a platen having a first face, reading means for reading the document via the platen accommodated in a frame portion, a holder that holds image sensor such that the frame portion is in contact with a second face of the platen, and a guide member that extends in a scanning direction of the image sensor, and to which the holder is movably attached. The holder has, on an upstream side in the scanning direction with respect to the image sensor, a contact portion that contacts the frame portion. The contact portion contacts the frame portion so as to be capable of displacing a position of contact with the frame portion in a direction intersecting the second face. The image sensor reads the document while moving under force that the frame portion receives from the contact portion.

Microscope slide scanner. In an embodiment the microscope slide scanner comprises a single enclosure unit that includes at least one objective lens, at least one line scan camera, at least one communication port, and at least one processor. The line scan camera may be configured to capture image data of a sample as a plurality of image stripes via the objective lens. The communication port provides communication over a network. The processor may align the plurality of image stripes into a contiguous image of at least a portion of the sample, and executes a web server that provides an operator interface over the network to one or more remote devices.

Systems and methods for capturing image data using a line scan camera. In an embodiment, a line scan camera captures image data of a sample as a plurality of image stripes. A processor may coarsely align two or more of the plurality of image stripes according to a synchronization process while the line scan camera is capturing at least one of the plurality of image stripes. Subsequently, the processor may also finely align the two or more image stripes using pattern matching.

A movement unit moves a reading unit in a first direction and a second direction. A control unit controls the movement unit so that the reading unit is positioned in a predetermined region in a case when a transition is made from an operation mode to a non-operation mode and controls the movement unit to cause the reading unit to move from the predetermined region to a position at which a white reference plate can be read in a case when a transition is made from the non-operation mode to the operation mode. The control unit causes movement of the reading unit by the movement unit to stop when a movement amount of the reading unit measured by a measurement unit becomes a movement amount corresponding to a distance from the boundary to a position at which a white reference plate can be read.

An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image forming unit that forms a latent image on a latent image bearer with light from a light source; and a correction data generating unit that includes: an acquiring unit that acquires, for each position, a correction value of an intensity of the light source to equalize a density distribution of a latent image; a quantizing unit that generates a correction data for each position by quantizing a correction value for each position; and an excessive correction suppressing unit that outputs the correction data after reducing an amount of change from an immediately preceding latent image formation position, with respect to a position at which an absolute value of a restored value indicating a correction amount and generated based on the correction data exceeds an absolute value of the correction value.

Systems and methods for capturing image data using a line scan camera. In an embodiment, a line scan camera captures image data of a sample as a plurality of image stripes. A processor may coarsely align two or more of the plurality of image stripes according to a synchronization process while the line scan camera is capturing at least one of the plurality of image stripes. Subsequently, the processor may also finely align the two or more image stripes using pattern matching.

The optical scanning apparatus correctly measures a gap between the laser beams of a plurality of the laser beams even when the scanning speed is changed and when the variation is caused, rightly corrects the variation. Thus, the optical scanning apparatus inputs detection signal BD_IN to the edge detecting unit at timing at which the laser beam is detected. During the enable gating, the count value representing the distance between the head laser beam and the end laser beam is counted in the counting unit. A plurality of speed ratio parameters according to the degree of changes in the scanning speed is input in the selector. The selector selects any one of the speed ratio parameters and multiplies by the count value by the multiplier, it is controlled to obtain the same multiplication result whichever scanning speed may be selected.