(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,191,872 Bi
DeCaro et al. (45) Date of Patent: Feb. 20,2001
(54) ILLUMINATOR WITH LIGHT SOURCE ARRAYS
(75) Inventors: Joel D. DeCaro, Brockport; Mark E.
Shafer, Fairport, both of NY (US)
(73) Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US)
( * ) Notice: Under 35 U.S.C. 154(b), the term of this patent shall be extended for 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 08/979,890
(22) Filed: Nov. 26, 1997
(51) Int. C I. II04N 1/46
(52) U.S. CI 358/509; 358/505; 358/512
(58) Field of Search 358/475, 505,
358/512, 514, 515, 509, 506, 487, 1.9; 348/268, 269, 270, 271, 272; 361/800
(56) References Cited
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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 1 116 630 5/1989 (IP) . * cited by examiner Primary Examiner—Cheukfan Lee
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Gordon M. Stewart; David A. Novais
(57) ABSTRACT
An illuminator and a scanner incorporating such an illuminator. In one embodiment, the illuminator has a plurality of arrays of semiconductor light emitting elements, each array having a different integrated spectral output, and a plurality of respective different interference filters each positioned between a corresponding array and the media holder. A media holder holds a media carrying an image for scanning, the media holder being positioned to receive filtered light from the illuminator. A sensor is positioned to receive light from the media holder so as to generate an image signal corresponding to an image on a media positioned at the media holder.
28 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
