Image scanning and processing system, method of scanning and processing an image and method of selecting one of a plurality of master files comprising data encoding a scanned image

Abstract

An image scanning and processing system includes a scanner for generating a stream of data encoding a scanned image; a controller for controlling and processing data received from the scanner; and a file storage unit. In use, the stream of data is written to a master file saved in the file storage unit. The controller is configured to create a preview image with a lower data size than the scanned image from at least part of the data encoding the scanned image. The controller is configured to extract data encoding the preview image directly from the stream of data, and to write the extracted data to a thumbnail file. A method of scanning and processing an image, includes scanning an original and thereby generating a stream of data, encoding a scanned image, saving the scanned image in a master file, and creating a preview image with a lower data size than the scanned image from at least part of the data encoding the scanned image. Data encoding the preview image is extracted from the stream of data, and written to a thumbnail file.

1 . An image scanning and processing system, comprising 
 a scanner for generating a stream of data encoding a scanned image;    a controller for controlling and processing data received from the scanner; and    file storage means, wherein, in use, the stream of data is written to a master file saved in the file storage means, and the controller is configured to create a preview image with a lower data size than the scanned image from at least part of the data encoding the scanned image, wherein the controller is further configured to extract data encoding the preview image from the stream of data, and to write the extracted data to a thumbnail file.    
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a display unit for displaying at least a portion of the preview image and for displaying in more detail a section of the displayed preview image according to a user's selection of the section.    
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the display unit provides a selection frame with which the user makes the user's selection of the section, the selection frame being resizable and movable.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the selected selection of the preview image is converted to a different data format before being displayed.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the scanner or the controller checks the scanned image for artifacts, and stores information specifying the detected artifacts with the preview image in the file storage means.  
     
     
         6 . A method of scanning and processing an image, comprising: 
 scanning an original and thereby generating a stream of data;    encoding a scanned image;    saving the scanned image in a master file; and    creating a preview image with a lower data size than the scanned image from at least part of the data encoding the scanned image,    wherein data encoding the preview image is extracted from the stream of data, and written to a thumbnail file.    
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the preview image is a lower resolution rendition of at least part of the scanned image.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein at least part of the preview image is displayed to an operator as a survey view in a window on a display.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the part of the preview image is displayed before or during the saving to the thumbnail file.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein part of the scanned image representing a region of interest is displayed to an operator as a detailed view of the region of interest in a window on a display.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 providing a selection frame in the survey view, wherein an operator selects a region of interest by sizing and positioning the selection frame in the survey view.    
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the part of the scanned image representing the region of interest is converted to a different data format before being displayed.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the part of the scanned image representing the region of interest is compressed when converted to the different data format and decompressed before being displayed.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the part of the scanned image representing the region of interest is chosen to be larger than a size leading to compression artifacts.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 image-processing the stream of data before creation of the preview image.    
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the scanned image is checked for artifacts, and wherein information specifying the detected artifacts is provided with the preview image.  
     
     
         17 . A method for selecting one of a plurality of master files comprising data encoding at least one scanned image, wherein the master file is created by scanning an original and thereby generating a stream of data, encoding a scanned image, and saving the scanned image in a master file, the method comprising: 
 providing at least part of a thumbnail file associated with one of the master files to an archive manager, said part of the thumbnail file including data encoding a preview image corresponding to the scanned image with a lower data size than the scanned image, whereby the archive manager can display the parts as survey previews to the user for selection.