1. An image sensor unit comprising
a first photoconverter comprising a first array of first light receiving elements, the first light receiving elements having first imaging regions, the first photoconverter for photoelectrically converting light of a first light quality from a source image for outputting signals by photoelectric conversion
a second photoconverter comprising a second array of second light receiving elements, the second light receiving elements having second imaging regions different from the first imaging regions of the first light receiving elements, the second photoconverter for photoelectrically converting light of a second light quality from the source image for outputting signals by photoelectric conversion.
2. The image sensor unit of claim 1 wherein
the first light receiving elements have a first dimension in a first direction
the second light receiving elements have a second dimension in the first direction
the first dimension is different from the second dimension.
3. The image sensor unit of claim 2 wherein the first direction is a main scanning direction.
4. The image sensor of claim 2 wherein the first direction is a sub-scanning direction.
5. The image sensor unit of claim 2 wherein
the first light receiving elements have a third dimension in a second direction
the second light receiving elements have a fourth dimension in the second direction
the third dimension is different from the fourth dimension.
6. The image sensor unit of claim 5 wherein
the first dimension is larger than the second dimension
the third dimension is larger than the fourth dimension
7. The image sensor unit of claim 1 wherein
the first imaging region is determined according to a first sensitivity of the first light receiving elements to the first light quality
the second imaging region is determined according to a second sensitivity of the second light receiving elements to the second light quality.
8. The image sensor unit of claim 1
the first array comprising a first number of first light receiving elements
the second array comprising a second number of second light receiving elements
the second number is larger than the first number.
9. The image sensor unit of claim 1 wherein
the first light quality comprises a first color
the second light quality comprises black and white
the image sensor comprises a third photoconverter comprising a third array of third light receiving elements, the third light receiving elements having third imaging regions, the third photoconverter for photoelectrically converting light of a third light quality from the source image for outputting signals by photoelectric conversion, the third light quality comprising a second color different from the first color
the image sensor comprises a fourth photoconverter comprising a fourth array of fourth light receiving elements, the fourth light receiving elements having fourth imaging regions, the fourth photoconverter for photoelectrically converting light of a fourth light quality from the source image for outputting signals by photoelectric conversion, the fourth light quality comprising a third color different from the first color and the second color.
10. The image sensor unit of claim 9 wherein the first imaging region, the third imaging region and the fourth imaging region have a substantially equal area.
11. The image sensor unit of claim 8 wherein the second number is an integer multiple of the first number.
12. The image sensor unit of claim 9 further comprising an output constitution capable of outputting electric signals generated by photoelectric conversion of the monochrome light receiving element array and electric signals generated by photoelectric conversion of the color light receiving element arrays serially in parallel.
13. An image reading apparatus including the image sensor unit of claim 9 and further having a color mode, wherein the image sensor outputs color signals and monochrome signals.
14. The image reading apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a color signal correction unit for improving a quality of the color signals using information in the monochrome signals.
15. The image reading apparatus of claim 14 wherein the color signal correction unit is further for improving the color signals’ resolution.
16. The image reading apparatus of claim 14 wherein the color signal correction unit is further for improving the color signals’ gradation.
17. The image reading apparatus of claim 14 wherein the color signals are signals of three primary colors and the color signal correction unit is for converting the three primary color signals and the monochrome signals to data indicating color characteristics.
18. A process for producing image signals comprising
providing a first photoconverter comprising a first array of first light receiving elements, the first light receiving elements having first imaging regions
providing a second photoconverter comprising a second array of second light receiving elements, the second light receiving elements having second imaging regions different from the first imaging regions of the first light receiving elements
the first photoconverter photoelectrically converting light of a first light quality from a source image
the second photoconverter photoelectrically converting light of a second light quality from the source image
outputting first signals from the first photoconverter
outputting second signals from the second photoconverter.
19. The process for producing image signals of claim 18 wherein
the first light receiving elements have a first dimension in a first direction
the second light receiving elements have a second dimension in the first direction
the first dimension is different from the second dimension.
20. The process for producing image signals of claim 19 wherein the first direction is a main scanning direction.
21. The process for producing image signals of claim 19 wherein the first direction is a sub-scanning direction.
22. The process for producing image signals of claim 19 wherein
the first light receiving elements have a third dimension in a second direction
the second light receiving elements have a fourth dimension in the second direction
the third dimension is different from the fourth dimension.
23. The process for producing image signals of claim 22 wherein
the first dimension is larger than the second dimension
the third dimension is larger than the fourth dimension
24. The process for producing image signals of claim 23 wherein
the first imaging region is determined according to a first sensitivity of the first light receiving elements to the first light quality
the second imaging region is determined according to a second sensitivity of the second light receiving elements to the second light quality.
25. The process for producing image signals of claim 18 wherein
the first array comprises a first number of first light receiving elements
the second array comprises a second number of second light receiving elements
the second number is larger than the first number.
26. The process for producing image signals of claim 18 wherein the first light quality comprises a first color and the second light quality comprises black and white, the process further comprising
providing a third photoconverter comprising a third array of third light receiving elements, the third light receiving elements having third imaging regions
providing a fourth photoconverter comprising a fourth array of fourth light receiving elements, the fourth light receiving elements having fourth imaging regions
the third photoconverter photoelectrically converting light of a third light quality from the source image, the third light quality comprising a second color different from the first color
the fourth photoconverter photoelectrically converting light of a fourth light quality from the source image, the fourth light quality comprising a third color different from the first color and the second color
outputting third signals from the third photoconverter
outputting fourth signals from the fourth photoconverter.
27. The process for producing image signals of claim 26 wherein the first imaging region, the third imaging region and the fourth imaging region have a substantially equal area.
28. The process for producing image signals of claim 27 wherein the second number is an integer multiple of the first number.
29. The process for producing image signals of claim 18, wherein the first signals are color signals and the second signals are monochrome signals, the process further comprising improving a quality of the color signals using information in the monochrome signals.
30. The process for producing image signals of claim 19 further comprising improving the color signals’ resolution.
31. The process for producing image signals of claim 19 further comprising improving the color signals’ gradation.
32. The process for producing image signals of claim 19 wherein the color signals are signals of three primary colors and the color signal correction unit is for converting the three primary color signals and the monochrome signals to data indicating color characteristics.
33. A process for producing image signals comprising
receiving a first color image signal from a first color photoconverter for a first color
receiving a second color image signal from a second color photoconverter for a second color
receiving a third color image signal from a third color photoconverter for a third color
receiving monochrome image signals from a monochrome photoconverter for black and white
improving a quality of at least one of the first, second and third color signals using information in the monochrome signals.
34. The process for producing image signals of claim 33 wherein the first color is red, the second color is green and the third color is blue.
35. The process for producing image signals of claim 33, wherein the first, second and third color image signals represent image information for a first number of pixels, and the monochrome image signals represent image information for a second number of pixels, and the second number is larger than the first number.
36. The process for producing image signals of claim 33 comprising improving the quality by
obtaining brightness signals from the monochrome image signals
obtaining a first color difference signal from the first, second and third color image signals
obtaining a second color difference signal from the first, second and third color image signals
obtaining enhanced first color image signals from the brightness signals and the first color difference signals
obtaining enhanced second color image signals from the brightness signals, the first color difference signals and the second color difference signals
obtaining enhanced third color image signals from the brightness signals and the first color difference signals.
37. The process for producing image signals of claim 33 wherein the enhanced first, second and third color image signals have improved resolution over the first, second and third color image signals.
38. The process for producing image signals of claim 33 wherein the enhanced first, second and third color image signals have improved gradation over the first, second and third color image signals.
39. An image reading apparatus comprising
a first sensor which has a first sensitivity
a second sensor which has a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity
a control circuit which causes as light receiving time of the first sensor to be shorter than a light receiving time of the second sensor.
40. An image sensor unit comprising
a first sensor for photoelectrically converting light from a source image for outputting signals by photoelectric conversion and comprising
a first array of n light receiving elements having first imaging regions
m output terminals
a second photoconverter for photoelectrically converting light from the source image for outputting signals by photoelectric conversion and comprising
a second array of j light receiving elements having second imaging regions
k output terminals
wherein m is greater than or equal to k if n is greater than j.
41. An image reading apparatus comprising
a first sensor for photoelectrically converting light from a source image for outputting signals by photoelectric conversion and comprising a first array of n light receiving elements having first imaging regions
a second photoconverter for photoelectrically converting light from the source image for outputting signals by photoelectric conversion and comprising a second array of j light receiving elements having second imaging regions
a first clock frequency for driving the first sensor
a second clock frequency for driving the second sensor
wherein the first clock frequency is greater than the second clock frequency when n>j.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for transmitting data of a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in a mobile communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
transmitting a Service Data Unit (SDU), which has been transferred from an upper layer, through at least one Protocol Data Unit (PDU);
starting a first timer when the SDU has been transferred;
discarding the SDU, when acknowledgements for all of the at least one PDU associated with the SDU have been received by an expiration time of the first timer;
requesting a receiving side to transmit a status report about a data reception status and starting a second timer, when the acknowledgements for all of the at least one PDU associated with the SDU have not been received by the expiration time of the first timer;
receiving the status report, and retransmitting a non-acknowledged PDU based on the status report; and
discarding the SDU, when the second timer has expired.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the step of requesting the status report, a polling bit for requesting the status report is set in a next scheduled PDU, and the next scheduled PDU is transmitted.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the step of requesting the status report, an indicator for requesting the status report is transmitted to the receiving side.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the transmitting step, the SDU is framed into the at least one PDU, and each PDU is transmitted to the receiving side according to an Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) operation.
5. An apparatus for transmitting data of a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in a mobile communication system, the apparatus comprising:
a transmission buffer for storing a Service Data Unit (SDU) transferred from an upper layer in order to transmit the SDU;
a controller for requesting a receiving side to transmit a status report about a data reception status at a start of a predetermined period of time before the SDU is discarded, determining to retransmit a non-acknowledged Protocol Data Unit (PDU) based on the status report, and discarding the SDU from the transmission buffer when a discarding time of the SDU has passed; and
a framing unit for framing the SDU transferred from the transmission buffer into at least one PDU in order to transmit the SDU to the receiving side,
wherein the controller starts a first timer when the SDU has been transferred, requests the status report and starts a second timer when acknowledgement for all PDUs associated with the SDU has not been received by an expiration time of the first timer, discards the SDU when the second timer has expired, and discards the SDU when acknowledgement for all PDUs associated with the SDU have been received by the expiration time of the first timer.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller sets a polling bit for requesting the status report in a next schedule PDU.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller sets and transmits an indicator for requesting the status report, to the receiving side.
8. A method for transmitting data of a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in a mobile communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
storing a Service Data Unit (SDU) transferred from an upper layer in order to transmit the SDU, and starting a timer;
transmitting the SDU through at least one Protocol Data Unit (PDU);
determining if the timer approaches a preset threshold value before an expiration time, when a PDU to be transmitted next is scheduled;
requesting a receiving side to transmit a status report about a data reception status, when the timer approaches the expiration time; and
discarding the SDU, when the timer has expired,
wherein, in the determining step, when a difference between a transmission time of the PDU to be transmitted next and the expiration time of the timer is less than the present threshold value, it is determined that the timer approaches the expiration time.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, in the step of requesting the status report, a polling bit for requesting the status report is set in the PDU to be transmitted next, and is transmitted.
10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, in the step of requesting the status report, an indicator for requesting the status report is transmitted to the receiving side.
11. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a step of framing the SDU into the at least one PDU, and transmitting each PDU to the receiving side according to an Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) operation.
12. An apparatus for transmitting data of a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in a mobile communication system, the apparatus comprising:
a transmission buffer for storing a Service Data Unit (SDU) transferred from an upper layer in order to transmit the SDU;
a controller for starting a timer when the SDU is stored, determining if the timer approaches a preset threshold value before an expiration time when a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) to be transmitted next is scheduled, requesting a receiving side to transmit a status report about a data reception status when the timer approaches the expiration time, and discarding the SDU from the transmission buffer when the timer has expired; and
a framing unit for framing the SDU transferred from the transmission buffer into at least one PDU in order to transmit the SDU to the receiving side,
wherein the controller determines that the timer approaches the expiration time when a difference between a transmission time of the PDU to be transmitted next and the expiration time of the timer is less than the preset threshold value.
13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller sets a polling bit for requesting the status report in the PDU to be transmitted next.
14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller sets and transmits an indicator for requesting the status report, to the receiving side.
15. A method for transmitting data of a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in a mobile communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
transmitting a Service Data Unit (SDU), which has been transferred from an upper layer, through at least one Protocol Data Unit (PDU);
starting a timer when the SDU has been transferred;
determining if a difference between a transmission time of a PDU to be transmitted next and an expiration time of the timer is less than a threshold value;
requesting a receiving side to transmit a status report about a data reception status of the at least one PDU, when the difference between the transmission time of the PDU to be transmitted next and the expiration time of the timer is less than the threshold value; and
receiving the status report, and retransmitting a non-acknowledged PDU based on the status report; and
discarding the SDU, when the timer has expired.
16. An apparatus for transmitting data of a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in a mobile communication system, the apparatus comprising:
a transmission buffer for storing a Service Data Unit (SDU) transferred from an upper layer in order to transmit the SDU;
a controller for requesting a receiving side to transmit a status report about a data reception status at a start of a predetermined period of time before the SDU is discarded, determining to retransmit a non-acknowledged Protocol Data Unit (PDU) based on the status report, and discarding the SDU from the transmission buffer, when a discarding time of the SDU has passed; and
a framing unit for framing the SDU transferred from the transmission buffer into at least one PDU in order to transmit the SDU to the receiving side,
wherein the controller starts a timer when the SDU has been transferred, determines if a difference between a transmission time of a PDU to be transmitted next and an expiration time of the timer is less than a threshold value before the expiration time, when the PDU to be transmitted next is scheduled, requests the status report, when the difference between the transmission time of the PDU to be transmitted next and the expiration time of the timer is less than the threshold value, and discards the SDU, when the timer has expired.