What kind of technology did you use for hardware to achieve "Auto Scan Mode"?
Suzuki: We used two technologies to detect reflective originals, such as photos printed on paper and magazine articles, and transparent originals, such as file. One is an illumination system with a strong intensity of illumination, and the other an optical system with a large depth of field. The illumination system of the scanner unit incorporates a light guide to lead illumination from the LED light source to reach the scanning range uniformly. By guiding the light, the light guide helps to eliminate a loss of illumination on its way from the light source, so that a wide scanning range can be illuminated brightly. For the optical system, we have adopted a wide-angle "ST (Super Toric) lens" with a large depth of field. The light guide and the ST lens are products of our own technologies only Canon, a well-established optical instrument maker, can provide.
In what way has the new scanner unit advanced over the conventional units?
Suzuki: The white LED, which we first introduced as the light source of the scanner unit in 2007, delivers low power consumption compared to the previously mainstream light source for scanners, CCFL (a cold cathode fluorescent lamp). In the latest models, we have adopted the high-brightness white LED to achieve both low power consumption and a higher intensity of illumination. While the white LED can start supplying light of neutral hue more immediately than CCFL, it needs to emit more intense light to the documents for scanning at high resolution and at a high speed. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce a loss of illumination as much as possible, and it is the light guide that provides us with a solution. For the light guide we have adopted a narrowly spaced cylindrical reflective surface based on our original optical technology, so that we have obtained uniform illumination across the scanning range more than we did with CCFL. And last but not least, the scanner unit is downsized.
What did you find challenging in developing the scanner unit?
Suzuki: It is very elaborate and difficult to manufacture optical components like the lens and the light guide, and any flaw, such as a crack and a burr which are likely to be caused during the molding process, cannot be tolerated. Also, components of this kind need to meet certain standards in optical performance, such as reflection, diffraction, and diffusion. I, one of the mechanical designers, observed the manufacturing process, and was very surprised by the extremely high hurdle in manufacturing. We are able to produce key components, such as the lens and the light guide of high performance and high quality, in house. We attribute this to our technical know-how Canon, a maker of optical instruments including cameras, has acquired.
Could you tell us your future aspiration with hardware as well as "Auto Scan Mode"?
Hayakawa: Previously, when it comes to "high performance", we tend to think that detailed settings are available. This time we viewed it from a different angle and came to think, "Rather, having everything done automatically with a touch of the button is high performance". I will pursue this concept in the future, too.
Ishizuka: More ease of use by integrating features of "Auto Scan Mode" and the feature of categorization "MP Navigator EX" has. I would like to further advance "Auto Scan Mode" to complete the fully automated process from scanning to creation of data and documents as users intend with just a press of the button.
Suzuki: I expect LED to further evolve in the future, and I look forward to seeing it. As the light intensity of LED increases, we will be able to deliver faster scanning with higher quality. In the fields of not only the LED but also optical instruments, efforts have been made toward the next generation technologies including one for light guide. By taking advantage of future advancements of these elemental technologies, I continue to seek higher quality and higher speed.
