Patent ID: 6859637

Claim:
An image reading apparatus comprising: an original tray for placing an original; a transport path for guiding the original from the original tray to a reading position; transport means for transporting the original at the reading position toward a downstream side of the reading position in a forward direction, or toward in upstream side of the reading position in a reverse direction; reading means for reading the original at the reading position; determination means electrically connected to the reading means for determining whether the original read by the reading means has a black and white image or color image; and a retreat path disposed at the upstream side of the reading position for retreating at least a part of the original from the transport path so that the original read by the reading means and determined by the determination means is transported in the reverse direction relative to the reading position, and the reading means reads the original for a second time in a reading mode according to a result of the determination means after the at least part of the original retreats to the retreat path.