Patent ID: 7554704

Claim:
An image scanning apparatus comprising: a movable image sensing unit, which scans at least one document image arranged on a document plate, while moving in a sub-scanning direction relative to the at least one document image; and a controller that controls movement of said movable image sensing unit relative to the at least one document image in (i) the sub-scanning direction, and (ii) a direction opposite to the sub-scanning direction, said controller controlling movement of said movable image sensing unit such that when said movable image sensing unit scans plural document images arranged on the document plate, said controller moves said movable image sensing unit a predetermined distance in the direction opposite to the sub-scanning direction, after completion of said movable image sensing unit scanning one of the plural document images, and before said movable image sensing unit starts scanning of a next one of the plural document images, wherein said controller moves said movable image sensing unit in the direction opposite to the sub-scanning direction, when a predetermined distance is needed between the one document image and the next document image, in order to accelerate said movable image sensing unit to a scanning speed.