Patent ID: 7741608

Claim:
An image reader comprising: a first light source that irradiates an imaging target medium with a first light inside a visible spectrum; a second light source that irradiates the imaging target medium with a second light outside the visible spectrum; an imaging unit that captures, based on a reflected light inside the visible spectrum from the imaging target medium, an image of the imaging target medium; a conveying unit that conveys the imaging target medium to the imaging unit; and an image-data generating unit that generates a visible light data group corresponding to a portion of the imaging target medium that is captured by the imaging unit when the imaging target medium is irradiated by only the first light and a visible light external data group corresponding to a portion of the imaging target medium that is captured by the imaging unit when the imaging target medium is irradiated by only the second light, wherein the first light source and the second light source alternately light-up at the time of conveying the imaging target medium by the conveying unit, the first light source is formed of a white LED that irradiates a white light, the second light source is formed of an ultraviolet LED that emits an ultraviolet light, the imaging unit includes a three-line sensor formed of an R line sensor that responds only to an R light, a G line sensor that responds only to a G light, and a B line sensor that responds only to a B light, and that is respectively formed of a plurality of imaging elements arranged in a single row in a main scanning direction, and the image-data generating unit generates the visible light data group that is formed of R line data corresponding to the R light that is picked up by the R line sensor, G line data corresponding to the G light that is picked up by the G line sensor, and B line data corresponding to the B light that is picked up by the B line sensor at the time of lighting-up of the white LED, and generates the visible light external data group that is formed of the R line data corresponding to the R light that is picked up by the R line sensor, the G line data corresponding to the G light that is picked up by the G line sensor, and the B line data corresponding to the B light that is picked up by the B line sensor at the time of lighting-up of the ultraviolet LED, so that the visible light data group and the visible light external data group are generated by conveying the imaging target medium once by the conveying unit.