Module 4 - Scanner Configuration and Kofax VRSSlide 16 Module 4 -- Scanner Configuration and Kofax VRS Introduction to Kofax VirtualReScan (VRS) REMEMBER: At least a Basic VRS license

Module 4 - Scanner Configuration and Kofax VRS

Kofax Technical Training Page 1

Module 4Scanner Configuration and Kofax VRS

Slide 2 Module 4 -- Scanner Configuration and Kofax VRS

Scanner Configuration and Kofax VRS

Scanner Configuration

and Kofax VRS

• The Scanner Configurator

• Connecting a scanner

• Using the Scanner Configuration Utility

• Image concepts

• Introduction to Kofax VirtualReScan (VRS)

• Properties & profiles

• Introduction to VRS Test Application


The Scanner Configurator

http://www.kofax.com | Services | Support | Tools | Scanner Configurator

The Scanner Configurator provides valuable

information regarding component compatibility, OS and software version

requirements, and links to manufacturer’s web sites.




Certified versus Non-certified Scanners

•Scanners are certified by Kofax to work with Kofax Capture. (Refer to the Scanner Configurator on the Kofax Web site (www.kofax.com) for the list of certified scanners).

•Less than optimum image quality may be experienced when using a non-certified scanner with Kofax Capture.

•Not every scanner can be used with Kofax Capture.

•To be compatible for use with Kofax VRS Capture, non-certified scanners must meet the following requirements:Ability to output a 8-bit grayscale or 24-bit color image as a

single image

TWAIN driver or ISIS driver support


Connecting a Scanner

• When using Kofax Capture, multiple options for connecting the scanner include:

• SCSI card

• USB connected scanner

• In either case, consult the scanner’s documentation and/or the Kofax installation documentation for specific details.

• Drivers for the scanner will need to be installed on the system. Options include the CD that comes with the scanner or downloading over the Internet (from the scanner manufacturer’s Web site).


Steps to Setting up a Scan Source Device

Follow these steps to configure the default scan source:

1. Make sure Kofax Capture is installed and license activation is complete.

2. Verify that the necessary scanner driver has been installed on the computer. There are two options for accomplishing this:

a) From the CD that is shipped with the scanner

b) Download from the scanner manufacturer’s Web site




Run the Scanner Configuration Utility

3. Open the Scanner Configuration Utility from the Kofax Capture program group.


Select the Scanner Make

4. From the “Available image devices” list, expand the Scanners node to locate the make of the scanner being configured.


Select the Scanner Model

5. Expand the manufacturer node to locate and select the model of the scanner.




Select a Configured Source

6. Click “Set as Default,” accomplishing the following:

A. Creates a set of standard scanner sources

B. Sets the selected scanner as the default scanner

C.Sets the default source for the scanner

D.Sets default image processing properties


Customizing a Scanner Configuration

• Using the Scanner Configuration Utility, additional scanner sources can be configured.


Setting Scanner Properties

• Using the Scanner Configuration Utility, new sources can be created, properties can be modified, and sources can be deleted.




Image Concepts

• First, let’s examine some image file characteristics…

• A color image• True color

• 24 bits/pixel

• A grayscale image• 256 levels of gray

• 8 bits/pixel

• A binary image• A black & white image

• 1 bit/pixel

• Very efficient file format

A pixel (picture element) is the smallest item of information in an image


Thresholding

Threshold Level 15

Threshold Level 35

Threshold Level 55

Threshold Level 75

• Thresholding: The percentage of black pixels deleted for the conversion of a multi-bit grayscale or color image into a single bit/pixel, binary black and white image.

Threshold 15 Threshold 35 Threshold 55 Threshold 75 Threshold 95


Thresholding Results

24-bit color imageSingle-bit B&W Simple

Thresholding

• This concept of simple thresholding results in a compromise.

• At any threshold level, there is always some content sacrificed.

• Kofax Capture and Kofax VRS provide thresholdingtechnology that preserves the highest percentage of original content with minimal compromises.

Single-bit B&W VRS Dynamic Edge Thresholding



• Kofax VirtualReScan (VRS) is image enhancement technology providing:

• The best quality images

• With minimum effort

• Representing all the content of the original

• With the smallest file size possible

• Kofax VRS is an agent• Watching the status of the scanner (out of paper, paper jam,

connection, etc.) and guiding the end user to resolve hardware issues.

• Checking image quality continuously.

• Kofax VRS Elite is silently installed with Kofax Capture


Introduction to Kofax VirtualReScan (VRS)

REMEMBER: At least a Basic VRS license is required to make use of any Kofax VRS features with Kofax Capture.


Kofax VRS Variations

• Kofax VRS is provided in two variations:

• Software VRS – (SVRS) all VRS capabilities are software based and run on the PC.

• Hardware VRS – (HVRS) required for high-speed, production class scanners in which a special board is installed to support VRS functionality.

Hardware VRS Software VRS


The Kofax VRS Process

Batch is scanned using Kofax VRS source scanner.

Kofax VRS creates a multi-bit per pixel

image (8-bit grayscale or 24-bit

color).

Kofax VRS performs image

clean-up and manipulation on

the multi-bit image.

Kofax VRS performs

thresholding, converting the

multi-bit image to a 1-bit per pixel

bitonal TIFF image.

1-bit per pixel bitonal TIFF image is made available to Kofax Capture

for further processing.




Enhanced Images Lead to Improved Recognition

Results using traditional image capture

technology

Results using Kofax VRS technology

• High quality images look clearer when viewed, move more efficiently over the network, and require less storage space.

• More importantly, high-quality images result in less jagged edges and artifacts that produce crisper text.

• Processing through Kofax image capture operations produce remarkably higher quality images resulting in significantly higher optical recognition accuracy.


Image Cleanup

• Image cleanup on the fly results in smaller file sizes, cleaner files, and ultimately more accurate optical recognition extraction operations.

VRS Contrast 60 VRS Contrast 15Background consists of pattern of lines


Kofax VRS Controls the Scanner

By controlling scanner settings, Kofax VRS captures the widest spectrum of originals without any adjustments, limited document

preparation, and without ever stopping the scanner




Comparing Results

Originals

Without Kofax VRS


Comparing Results

WithKofax VRS

WithoutKofax VRS


Comparing Results

Readable OCR Ready No Data Loss Usable




Kofax VRS and Image Quality

Let’s take a look at a challenging document to examine the capabilities of Kofax VRSLow contrast

logo

Dot matrix text (light)

Highlighted text

Coffee stain through bar

code

Carbon copy handprint

Shaded background


Without Kofax VRS

Low contrast logo

Dot matrix text (light)

Highlighted text

Coffee stain through bar

code

Carbon copy handprint

Shaded background

Image File Size = 84 KB

Traditional scanning does little to cleanup the document


With Kofax VRS

Low contrast logo still visible

Dot matrix text is

enhanced

Highlighted text is

readable

Coffee stain is not

interfering with bar code

Carbon copy handprint is

automatically enhanced

Shaded background

removedImage File Size = 39 KB

Kofax VRS provides superior document images




Kofax VRS Features

• Kofax VRS features include:

• Auto orientation (content-based rotation)

• Auto color detection

• Background smoothing

• Auto deskew and image cropping

• Advanced clarity

• Corner fill and edge cleanup

• Merge

• VRS QC Later

• Saving advanced scanner properties to a profile

• Auto Profile feature for automatically applying profiles


Auto Orientation

• Auto orientation (through content-based rotation) relieves scanner operators of the burden of manually rotating pages to the same orientation at scan-time, significantly improving scanner production operations.


Background Smoothing

• In addition to being able to automatically detect color documents in a mixed-document batch, Kofax VRS can also smooth the background of scanned images.

• Background smoothing eliminates inconsistencies in the background of images providing a much clearer image as well as a more efficient file size.

Image without Background Smoothing Image with Background Smoothing enabled




Advanced Clarity

• With Advanced Clarity, documents with textured background and can be accurately scanned and converted into highly legible scanned images.

• Advanced Clarity is improved to make it even faster and more accurate than before.

Original Color Image

Image without VRS Advanced Clarity

Image with Advanced Clarity


Auto Deskew and Image Cropping

• No pre-sorting of batch based on paper size or shape.

• Kofax VRS automatically trims all images to their original dimensions resulting in smaller file sizes.

• No hassle with page size settings allowing for consistent scanning in maximum paper size mode.


Corner Fill and Edge Cleanup

• The corner fill and edge cleanup feature automatically repairs dog-eared corners and irregular edges.




Merge

• The merge feature merges both sides of a page into a single image

• Automatically decides orientation based on document

• Landscape – vertical orientation

• Portrait – horizontal orientation


Accessing the Kofax VRS Menu Items

• Access the Kofax VRS features by right-mouse clicking on the VRS icon in the Windows taskbar to expose the VRS context menu.

• Options include: Help, Admin Console, Auto Resolve, Adjust Quality, Profiles, Preview

Right mouse click on the icon to expose the

VRS context menu


Help Menu Item

Opens the online Help, which offers on-screen user assistance with Kofax VRS.




Admin Console Menu Item

Opens the Administration Console, where administrative preferences can be set for exception handling, licensing, scan profiles, scanner configuration, device health, and

more.


Auto Resolve Menu Item

Turns on the Auto Resolve Manager to handle exception

conditions such as errors caused by equipment conflicts or paper

transport issues. The Auto Resolve Manager appears for each instance of an action set to Auto Resolve on

the Administration Console Exceptions panel.


Adjust Quality Menu Item

Displays a list of operating modes, which determine how often the Kofax VRS Interactive Viewer

appears for image inspection and interactive updates as you scan.

The default operating mode is "Adjust Quality On Warnings."

Once selected, the operating mode stays in effect (even across scan sessions) until it is changed. A check mark appears next to the

active operating mode.

On First Page -- The VRS Interactive Viewer will open when the first page of a batch is scanned and exception conditions occur.

On Every Page -- The VRS Interactive Viewer will open after each document scans, or with duplex scanning, after each document side scans. (Used for small batches of extremely complex documents that require individual

adjustments.)

On Warnings -- The VRS Interactive Viewer will open only when exception conditions occur

during the scanning process.

QC Later -- The Kofax VRS Interactive Viewer remains out of view until it is invoked from the Quality Control or Scan modules in the Kofax

Capture application.

Never -- The VRS Interactive Viewer will not open, even if exception conditions occur.




Profiles Menu Item

Displays a list of scan profiles for selection. A check mark appears next to the active scan profile.

Also lists Auto Profile for selecting Auto Profile scanning.


Preview Menu Item

Opens the most recently scanned image in the Kofax VRS Interactive Viewer so that quality

settings can be previewed and adjusted.

The preview image serves as a sample to show the impact of image quality

adjustments.


Kofax VRS Interactive Viewer Menu Item

The Kofax VRS Interactive Viewer allows

the scan operator or Administrator to view

captured images, specify and apply capture

properties, and save these settings as VRS

profiles.




Kofax VRS Interactive Viewer

Kofax Button

Image Quality Tab

Profile Toolbar

Ribbon

Message Bar

Quick Access Toolbar

Resources Tab

Image Viewing Panel

Status Bar

Docking Panel


Kofax VRS Profiles

• Kofax VRS settings can be saved for future use as profiles.

• Profiles can be created and saved in the Kofax VRS Interactive Viewer.

• Operators assign a name when creating and saving a profile, and Kofax VRS automatically assigns a unique identification number.

• Scanner-specific information such as multifeed detection, hopper height, color dropout, etc…can be saved in the profile as well.

• Each Kofax VRS installation includes a "Default settings" scan profile with the F5 function key assigned to it.

• Kofax VRS automatically assigns a function key to the first five scan profiles.


Saving VRS Profiles

All scan settings as well as scanner-specific settings can be

saved in one or more profiles from the Kofax VRS Interactive Viewer.

Give the new profile a unique name then click

[OK]

The operator assigns a name

to the profile, and Kofax VRS

assigns a unique number.

VRS profiles are saved from the Profile Toolbar. Select [Save As] to save the new

profile.




New Kofax VRS Profiles

Once saved, Kofax VRS profiles will appear in the

drop down list in the Kofax VRS Interactive Viewer.

Once saved, profiles will also appear when [Profiles] is selected from the Kofax VRS

system tray icon.


Organizing Kofax VRS Profiles

Once saved, Kofax VRS profiles can be organized

from the Manage Scan Profiles menu item which launches the Kofax VRS Administration Console.

Profiles can be reordered, saved,

loaded, renamed, or deleted.


VRS Auto Profiles

• The Auto Profile feature automates the process of applying scan profiles.

• When Auto Profile is active, Kofax VRS automatically recognizes an image based on its attributes and knows which scan profile to apply to achieve optimal image quality.

• An image type is recognized if Kofax VRS is trained to detect its unique attributes. (For example, batches of pre-printed documents such as tax forms, health insurance forms, standardized tests, and others.)




VRS Test Application (VCDemo)

•VRS Test Application (formerly called VCDemo) is a test utility provided as a no-cost tool for testing basic capture and image processing capabilities.

•Utilizes features of VRS to capture images via scanners connected to a computer licensed with either VRS or Kofax Capture.

•Features of VRS can be exercised within the VRS Test Application for verifying scan settings with the goal of attaining the highest quality images.


Features of the VRS Test Application

•VRS Test Application is a useful tool for:•Determining bar code type on a document•Determining the size of compressed image files (TIFF) for blank page threshold

•Testing a scanner connection•Creating images for testing zone setup

VCDemo.exe


Location of the VRS Test Application

•The VRS Test Application is located at:Program Files(x86)\Kofax\Capture\ImgCtls\bin\VCDemo.exe




Simple User Interface

The VRS Test Application (VCDemo) user interface.

From the File menu, image files can be

opened, predefined

settings can be loaded or

settings can be saved, units of

measure can be set, captured

image files can be saved, and storage format

can be set.

From the Source menu, the capture source can be set, a document or batch can be captured, scanner properties can be set, and processing

features can be set.

From the View menu, the Analysis Window can be opened and the settings for displaying

and viewing the image are determined.

From the Imaging menu, the image processing properties can

be configured.

From the Help menu, details on the VRS Test Application and Kofax

Image Controls are available.


Tool bar

When a source is selected, the tool bar icons become active.

Display program

information, version

number and copyright

Open an existing

image file

Save the active document to a different file

Scan or disk process

single page

Open first page of

document

Stop current

operation

Display properties

dialog

Scan or disk process in

batch mode

Display bar code

properties dialog

Display deskew

properties dialog

Open previous

page

Open next page

Open last page of

document


Set the Scanner Properties

Once a scanner is selected, the properties may be set. Resolution, paper size, color mode,

single versus dual sided, etc. may be selected.




Enable Bar Codes Properties

Enable Bar Code recognition, select any required sizes etc. and

select a type of bar code to read. If you are not sure of

the bar code type, highlight a type and “Add”

it to the In Use list.

Bar Code properties may also be setup for

determining bar code type and accuracy of bar code

read operations.


Set Deskew Properties

Enable Deskew Properties for detecting and correcting skewed pages. (This deskew operation comes into effect

only after VRS has performed its own deskew

operation.)


Demonstration

Scanner Configuration Utility, creating and saving scanner profiles, using VRS

Test Application

VCDemo.exe




Lab

• Configuring a scanner

• Accessing the Kofax VRS Interactive Viewer

• Settings to Achieve Optimum Results

• VRS Profiles

• Accessing the VRS Test Application (VCDemo)

• Scanning using the VRS Test Application

Refer to the Kofax Capture 10 Lab and Reference Guide

Documents

Module 4 - Scanner Configuration and Kofax VRSSlide 16 Module 4 -- Scanner Configuration and Kofax VRS Introduction to Kofax VirtualReScan (VRS) REMEMBER: At least a Basic VRS license