Apparatus for scanning documents in front of a document plate

1. A scanning device comprising:

a housing;

a document plate within the upper surface of said housing for placing a document;

a first sliding guide outside of said housing mounted on said document plate;

a scanning module outside of said housing, wherein one side of said scanning module is connected to said first sliding guide to be movable along the direction of said first sliding guide;

a first light source assembled inside said scanning module for providing scan illumination; and

a driving module, electrically connected to said scanning module for driving said scanning module to scan said document.

2. The scanning device of claim 1 , wherein said document plate is a transparent plate.

3. The scanning device of claim 2 , further comprising:

a second light source; and

a control module for coordinating on and off of said first light source and said second light source;

wherein said first light source turned on and said second light source turned off is for scanning a reflective document, and said first light source turned off and said second light source turned on is for scanning a transparent document.

4. The scanning device of claim 3 , wherein said second light source is a light tube, which is electrically connected to said driving module, and said driving module synchronizes the movement of said scanning module and said light tube for scanning said transparent document.

5. The scanning device of claim 3 , wherein said second light source is a light panel for providing light to scan said transparent document.

6. The scanning device of claim 1 , further comprising a stand, pivoted on a bottom surface of said housing for supporting said housing in a declined position.

7. The scanning device of claim 1 , further comprising a transparent cover for holding said document on said document plate.

8. The scanning device of claim 1 , wherein said document is held on said document plate by static electric effect.

9. The scanning device of claim 1 , further comprising a transparent membrane for holding said document on said document plate.

10. The scanning device of claim 1 , wherein said scanning module is a contact image sensor.

11. The scanning device of claim 1 , further comprising a second sliding guide parallel to said first sliding guide, wherein said scanning module is able to move along the direction of the sliding guides.

12. A scanning device, comprising:

a document plate at a surface of a housing, capable of receiving a document;

a guide outside said housing; and

a scanning module outside of said housing and operably coupled to said guide, wherein the scanning module is movable generally along the direction of said guide.

13. The scanning device according to claim 12 , further comprising a driving module operably coupled to said scanning module and capable of driving said scanning module to scan the document.

14. The scanning device according to claim 12 , wherein said document plate comprises a transparent plate.

15. The scanning device according to claim 12 , wherein the document plate has a first surface and a second surface, and wherein the scanning device further comprises:

a first light source carried by said scanning module, wherein said scanning module is proximate to the first surface; and

a second light source proximate to the second surface.

16. The scanning device according to claim 15 , further comprising a control module capable of activating and/or deactivating said first light source and said second light source.

17. The scanning device according to claim 15 , wherein said first light source is activated and said second light source is deactivated during a scan of a reflective document.

18. The scanning device according to claim 15 , wherein said first light source is deactivated and said second light source is activated during a scan of a transparent document.

19. The scanning device according to claim 15 , further comprising a driving module operably coupled to said scanning module, and wherein said second light source includes a light tube operably coupled to said driving module, said driving module being capable of synchronizing the movement of the second light source with said scanning module for scanning a document.

20. The scanning device according to claim 15 , wherein said second light source comprises a light panel.

21. The scanning device according to claim 12 , further comprising a stand, capable of being pivotally connected to a surface of said housing, and capable of providing support for said housing in a generally declined position.

22. The scanning device according to claim 12 , further comprising a transparent cover capable of securing the document adjacent said document plate.

23. The scanning device according to claim 12 , wherein said scanning module comprises a contact image sensor.

24. The scanning device according to claim 12 , further comprising another guide generally parallel to said guide, and wherein said scanning module is capable of moving generally in the direction of said guide and/or said another guide.

25. A method, comprising:

receiving a document at a document plate at a surface of a housing; and

scanning said received document, wherein said scanning comprises moving a scanning module generally along a guide, said guide being external to said housing.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein said scanning further comprises activating and/or deactivating a first light source and a second light source.

27. The method according to claim 26 , wherein said scanning further comprises activating said first light source and deactivating said second light source during a scan of a reflective document.

28. The method according to claim 26 , wherein said scanning further comprises deactivating said first light source and activating said second light source during a scan of a transparent document.

29. The method according to claim 26 , further comprising synchronizing the movement of said scanning module and a driving module with the activation and/or deactivation of said first light source and said second light source, if scanning a document.

30. The method according to claim 25 , further comprising securing said received document to said document plate.

31. The method according to claim 25 , wherein said scanning further comprises moving said scanning module generally in a direction of said guide and/or another guide.

32. The method according to claim 25 , wherein said scanning further comprises driving said scanning module by a driving module, if scanning a document.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a document at a housing;

means for moving a scanning module generally along a guide, said guide being outside of said housing; and

means for scanning said received document.

34. The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said means for scanning further comprises means for activating and/or deactivating a first light source and a second light source.

35. The apparatus according to claim 34 , further comprising means for synchronizing the movement of said scanning module with said means for activating and/or deactivating said first light source and said second light source, if scanning a document.

36. The apparatus according to claim 33 , further comprising means for securing said received document to said housing.

37. The apparatus according to claim 33 , wherein said means for moving a scanning module further comprises means for moving said scanning module generally in a direction of said guide and/or another guide.