Multi-function device architecture

1. A multi-function device comprising:

a housing;

a printing assembly comprising an optical photoconductor disposed within the housing at a first height, the printing assembly being configured to print a document; and

a copying assembly comprising

a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor and an illumination source, wherein at least one of (i) the CMOS image sensor or (ii) the illumination source is disposed within the housing at a second height that is at or below the first height at which the optical photoconductor is disposed within the housing, and

a substantially flat transparent surface disposed in an optical path of the CMOS image sensor,

wherein the substantially flat transparent surface is configured to support an object for image capture by the CMOS image sensor,

wherein the illumination source is configured to provide illumination of the object on the substantially flat transparent surface during image capture, and

wherein the CMOS image sensor is configured to capture an entire image of the illuminated object with a single image capture action.

2. The multi-function device of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a substantially flat surface for placement of the multi-function device on a surface external to the multi-function device, the substantially flat surface of the housing being in parallel with the substantially flat transparent surface of the copying assembly, and

wherein the CMOS image sensor is disposed between the substantially flat surface of the housing and the substantially flat transparent surface of the copying assembly within an area of the housing of the multi-function device shared by the printing assembly such that the optical path of the CMOS image sensor covers an entire area of the substantially flat transparent surface during image capture.

3. The multi-function device of claim 1 , wherein the printing assembly further comprises a laser module for laser printing and the optical photoconductor is operatively coupled with the laser module, the multi-function device further comprising:

an input tray to receive the document for printing by the printing assembly;

a pick mechanism to move the document through a printing pathway; and

a cover coupled to the multi-function device,

wherein the cover is configured to

transition between an open position and a closed position,

cover the entirety of the substantially flat transparent surface of the copying assembly in the closed position, and

function as an output tray for a printed document while in the closed position.

4. The multi-function device of claim 3 , wherein the multi-function device further comprises at least one of:

an interlock to disable the laser module when the cover is in an open position; and

a filter coating on the substantially flat transparent surface to block laser light of the laser module.

5. The multi-function device of claim 3 , wherein the optical photoconductor is configured to rotate when the cover is in the open position or when the illumination source is enabled to reduce exposure of the optical photoconductor to ambient or illuminative light.

6. The multi-function device of claim 3 , wherein the multi-function device further comprises a moveable shade structure operatively coupled with the cover, and wherein the moveable shade structure is configured to prevent or reduce exposure of the optical photoconductor to ambient light when the cover is in the open position.

7. The multi-function device of claim 3 , wherein the illumination source is further configured to pre-condition the optical photoconductor to reduce ghosting effects in a laser printing of the laser module.

8. The multi-function device of claim 1 , wherein the CMOS image sensor comprises:

an active pixel sensor (APS); and

the illumination source comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED), or a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL).

9. The multi-function device of claim 1 , wherein the copying assembly is further configured to increase an image resolution by:

capturing multiple images of the illuminated object using different exposure times or illumination levels, and using slightly varied CMOS image sensor positioning;

aligning the multiple images for image processing using a fiduciary disposed within the housing for providing CMOS image sensor position feedback; and

combining the multiple images to produce an image having increased resolution, as compared to an image produced by capturing a single image of the illuminated object.

10. The multi-function device of claim 1 , wherein:

the CMOS image sensor does not comprise a color mosaic filter; and

the illumination source is further configured to provide a different color of illumination for each of multiple sequential images captured by the CMOS image sensor to allow for a reconstruction of a color image using data associated with an illuminant color used to capture each sequential image.

11. The multi-function device of claim 10 , wherein:

the illumination source comprises two or more illumination sources for each different color of illumination, the two or more illumination sources for each different illuminant color being disposed at different locations within the housing; and

the two or more illumination sources for each different color of illumination are configured to provide a distributed illumination during the image capture of each sequential image to reduce an amount of illumination reflection.

12. A method of assembling a multi-function device, the method comprising:

providing a housing;

configuring a printing assembly within the housing to print a document; and

configuring a copying assembly comprising

a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, wherein the CMOS image sensor is disposed within the housing at or below a height level at which at least one component in the printing assembly is disposed within the housing,

an illumination source disposed within the housing, wherein the illumination source is configured to provide illumination of an object during image capture, and

a substantially flat transparent surface disposed in an optical path of the CMOS image sensor,

wherein the substantially flat transparent surface is configured to support the object during the image capture by the CMOS image sensor, and

wherein the CMOS image sensor is configured to capture an entire image of the object with a single image capture action.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein providing the housing comprises:

providing a substantially flat surface of the housing to facilitate placement of the multi-function device on a surface external to the multi-function device, the substantially flat surface of the housing being in parallel with the substantially flat transparent surface of the copying assembly,

wherein the CMOS image sensor is disposed between the substantially flat surface of the housing and the substantially flat transparent surface of the copying assembly within an area of the housing of the multi-function device shared by the printing assembly, such that the optical path of the CMOS image sensor covers an entire area of the substantially flat transparent surface during image capture.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the method of assembling the multi-function device further comprises:

configuring an input tray to receive a document for printing by the printing assembly;

configuring a pick mechanism to move the document through a printing pathway; and

coupling a cover to the multi-function device,

wherein the cover is configured to

transition between an open position and a closed position,

cover the substantially flat transparent surface of the copying assembly, and

function as an output tray for the document while in the closed position, and

wherein configuring the printing assembly comprises:

configuring a laser module for laser printing; and

configuring an optical photoconductor to be operatively coupled with the laser module.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein assembling the multi-function device further comprises at least one of:

configuring an interlock to disable the laser module when the cover is in an open position; and

providing a filter coating on the substantially flat transparent surface to block laser light of the laser module.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein configuring the optical photoconductor comprises configuring the optical photoconductor to rotate when the cover is in the open position or when the illumination source is enabled to reduce exposure of the optical photoconductor to ambient or illuminative light.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein assembling the multi-function device further comprises:

configuring a moveable shade structure to be operatively coupled with the cover, wherein the moveable shade structure is configured to prevent or reduce exposure of the optical photoconductor to ambient light when the cover is in the open position.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein configuring the copying assembly further comprises:

configuring the illumination source to pre-condition the optical photoconductor to reduce ghosting effects in a laser printing of the laser module.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein configuring the copying assembly further comprises increasing an image resolution of the copying assembly by:

capturing multiple images of the object using different exposure times or illumination levels, and using slightly varied CMOS image sensor positioning;

aligning the multiple images for image processing using a fiduciary disposed within the housing for providing position feedback of the CMOS image sensor; and

combining the multiple images to produce an image with increased resolution, as compared to an image produced by capturing a single image of the object.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the CMOS image sensor does not comprise a color mosaic filter and wherein configuring the copying assembly further comprises:

configuring the illumination source to provide a different color of illumination for each of multiple sequential images captured by the CMOS image sensor to allow for a reconstruction of a color image using data associated with an illuminant color used to capture each sequential image.