Electrocom Automation

Banctec, Incorporated

Recognition Equipment Incorp.

Camsco, Inc.

Richard G Van Tyne

George R Mondie

Marion W Neff

Thomas Q LeBrun

John Torkelson

Roy E Dempster, Jr

Weldon A Sanders, Jr

Stanley C Requa

Richard D De La Matyr

David L Gates

Apparatus and method are disclosed for detection of overlapped objects moving along a defined path. A light radiation source directs a light beam toward the path. As an object moves into the light beam, reflected light is received by two light sensors. An edge of an overlapping object moving along the defined path substantially blocks the light reflected from the underlying object from being received by one light sensor. The edges of an overlapping object are detected when a there is a difference in the amount of reflected light received by the light sensors and there exists a substantial rate of change in the amount of reflected light (indicative of a true edge of an overlapping object as opposed to warps, wrinkles, creases, etc. on the surface of an object) received by either light sensor due to the substantial blockage of reflected light by the edge.

Dichotomous scan system for detection of overlapped objects

An improved Optical Character Recognition System (OCRS) is taught using programmable logic devices to implement the mathematical algorithms that are used to make the black/white and related decisions. The programmable logic devices include, but are not limited to, Programmable Read Only Memories (PROMs), Erasable Read Only Memories (EPROMs), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memories (EEPROMs), and Field Programmable Logic Arrays (FPLAs).

Programmable optical character recognition system

The present invention provides for a bar code location and recognition processing system. The surface on which the bar code appears is optically scanned and converted to binary digital signals by a digital video processor. The output of the digital video processor is provided to a bar code image processor for location and reading of the bar code. The bar code is located by summing the 'black' pixels in segments of predetermined width for each horizontal scan line, and determining the location of the 'L' pattern characteristic of a digitized image of a bar code summed in this manner. Reading of the binary data corresponding to the bar code is carried out by summing the 'black' pixels in each vertical scan line in a rectangular region generally corresponding to the location of the bar code within the digitized image, selecting a threshold value proportional to the average maxima of these sums, and, by determining which sums substantially exceed and which substantially fall below the threshold values, decode a binary code pattern corresponding to the bar code.

Bar code location and recognition processing system

An improved Optical Character Recognition System (OCRS) is taught using programmable logic devices to implement the mathematical algorithms that are used to make the black/white and related decisions. The programmable logic devices include, but are not limited to, Programmable Read Only Memories (PROMs), Erasable Read Only Memories (EPROMs), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memories (EEPROMs), and Field Progammable Logic Arrays (FPLAs).

Programmable optical character recognition

A system for scanning and digitizing printed documents for subsequent storage, retrieval and manipulation. Documents are continuously transported across the focal plane of a stationary scanner, and are repetitively scanned in a single axis. In a preferred embodiment, two scanners are employed to permit scanning and digitization of both sides of a particular document in a single pass through the transport mechanism. Circuitry is included in the scanner which permits the presence or absence of a document to be detected and allows dynamic adjustment of threshold levels, thereby accomodating documents which utilize shaded backgrounds.

Digital document scanning system

A document processing system including a modular transport system which includes a digital image capture system, character recognition circuitry, document encoding systems, endorsers, audit trail printers and an in-line microfilm record system. Associated video terminals and non-impact printers are utilized to provide visual images of documents processed by the system. Selected documents may be read, endorsed, encoded, digitally imaged, filmed and sorted in a single continuous pass through the document processing system of the present invention.

Document processing system

The specification discloses an optical web inspection system for detecting imperfections in a web having a longitudinal axis and moving in a plane across an inspection area. Radiation means is disposed above the plane of the web and transverse to the longitudinal axis of the web for directing radiant energy on the web at the inspection area. A plurality of sensors are mounted transverse to the longitudinal axis of the web and above the inspection area for receiving reflected radiation from successive transverse portions of the web passing across the inspection area. The plurality of sensors generate electrical output signals representing the intensity of the reflected radiation from the successive transverse portions of the web. Circuitry for periodically summing the electrical output signals from selected ones of the sensors is provided to generate a summation signal representative of the sum of reflected radiation from selected discrete segments of a plurality of the transverse portions of the web. The system further includes circuitry for comparing at least one of the electrical output signals with the summation signal for determining whether an imperfection exists within the web.

Optical web inspection system

A transport system moves documents beneath a self-scanned photocell array extending substantially the entire width of a page. The output data from the photocells is scanned via a plurality of channels, amplified, multiplexed, and converted to a digital format. The digital data is then processed to compensate for fixed pattern errors characteristic of the photocell array and for scan pattern error. The corrected digital data is quantized for character thresholding and input to a recirculating memory. Line-tracking circuitry monitors the location of individual lines of character data within the recirculating memory and gates a complete line of character data into one of two storage registers. While data is input to one register, the contents of the other register is output to character recognition circuitry.

Growing community of inventors

Richardson, TX, United States of America

Richard G Van Tyne