Texas Instruments Corporation

Warner C Scott

Richard H Wiggins, Jr

A method of stacking objects such that various factors are considered. These factors include: 1) what objects are to be removed from the stack; 2) the number of stacks that have no objects stacked; 3) the number of objects to be removed from a stack; 4) the number of stacks of objects to be stacked and the number of objects to be stacked before the object to be stacked; and 5) the number of objects to be removed from the stack after the object to be stacked.

System to optimize the stacking efficiency of objects

A method for recognizing and providing an output corresponding to a character is disclosed. The character is received by an imager, digitized and transmitted to a buffer memory. Data in the buffer memory is read in a sequence which circumnavigates the test character. Only data representative of the periphery of the character are read. During the circumnavigation character parameters, such as, height, width, perimeter, area, calipers, programmable penetrators and waveform are determined. The character parameters are compared with reference character parameters and the ASCII code for the reference character which matches the character is provided as an output.

Method of optical character recognition

A method for recognizing and providing an output corresponding to a character in which the character is received by an imager, digitized, and transmitted to a memory. Data in the memory is read in a sequence which circumnavigates the test character. Only data representative of the periphery of the character are read. During the circumnavigation, character parameters, such as height, width, perimeter, area and waveform are determined. The character parameters are compared with reference character parameters and the ASCII code for the reference character which matches the character is provided as an output.

Disclosed is a method for determining whether or not two signatures were written by the same individual. An X-Y data tablet indicates the location of the writing instrument at a predetermined clock pulse rate as the signature is written. A number string is generated which indicates the relationship between sequentially determined locations of the writing instrument as it moves to different locations on the X-Y data tablet. The quantity of numbers within the number string is an indication of the distance between sequentially determined locations and the value of the numbers within the number string is an indication of the direction of movement between sequentially determined locations. Series of number strings form a waveform representative of the signature as written by the individual. The waveform of the sample signature is compared with the waveform of a reference signature and an output is provided indicating whether or not the sample signature and the reference signature were made by the same individual.

Signature verification

Circumnavigation using an increased test cell domain may be used to collect data from discontinuous characters stored in a bit map such as those printed by a dot matrix printer. The test cell domain is increased to locate a pixel and consider it a portion of the same character if it is within the minimum permissable pixel gap range. The sequence of testing must be designed to read each possible pixel and not enter an endless loop during the circumnavigation. One sequence of testing is to begin testing those cells in the column adjacent to the reference cell beginning of the cell in the row adjacent to the reference cell and testing cells adjacent to the most recently tested cell along the entire column until the desired number of cells in that column according to the minimum permissable pixel gap range have been tested. Each column adjacent to the most recently tested is tested in the described sequence until the desired number of columns have been tested to permit the minimum permissable gap spacing. The last set of cells tested are in the same row as the reference cell beginning at the cell adjacent to the reference cell and testing each cell adjacent to the most recently read cell. This is a method by which discontinuous text such as dot matrix print or poor quality print may be recognized. An apparatus for carrying out the method of this invention includes an optical scanner, memory, template reference characters and an output device to provide the ASCII code of the recognized sample character.

Method and apparatus for recognition of discontinuous text

A didactic device for providing a learning experience and/or entertainment by serving as a learning aid to improve penmanship and drawing skills. The didactic device combines an optical image processing system with a speech synthesis system, wherein a drawing surface is provided in registration with the field of view of an optical imager. The user of the didactic device is requested either visually via a display mounted on the housing of the didactic device in proximity to the drawing surface or verbally via speech synthesis electronics to write or draw something on the drawing surface. When the user has completed the assignment by drawing indicia on the drawing surface, the image processing system, which includes an imager chip, a matrix memory in which signal data output from the imager chip is stored, and a data processor having an object recognition comparator, is actuated. The imager views the indicia as drawn by the user on the drawing surface and provides a signal data output indicative of the appearance of the indicia. The drawn indicia is then compared via the recognition comparator with the particular object configuration stored in memory and corresponding to the drawing instruction given to the user. Based upon the comparison, the speech synthesis system then gives an audible verbal response critiquing the writing or drawing of the user on the drawing surface and may be accompanied by visual showing of the correct drawing on the display.

Didactic device to improve penmanship and drawing skills

A character recognition circuit is provided with the image of unknown characters, in an accessible memory. A microprocessor directs a microcontroller to access the memory and to perform pixel counting, transition recognition and pattern finding. The microprocessor directs such operations and effectively locates lines of unknown characters, deskews those lines if necessary, roughly identifies each unknown character by forming a window around the character and counting pixels inwardly from the top and bottom and from each side until a transition is reached from white (0) to black (1), and from that information as weighted and combined, categorizing the unknown character to be of a particular set of known characters. By comparing the unknown character with the possible known characters, the unknown character is positively identified and stored in a random access memory until the entire message is assembled. Then the message is sent to a buffer unit for ultimate transmission.

Character recognition method and apparatus

A flat tube display is fabricated having internal structural supports running the height of the display at selected periodic intervals. This construction permits light weight face plates and back plates to be used in the construction of displays independent of display size, yet still providing the required strength to withstand atmospheric pressure. By compressing the dot matrix of the first plate of the switching stack, relatively large areas free of the dot matrix are provided whereby the internal supports may be attached without interfering with the operation of the display. The control plates of the flat tube display are psuedo-aligned to the phosphor screen. Electrons are injected into the stack channel comprising plates at successively higher positive potentials so that self-guiding through the channels at 100% transmission is achieved.

Internally supported flat tube display

A flat tube display is fabricated having internal structural supports running the height of the display at selected periodic intervals. This construction permits light weight face plates and back plates to be used in the construction of displays independent of display size, yet still providing the required stength to withstand atmospheric pressure. By compressing the dot matrix of the first plate of the switching stack, relatively large areas free of the dot matrix are provided whereby the internal supports may be attached without interferring with the operation of the display. The control plates of the flat tube display are pseudo-aligned to the phosphor screen. Electrons are injected into the stack channel comprising plates at successively higher positive potentials so that self-guiding through the channels at 100% transmission is achieved. Apertures of the control stack are fabricated into horizontal slots to provide for increased brightness as a result of greater electron transmission through the stack.

A plurality of control plates are sandwiched between a cathode and a target to control the flow of charged particles such as electrons and ions between the cathode and the target. Each control plate has a plurality of apertures formed therein which are effectively aligned with corresponding apertures on the other control plates. At least one input buffer plate and one output buffer plate are sandwiched between the control plates and the cathode and target respectively. The input buffer plate and the output buffer plate have a plurality of apertures formed therein aligned with corresponding apertures in the control plates. The aligned apertures form beam channels. The control plates have conductive electrodes thereon arranged at predetermined coded finger patterns. D.C. voltages are applied to the buffer plates to provide electron optic lensing and voltages are selectively applied to the control plate electrodes by switching circuitry to selectively open and close beam channels. The separation of the buffer plates from the control plates is by anomalously thick spacer plates to isolate the control plates from the high voltages associated with the buffer plates. By selective switching control of the control plates a beam, or a plurality of beams, can be directed to a selected portion or portions of the target at a time.

Charged particle beam scanning device

A plurality of control plates is sandwiched between a cathode and a target to control the flow of charged particles such as electrons and ions between the cathode and the target. The cathode includes an elongated filament for generating charged particles such as electrons. A first electrode having a negative potential is positioned behind the filament with a second electrode having a positive potential interdigitated with the first electrode. Each control plate has a plurality of apertures formed therein which are effectively aligned with corresponding apertures on the other control plates. The aligned apertures form beam channels. The control plates have paired conductive electrodes thereon arranged at predetermined coded finger patterns. Voltages are selectively applied to the control plate electrodes by switching circuitry to focus the charged particles through the apertures associated with selective electrodes while simultaneously aborting the passage of charged particles through the apertures associated with the remaining electrodes. In this manner by selective switching control of the control plate a beam, or a plurality of beams, can be directed to a selected portion or portions of the target at the time.

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Dallas, TX, United States of America

Warner C Scott