The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 02, 1976
Filed:
Jul. 07, 1975
William David Fahey, Cupertino, CA (US);
Robert Wayne Lotz, Mountain View, CA (US);
Jack Wendel Newhard, Cupertino, CA (US);
The Singer Company, Binghamton, NY (US);
Abstract
Symbols from printed labels are imaged onto a photoresponsive matrix. The matrix is scanned, column by column, to provide a digital data stream characteristic of the symbol with a bit corresponding to each matrix element. Each matrix element is examined by a decision-making device to determine what the state of the subject element should be based on the actual states of a group of examination elements adjacent to the subject element. The makeup of the examination group and the specific algorithm of the hardware (or software) will vary with each type of application. The examination group for a character stroke widener (FIGS. 2 and 3) is formed by seven matrix elements: the subject element, plus the three immediately previously scanned elements in the same column as the subject element, plus the three elements in the same row as the subject element in the three immediately previously scanned columns. A stroke-widening algorithm widens the symbol stroke width by one bit if the stroke width is either one or two elements wide. The symbol stroke is widened to promote character recognition by the 'peep hole' or fine encoding point technique.