Hand-held scan data handling system
First Claim
1. A method for optically reading and automatically processing alphanumeric data utilizing a hand-held wand, which comprises the steps of:
- passing a two-dimensional array of photosensitive elements horizontally along a line of data to be read,focusing an optical image of the data upon said array,digitizing the output signals produced by said array,thresholding said digitized outputs to produce a 1 bit binary code indicating black data cells and white data cells,storing said binary codes in registers to form a plurality of character images,shifting the binary codes in the register to simulate vertical movement of said array relative to the line,combining the binary codes indicating black cells the binary codes indicating white cells to provide an identification of the presence of a character image along the line, andprocessing the character images for character recognition at intervals related to the time required for movement of the array a preset distance along the line for each simulated increment of vertical movement.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Optically reading and processing alphanumeric data using a hand-held wand by passing a two-dimensional array of photosensitive elements horizontally along a line of data to be read. An optical image of the data is focused upon the array to produce digitized outputs which are thresholded to produce a one bit binary code indicating black cells and white cells. A subset of the binary quantities are combined in terms of black segments and white voids to form a plurality of character images while simulating vertical movement of the subset with character recognition attempted upon each simulated increment of vertical movement.
31 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for optically reading and automatically processing alphanumeric data utilizing a hand-held wand, which comprises the steps of:
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passing a two-dimensional array of photosensitive elements horizontally along a line of data to be read, focusing an optical image of the data upon said array, digitizing the output signals produced by said array, thresholding said digitized outputs to produce a 1 bit binary code indicating black data cells and white data cells, storing said binary codes in registers to form a plurality of character images, shifting the binary codes in the register to simulate vertical movement of said array relative to the line, combining the binary codes indicating black cells the binary codes indicating white cells to provide an identification of the presence of a character image along the line, and processing the character images for character recognition at intervals related to the time required for movement of the array a preset distance along the line for each simulated increment of vertical movement. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An optical character recognition system utilizing a hand-held wand for optically reading alphanumeric characters on a character field and automatically processing and transmitting the data to receiver and/or display devices, which comprises:
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a two-dimensional photo sensor array of height in cells greater than the array width in cells to produce optical images of each character as a set of electrical signals during horizontal relative movement between said wand and said field, means responsive to the electrical signals to produce one bit binary codes representing an image, means for storing the one bit binary codes as character segments and background segments, a blanking circuit means to inhibit multiple loading of a single character into said means for storing upon operating of the hand-held wand at a high frame rate and a low hand-swept velocity, and a line tracker circuit to sense vertical positioning of a character image on said array and to separate character strings which correspond with multiple lines of characters in the field of view of said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An optical character recognition system utilizing a hand-held wand for optically reading alphanumeric characters on a character field and automatically processing and transmitting the data to receiver and/or display devices, which comprises:
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a two dimensional optical sensor in said hand-held wand to produce optical images of each said character as a set of electrical signals indicating black cells and white cells in said field during horizontal relative movement between said wand and said field, means responsive to the electrical signals to produce one bit binary codes indicating black cells and white cells in said field, means for storing the black cell and white cell binary codes, means for shifting the codes in said means for storing to simulate vertical movement of the wand relative to the field, means for processing the black cell codes and the white cell codes to provide an identification of the presence of a character image in the field, and means for attempting an identification of a character image between the shifting of the binary codes in said means for storing from a plurality of black cell codes and a plurality of white cell codes, the interval between each attempt of identification being related to the time required for the movement of said sensor a preset distance in said field. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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21. An optical character recognition system utilizing a hand-held wand for optically reading alphanumeric characters on a character field and automatically processing and transmitting the data to receiver and/or display devices, which comprises:
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a two dimensional optical sensor in said hand-held wand to produce optical images of each said character as a set of electrical signals indicating black cells and white cells in said field during horizontal relative movement between said wand and said field, means responsive to the electrical signals to produce one bit binary codes indicating black cells and white cells in said field, means for storing the black cell and white cell binary codes as black character segments and void segments, means for shifting the codes in said means for storing to simulate vertical movement of the wand relative to the field, means for combining the black segments and the void segments to provide an identification of the presence of a character image in the field, and means for attempting an identification of a character image between the shifting of the binary codes in said means for storing from a plurality of black segments and void segments, the interval between each attempt of identification being related to the time required for the movement of said sensor a preset distance in said field. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification