Video data acquisition system
First Claim
1. A method of acquiring video data in a video data acquisition system having a video camera for forming an image of an article wherein a serial stream of data from the video camera is digitized, and the signal selected within a predetermined amplitude range as representations of pixels arranged in rows, columns and diagonal lines, comprising the steps of:
- (a) counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each row of the image;
(b) counting, in real time, and storing signals that appear in each column of the image; and
(c) counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each diagonal line of the image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A video data acquisition system has a video camera for taking pictures of articles and from the picture image digitizes and selects signals within a predetermined amplitude range as representations of pixels of the picture image. A combination of horizontal, vertical and diagonal pixel collection circuitry acquires, in real time, the pixel counts necessary to establish the identity and orientation of the article represented by the image.
19 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of acquiring video data in a video data acquisition system having a video camera for forming an image of an article wherein a serial stream of data from the video camera is digitized, and the signal selected within a predetermined amplitude range as representations of pixels arranged in rows, columns and diagonal lines, comprising the steps of:
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(a) counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each row of the image; (b) counting, in real time, and storing signals that appear in each column of the image; and (c) counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each diagonal line of the image. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of acquiring video data in a video data acquisition system having a video camera for forming an image of an article wherein a serial stream of data from the video camera is digitized, and the signal selected within a predetermined amplitude range as representations of pixels arranged in rows, columns and diagonal lines, comprising the steps of:
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(a) counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each row of the image; (b) clearing the number of pixels previously counted in a row of pixels when the current number of pixels in that row is to be counted; (c) counting, in real time, and storing signals that appear in each column of the image; (d) clearing the number of pixels previously counted in a column of pixels when the current number of pixels in that column is to be counted; (e) counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each diagonal line of the image by starting the count of diagonal lines at a predetermined number and decreasing the predetermined number by one each time a row of pixels is counted; and (f) clearing the number of pixels previously counted in a diagonal line of pixels when the current number of pixels in that diagonal line is to be counted.
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4. A video data acquisition system having a video camera for forming an image of an article, adapted to acquire, digitize and select signals within a predetermined amplitude range as representations of pixels of the image arranged in rows, columns and diagonal lines from a serial stream of signals from the camera, comprising:
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(a) horizontal pixel collection means for counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each row of the image; (b) vertical pixel collection means for counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each column of the image; and (c) diagonal pixel collection means for counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each diagonal line of the image. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A video data acquisition system having a video camera for forming an image of an article, adapted to acquire, digitize, and select signals within a predetermined amplitude range as representations of pixels of the image arranged in rows, columns, and diagonal lines from a serial stream of signals from the camera, comprising:
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(a) horizontal pixel collection means for counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each row of the image; (b) vertical pixel collection means for counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each column of the image; and (c) diagonal pixel collection means for counting, in real time, and storing pixels that appear in each diagonal line of the image wherein the diagonal pixel collection means comprises a random access memory for storing the sum of each diagonal line of pixels, and further including diagonal address generator means for providing addresses of the diagonal lines of pixels stored in the diagonal pixel accumulator memory means, wherein the diagonal address generator means comprises subtraction means having a predetermined initial output, and counting means, connected to receive the output of the subtraction means and to to a count predetermined number of addresses of the diagonal lines of pixels to cause the subtraction means to decrement to the predetermined initial output. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification