Scanning apparatus storing both processed and unprocessed scan data signals for separate read-out and method of operating same

• US 5,017,763 A
• Filed: 07/15/1988
• Issued: 05/21/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cognitronics Imaging Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cognitronics Corp. (ThinkEngine Networks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shepard, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trafton, David
• Application Number:
  US07/219,713
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 235/432, 235/470, 235/471, 235/456, 382/1, 382/9, 434/353
• US Class Current: 235/432
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0032 Apparatus for automatic testing and analysing marked record carriers, used for examinations of the multiple choice answer type teaching apparatus working with questions and answers G09B7/00

Abstract

Apparatus for scanning answer sheets with a series of closely-spaced parallel scan lines to produce scan signals for spots closely-spaced along each scan line, thereby producing a rectilinear data array of binary (black/white) representations at the intersections of a rectangular coordinate grid. Marks on the answer sheets are detected and processed to develop and print-out a score for the examinee by means of a dot-matrix printer. Scan spot signals representing the examinee'"'"'s name written in prior to the tests are used to directly control the dot-matrix printer to reproduce the examinee'"'"'s name. The scan spot signals representing the name are stored with and physically accompany the test results, so that at any time the score data can be printed out together with the examinee'"'"'s name.

Claims

1. The method of processing sheets comprising the steps of:

entering hand-written characters on a sheet;

entering other indicia on said sheet, said other indicia representing information related to the information represented by said hand-written characters;

scanning the sheet with a closely-spaced and evenly-spaced series of parallel scan lines including detecting radiation reflected from the sheet along said scan lines;

the scanned region including both said hand-written characters and said other indicia;

producing binary scan spot data signals representing the presence or absence of elements at closely-spaced and evenly-spaced points along each scan line to constitute a rectilinear data array of binary signals representing the presence or absence of character-or-other-indicia elements at the intersections of a rectangular coordinate grid;

processing in a predetermined manner the binary data signals representing said other indicia entered on the sheet to develop processed data signals;

storing the processed data signals for subsequent read-out; and

storing said binary scan spot data signals representing said hand-written characters for a read-out separate from said processed data signals, the storage of said binary scan spot data signals preserving the rectilinear data array character of said data in such a way as to permit their read-out for reproducing the original geometric shape of said hand-written characters, thereby to permit the characters to be read after such reproduction.

2. The method of claim 1, including the steps of displaying by means of a printer the results represented by said processed data signals;

and

controlling the printer with said stored binary scan spot data signals to print out an image of said hand-written characters directly.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising controlling a dot-matrix printer with said binary scan spot data signals to print out the image of said hand-written characters.

7. The method of claim 1, including the step of displaying for observation said processed data signals and said reproduced hand-written characters.

4. The method of processing documents carrying first and second sets of indicia, said first set including alphanumeric characters;

said method comprising the steps of;

scanning a region of the documents with a closely-spaced and uniformly-spaced series of parallel scan lines;

the scanned region of said documents encompassing both said first and second sets of indicia;

producing binary scan spot data signals representing the presence or absence of elements at closely-spaced and uniformly-spaced points along each scan line in said scanned region to constitute a rectilinear data array of binary signals representing the presence or absence of character-or-other-indicia elements at the intersections of a rectangular coordinate grid;

processing in a predetermined manner the scan spot data signals representing said second set of indicia to produce processed data signals representing information related to a subject of said first set of indicia;

storing said processing data signals for said second set of indicia for subsequent read-out; and

storing the scan spot data signals representing said first set of indicia for subsequent direct read-out as reproductions of the alphanumeric characters of said first set of indicia, the storage of said binary scan spot data signals preserving the rectilinear data array character of said data and arranged to permit said direct read-out to present said alphanumeric characters as a reproduction of the original geometric shape thereof so as to permit identification of the information represented thereby.

5. The method of claim 4, including the steps of:

directing said processed data signals to a display device to present the results of the processing of the scan spot data signals representing the information in said second set of indicia;

directing to said display device said stored binary scan spot data signals representing said first set of indicia; and

operating said display device with said stored binary scan spot data signals so as to directly present said first set of indicia as they originally appeared on said document.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said processed data signals and said stored scan spot data signals are directed to a printer serving as said display device.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said alphanumeric characters of said first set of indicia are arranged to include the name of an entity, and said second set of indicia represent information related to the entity identified by said alphanumeric characters.

9. The method of claim 8, including displaying said processed data signals for said second set of indicia together with said reproduction of said alphanumeric characters of said first set of indicia as represented by said stored scan spot data signals.