Abstract: Transfer of articles of different types between article handling devices within the apparatus and the user outside of it is effected through a limited number of access ports by an article gripping and transporting robot that undergoes multi-directional translational movement and that is capable of gripping articles of different kinds, sizes and shapes. The robot may be and preferably is also used to perform maintenance services upon article handling devices of the apparatus.

Abstract: Transfer of articles of different types between article handling devices within the apparatus and the user outside of it is effected through a limited number of access ports by an article gripping and transporting robot that undergoes multi-directional translational movement and that is capable of gripping articles of different kinds, sizes and shapes. The robot may be and preferably is also used to perform maintenance services upon article handling devices of the apparatus.

Abstract: A video detector circuit is disclosed which develops a threshold level from a white or background peak signal in regions of low contrast, and from a combination of both white and black peak levels in regions of high contrast. The circuit is adjustable to compensate for variable affection performance of the detector.

Abstract: A device for optical character reading comprising an optical reading unit, a video detector, a segmenting unit, a video buffer, a recognition unit and a controlling micro computer. The computer controls the setting of the threshold value in the video detector, and calculates by means of profile data received from the segmenting unit coordinates for a starting point for recognizing a character in the recognition unit. A comparator in the recognition unit compares bit by bit mask bits from a read only storage with corresponding data bits from the video buffer and stores the result into a status register. A recognized character is transferred from the read only storage to a character register, the computer is interrupted and a character is transferred from the recognition unit to the computer.The video detector comprises selectively connectable and computer controlled attenuation resistors for setting up a threshold signal curve simulating the form for the video signal curve.

Abstract: This specification describes apparatus for reading and decoding data encoded in terms of the spacing between adjacent code bars on a document. The apparatus contains reading means for producing an electrical pulse for each bar recorded on the document as the bar passes the reading element. A counter is used to measure the time between each two pulses and the resultant counts are stored in a memory in the order in which the pulses were produced by the reading means. A microprocessor then compares this stored data with microcoded data representative of properly coded digits. If there is a compare the stored data is shifted out of the memory and into a computer for use. However if there is a no-compare the microprocessor alters the data on the assumption that a particular type of error has occurred and again compares the modified data with the microcoded data. If this results in a compare the modified data is again read out and into the using computer.