Abstract: The fingerprint sensor device comprises a thin flat transparent support (10) having an outside face for receiving the end of a finger and carrying on an inside face a two-dimensional matrix of photosensitive elements separated by strip-shaped gaps, and a substrate (14) carrying on an inside face light sources for directing light through the support via the strip-shaped gaps and substantially orthogonally to said outside face. The photosensitive elements are protected from the light coming from the sources so as to deliver an output signal only in response to light that has been back-scattered towards the outside face of the support.

Abstract: A hand-held bar code reader, in particular a bar code wand is used by a consumer to read bar code information accompanying a product displayed at a retail outlet. The bar code information can be presented in, for example, UPC format and carries information relating to the products. The consumer subsequently down-loads information stored in the reader via a suitable interface to a personal computer which accesses information identified by a address included in or comprising the bar code information. The site contains additional information such as price information concerning the advertised product and the consumer may be able to pay for and order the product directly via the site. As a result the consumer has a simple reminder of the product, is able to obtain additional information concerning the product with minimum difficulty and can obtain the product itself with maximum ease.

Abstract: A handwriting detecting and storing apparatus comprises a lens having a cone shape at front-most position of a lens system which introduces handwriting image to image pick up means such as a charge coupled device or the like, and a pen shaft provided at a center of the lens having a cone shape, and wherein an optical axis of the lens system, an optical axis of the lens having a cone shape and a central axis of the pen shaft are coincident with one another, so that a writing operation is performed using a writing device, handwriting image is picked up and picked up handwriting information is stored therein. The apparatus decreases handwriting image which is hidden by an edge section of the writing device as little as possible, and obtains handwriting information within a region of a recording face accurately and with a low cost, the region corresponding to a position just below the leading edge of the writing device and a neighboring region with respect to the position.

Abstract: A small hand-held optical scanning device for the accurate and precise scanning of lines of text characters is described. The scanner does not require any mechanical means of providing tachometer-like or encoder-like scanning signals in order to establish an accurate reproduction of the scanned text. An auxiliary single element detector samples the scanned text at an advanced (retarded) position relative to the main one dimensional scanner of the device. This advanced detector sensor, together with appropriate and disclosed software algorithms, permits the accurate correction of baseline imperfections as well as corrections for scan-speed non-uniformities and basic scan-speed errors. The processed scanner output is sufficiently faithful to the scanned text that optical character recognition (OCR) software can precisely interpret the scanned images and subsequently provide an accurate ASCII representation of the scanned text.

Abstract: In the past, contact imaging devices were large and costly. It has been proposed that for contact imaging device adoption for the personal computing market, cost and size must be reduced. In an attempt to address these concerns, a biometric pointing device such as a mouse is presented incorporating therein a contact imager. The contact imager fits within a small enclosure. Further, data transmission means within the mouse provides a signal to a single port on a computer indicative of the output data from both the contact imaging means and the pointing device.

Abstract: A pen type scanner (10) having an optically conductive light director (24) for directing light from a light emitting diode (20) onto a specific portion of textual data (78) on a page (76). Light reflected from the page is focused by a lens assembly (28) onto a sensor apparatus (30). As the pen type scanner (10) is moved across the page (76) a roller (34) activates a distance encoder (32). The pen type scanner (10) is connected to a parallel port (54) of a computer (56) through an interconnection cable (50) and a port adaptor component (58).

Abstract: A writing implement (10) has an optical reader (20) integrated therewith. The optical reader (20) can include a bar code reader, an optical text reader, or an optical imaging reader. Preferably, a wireless data communication circuit shares an emitter and a detector of the optical reader (20).

Abstract: A data inputting device for inputting data to a computer, word processor or data image processor is disclosed. The device has a single inputting unit capable of selectively inputting coordinates or an image. Further, the inputting unit is capable of inputting an image on the basis of absolute coordinates representative of positions on a document.

Abstract: An object recognizer includes a computer system, a spatial division sensing device including a first sensor, a second sensor, and a first polarizer. An object feature generator is attached to an object and includes a plurality of object feature correspondents, and a plurality of second polarizers. By such an arrangement, the first sensor is able to detect a first signal from the second polarizers and the object feature correspondents to form a first polarized image. The second sensor co-operating with the first polarizer is able to detect a second signal from the second polarizers and the object feature correspondents to form a second polarized image. The computer system is able to execute an operation between the first image and the second image to obtain a third image, thereby determining the positions of the second polarizers on the third image so as to locate the object.

Abstract: An image reading device, particularly a hand scanner, capable of setting a reading position in the main scanning direction accurately at all times. A stage glass is affixed to the reading surface of the hand scanner. A reference line is printed on the stage glass outside of the valid reading range of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image scanner. For the adjustment of the valid reading range, the image sensor and a lens are roughly adjusted such that data representative of the reference line appears at the edge of the valid reading range. Subsequently, the valid reading range is electrically shifted in the main scanning direction such that the reference line disappears.

Abstract: A writing device for storing handwriting picks up a handwriting which is written on a paper using a lead, using a CCD area sensor by a predetermined sampling frequency, then stores the picked up image data by the storing device under the control of a microcomputer, so that data storing which data are effective for reproducing the handwriting using a comparatively simple program, is achieved.

Abstract: A two-line sensor type image input and processing apparatus and method for accurately determining the current scan state, start of scanning and end of scanning events, as well as estimating scanning speed corresponding thereto, and for performing high precision distortion correction on the basis of these estimated scanning speeds.

Abstract: An object oriented database data acquisition device having a housing with at least one substantially planar surface and a video screen positioned thereon. The device includes a digitizer positioned substantially coextensively under the video screen and a pen having a power source for activating the digitizer. Means for controlling the data acquisition device includes controllers comprising a first microprocessor, a second microprocessor connected to said digitizer and first processor for scanning the digitizer, a third microprocessor connected to said video screen for controlling screen images, a power manager connected to the first processor, the power manager including a power source and controller, program storage, and a program stored in the program storage for controlling the microprocessors.

Abstract: A scanner for reading characters from a string of characters recorded on a substrate. The scanner includes a character scanner that is used with a stroking motion parallel to the string of characters that permits the user to view the line being scanned as the scanner is moved across the page. A line-by-line scanner with a wide area of view may be mounted along the side of the scanner to be used in scanning a page or column on a line-by-line basis. The character scanner may include a lens of variable magnification so as to accommodate variable size print. A microphone mounted on the scanner permits the input of voice sound information. The scanner may be in communication with a computer through a cable or a wireless transmitter/receiver. The value of each pixel detected by the scanner is determined by comparing the light reflection value with a threshold that is adjusted in accordance with the values of pixels detected and averaged over previous frames.

Abstract: An apparatus for recognizing shapes characterized by a stroke grouper receptive to a plurality of strokes formed on a screen of a pen-based computer system; a shape recognition engine receptive to a stroke group produced by the stroke grouper; and a knowledge base coupled to the shape recognition engine, where the knowledge base includes, at a minimum, knowledge concerning closed polygons and closed curves. Preferably, the closed curves of the knowledge base include both circles and ellipses. A method for recognizing digitized shapes in a computer system includes the steps of receiving at least one user-initiated stroke; grouping the user initiated stroke with related strokes to form a stroke group; and analyzing the stroke group to make a best-guess shape represented by the stroke group. Preferably, the method also looks for other shapes which are related to the best-guess shape and modifying at least one of the location, size, or shape of the best-guess shape to conform with the other shapes.