Abstract: A typical printing device has a document feeder, a printer, and a document transport mechanism for transporting documents from the document feeder to the printer. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a thickness measurer which measures the thickness of a document prior to the transport of the document to the printer, a controller which receives the thickness information and which provides a gap-adjustment signal, and an adjuster which receives the gap-adjustment signal and adjusts the gap accordingly.

Abstract: A system (10) for recognizing numerical characters which appear as both numerical characters and words on a document includes an image capture device (12) for capturing the image of a document. A recognition circuit (14) performs recognition of the numerical characters. A recognition circuit (16) performs recognition of the words corresponding to the numerical characters. A comparator circuit (20) compares the recognition signals generated by the recognition circuit (16) to the recognition signals generated by the recognition circuit (14) to determine if the numerical characters recognized by the recognition circuit (14) is correct.

Abstract: A video image processor for generating an enhanced image of data based upon input gray scale picture element values of image data of a document background and printed information contained thereon generates a histogram of the gray scale picture element values for each tile of image data for an area of the document representing the frequency of occurrence of picture elements of a particular gray scale value. A correlator processes each histogram to determine a back reference level and a white reference level for each tile. Normalization factors are calculated based upon the black reference level and the white reference level. The input gray scale picture element values for each tile of the image data associated with the normalization factors of each tile are normalized based upon the normalization factors for each tile and correlated to generate a normalized and correlated representation of the image data.

Abstract: A neural-simulating system for processing input stimuli includes a plurality of layers, each layer receives layer input signals and generates layer output signals, the layer input signals include signals from the input stimuli and ones of the layer output signals from only previous layers within the plurality of layers. Each of the plurality of layers includes a plurality of neurons operating in parallel on the layer input signals applied to the plurality of layers. Each of the neurons derives neuron output signals from a continuously differentiable transfer function for each of the neurons based upon a combination of sets of weights associated with the neurons and the layer input signals. An adaptive network is associated with each neuron for generating weight correction signals based upon gradient estimate signals and convergence factors signals of each neuron and for processing the weight correction signals to thereby modify the weights associated with each neuron.

Abstract: A neural-simulating system for an image processing system includes a plurality of networks arranged in a plurality of layers, the output signals of ones of the layers provide input signals to the others of the layers. Each of the plurality of layers include a plurality of neurons operating in parallel on the input signals to the layers. The plurality of neurons within a layer are arrange in groups. Each of the neurons within a group operate in parallel on the input signals. Each neuron within a group of neuron operates to extract a specific feature of an area of the image being processed. Each of the neutrons derives output signals from the input signals representing the relative weight of the input signal and a gain weight associated with each of the neurons applied thereto based upon a continuously differential transfer function for each function.

Abstract: A document processing system for processing documents having data printed thereon including pre-printed markings visible to the eye and machine-readable characters includes a scanner for capturing the color image of the document being processed. Circuitry is provided for reducing the contract between the pre-printed marking and the background surrounding a machine-readable character based upon the hue of the pre-printed markings, such that the pre-printed markings and the background surrounding a character are not distinguishable with respect to light reflected from the document thereby generating a filtered image of the document. An optical character recognition device receives the filtered image of the document representing character information only for identifying the characters appearing on the document.

Abstract: A bar code scanner (10) for scanning bar codes (12) is provided. The bar code scanner (10) includes an image sensor (26) for converting optical information into an electrical signal. The bar codes (12) are illuminated by ambient light only and not by a light source associated with the bar code scanner (10). Circuitry (38) is provided for driving the image sensor (26). Circuitry (80-88) is provided for producing an electrical signal indicative of the bar code information.

Abstract: A system (10) for transferring data from an image acquisition device (12) to a mainframe computer (14) includes a memory (20) for temporarily storing data received from the image acquisition device (12) prior to transfer to the mainframe computer (14). A direct memory access controller (18) is interconnected between the image acquisition device (12) and the memory (20) for controlling the transfer of blocks of data from the image acquisition device (12) to the memory (20). Structure (30) is provided for controlling the direct memory access controller (18) for partitioning the blocks of data into smaller sized blocks prior to the transfer and storage of this data in the memory (20). Structure (32, 36) functions to transfer the stored blocks of data to the mainframe computer (14).

Abstract: A method for merging data from at least two data capture devices (12, 14) includes capturing data from a plurality of documents at a first data capture device (12). The captured data is stored in a first plurality of records. Within each of the plurality of records, the time the data was captured for the corresponding one of the plurality of documents is also stored. A calculation is made to determine the time elapsing between successive data captures using the time stored in the first plurality of records and an inter-document time is generated. Data is further captured from the plurality of documents at a second data capture device (14). The data captured from the second data capture device (14) is stored in a second plurality of records. Within the second plurality of records, the time the data was captured for the corresponding one of the plurality of documents is also stored.

Abstract: A signal processing system (10) is provided for digitally filtering an input digital signal. The signal processing system (10) includes a digital filter (12) without normal finite precision arithmetic whose output is applied to an adaptive quantizer (14). The output of the adoptive quantizer (14) includes a digital signal having a number of bits per sample which is less than or equal to the number of bits per sample contained in the output of the digital filter (12).

Abstract: A device (10) for advancing documents (12) from an input location (14) to an output location (16) along a path includes belts (24, 26) for capturing a document (12) and for temporarily imparting a stiffness to the document that is greater than the inherent document stiffness. Structure (34, 60) is provided for driving belts (24, 26) to move the document (12) from the input location (14) to the output location (16) along the path. A guide (90) is disposed adjacent the belts (24, 26) and along the path for contacting the edges of the document (12) to thereby cause lateral aligning shifts of the document (12) transverse to the direction of document (12) advance, while the document (12) is captured by belts (24, 26) and while the document (12) is being advanced along the path.

Abstract: A system (14) for locating possible address information contained in a window area of a mail item (40) is provided. System (14) includes a source of illumination (60) and detectors (62) for sensing the reflectivity of the mail item (40). Circuitry (34) is provided for measuring the reflectivity from the mail item (40). Circuitry (36) is provided for determining the presence of a window on the mail item (40) and the coordinates of the detected window. Circuitry (26) is provided for selecting address information contained within a window located by the window detect circuitry (36).

Abstract: A Bar Code Reader of a Video Processor Unit receives video data from a scanner and processes it to locate a bar code at the bottom of a document which represents a postal zip code. The scanner generates an array of cells of video data and provides each cell with a gray weight value corresponding to a detected blackness level of a small portion of the scanned document. The Bar Code Reader moves a template mask over the array and calculates area sums of gray weight values for cells within predetermined areas of the template mask. The area sums are used to compute Bar scores for determining the presence and position of tall and short bars in a bar code field. The positions of the tall and short bars in the bar code field are translated into postal zip code information.

Abstract: A scanning system (10) for reading bar code symbols including a portable hand-held scanning device (12) is provided. The portable hand-held scanning device (12) generates electrical signals descriptive of the bar code symbols and includes a manually actuatable trigger switch (26) for initiating reading of the bar code symbols each time the manually actuatable trigger switch (26) is actuated by the user when the portable hand-held scanning device (12) is supported by the user. The scanning system (10) further includes a fixture (14) for receiving and supporting the portable hand-held scanning device (12). The fixture includes a head portion (42) and a base portion (40). The hand-held scanning device (12) is supported by the head portion (42) a predetermined distance above the base portion (40) to allow objects bearing the bar code symbols to pass between the head portion (42) and the base portion (40).

Abstract: An image processor (10) for use with an image sensor (12) is provided. The image sensor includes two output channels (14, 16) for producing video signals in the form of a clock signal carrier which is amplitude modulated by picture element signal levels sensed by the image sensor (12). A first filter (22) is connected to the image sensor (12) for removing the clock signal from the video signals produced by the image sensor which are produced on the first channel (14). A second filter (26) is connected to the image sensor (12) for receiving video signals from the second channel (16) for removing the clock signal from the video signals produced by the image sensor (12) produced on the second channel (16). The filtered video signals are combined in a multiplexer (40) to produce a single video signal.

Abstract: A video filter is provided for use in an image processing system wherein correlated video data is received by the video filter in a cellular format. The filter includes structure for simultaneously filtering at least four cells of the correlated video data.

Abstract: A page image display system (10) is provided for converting high resolution digitized raster scan data of an image to a lower resolution for display on a cathode ray tube display (38) is provided. The system (10) includes circuitry (26, 28, 32) for extracting a selected group of black/white picture elements from the raster scan data. The selected group of picture elements is applied to a lookup table (34) for converting the black/white picture elements to a single gray level picture element for display on the cathode ray tube display (38).