Abstract: XYZ coordinates of an object are measured by projecting pulse slit light onto the object, imaging the slit line formed on the surface of the object by a TV camera, and processing the video signal from the camera according to the scanning signals from the camera. The position of the slit line on the camera is detected, based on the weighted average of the intensity values of the video signal. The relation of the position of the slit line to the actual XYZ coordinates on the object has been previously established, taking account of the distortion of the lens of the TV camera and stored in a look-up table. Data read from this table is stored in a memory in synchronism with the projection of each pulse slit light. The XYZ coordinates on the object can be accurately detected even though its physical position varies at a high speed or its reflectivity changes widely.

Abstract: A method for tracking an object in a sequence of images is described. Such sequence of images may, for example, be a sequence of television frames. The object in the current frame is correlated with the object in the previous frame to obtain the relative location of the object in the two frames. An optical joint transform correlator apparatus is provided to carry out the process. Such joint transform correlator apparatus forms the basis for laser eye surgical apparatus where an image of the fundus of an eyeball is stabilized and forms the basis for the correlator apparatus to track the position of the eyeball caused by involuntary movement. With knowledge of the eyeball position, a surgical laser can be precisely pointed toward a position on the retina.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in reading magnetic waveforms, like E13B, which are printed on a carrier like financial documents or checks. The waveforms include positive and negative peak values and substantially zero values occurring at predetermined times for a predetermined character. A shaft encoder is used to develop a nominal count which is correlated to the velocity of the carrier. Teh nominal count is used to generate a timing clock which is used to clock the positive and negative peak values and substantially zero values into registers for subsequent character recognition. The occurrence of the timing clock is adjusted by utilizing the occurrence of a positive or negative peak itself.