Abstract: An apparatus and a concomitant method for detecting and recognizing text information in a captured imagery. The present method transforms the image of the text to a normalized coordinate system before performing OCR, thereby yielding more robust recognition performance. The present invention also combines OCR results from multiple frames, in a manner that takes the best recognition results from each frame and forms a single result that can be more accurate than the results from any of the individual frames.

Abstract: An apparatus and a concomitant method for portably detecting and recognizing text information in a captured imagery. The present invention is a portable device that is capable of capturing imagery and is also capable of detecting and extracting text information from the captured imagery. The portable device contains an image capturing sensor, a text detection module, an OCR module, a storage device and means for presenting the output to the user or other devices.

Abstract: An RF based communication system includes a transmitter for transmitting a signal. The transmitter is powered by an external power source and has a transmitter counter for generating a count. The count is linearly incremented over time. The transmitted signal includes the count at the time that the signal is transmitted. A receiver is communicatively coupled to the transmitter for receiving the signal transmitted by the transmitter. The receiver has a receiver counter, the receiver counter being asynchronous with respect to the transmitter counter.

Abstract: An RF based communication system includes a transmitter for transmitting a signal. The transmitter is powered by an external power source and has a transmitter counter for generating a count. The count is linearly incremented over time. The transmitted signal includes the count at the time that the signal is transmitted. A receiver is communicatively coupled to the transmitter for receiving the signal transmitted by the transmitter. The receiver has a receiver counter, the receiver counter being asynchronous with respect to the transmitter counter.

Abstract: A metering system for metering the consumption of electrical energy to provide time-of-use and demand metering in the presence of at least one power outage event includes an encoder device for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal and a interrogate/receiver device for receiving the radio frequency signal transmitted by the encoder device. The encoder device has apparatus for sensing electrical power consumption and for sensing a power outage. Additionally, the encoder device has apparatus for periodically generating an encoded RF signal for transmission by the encoder device. The signal has a plurality of discrete components, each of the components being related to electrical power consumption over a selected interval of time. The signal further has a power outage flag associated with each discrete component, the flag being set for any interval of time during which a power outage is sensed. A meter counter for incrementally increasing a count as a function of time is included.

Abstract: A matrix-vector multiplication apparatus for performing a matrix operation at high speed and in a wide dynamic range, i.e., high precision, wherein an input vector is displayed with radiance of pixels, a display image is replicated into many images through an optical system. Component multiplications and partial summing between rows or columns of the matrix and the input vector are simultaneously performed by a light transmissive mask having transmitance proportional to one digit value of multi-scale (three or more) matrix component and a photosensor. Parallel channels each assigned to a different digit of the matrix component calculates the partial sums and a power-of-m (m is the number of scales) scaling summer connected to the parallel channels electrically produces components of an output vector.

Abstract: An optical pattern extracting apparatus has sets of strip-like photodetection elements oriented in horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions for decomposing a displayed character to be recognized, the photodetection elements are distributed in a large number of parallel microimage channels generated through an optical image multiplication system and the photodetection elements cover a display area of the character without their photodetection areas overlapping each other.

Abstract: In an apparatus for extracting primitive patterns included in an image such as a character or any other figure, the image subjected to primitive pattern extraction is optical multiplied by a multiplier to form simultaneously in parallel a plurality of optical pattern images of a substantially identical shape, and optical correlation calculation between the plurality of optical pattern images and the primitive patterns which are formed in the various types of primitive masks is performed individually and instantaneously, the various type of primitive masks being arranged at a position spaced apart by a predetermined distance therefrom, thereby detecting beams emitted through the various types of primitive masks. Image multiplication, optical correlation calculation between the primitive pattern and the optical pattern image, and transmission of the result of the optical correlation calculation to the photosensors can be simultaneously performed at the light propagation speed.

Abstract: A matrix operation apparatus for performing a matrix operation at high speed and in a wide dynamic range, i.e., high precision, wherein an input vector is displayed with radiance of pixels, a display image is replicated through an optical system, component multiplications and partial summing between rows or columns of the matrix and the input vector are simultaneously performed by a transparent/opaque mask representing a binary-valued matrix component and a photosensor, parallel channels, each assigned to different bit of the matrix component calculates the partial sums and a power-of-2 scaling summer connected to the parallel channels electrically produces components of an output vector.

Abstract: An optical information-bearing debit card having servo tracks and calibration works on a recording medium for aligning a reading or writing light beam with a nearby value site area. The medium is an elongated strip of reflective information storage material adhered to a self-supporting card, like a credit card. The value site area may be decremented by the light beam changing the optical characteristics of the recording medium. The servo tracks are lengthwise, parallel to the long dimension of the strip of recording material while the calibration marks are non-continuous marks, aligned in a track parallel to the servo tracks. Tracks and calibration marks are disposed on the card so that the value area can be read bidirectionally starting from either end of the card.