Abstract: A document processing system for processing documents having data printed thereon including markings visible to the eye, but which are not to be read by the system and characters which are to be read by the system includes structure for scanning a document for capturing the color image of the document being processed and for generating a plurality of colored picture elements. Circuity is provided for identifying colors included within the core area and edge of the markings. The colors of the picture elements of the core area and edge of the markings are converted to the color of the background of the document thereby generating a filtered image of the document.

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: 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: In an optical reader for reading alphanumeric and bar code characters, an area array for scanning alphanumeric data and a single photo sensor for scanning bar code data is formed on the same semiconductor chip. Separate processors are connected to the array and to the single photosensor wherein the single photosensor is reading bar codes and the area array is used for reading alphanumeric data.

Abstract: An array of integrated photosensitive devices is used to lift an image of a printed character or symbol from a document or other surface, process the image to enhance character information and referencing it against a self adjusting threshold to produce a black/white video output, in serial form, representative of the image sensed by the array. Charge transfer devices are used extensively throughout on a single integrated circuit to provide a complete image processing video device on a single integrated circuit chip.

Abstract: A common scanning unit is utilized in an optical character reader which reads both alphanumeric and bar code characters. An N column by M row area photosensor detects both the alphanumeric and bar code signals. The system detects which type of character is being read and then outputs the identity of the character.

Abstract: An electronic scanner scans both bar code characters and alphanumeric characters producing a set of electrical signals. The electrical signals are examined by both a alphanumeric optical character reader and a bar code reader and the system outputs a signal indicative of what is read by either the bar code or alphanumeric reader but not both.

Abstract: A system for uniformly illuminating a field of information is provided for optical character readers having a scanning device loosely constrained in movement. Lamps are symmetrically located about the optical axis of a sensor and enclosed within an illuminator. The sides of the illuminator converge at one end to port having dimensions defined by the field to be viewed. A plate between the lamps and the sensor partially encloses the second end of the illuminator with an aperture therein symmetrical to the optical axis of the sensor. The sides of two opposite walls of the illuminator adjacent to the port are cut out to remove a portion thereof to eliminate internal reflections and to give the operator a better view of the information to be scanned.

Abstract: A correcting bias is applied to the video signal from a hand-held optical character reader to compensate for horizontal tilt of the hand-held reader and also to increase the acceptability of photodiode arrays which are used in the reader and to correct uneven sensitivity of the photoelements in the photodiode arrays. The analog video is changed to a four bit video and this four bit video is processed to produce a tilt error signal indicative of magnitude and direction of the tilt. This tilt error signal is then applied back as a compensating factor in the four bit analog to digital converter to compensate for the tilt of the hand-held reader.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for driving a self-scanned photosensor array at high sensor cell scan rates, and sampling the sensor cells serially addressed by the array without comprising either image integrity or array frame rate.End of line (EOL) and end of frame (EOF) timing signals generated by the array are sensed and operated upon to limit the voltage amplitude swings of the signals, and to reduce noise modulation in the output video signal. A single synchronization signal is formed from the timing signals to accurately identify the last cell of a frame to be scanned, and to synchronize a row counter driving one of two flip-flops providing biphase array clock signals as the flip-flops have minimal pulse skew between complementary outputs, the effects of fixed pattern odd/even noise in the output video signal are substantially reduced. Further, the flip-flops uniquely provide large voltage amplitude swings without attendant heat generation problems.