Abstract: Disclosed is a system that provides an expert system's equivalent consultation without containing either the original knowledge base or the inferencing and logic shell of an expert system. System and process implementations provide a transformation and record of results from an original expert system's knowledge base which has been exercised through a full series of all possible consultations utilizing the expert system's own shell and knowledge base. The resulting transformation of a knowledge base is captured in the form of tabular histories of inquiries, responses and results and made available to a user via a table driver access mechanism. Results identical to those produced on the original expert system are obtained in a system containing neither the knowledge base nor the inferencing and logic mechanisms.

Abstract: An optical scanner in a retail store checkout stand includes a single item detector upstream of the scanner window. Output signals from the item detector and from symbol recognition logic are used to open and close a shutter in the beam path of the scanner laser. The shutter is opened and a first time out sequence is started when the beam path is interrupted. A second, short time out sequence is restarted each time a valid symbol is recognized. A third time out sequence of intermediate length supersedes the first time out sequence when the beam path is cleared. The laser shutter is closed and the symbol is transferred to a terminal or controller upon the completion of any active time out sequence or upon recognition of a predetermined number of identical symbols, whichever comes first.