Abstract: The present application relates to a method and apparatus for prevention of unintended lane change maneuver in an ADAS equipped motor vehicle performed by a sensor for detecting a driver engagement level, a memory operative to store the driver engagement level, a user interface for providing a user alert in response to an alert signal, a selector operative to generate a request for a lane change operation, and a processor operative to receive the request for the lane change operation, to compare the driver engagement level to a threshold engagement level, and to generate the alert signal in response to the driver engagement level being less than the threshold engagement level.

Abstract: A method of providing a collision warning within a vehicle comprises detecting an object and determining the distance to the object, identifying when a driver is distracted and measuring the time that the driver has been distracted, calculating an actual time to collision, modifying first and second pre-determined time to collision thresholds based on information from the driver monitoring system and creating first and second modified time to collision thresholds, comparing the actual time to collision to the first and second modified time to collision thresholds, sending a signal to a driver interface to provide an initial warning to the driver when the actual time to collision is less than the first modified time to collision threshold, and sending a signal to the driver interface to provide an imminent collision warning to the driver when the actual time to collision is less than the second modified time to collision threshold.

Abstract: The present application relates to a method and apparatus for prevention of unintended lane change maneuver in an ADAS equipped motor vehicle performed by a sensor for detecting a driver engagement level, a memory operative to store the driver engagement level, a user interface for providing a user alert in response to an alert signal, a selector operative to generate a request for a lane change operation, and a processor operative to receive the request for the lane change operation, to compare the driver engagement level to a threshold engagement level, and to generate the alert signal in response to the driver engagement level being less than the threshold engagement level.

Abstract: A method of providing a collision warning within a vehicle comprises detecting an object and determining the distance to the object, identifying when a driver is distracted and measuring the time that the driver has been distracted, calculating an actual time to collision, modifying first and second pre-determined time to collision thresholds based on information from the driver monitoring system and creating first and second modified time to collision thresholds, comparing the actual time to collision to the first and second modified time to collision thresholds, sending a signal to a driver interface to provide an initial warning to the driver when the actual time to collision is less than the first modified time to collision threshold, and sending a signal to the driver interface to provide an imminent collision warning to the driver when the actual time to collision is less than the second modified time to collision threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a document processor and electronics connected to the document processor. The electronics includes a document sensor system and means for determining a document processing situation of a plurality of document processing situations. The document sensor system is connected to the means. The plurality of document processing situations include a single document situation and a double document situation. The double document situation includes a partially-overlapped, double document situation and a completely overlapped, double document situation. A method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A document processor and method of use are disclosed. In one aspect, a document processor includes a path of travel of a document, a magnetic ink character reader, and an image scanner. The magnetic ink character reader is located along the path of travel and positioned to read magnetic characters printed on a document passing along the path of travel. The image scanner is located along the path of travel and oriented to capture an image of a surface of a document passing along the path of travel. The document processor also includes at least one drive mechanism located along the path of travel and configured to guide a document along the path of travel in a first direction during operation of the magnetic ink character reader, and further configured to guide the document along the path of travel in a second direction opposite the first direction during operation of the image scanner.

Abstract: A document scanner and associated feedback mechanism are disclosed. The document scanner includes a document bed including a document positioning surface, and a scanning module slidably connected to the document bed, the scanning module manually movable across the document positioning surface. The document scanner further includes a feedback mechanism arranged to receive information about a speed of movement of the scanning module, and output a feedback signal to a user of the document scanner.

Abstract: A method for linking front and rear images in a document processing system involves linking the front and rear images by a magnetic ink character code line. The document processing system includes an imaging device and a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) reader. The method comprises capturing a first image and first MICR waveform for the front side of the document, and capturing a second image and second MICR waveform for the rear side of the document. A forward recognition algorithm is applied to the first waveform to produce a first code line. A reverse recognition algorithm is applied to the second waveform to produce a second code line. The reverse recognition algorithm considers the second waveform as resulting from the document being read from the rear side of the document when processing the second waveform.

Abstract: A method for processing backwards documents in a document processing system involves a reverse recognition algorithm. The document processing system includes a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) reader. A waveform is determined for a magnetic ink character string on a document. A forward recognition algorithm is applied to compare the determined waveform to a set of known character profiles. In a case where the magnetic ink character string remains unrecognized after application of the forward recognition algorithm, a reverse recognition algorithm is applied to compare the determined waveform to the set of known character profiles. The reverse recognition algorithm considers the determined waveform as resulting from the document being oriented backwards when passing though the magnetic ink character recognition reader when comparing the waveform to the set of known character profiles.

Abstract: A manually operated document scanner and methods of operation and use are disclosed. The document scanner includes a document bed having a document positioning surface. The document scanner also includes a scanner module slidably attached to the document bed. The scanner module has a magnetic character reader, a first magnet placed along a leading edge of the magnetic character reader in a first direction of travel of the scanner module, and a second magnet placed along a leading edge of the magnetic character reader in a second direction of travel of the scanner module opposite to the first direction of travel.

Abstract: A document processor and method of use are disclosed. In one aspect, a document processor includes a path of travel of a document, a magnetic ink character reader, and an image scanner. The magnetic ink character reader is located along the path of travel and positioned to read magnetic characters printed on a document passing along the path of travel. The image scanner is located along the path of travel and oriented to capture an image of a surface of a document passing along the path of travel. The document processor also includes at least one drive mechanism located along the path of travel and configured to guide a document along the path of travel in a first direction during operation of the magnetic ink character reader, and further configured to guide the document along the path of travel in a second direction opposite the first direction during operation of the image scanner.

Abstract: A document scanner and associated feedback mechanism are disclosed. The document scanner includes a document bed including a document positioning surface, and a scanning module slidably connected to the document bed, the scanning module manually movable across the document positioning surface. The document scanner further includes a feedback mechanism arranged to receive information about a speed of movement of the scanning module, and output a feedback signal to a user of the document scanner.

Abstract: A manually operated document scanner and methods of operation and use are disclosed. The document scanner includes a document bed having a document positioning surface. The document scanner also includes a scanner module slidably attached to the document bed. The scanner module has a magnetic character reader, a first magnet placed along a leading edge of the magnetic character reader in a first direction of travel of the scanner module, and a second magnet placed along a leading edge of the magnetic character reader in a second direction of travel of the scanner module opposite to the first direction of travel.

Abstract: A system and method for capturing and transposing vertically scanned documents in an imaging system uses a paged buffer memory, such as DDR SDRAM. Images are captured in the paged buffer memory by writing the images into memory cells in a series of columns, and images are transposed by reading the images from the memory cells in a series of rows. During transposition, the memory cells are partitioned into a plurality of column groups so that a plurality of consecutive pixels of a digitized image can be written on the same memory page. The image is read from the buffer memory in a series of rows arranged in a plurality of groups of consecutive pixels so that a plurality of consecutive pixels can be read from the same memory page.

Abstract: A method of reducing background noise during optical character recognition includes conducting a first recognition pass over image data at a sequence of character positions to frame and recognize a first set of characters while a second set of characters remains unrecognized. Character skew is tracked based on the first recognition pass. The image data is modified to remove background noise based on the tracked character skew. A second recognition pass is conducted over the modified image data at the sequence of character positions to frame and recognize the second set of characters.

Abstract: A method and system provide for real-time compensation of an imaging system for variations in illumination intensity. An illumination system provides reflected illumination, and a charge coupled device system directly detects the reflected illumination from the illumination system. The CCD system then converts the reflected illumination into illumination data and a host processor converts the illumination data into adjusted control data and final image data. The adjusted control data is based on an illumination profile and a reference illumination intensity. The reference illumination intensity is measured before each document with a compensation reference, and is compared to the illumination profile to adjust control parameters in a real-time mode. Directly measuring the illumination intensity with the CCD system allows for a reduction in parts, manufacturing steps, and errors.

Abstract: A method of compressing image data utilizing CCITT Group 4 coding criteria reduces compression time and the amount of required data transfer by combining pixel data thresholding and transposition steps through the capabilities of a customized processing chip. Additional economies are achieved by using black/white and white/black transition pointers rather than the conventional approach requiring examination of every pixel to locate the transitions in preparation for conventional CCITT Group 4 encoding.

Abstract: A method reduces stepper motor noise in a MICR document waveform resulting from CMC7 information. The method includes the steps of creating a motor noise profile from the document waveform, and creating a working sample waveform from the document waveform. The method further includes the step of applying the motor noise profile to the working sample waveform to reduce stepper motor noise. The method also periodically realigns the motor noise profile with the working sample waveform. Thus, the invention allows reduction of stepper motor noise without requiring relocation of the motor or additional shielding.

Abstract: A method and configuration for interprocessor communication provides reduced latency and complexity, as well as the ability to simultaneously transfer different types of data. A multi-channel interface is disposed between a slave processor and a master processor, wherein the multi-channel interface has a low-latency channel for transferring low-latency information and a high-throughput channel for transferring high-throughput information. The master processor interrupts the slave processor when the master processor has control information to transfer to the slave processor. Interrupt driven notification and the multi-channel interface provide reliable, high-speed communication between dissimilar processors.

Abstract: A printer housing assembly provides dual in-line cartridges separated by a pre-set distance. Drive belts are used to pass documents such as checks at a high rate of speed past the nozzles of the dual cartridges. A delayed firing mechanism is provided between the two cartridges so that each cartridge will print exactly the same marking on the same spot of each document as it passes by. Further enhancements and contrast quality can also be developed by use of multiple cartridges more than just two cartridges which are placed in a specialized phased relationship to develop “dot-on-dot” printing of the same target by each individual cartridge.