Abstract: A document recognition system includes various recognitive steps for document recognition, and various correctional steps corresponding to the recognitive steps. The operation modes of the system are a "sequential mode" (sequential recognition operation) in which the respective recognitive steps are executed in "step by step" fashion, an "auto mode" (batch recognition operation) in which all the recognitive steps are collectively executed, and a "retry mode" (re-recognition operation) in which the execution of any of the correctional steps is automatically followed by the execution of a necessary one of the recognitive steps. In the "sequential mode", any of the recognitive steps having been executed can be shifted, not only to the correctional step corresponding to the executed recognitive step, but also to the correctional step preceding the execution.

Abstract: A file document image input can have shading removed to produce a deshaded image that is useful for highly efficient compression encoding, to be thereafter stored and transmitted in such efficient encoded form. When the image is retrieved or received, the decoded and deshaded image may have shading returned to it by combining with a shaded template image stored in the template image memory or by synthesizing shading in specified regions. By removing shading from regions, optical character recognition, shading identification or other processing such as smear prevention can be enhanced.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for automatically producing a standard pattern for local pattern matching. According to the present invention, local patterns equivalent in size to a standard pattern to be obtained are successively removed from the image of an object being examined to prepare standard pattern candidates. Evaluation values representing appropriateness as a standard pattern are obtained from the local patterns successively removed or the local patterns together with the image of the object being examined. The evaluation values are used in an evaluation function expressing the uniqueness of the standard pattern and in an auxiliary evaluation function as an aid to the former. The standard pattern is selected using such evaluation values.

Abstract: An automatic assembly system wherein parts supplied from a feeder are held by a holder and are automatically mounted onto predetermined positions of a circuit board; comprising a first image pickup device which images at least a portion of said circuit board, a second image pickup device which images at least a portion of the part held by the holder means, a signal processor which processes an output of said first image pickup device to detect a deviation of said circuit board from a reference position and which also processes an output of said second image pickup device to detect a magnitude of deviation between said part and the predetermined position of said circuit board, and a positioning device which operates under control of said signal processor so as to adjust said predetermined position of said circuit board to a position opposing to said part and also to move said part toward said circuit board.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a pattern defect inspecting method which is characterized: in that an image is picked up from an article having a preset pattern thereby to extract the data of the pattern to be inspected while shifting the article with respect to the standard position preset in a picking-up picture image; in that a parameter indicating the defective degree of the pattern to be inspected is determined on the basis of the aforementioned data extracted and the dictionary data stored in advance; in that the parameter indicating the minimum defective degree is extracted from among those determined for such plural patterns to be inspected as are extracted from the vicinity of the standard position; and in that the parameter extracted is compared with a preset threshold value thereby to determine the propriety of the pattern.

Abstract: A pattern position detecting system includes an image pickup device to pick up the image of an object which includes a target pattern which is to be detected. On the basis of the output of the pickup device, local patterns of the image surface are successively cut out and positional coordinates of the local patterns are successively generated to indicate the typical positions of each of these local patterns. The respective local patterns are then compared with a standard pattern having the same feature as that of the target pattern and the degree of coincidence therebetween is detected. The different degrees of coincidence of the local patterns in the vicinity of a particular local pattern are then compared so as to successively sample the local pattern whose degrees of coincidence become a maximum, and the positional coordinates and degrees of coincidence of the respective local patterns whose degrees of coincidence become a maximum are then stored.

Abstract: A compressed image producing system is disclosed which comprises a buffer memory unit including a plurality of cascade-connected shift register stages to which image signals time-sequentially produced by the conversion of the respective picture elements of an image into the corresponding binary signals through the scanning of the image are successively applied, a partial image extracting unit including a plurality of registers which take in the image signals from the shift register stages respectively and parallely delivers the image signals bit by bit, and a sampling pulse generating circuit which generates sampling pulses at predetermined intervals.