A method of recognition of signs in which a scanning beam, passed circularly across the overall line width of a sign, is caused to follow up the contour of a sign and in which a signal sequence significant of the sign is derived from further circular scanning ramifications, uninterrupted lines and termini of the signs being recognized from the number of black-white transitions per scanning period. The arc determined by the width and phase of the scanning pulse and covering a line last scanned within a scanning cycle is stored and compared with the arcs of the lines covered during the next-following scanning cycle for assessing coincidence. The coinciding arcs are used as recognition criteria so that no coincidence for one or more scanning cycle indicate a terminus of a sign, one coincidence per scanning cycle indicates the presence of a non-ramified line and a plurality of coincidences per scanning cycle indicate a ramification. The angular value for the direction of follow-up of the scanning circle is derived from the values of beginning and termination of the coinciding arcs.
In the invention, a light beam is scanned along a surface bearing data, such as a serial number. Reflected light is measured and processed for character recognition. The invention wobbles or dithers the light beam during the scan, and takes reflectivity measurements several times within a region on the surface, the region being called a pixel. This procedure enhances the reflectivity signature of edges, thus improving the ability to recognize characters.
In the present invention a method of compressing a signature signal is disclosed. The signature signal is divided into a plurality of signature segment signals where each segment is encoded by using a modified ring-encoding method, such that the total number of grid points along the perimeter of all the rings can be stored in an 8-bit byte. In one embodiment of the method of the present invention, a Fibonacci series is used to determine the relative spacing of the rings. The present invention also discloses a method and apparatus for electronically processing a POS transaction with a human signature for verification of the transaction, as well as for request of extension of credit by a credit company. The signature is electronically captured, compressed and combined with a transaction signal which is representative of the transaction. The record signal is then processed by the credit company for verification of the transaction or for requesting extension of credit.
5539159 - Handwriting capture device - Owned by NCR Corporation (Dayton, OH) [*] Notice:The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to January 10, 2012 has been disclaimed.
A handwriting capture device which employs a highly sensitive digitizer to accurately capture signature information entered using a writing force greater than or equal to a predetermined writing force. The handwriting capture device includes a housing having a top surface, a resistive membrane digitizer mounted in the top surface and having a low pattern density, a layer of urethane rubber for frictionally holding the receipt in place, circuitry for processing digitizer information, a clamp for retaining a receipt in place over the digitizer during movement of the device, and circuitry for sensing the presence of the receipt and for activating data capture by the digitizer when the receipt is positioned under the clamp. In the preferred embodiment, the clamp also serves to minimize finger contact with the digitizer.
