Binary signals representing the black (character presence) or white (character absence) state of each of a plurality of cells in a grid encompassing a character to be identified are compared with the signals from cells surrounding each given cell to produce vector signals identifying the vector relationship of character edges at and adjacent to each cell. A set of accumulators, one for each member of a set of predetermined character features, is connected to be responsive to the vector signals sequentially for each of a plurality of subsets of said cells. Signals from the accumulators are stored in a storage matrix for each subset. The character features thus stored in the storage matrix for all of the subsets are then applied to character masks for character identification.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 867,592, filed Oct. 20, 1969, entitled CHARACTER READER WITH HANDPRINT CAPABILITY and assigned to the same assignee now abandoned.
A character recognition device comprises a memory for memorizing standard patterns, each given by fundamental vectors. A dynamic matching unit finds out a maximum of degrees of coincidence between an input character and line patterns derived from each of the standard patterns by varying the magnitudes of the vectors between predetermined minima and maxima and derives similarity measures defined by the maximum degrees of coincidence between the input character and the line patterns derived from the respective standard patterns and specific line patterns for which the maximum degrees of coincidence are found. A decision unit compares the similarity measures with one another, judges whether or not the input character has a feature predetermined for each of the standard patterns, and delivers a result of the recognition in response to results of the comparison and judgment.
A conventional word organized random access memory is modified for image processing operations so that the pq image points of any 1 .times. pq or p .times. q subarray of an rp .times. sq or smaller image array stored in the memory can be extracted or updated in a single memory cycle. The invention contemplates pq memory modules labeled from 0 to pq-1 for storing the image points, each module being able to store rs points in distinguishable cells, only one cell of which is randomly accessible in a single instant of time. The invention further contemplates accessing circuitry for causing each image point I(i,j) of an image array to be routed to or from a memory module M(i,j) according to the relation M(i,j)=(iq+j)//pq, where (iq+j)//pq is the remainder resulting from the integer division of (iq+j) by pq. The accessing circuitry additionally causes image point I(i,j) to be stored into or retrieved from a cell location A(i,j) of module M(i,j) according to the relation A(i,j)=(i/p)s+(j/q), where i/p and j/q represent integer quotients.
A method of recognizing characters of varying stroke width by linear traverse is disclosed. A character is stored in a matrix of electrical storage cells with character cell positions distinguished from background cell positions by the presence of digital signals. A stored character is examined by using a predetermined group form (for example, a 2 .times. 2 square, a cruciform, a triangle or a 4 .times. 4 square) to sense for predetermined form characteristics (for example, two adjacent character cell positions of a 2 .times. 2 square) to generate a shifted edge line lying between character cell positions and adjacent background cell positions. The shifted edge line of the character defined by directional vectors is then compared with standard combinations in order to recognize the character.
6393151 - Pattern reading system - Owned by Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (Tokyo,JP) Tokyo Keiki Company Limited (Ota-ku,JP)
An apparatus for recognizing visual patterns of handprinted characters or the like by means of an optical character reader which reads the patterns by a so-called outermost point method. While tracing the contour of the pattern stored in a two-dimensional memory, the distances from the starting point of the tracing and the integrated values of the coordinates of the points traced on the contour from the starting points are simultaneously obtained successively to extract outermost points for the series of contours. According to this outermost points, the contours are segmented into the convex line segments, concavity line segments and hole segments and the corresponding parameters of features of each segment are detected. Simultaneously, the convex line segment of which is shorter than a predetermined length is rejected and the remaining segments are subjected to matching operation in accordance with preliminarily prepared dictionary, thereby making a decision as to the pattern's identity.
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for identifying objects (e.g. consumer products in a supermarket) appearing in random positions and orientations and for random times on an image window and having an identification on the surface facing the image window in the form of a data field having contrasting indicia in at least one data track. The data field is first scanned with a scanning raster until a product identification code is recognized denoting the position and orientation of the data track. The data track is then read with a closely-spaced reading raster and converted to a videosignal. The amplitude of the videosignal is coded into binary digits at discrete time points and the digits are stored in a memory matrix organized into columns and rows in such a manner that an image of the data track is stored in the memory. Mutually overlapping partial regions of the memory are then read out in a pre-arranged sequence and fed to a decoder capable of accepting and decoding the information in this form. In this way, the information is converted from a row-by-row sequence produced by the reading raster into a succession of digits corresponding to individual partial regions of the data track for the recognition of individual symbols appearing therein.
