Patent US3526431A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0076972A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0076972A1
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EP
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Document processing system and equipment
Assignee: Banctec Inc
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Filing: 1982-09-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-09-29
Abstract
Abstract A document processing system including a digital image capture system, character recognition circuitry, document encoding systems, endorsers, audit trail printers and an in-line microfilm record system enable documents to be read, endorsed, encoded, digitally imaged, filmed and sorted in a single continuous pass through the document processor by way of a modular transport system. The encoding of the continuously moving documents is accomplished by a plurality of fixed dies, electronically controlled hammers, and an ink bearing ribbon interposed between the documents and the fixed dies. Scanning and digitizing of the documents is effected by continuously transporting the documents across the focal plane of stationary scanner where the documents are repetitively scanned in a single axis, two scanners being employed to permit scanning and digitization of both sides of a particular document in a single pass through the transport mechanism. The system includes apparatus for visually displaying an image which corresponds to a plurality of stored digital values, the apparatus including an image memory and circuitry enabling the display to be partitioned into discrete portions of variable sizes. Additionally, circuitry is provided which allows image rotation, mirror imaging and discrete video attribute selection within each portion of the display. Video data compression apparatus and method are employed for use in minimizing the amount of data necessary to store and recall a black and white video image.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard B. Van Tyne
- 👤 Roy Eugene Dempster
- 👤 William C. Mcdonald
- 👤 Richard C. Levine
- 👤 John Torkelson
- 👤 Weldon Arthur Sanders, Jr.
- 👤 Gerald Lee Johnson
- 👤 Eugene C. Nolting
- 👤 John Houston Allen
- 👤 Thomas Q. Lebrun
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 05:34
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/1092; G06K17/00; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/41; H04N1/411; H04N1/413; H04N1/415
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
69 words
Apparatus for processing documents comprising: means for transporting a series of continuously moving documents along a selected track; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for selectively encoding machine readable data upon selected ones of said documents; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for reading machine readable data encoded upon selected ones of said documents; and means disposed at the end of said track for sorting said documents.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus for processing documents comprising: means for transporting a series of continuously moving documents along a selected track; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for selectively encoding machine readable data upon selected ones of said documents; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for reading machine readable data encoded upon selected ones of said documents; and means disposed at the end of said track for sorting said documents.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus for processing documents according to Claim 1, wherein said sorting means sorts said documents in response to said machine readable data read by said reading means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus for processing documents comprising: means for transporting a series of continu- ously moving documents along a selected track; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for selectively encoding machine readable data upon-selected ones of said documents; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for reading machine readable data encoded upon selected ones of said documents; means disposed at the end of said selected track for sorting said documents; and image capture means for capturing a digital image of selected ones of said documents.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus for processing documents comprising: means for transporting a series of continu- ously moving documents along a selected track; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for selectively encoding machine readable data upon-selected ones of said documents; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for reading machine readable data encoded upon selected ones of said documents; means disposed at the end of said selected track for sorting said documents; and image capture means for capturing a digital image of selected ones of said documents.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
Apparatus for processing documents comprising: means for transporting a series of continuously moving documents along a selected track; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for selectively encoding machine readable data upon selected ones of said documents; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for reading machine readable data encoded upon selected ones of said documents; image capture means for capturing a digital image of selected ones of said documents; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for endorsing selected-ones of said documents; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for photographing selected ones of said documents; and means disposed at the end of said selected track for sorting said documents.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
111 words
Apparatus for processing documents comprising: means for transporting a series of continuously moving documents along a selected track; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for selectively encoding machine readable data upon selected ones of said documents; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for reading machine readable data encoded upon selected ones of said documents; image capture means for capturing a digital image of selected ones of said documents; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for endorsing selected-ones of said documents; means disposed adjacent to said selected track for photographing selected ones of said documents; and means disposed at the end of said selected track for sorting said documents.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus for processing documents according to Claim 4, wherein said encoding means encodes magnetic ink characters upon selected ones of said documents.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus for processing documents according to Claim -4, wherein said reading means comprises an optical character reader.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
90 words
An apparatus for encoding continuously moving documents comprising: a plurality of fixed imprinters; a plurality of striking means, each of said plurality of striking means corresponding to and in position to strike a particular one of said plurality of fixed imprinters; means for transporting a continuously moving series of documents between said plurality of fixed imprinters and said plurality of striking means; and control means coupled to said plurality of striking means for activating particular ones of said plurality of striking means in a preselected sequence and at preselected times.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
90 words
An apparatus for encoding continuously moving documents comprising: a plurality of fixed imprinters; a plurality of striking means, each of said plurality of striking means corresponding to and in position to strike a particular one of said plurality of fixed imprinters; means for transporting a continuously moving series of documents between said plurality of fixed imprinters and said plurality of striking means; and control means coupled to said plurality of striking means for activating particular ones of said plurality of striking means in a preselected sequence and at preselected times.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein said fixed imprinters comprise engraved dies and an ink bearing ribbon associated therewith.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein said plurality of striking means comprises a bank of electronically controlled hammers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus according to Claim 7 , further including means for detecting the presence of a document between said plurality of said fixed imprinters and said plurality of striking means.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
119 words
An apparatus for encoding continuously moving documents comprising: a plurality of fixed character dies; a plurality of striking means, each of said plurality of striking means corresponding to and in position to strike-a particular one of said plurality of fixed character dies; a flexible ink bearing medium positioned between said plurality of fixed character dies and said plurality of striking means and adjacent to said plurality of fixed character dies; means for transporting a continuously moving series of documents between said plurality of striking means and said flexible ink bearing medium; and control means coupled to said plurality of striking means for activating particular ones of said plurality of striking means in a preselected sequence and at preselected times.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
119 words
An apparatus for encoding continuously moving documents comprising: a plurality of fixed character dies; a plurality of striking means, each of said plurality of striking means corresponding to and in position to strike-a particular one of said plurality of fixed character dies; a flexible ink bearing medium positioned between said plurality of fixed character dies and said plurality of striking means and adjacent to said plurality of fixed character dies; means for transporting a continuously moving series of documents between said plurality of striking means and said flexible ink bearing medium; and control means coupled to said plurality of striking means for activating particular ones of said plurality of striking means in a preselected sequence and at preselected times.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
175 words
An apparatus for encoding continuously moving documents comprising: a plurality of adjacent fixed character dies; a plurality of striking means, each of said plurality of striking means corresponding to and positioned to strike a particular one of said plurality of adjacent fixed character dies; a flexible ink bearing medium positioned between said plurality of adjacent fixed character dies and said plurality of striking means, adjacent to and longitudinally advanceable along said plurality of adjacent fixed character dies; means for transporting documents between said plurality of striking means and said flexible ink bearing medium at a selected rate of speed; means for detecting the presence of a document between said plurality of striking means and said flexible ' ink bearing medium; and control means for activating particular ones of said plurality of striking means in a preselected sequence and at.preselected times and for momentarily advancing said flexible ink bearing medium at said selected rate of speed in response to the presence of a document between said plurality of striking means and said flexible ink bearing medium.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
175 words
An apparatus for encoding continuously moving documents comprising: a plurality of adjacent fixed character dies; a plurality of striking means, each of said plurality of striking means corresponding to and positioned to strike a particular one of said plurality of adjacent fixed character dies; a flexible ink bearing medium positioned between said plurality of adjacent fixed character dies and said plurality of striking means, adjacent to and longitudinally advanceable along said plurality of adjacent fixed character dies; means for transporting documents between said plurality of striking means and said flexible ink bearing medium at a selected rate of speed; means for detecting the presence of a document between said plurality of striking means and said flexible ' ink bearing medium; and control means for activating particular ones of said plurality of striking means in a preselected sequence and at.preselected times and for momentarily advancing said flexible ink bearing medium at said selected rate of speed in response to the presence of a document between said plurality of striking means and said flexible ink bearing medium.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
165 words
An apparatus for encoding continuously moving documents comprising: means for continuously transporting documents at a selected rate of speed along a selected track; a first plurality of fixed imprinters disposed along a first side.of said selected track; a first plurality of fixed imprinters disposed along a first side of said selected track, each of said first plurality of fixed imprinters bearing a particular one of a set of unique indicia; a second plurality of fixed imprinters, substantially identical to said first plurality of fixed imprinters, disposed along said first side of said selected track, adjacent to said first plurality of fixed imprinters; a plurality of striking means, disposed along . a second side of said selected track, each of said plurality of striking means corresponding to and positioned to strike a particular one of said fixed imprinters; and control means, coupled to said plurality of striking means, for activating particular ones of said plurality of striking means in a preselected sequence and at preselected times.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
165 words
An apparatus for encoding continuously moving documents comprising: means for continuously transporting documents at a selected rate of speed along a selected track; a first plurality of fixed imprinters disposed along a first side.of said selected track; a first plurality of fixed imprinters disposed along a first side of said selected track, each of said first plurality of fixed imprinters bearing a particular one of a set of unique indicia; a second plurality of fixed imprinters, substantially identical to said first plurality of fixed imprinters, disposed along said first side of said selected track, adjacent to said first plurality of fixed imprinters; a plurality of striking means, disposed along . a second side of said selected track, each of said plurality of striking means corresponding to and positioned to strike a particular one of said fixed imprinters; and control means, coupled to said plurality of striking means, for activating particular ones of said plurality of striking means in a preselected sequence and at preselected times.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to Claim 13 , wherein said fixed imprinters comprise engraved dies and an ink bearing ribbon associated therewith.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to Claim 13, wherein said plurality of striking means comprises a bank of electronically controlled hammers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to Claim 13, wherein said control means comprises a microprocessor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus according to Claim 13,, further including means for detecting the presence of a document between said plurality of said fixed imprinters and said plurality of striking means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
105 words
A digital document scanning system comprising: digital scanning means including a fixed array of photoelectric transducers arranged to scan in a selected axis along a fixed focal plane; transport means for transporting a continuously moving series of variegated documents along said fixed focal plane; means for generating a first output signal when a selected output of said fixed array of photoelectric transducers is above a reference level and a second output signal when said selected output of said fixed array of photoelectric transducers is below said reference level; and means responsive to the.outputs of said fixed array of photoelectric transducers for adjusting said reference level.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
105 words
A digital document scanning system comprising: digital scanning means including a fixed array of photoelectric transducers arranged to scan in a selected axis along a fixed focal plane; transport means for transporting a continuously moving series of variegated documents along said fixed focal plane; means for generating a first output signal when a selected output of said fixed array of photoelectric transducers is above a reference level and a second output signal when said selected output of said fixed array of photoelectric transducers is below said reference level; and means responsive to the.outputs of said fixed array of photoelectric transducers for adjusting said reference level.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
87 words
19 A digital document scanning system comprising: digital scanning means including a fixed array of photoelectric transducers arranged to scan in a selected axis along a fixed focal plane; transport means for transporting a continuously moving irregularly spaced series of documents along said fixed focal plane; means for selectively coupling the outputs of said fixed array of photoelectric transducers to an output bus in response to a control signal; and means responsive to particular outputs of said fixed array of photoelectric transducers for producing said control signal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
87 words
19 A digital document scanning system comprising: digital scanning means including a fixed array of photoelectric transducers arranged to scan in a selected axis along a fixed focal plane; transport means for transporting a continuously moving irregularly spaced series of documents along said fixed focal plane; means for selectively coupling the outputs of said fixed array of photoelectric transducers to an output bus in response to a control signal; and means responsive to particular outputs of said fixed array of photoelectric transducers for producing said control signal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The digital document scanning system according to Claim 19, further including an illumination source focused upon said fixed focal plane.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The digital document scanning system according to Claim 19, further including a second digital scanning means whereby said system scans both sides of each document.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
82 words
A digital image processing system comprising: an image memory for storing digital data representative of at least two visual images; memory access means for accessing selected sections of said digital data representative of at least two visual images; visual display means for generating a visual display corresponding to said selected sections of said digital data, whereby a first image may be visually compared to a second image; and means coupling said selected sections of said digital data to said visual display means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
82 words
A digital image processing system comprising: an image memory for storing digital data representative of at least two visual images; memory access means for accessing selected sections of said digital data representative of at least two visual images; visual display means for generating a visual display corresponding to said selected sections of said digital data, whereby a first image may be visually compared to a second image; and means coupling said selected sections of said digital data to said visual display means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
101 words
2 3. A digital image processing system comprising: an image memory for storing digital data representative of a visual image; memory access means for selectively accessing a plurality of sections of said image memory, said memory access means comprising: means for defining the starting address of each of said plurality of sections of said image memory; and means for defining the boundaries of each of said plurality of sections of said image memory; visual display means for generating a visual image corresponding to said selectively accessed digital data; and means coupling said selectively accessed digital data to said visual display means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
101 words
2 3. A digital image processing system comprising: an image memory for storing digital data representative of a visual image; memory access means for selectively accessing a plurality of sections of said image memory, said memory access means comprising: means for defining the starting address of each of said plurality of sections of said image memory; and means for defining the boundaries of each of said plurality of sections of said image memory; visual display means for generating a visual image corresponding to said selectively accessed digital data; and means coupling said selectively accessed digital data to said visual display means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
The digital image processing system according to claim 23, wherein said visual display means comprises a raster scanned video terminal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
The digital image processing system according to claim 23, wherein said stored digital data is also representative of encoded alphanumeric characters.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
50 words
The digital image processing system according to claim 23, wherein said memory access means further includes means for incrementing said starting address of a selected section of said image memory whereby the visual image corresponding to said digital data stored in said selected section of said image memory will scroll.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
The digital image processing system according to claim 23, further including means for re-ordering said stored digital data whereby said visual image corresponding thereto will rotate.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
83 words
A video data compression system comprising: means for transporting a continuously moving document along a first axis; means for repetitively scanning said document along a second axis and for producing a stream of binary data which corresponds to the image of said document; means for storing a plurality of consecutive scans of each document in adjacent storage; means for analyzing said plurality of consecutive scans of said document along said first axis; and means for encoding data redundancies encountered by said analyzing means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
83 words
A video data compression system comprising: means for transporting a continuously moving document along a first axis; means for repetitively scanning said document along a second axis and for producing a stream of binary data which corresponds to the image of said document; means for storing a plurality of consecutive scans of each document in adjacent storage; means for analyzing said plurality of consecutive scans of said document along said first axis; and means for encoding data redundancies encountered by said analyzing means.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
108 words
A data compression system for use with a stream of generally unpatterned binary data, said data compression system comprising: first means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data entirely comprised of binary ones; second means for detecting-and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data entirely comprised of binary zeroes; third means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data which comprise a duplication of previous portions of said stream of binary data; and fourth means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data which comprise repetitive iterations of a selectable combination of binary ones and binary zeroes.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
108 words
A data compression system for use with a stream of generally unpatterned binary data, said data compression system comprising: first means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data entirely comprised of binary ones; second means for detecting-and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data entirely comprised of binary zeroes; third means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data which comprise a duplication of previous portions of said stream of binary data; and fourth means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data which comprise repetitive iterations of a selectable combination of binary ones and binary zeroes.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
96 words
A data compression system for use with a stream of generally unpatterned binary data, said data compression system comprising: first means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data entirely comprised of binary ones; second means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data entirely comprised of binary zeroes; third means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data which comprise repetitive iterations of a selectable combination of binary ones and binary zeroes; and means for encoding the output of each of said detecting and quantifying means.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
96 words
A data compression system for use with a stream of generally unpatterned binary data, said data compression system comprising: first means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data entirely comprised of binary ones; second means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data entirely comprised of binary zeroes; third means for detecting and quantifying portions of said stream of binary data which comprise repetitive iterations of a selectable combination of binary ones and binary zeroes; and means for encoding the output of each of said detecting and quantifying means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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