Scanning address generator for computer-controlled character reader

Abstract

Abstract Great versatility can be achieved by using a computer to control the scanning format of a character reader. To control the format the computer must have accurate addresses as to where to send the scanning beam in the character reader to scan the character fields on a document to be read. To obtain the accurate addresses, the apparatus in FIG. 1 is built into the character reader. An operator observes on a display cathode-ray tube a facsimile of the document and an address mark showing the position of a scan address. The facsimile is produced by a scanning cathode-ray tube which scans the document to be read. The operator may move the address mark relative to the displayed information from the document by manually adjusting potentiometer. The scanning addresses for the scanning cathode-ray tube and the display cathode-ray tube are identical as they are driven by common deflection circuits. Once the operator observes that the desired address is positioned next to the information he wishes to address, he actuates a format address indicate mode of operation. The format address indicate operation uses digitzers to convert the analog signal from the potentiometers into a digital address signal. The digitizers arrive at the digital address by consecutively approximating in smaller and smaller increments the analog address from the potentiometer. Once the digital address is determined, it is displayed by lamps which the operator observes. The operator then causes the computer to store the digital address which he has observed. Thereafter the computer may cause the scanning beam to move to that address whenever it wishes to read the characters at that address.

Inventors

• 👤 William Hardin
• 👤 Patrick J Traglia

Bibliographic Details