Data normalization system

Claim 2

A data normalizing method comprising the steps of: receiving an input sequence of samples at a first sampling rate, said samples representing an input pattern; delaying each sample in said input sequence by the time period between successive ones of said samples; deTermining the differences between the amplitudes of each delayed sample and a following one of said received samples; integrating said differences to generate an interpolation function; generating a threshold function; producing an output sequence of binary-valued samples at a second sampling rate, each sample in said output sequence being indicative of the relative amplitudes of said interpolation function and said threshold function, thereby changing the number of samples representing said input pattern to a normalized number; and recognizing said input pattern from said normalized number of samples in said output sequence.

Claim 3

A data normalizing method comprising the steps of: receiving an input sequence of samples at a first sampling rate, said samples representing an input pattern; delaying each sample in said input sequence by the time period between successive ones of said samples; deTermining the differences between the amplitudes of each delayed sample and a following one of said received samples; integrating said differences to generate an interpolation function; generating a threshold function; producing an output sequence of binary-valued samples at a second sampling rate, each sample in said output sequence being indicative of the relative amplitudes of said interpolation function and said threshold function, thereby changing the number of samples representing said input pattern to a normalized number; and recognizing said input pattern from said normalized number of samples in said output sequence.

Claim 4

A data normalizing method comprising the steps of: receiving an input sequence of samples at a first sampling rate, said samples representing an input pattern; delaying each sample in said input sequence by the time period between successive ones of said samples; deTermining the differences between the amplitudes of each delayed sample and a following one of said received samples; integrating said differences to generate an interpolation function; generating a threshold function; producing an output sequence of binary-valued samples at a second sampling rate, each sample in said output sequence being indicative of the relative amplitudes of said interpolation function and said threshold function, thereby changing the number of samples representing said input pattern to a normalized number; and recognizing said input pattern from said normalized number of samples in said output sequence.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said input sequence is received from at least one photosensor.

Claim 6

The method of claim 2 wherein said first sampling rate exceeds said second sampling rate.

Claim 7

The method of claim 2 comprising the further step of modulating said threshold function in response to the amplitudes of the samples in one of said sequences.

Claim 8

A data normalizing method comprising the steps of: receiving a sequence of scans of samples at a first scanning rate and a first sampling rate representing an input function; delaying said sequence by one first sample time period; determining the differences between the amplitudes of each delayed sample and a corresponding one of said received samples; integrating said differences to generate a first interpolation function; delaying said first interpolation function by a first scan time period; determining the differences between the amplitudes of points of the delayed first interpolation function and corresponding points of said first interpolation function; adding a fraction of said differences to said delayed first interpolation function to generate a second interpolation function, representing a normalized scan; sampling said second interpolation function at a second sampling frequency, thereby changing the number of samples and the number of scans representing said input function to a normalized number of scans of a normalized number of samples.

Claim 9

A data normalizing method comprising the steps of: receiving a sequence of scans of samples at a first scanning rate and a first sampling rate representing an input function; delaying said sequence by one first sample time period; determining the differences between the amplitudes of each delayed sample and a corresponding one of said received samples; integrating said differences to generate a first interpolation function; delaying said first interpolation function by a first scan time period; determining the differences between the amplitudes of points of the delayed first interpolation function and corresponding points of said first interpolation function; adding a fraction of said differences to said delayed first interpolation function to generate a second interpolation function, representing a normalized scan; sampling said second interpolation function at a second sampling frequency, thereby changing the number of samples and the number of scans representing said input function to a normalized number of scans of a normalized number of samples.

Claim 10

The method of claim 5 wherein said first sampling rates exceeds said second sampling rate.

Claim 11

The method of claim 6 wherein said fraction is generated by further steps comprising: adding a previous incremental displacement fraction to a ratio of the displacement between normalized scans and the displacement between scans at said first scanning rate in an adder having n stages, where n is an integer and where the displacement between scans at said first scanning rate is 2n to generate a sum; subtracting 2n from said sum within said adder by generating a first carry signal and a remainder, said remainder being a present incremental displacement fraction; multiplying said second differences by said remainder in multiplication means having n states to generate a signal representing said fraction of said second differences.

Claim 12

The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of: inhibiting said sampling step whenever a second order carry signal is generated within said adder causing 2n 1 to be subtracted from said sum; inhibiting said adding and subtracting steps when generating said fraction for a next following normalized scan.

Claim 13

Data normalizing apparatus comprising: scanning means for scanning a document and providing at an output, a sequence of samples at a first sampling rate, said samples having amplitudes proportional to light reflected from areas of said document; first delay means connected to the output of said scanning means for delaying said sequence of samples by one first sample time period; first difference generating means having a first input connected to the output of said scanning means and a second input connected to the output of said first delay means for generating an output proportional to the difference between a present sample and a delayed sample; integrAting means connected to the output of said first difference generating means for integrating the differences between said present and said delayed samples thereby generating a first interpolation function; second delay means for delaying said first interpolation function by one scan time period; second difference generating means having a first input connected to the output of said integrating means and a second input connected to the output of said second delay means for generating a signal proportional to the amplitude difference between corresponding points of said first interpolation function and the delayed first interpolation function; fraction generating means having a first input connected to the output of said second difference generating means and a second input for receiving a proportion to the displacement between normalized scans for generating a signal which is a fraction of said output of said second difference generating means; interpolation summing means having a first input connected to the output of said second delay means and having a second input connected to the output of said fraction generating means for summing said delayed first interpolation function with said signal from said fraction generating means to provide a second interpolation function; binary sample gating means connected to the output of said third summing means for providing binary one outputs when the output of said third summing means is above a predetermined voltage threshold and providing binary zero outputs when the output of said third summing means is below said predetermined voltage threshold.

Claim 14

Data normalizing apparatus comprising: scanning means for scanning a document and providing at an output, a sequence of samples at a first sampling rate, said samples having amplitudes proportional to light reflected from areas of said document; first delay means connected to the output of said scanning means for delaying said sequence of samples by one first sample time period; first difference generating means having a first input connected to the output of said scanning means and a second input connected to the output of said first delay means for generating an output proportional to the difference between a present sample and a delayed sample; integrAting means connected to the output of said first difference generating means for integrating the differences between said present and said delayed samples thereby generating a first interpolation function; second delay means for delaying said first interpolation function by one scan time period; second difference generating means having a first input connected to the output of said integrating means and a second input connected to the output of said second delay means for generating a signal proportional to the amplitude difference between corresponding points of said first interpolation function and the delayed first interpolation function; fraction generating means having a first input connected to the output of said second difference generating means and a second input for receiving a proportion to the displacement between normalized scans for generating a signal which is a fraction of said output of said second difference generating means; interpolation summing means having a first input connected to the output of said second delay means and having a second input connected to the output of said fraction generating means for summing said delayed first interpolation function with said signal from said fraction generating means to provide a second interpolation function; binary sample gating means connected to the output of said third summing means for providing binary one outputs when the output of said third summing means is above a predetermined voltage threshold and providing binary zero outputs when the output of said third summing means is below said predetermined voltage threshold.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said fraction generating means further comprises: first register means for storing a previous fraction; adding means having n stages where n is an integer, and where 2n is the distance between array columns, said adding means having a first input connected to the output of said first register means and having a second input for receiving a number which is the ratio of the distance between normalized scans to the distance between scans at said first scanning rate, said adding means having a first output connected to said first register for storing the output of said n stages in said first register.