US3833882A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Character reading system
Assignee: Busby Venture Corp
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Filing: 1972-04-28
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Granted: 1974-09-03
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Expires: 1992-04-28
Abstract
Abstract A stylized character reading system in which timing is effectuated by ''''self-clocking'''' on the characters themselves thereby eliminating the need for precise horizontal placement of the characters as required by systems in which separate clocking tracks or edge of document detectors are used and in which clock pulses are related to paper movement. In a preferred embodiment three sensors are used as character present sensors which read horizontal line portions of the characters and are used solely to detect the presence of a character. Two data sensors are used to detect vertical marks in the characters and send pulses to the input data register for character identification. The system further comprises a reader which includes the sensors, a selfclocking timing generator, end-of-character logic, even parity checker and a six-bit character code storage register with code recognition logic which may be coupled with code conversion logic to generate any appropriate machine language code.
Inventors
- 👤 J Busby
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:35
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06V; G06V30/00; G06V30/10; G06V30/22; G06V30/224
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
Apparatus for identifying stylized characters which are made up of vertical and horizontal marks easily recognizable as arabic numerals and in which a horizontal mark extends throughout a character space and determines the length of said character space, comprising: a. A first sensing means for sensing the horizontal mark; b. Means for producing a character present signal from the horizontal mark when sensed; c. means for producing a timing signal during the presence of said character present signal; d. a second sensing means for sensing the vertical marks and producing an output representing the presence or absence of said vertical marks; e. means responsive to said timing signal and said output for registering the presence and absence of said vertical marks to produce a binary signal pattern; and f. means to identify the characters from said binary signal pattern.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
Apparatus for identifying stylized characters which are made up of vertical and horizontal marks easily recognizable as arabic numerals and in which a horizontal mark extends throughout a character space and determines the length of said character space, comprising: a. A first sensing means for sensing the horizontal mark; b. Means for producing a character present signal from the horizontal mark when sensed; c. means for producing a timing signal during the presence of said character present signal; d. a second sensing means for sensing the vertical marks and producing an output representing the presence or absence of said vertical marks; e. means responsive to said timing signal and said output for registering the presence and absence of said vertical marks to produce a binary signal pattern; and f. means to identify the characters from said binary signal pattern.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the first sensing means comprises three sensors which scan across each of the character spaces at the top, bottom and center to detect horizontal lines and the means of producing a character present signal comprises character present amplifiers and logic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which the second sensing meAns comprises two sensors one that crosses the bottom half of the character space and the other that crosses the top half of the character space which detect vertical lines.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 3 in which the means of producing a binary signal comprises two character code storage registers each having three stages in which data corresponding to the three zones in which vertical marks are read in the upper and lower track is shiftable.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
151 words
A method for identifying stylized characters that are made up of vertical and horizontal marks easily recognizable as arabic numerals and in which a horizontal mark extends throughout a character space in at least two horizontal zones through said character and determines the length of said character space comprising the steps of: scanning each of said characters with two sets of sensors simultaneously; detecting the horizontal marks in the characters through at least two zones through the characters with the one set of sensors to produce a character present signal; detecting vertical marks with the second set of sensors to produce an output representing the presence or absence of said vertical marks; producing a timing signal during the presence of said character present signal; generating a pattern of binary signals from said output representing the presence or absence of said vertical marks; and identifying said character from said binary signal pattern.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
151 words
A method for identifying stylized characters that are made up of vertical and horizontal marks easily recognizable as arabic numerals and in which a horizontal mark extends throughout a character space in at least two horizontal zones through said character and determines the length of said character space comprising the steps of: scanning each of said characters with two sets of sensors simultaneously; detecting the horizontal marks in the characters through at least two zones through the characters with the one set of sensors to produce a character present signal; detecting vertical marks with the second set of sensors to produce an output representing the presence or absence of said vertical marks; producing a timing signal during the presence of said character present signal; generating a pattern of binary signals from said output representing the presence or absence of said vertical marks; and identifying said character from said binary signal pattern.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method recited in claim 5 further comprising: activating a timing clock generator by said character present signal to produce timing pulses; shifting said output representing the presence and absence of vertical marks into an input character code storage register in response to said timing pulses; and transferring the contents of said storage register to an output code register for character recognition and future processing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method recited in claim 2 wherein said one set includes three sensors arranged to scan each character through approximately the top, middle and bottom portions thereof and wherein said second set includes two sensors arranged to scan each character in a zone between said top and middle portions and in a zone between said middle and bottom portions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-02 | 1978-03-04 | 1978-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-02 | 1982-03-04 | 1982-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-02 | 1986-03-04 | 1986-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |