METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING DATA SIGNALS REPRESENTING AN UNKNOWN CHARACTER

Abstract: In a character recognition system, a multi-channel read head generates rows of data bits representing an unknown character on a document, the region scanned by the head spanning a greater distance than is represented by the height of the character. The data bits represent both character representing bits and background representing bits. In order to determine the location of the top of the character there is provided detecting means (92) for detecting the first two rows of data bits which follow the largest number of consecutive rows containing only background representing bits. The number of character representing bits in these two rows are compared to determine the row representing the top of the character. Prior to the determination being made, preliminary rows of data bits are applied to logic means (88) arranged to replace any background representing bit surrounded by character representing bits with a character representing bit.

Description: METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING DATA SIGNALS REPRESENTING AN UNKNOWN CHARACTER Technical Field The present invention relates to the field of machine recognition of characters recorded on a document, and has particular application, for example, to a docu¬ ment reader system in which a magnetic read head is used in reading magnetized characters embodied in the form of E-13B character font printed on a document. Background Art In single-gap magnetic character reading systems, a single analog input waveform is obtained by passing the characters to be sensed, normally printed on a document, beneath a magnetic read head at least as wide as the height of the characters and having a single flux gap. The signal generated by the .read head is a derivative waveform representing the rate of change of magnetic flux transversing the head as the characters are scanned. Since the distribution of ink, and thus flux, associated with each different character is unique, the waveform derived for each different charac¬ ter uniquely identifies that character. It has been found that it is possible to increase the amount of information obtained when scanning a magnetically imprinted character by using a multiple- gap magnetic read head in which multiple waveforms are produced. A multiple-gap read head may produce a mag¬ netic image of the character as a result of the A.C. magnetization of the character. However, problems have been experienced in using a multiple-gap read head in consequence of the size of the read head compared to the size of the character to be read. Thus, the read head itself may consist of 30 separate tracks or channels which cover approximately 1.3 centimetres of the allow- able MICR band. A MICR character, however, ideally spans only about 8 tracks (that is, about 0.3 centimetre) In view of this situation, every tenth channel may be multiplexed together and brought out as a single channel. That is, tracks 1, 11 and 21 are tied together and brought out as channel 1, tracks 2, 12 and 22 are tied together and brought out as channel 2, and so on. If a MICR character is positioned in the MICR . band on the document such that the top of the character crosses tracks 1, 11 and 21 of the read head, then output channels 1-8 will transmit the signal with chan¬ nels 9 and 10 blank. In this case the character in each is properly oriented. • If, however, the top of an MICR character crosses track 15, for example, so that it covers tracks 15 to 22, then output channel 5 will contain the top—of-character signal and output channel 2 will contain the bottom-of-character signal with chan¬ nels 3 and 4 blank. In . this case the character image is said to be folded. In order to proceed with the character identification, the image must be unfolded so that it covers channels 1-8 with channels 9 and 10 blank. Another problem experienced with MICR systems is that incorrect printing may result in small non- magnetized areas occurring within printed character representing regions. Disclosure of the Invention It is an object of the invention to provide an efficient method and system for processing data signals representing an unknown character suitable for use with a multi-gap read head. It is a further object of the invention to provide a MICR method and system which alleviates the above-mentioned problem due to incorrect printing. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method for processing data signals repre- senting an unknown character, characterized by the steps ofi generating a plurality of rows of data bits com¬ prising first data bits representing feature character- OMPI istics of a character and second data bits representing non-feature characteristics of a character; detecting the largest number of consecutive rows containing only said second data bits; and detecting a row of data bits adjacent said largest number of consecutive rows, and in response to such detection generating a control signal identifying the row corresponding to the top of the character. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a system for processing data used by a recognition system in recognizing an unknown character, characterized by first generating means for generating rows of data bits comprising first data bits represent¬ ing feature characteristics of the unknown character and second data bits representing the background of the unknown character, detecting means for detecting the first two rows of data bits which follow the largest number of consecutive rows containing only said second data bits, comparing means for comparing the number of said first data bits contained in each of said first two rows, and second generating means for generating a signal identifying the row corresponding to the top of the unknown character on the basis of this comparison. Brief Description of the Drawings One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a character read¬ ing system in which a data processing system in accord- ance with the invention is utilized; Fig. 2A is a schematic diagram of the analog signals generated by the multi-channel read head forming an image of the character read; Fig. 2B is a diagram of a pattern of bits arranged to form the numeral 0; Fig. 2C is a diagram of a pattern of bits showing the numeral 0 in a folded arrangement; Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the circuits for reducing the data bit maps and unfolding the data bits if the character has been read in a folded condition; Fig. 4, on the sheet containing Fig. 5C, is a diagram of the logic circuit for generating the various sequencing • Ψcontrol signals; Figs. 5A-5D inclusive, taken together, dis¬ close the logic circuits found in the window generator unit of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, on the sheet containing Fig. 5B, is a diagram showing the manner in which Figs. 5A—5D inclu¬ sive are arranged to form the logic circuits; Figs . .. 7-10 inclusive disclose the logic cir¬ cuits comprising the serial-in-parallel-out registers and the buffer units.of Fig. 3; Fig. 11 is a diagram of the logic circuits found in the image extraction and lookup table unit of Fig. 3; Figs. 12-14 inclusive are diagrams of the logic units forming the bit counter and tristate buffer unit of Fig. 3; Fig. 15 is a diagram of the logic circuits used in selecting the top channel of the character scanned; Fig. 16 is a diagram of the logic circuits associated with the unfolding lookup table unit of Fig. 3; Fig. 17 is a diagram of the logic circuits associated with the set bit comparator unit of Fig. 3; Fig. 18 is a diagram showing various waveforms used in reducing and unfolding the data; and Fig. 19 is a diagram of the logic circuits for generating the extra data bit used in the filling in operation. Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a block diagram of the character recognition system which in¬ cludes a multi-gap magnetic read head 20 positioned adjacent the path of movement of a document 22 having characters printed thereon in magnetic ink. While the preferred characters in the present embodiment are printed in the form of the E-13B character font which is well-known in the art and which has been adapted by the American Bankers Association for use with banking checks, it is obvious that the recognition system of the present invention can be used with any character font which produces an image of the character read when scanned by the read head 20. The read head 20 consists of thirty magnetic pick-up channels in which every tenth channel is multiplexed to output ten channels of discrete analog signals over a bus 26 upon movement of the document 22 past the read head 20. As shown in Fig. 2A, an image of the character read is formed by the analog signal 24 in which the character is seven channels high. Each analog signal corresponds to the time derivative of the change of flux of the magnetized ink. Each of the analog signals 24 outputted by the read head 20 is amplified by Amplifier 30 and transmitted over bus 32 to a plurality of A.D. Converters 34 which sample the analog signals at a 98 KHz. rate by clock signals received from a Clock Generator 36. The digitized signals are then trans¬ mitted over bus 38 to a Rectifier unit 40 which outputs both positive and negative rectified signals over bus 44 to a Thresholding Logic unit 46 which applies static and dynamic threshold values to the digitized signals. The static threshold value is selected to have a signal level slightly above the background noise to separate the magnetic ink information from the background noise. The resulting thresholded data is then transmitted over bus 48 to a Character Start logic unit 50 which examines the data to give an initial indication of the start of the character read. The Character Start logic unit 50, upon finding a character start, will generate a pre- character start signal PCS over line 52 enabling the OMPI Thresholding Logic unit 46 to examine the same data received over bus 44 using a dynamic threshold value based on the peak value of the analog signals received rom the Recti ier 40. The thresholded data is again transmitted to the Character Start logic unit 50 which determines the final start of the character read from the data received, together with the end of the char¬ acter. These binary signals are transmitted over bus 56 to an Image Extraction logic unit 58 for use in locating the character in the data received. The binary data representing the thresholded data signals transmitted over bus 56 is processed by the Image Extraction logic unit 58 which examines every seven bits of the received data. 'If it finds a zero bit surrounded by one bits, the logic unit will fill in a one bit at that location and then determine if each of the seven bits comprises an ink spot which is then represented by a one bit or a blank spot represented by a zero bit. The resulting reduced 14 x 10 binary bit map (Fig. 2B) of the scanned character is transmitted over bus 62 to an Unfolding Logic unit 64 which examines the 14 x 10 bit map to locate the top row of the scanned character in its proper location within the bit map. For details of the logic circuits for generating the start and end of the character reference should be made to an international application in the name of the present applicant filed on the same day as the present application and entitled "Method and System for Reading Characters". The processed 14 x 10 bit map outputted by the Unfolding Logic unit 64 is transmitted over bus 66 to a Feature Matching Logic unit 68 which matches known character templates to the bit map appearing on bus 66. The logic unit 68 will generate data and control signals over lines 70 for storage in a Buffer Memory unit 72 representing the results of matching the templates with the received character bit map. The data is then trans¬ mitted to a central processing unit 74 for identifying OMPI the unknown character from the data.received. For de¬ tails of the construction of the Feature Matching Logic unit 68 reference should be made to an international application in the name of the present applicants filed on the same day as the present application and entitled "Method and Apparatus for Recognizing an Unknown Char¬ acter". Referring now to Fig. 3, there is shown a block diagram of the circuits used in the Image Extrac- tion logic unit 58 (Fig. 1) and the Unfolding Logic unit 64. As fully disclosed in the previously-cited Nally et al. co-pending application, NCR Docket No. 3028, the Character Start logic unit 48 (Fig. 1) will generate a signal START indicating the start of the character and a character end signal STOP indicating the end of the character. These signals control the operation of a Window Generator 80 (Fig. 3) to generate control signals for opening a number of windows on the incoming data bits wherein each window comprises seven data bits. The incoming data bits appear on lines 82 which form the data bus 56 (Fig. 1) and which are inputted into a Serial-In-Parallel-Out Register unit 84 consisting of 10 registers each of which outputs in parallel form a seven bit window of each channel to a Buffer Logic unit 86 which in turn outputs the parallel data bits to an Image Extraction Look-Up Table unit 88. This Table unit 88 fills in any blank spaces if required and then reduces the data to a 14 x 10 data bit map. The reduced data bit map is latched in a Latch Logic unit 90 which outputs the data bits to an Unfolding Look-Up Table unit 92 which will identify the top two rows of the character. The data outputted by the Latch unit 90 is transmitted into a Counter and Buffer unit 96. The Counter and Buffer unit 96 counts the number of ink spots in each row or channel to identify those rows of data which form the character being scanned. The first two rows having a number of ink spots which follow the clear rows are outputted over lines 102 to a Set Bit Comparator unit 100 which compares the number of ink spots in the two channels to determine the top channel of the character. The Comparator unit 100 will output signals to a Top Channel Select flip-flop unit 104 which outputs a signal over line 106 to the Unfolding Look-Up Table 92 allowing the Look-Up Table unit to output data identifying the top row of the character over line 108 which is transmitted to the Feature Matching Logic unit 68 (Fig. 1). Referring now to Fig. 4, there is shown a 74LS42 sequencer 110 which outputs over lines 112a-112h inclusive the sequence control signals SS1-SS8 inclusive (Fig. 18c) in response to the output count of " a counter (not shown) appearing on the input lines 114a-114d inclusive. The sequence control signals are used in sequencing the operation of various logic circuits found in the present invention. Included in these circuits is the window generator unit 80 (Fig. 3) in which the character start signal START (Fig. 18d) received from the character start unit 50 (Fig. 1) will be inputted through an inverter 116 (Fig. 5A) over line 118 to the J input of a 74LS107 flip-flop 120. This signal is clocked by the sequence control signal SSI appearing on line 112a of the flip-flop 120. The Q output signal of the flip-flop 120 is transmitted to the clock input of a 74LS74 D-type flip-flop 122 whose ζ2 output signal is transmitted through an OR gate 124, thereby initiating the operation of a 74LS393 counter 126 (Fig. 5B) which is clocked by the clock signal CLK2 (Fig. 18b) received from a clock generator (not shown) over line 128 (Fig. 5A) . The clock signal is transmitted through the inverters 130 and 132 which output the clock signals CLK1 (Fig. 18a) over line 133 and CLK2 (Fig. 18b) over line 134 for use in operating the logic circuits. The clock signal CLK2 is transmitted through an OR gate 136 (Fig. 5A) and over line 138 to clock the counter 126. Upon reaching a count of eight, which repre¬ sents the width of the first window during which eight data bits of the received data appearing on lines 82 (Fig. 3) are examined for image extraction, the output count signals of the counter 126 (Fig. 5B) are trans¬ mitted through the logic circuits comprising AND gates 140, 142 and 144 together with an OR gate 146 to output a high signal, which appears on the output line 148. This signal is transmitted through an AND gate 150 (Fig. 5A) which has been enabled by the sequence control signal SS7 (Fig. 18c) transmitted over line 152 from the inverter 154 (Fig. 5B) . The output signal of the AND gate 150 is transmitted over line 156 to the clock input .of a 74LS74 flip-flop 158 (Fig. 5C). The clocking of the flip-flop 158 will output a high signal over line 160 and a low signal over line 162. The high signal on line 160 enables an AND gate 144 (Fig. 5B) to output a high signal received from the AND gates 140 and 142 and the counter 126 when the output count reaches seven. The low signal on line 162 disables the AND gate 147 (Fig. 5A) . The high signal outputted by the AND gate 144 upon the counter 126 reaching a count of seven is transmitted through the OR gate 146, the AND gate 150 and an OR gate 164 to reset the counter 126. Each succeeding window generated by the counter 126 with the flip-flop 158 in a set condition will have a width of seven data bits. The high signal appearing on line 156 is transmitted through the OR gate 164 resetting the counter 126. The signal appearing on line 156 is also inputted into an AND gate 166 (Fig. 5A) which is enabled by a high signal appearing on line 168 which is generated by the end of character signal STOP appear¬ ing on line 170 and transmitted through an inverter 172 to the K input of the flip-flop 120. The enabling of the AND gate 166 outputs a high signal over line 174 through an inverter 176 which signal is gated by an AND gate 178 to the clear input of the flip-flop 122, there¬ by resetting the flip-flop. The AND gate 178 is enabled OMPI by a high signal appearing on line 180 which is the inverted system reset signal RST appearing on line 182 and transmitted through the inverter 183. The generation of the high signal over line 148 results in the clocking of a 74LS74 flip-flop 182 (Fig. 5B) which outputs the feature data bank select signal FBSEL2 (Fig. 18f) over line 184 and FBSEL1 over line 186. The high signal appearing on line 148 is also inputted into an AND gate 188 (Fig. 5D) which is enabled by the sequence control signal SS3 appearing on line 190 and which is outputted from the inverter 192 (Fig. 5D). The high signal appearing on line 148 is inverted by the inverter 194 (Fig. 5D) and inputted over line 195 into the NOR gates 196 and 198 to output the feature data latch signal FDL1 (Fig. 18g) over line 200 and FLD2 (Fig. 18h) over line 202. These signals are controlled by the sequence control signal SS2 (Fig. 18c) appearing on line 112b and the system clock signal CLK2 (Fig. 18b) appearing on line 134 and transmitted through the OR gate 204. The inverted signal appearing on line 195 clocks a 74LS74 flip-flop 206 (Fig. 5D) whose Q output signal is transmitted through a NOR gate 208 and an AND gate 210 to output the data ready signal DATA RDY (Fig. 18i) over line 212 to the Feature Matching Logic unit 68 (Fig. 1) for notifying such unit of data avail¬ able for a feature matching operation. The NOR gate 208 is enabled by the sequence control signal SS4 appearing on line 112d while the AND gate 210 is enabled by the feature start signal FSTRT over line 214 which goes high in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. The Q output signal of the flip-flop 120 (Fig. 5A) is transmitted over line 216 to clock a 74LS74 flip- flop 218 (Fig. 5C) which outputs the counter clear signals CCLR1 over line 220, CCLR2 over line 222, LCLR1 over line 224 and LCLR2 over line 226. The clock signal CLK2 (Fig. 18b) appearing on the output line 138 of the OMPI OR gate 136.(Fig. 5A) will clock a 74LS393 counter 228 whose output count of nine will enable an AND gate 230 to output a high signal through an OR gate 232, inverter 234 (Fig. 5B) and an OR gate 236 to output over line 238 a clear signal for clearing the contents of a pair of latch members 260a and 260b (Fig. 11). The counter 228 (Fig. 5A) is cleared by the Q output signal of a flip- flop 240 (Fig. 5A) which is clocked by the output signal of flip-flop 122 appearing on line 242 when reset by the appearance of the character end signal STOP appearing on line 170. This signal will also clear the counter 126 when transmitted through the OR gate 164 (Fig. 5A) . Referring now to Figs. 7-10 inclusive, there is shown the Serial-In-Parallel-Out Register unit 84 (Fig. 3) and the Buffer unit 86. The Register unit 84 comprises a plurality of 74LS164 serial-in-parallel-out registers 250a-250j inclusive which receive over lines 82 in serial form from the character start * unit 50 (Fig. 1) the character data bits CSD1-CSD10 inclusive for each channel. The registers 250a-250j inclusive are enabled by the control signals FDSHl (Figs. 7, 8 and 9) and FDSH2 (Figs. 9 and 10) appearing on lines 252a and 252b respectively (Fig. 5B), which signals are the clock output signals of the OR gate 124 (Fig. 5A) . The eight bits of each channel are parallel outputted over lines 85 to a plurality of 74LS244 buffer units 254a-254j inclusive, comprising the Buffer Logic unit 86 (Fig. 3), which output the eight feature data signals FDIN over lines 87 to a plurality of 2708L EPROMs look-up tables 258a-258e inclusive (Fig. 11), which are part of the Image Extraction Look-Up Table Logic unit 88 (Fig. 3). As shown in Fig. 11, each of the EPROMs 258a- 258e inclusive receives, in addition to the eight bits over lines 87, a ninth bit over line 253 which is out- putted by a pair of 74LS374 octal flip-flops 255a and 255b (Fig. 19) which receive over lines 257 the first output bit from the serial-in-parallel-out registers 250a-250j (Figs. 7-10 inclusive). The flip-flops 255a and 255b are enabled by the control signals FDSHl and FDSH2 appearing on lines 252a and 252b (Fig. 5B) and the control signals FBSEL1 and FBSEL2 appearing on lines 186 and 184 to output a bit signal over lines 253 to the EPROM members 258a-258e inclusive. Each of the EPROM members 258a-258e inclusive (Fig. 11) examines every three bits in each of the channels to determine if there exists a condition where a zero bit is surrounded by two adjacent one bits. If such a condition exists, the EPROM member will fill in a one at that position and then count the number of one bits that occur in the channel. If there are at least six one bits out of seven bits in a channel, the EPROM member will output a high signal over line 89 to a pair of latch members 260a and 260b which are part of the Latch Logic unit 90 (Fig. 3) representing the seven bits in the channel, thus reducing the bit map from 98 bits to 14 bits wide. The bit signal appearing on lines 253 is required to allow the EPROM members 258a-258e inclusive to examine the first and last bit in each window with the bit located in the adjacent windows. The latch members 260a and 260b are sequentially enabled by the signals FDL1 (Fig. 18g) appearing on line 200 and FDL2 (Fig. 18h) appearing on line 202 (Fig. 5D) to store the reduced bit map. The feature data bits FD stored in the latches 260a and 260b representing the reduced map of the char¬ acter scanned are outputted over lines 262 to one input of a plurality of AND gates 264 (Figs. 12-14 inclusive) which are enabled by the output signal BCNT of the counter 126 (Fig. 5B) and which appears on line 266. The output signal of each of the AND gates 264 is inputted into one of a plurality of 74LS393 dual counters 267a- 267e inclusive (Figs. 12-14 inclusive), included in the Bit Counter and Buffer unit 96 (Fig. 3), which count the number of bits in each channel. The output count CHS of each of the counters 267a-267e inclusive representing the sum of the ink spots in each channel are outputted over lines 268 to a plurality of 74LS244 buffer members 270a-270e inclusive which are enabled by the channel select control signals CHSELl-CHSELlO inclusive appearing on lines 272 to output the sum of the binary one data bits in each channel over lines 102. As will be des¬ cribed more fully hereinafter, ' the top two channels or rows of the character are determined and the buffer members 270a-270e containing these channels are sequen¬ tially enabled to output the sum of each of the two channels over the lines 102 into a pair of latch members 276 and 278 (Fig. 17). The latch members 276 and 278 are clocked by the sequence control signals SSI appearing on line 112a, the clock signal CLK2 (Fig. 18b) appearing on line 134 and the sequence control signal SS2 appear¬ ing on line 112b, which signals are inputted through the NOR gates 280 and 282 to enable (Fig. 18k) the latch members 276 and 278 to output the first and second top channels of the character into a 2708 EPROM table look¬ up member comprising the Set Bit Comparator 100 (Figs. 17 and 3), which compares the number of bits in each of the channels. If the second channel has more than twice the number of ink spots than the first channel, a signal is transmitted over line 286 to the D-input of the Top Channel Select flip-flop 104 (Figs. 17 and 3), which outputs over the Q output line 106 the top channel select signal TCHSEL (Fig. 181). The feature data bits FD appearing on the output lines 262 of the latch members 260a and 260b (Fig. 11) are also inputted into the clock input of a plurality of 74LS74 flip-flops 292 (Fig. 15). If the signal appearing on the lines 262 is high indicating that the channel is a portion of the character being read and is represented by a one, the associated flip- flops 292 are clocked which output the high signal CLR1-CLR10 over lines 294 to a 2716 EPROM look-up table 296 (Fig. 16) which examines the inputted data to deter¬ mine the two top channels or rows of the character. This is accomplished by locating the largest number of clear channels represented by a zero bit on the input lines 294 and then identifying the following two chan¬ nels represented by a one bit as the top two channels of the character. As the data representing the reduced bit map is transmitted over lines 262 to each of the flip- flops 292 (Fig. 15), those flip-flops which receive a one bit over the input lines 262 will be clocked to output the high signals CLR1-CLR10 to the table look-up member 296. After processing the received data, the member 296 (Fig. 16) will output over lines 298 the data bits identifying the top row of the character and over lines.300 the second top row of the character. These signals are transmitted to a buffer unit 302 which sequentially outputs the data to a 74LS42 decoder 304. The decoder 304 will output the appropriate channel select signals CHSELl-CHSELlO over the lines 272 to the buffer units 270a-270e inclusive (Figs. 12-14 inclusive) containing the identified top two channels sequentially enabling the signals appearing on the output lines 102 to be transmitted to the latch members 276 and 278 (Fig. 17) in the manner described previously. The data output signals from the buffer unit 302 are also outputted over lines 306 to a 74LS174 latch member 308 which, when enabled, outputs over lines 310 binary signals identifying the top row of the character and which signals are transmitted to the Feature Matching Logic unit 68 (Fig. 1). If the table look-up member 296 is unable to determine the top row of the character due to the lack of any clear channels or the presence of too many clear channels, a pair of high signals will be outputted over lines 312 and 314 to an AND gate 316 which outputs a high signal into the D input of a 74LS74 flip-flop 318 (Fig. 16) . The flip-flop 318 is clocked by a high OMPI signal outputted from an AND gate 320 which receives over line 322 the unfolded ready signal UNF RDY (Fig. 18j) generated by the clocking of the flip-flop 324 (Fig. 5D) and a high signal outputted by an AND gate 325 which receives the sequence control signal SS4 appearing on line 112d and a high signal appearing on line 326. The clocking of the flip-flop 318 will output the reject signal REJ (Fig. 18m) over line 328 to the Feature Matching Logic unit 68 (Fig. 1). The output signal of the AND gate 320 is also transmitted over line 330 to clock the latch member 308 together with dis¬ abling an AND gate 332 whose other input is connected to the Q output of the flip-flop 318. The output of the AND gate 332 is inputted into a second AND gate 334 whose unfolding finish output signal UNF FINISH (Fig. 18n) appearing on line 336 will go high when the output signal of the AND gate 332 goes high, indicating the end of the unfolding operation. In the operation of the pre-processing system, t e 98 x 10 data bit map outputted from the dynamic Thresholding Logic unit 46 (Fig. 1) is inputted over bus 56 into the serial-in-parallel-out registers 250a- 250j inclusive (Figs. 7-10 inclusive) which output the data in parallel form into the buffers 254a-254j inclu- sive and from which the data bits in the ten channels are multiplexed into the look-up tables 258a-258e inclu¬ sive (Fig. 11) five channels at a time. Inputted into the look-up tables 258a-258e inclusive is a ninth binary bit outputted by the flip-flops 255a and 255b (Fig. 20) which receive the first bit outputted over lines 257 from the registers 250a-250j inclusive (Figs. 7-10 inclusive) . The look-up table members 258a-258e inclu¬ sive examine each seven bits of the data stream and fill in a binary one in the stream of data where they find a zero bit surrounded by binary one bits. The look-up table members 258a-258e inclusive will also sum the data bits in each window and if they find that six or more of the data bits are binary ones, they will output a binary one to the latch members 260a and 260b (Fig. 11). Conversely, if they find that the sum of binary one bits in a channel is less than six, such table members will output a binary zero for that chan¬ nel. This operation reduces the bit map from a 98 x 10 bit configuration to a 14 x 10 bit configuration. The reduced bit map now stored in the latch members 260a and 260b (Fig. 11) is outputted to the binary counters 267a-267e inclusive (Figs. 12-14 inclu¬ sive), which counters count the number of one bits in each channel to establish if the data bits in the chan¬ nel comprise a row of the character being scanned. The data bits of the reduced map are also outputted to the flip-flops 292 (Fig. 15) which will be set when a chan¬ nel is found to be represented by a binary one bit indicating that the channel represents a row of the character being scanned. The flip-flops 292 (Fig. 15) will output a binary signal representing that a channel comprises either a clear row of data bits or a row of the char¬ acter to the table look-up member 296 (Fig. 16) which looks for the location of the first two channels repre¬ sented by a binary one which follows the largest number of clea.r channels. The first channel represented by a binary one following the clear channels is assumed to be the top row of the character and, together with the next channel , is outputted to the buffer 302 and then to the decoder 304 which will output the channel select signals corresponding to the top and second row of the character. These signals will enable the corresponding buffers 270a-270e inclusive (Figs. 12-14 inclusive) which have received from the counters 267a-267e inclusive the sum of the binary one bits in each of the top two rows of the character. The sum of the binary one bits in the top two rows stored in the buffers 270a-270e inclusive are inputted into the latches 276 and 278 (Fig. 17) which output the values to the look-up table member 100. The table member 100 compares the sum of the binary one bits in each row. If the second row has more than twice the number of binary one bits as the first row, the second row is selected as the top row of the character. If not, the first row is selected. The look-up table member 100 will enable the flip-flop 104 (Fig. 17) to output the top row select signal TCH SEL (Fig. 181) which enables the latch member 308 (Fig. 16) to output over lines 310 the channel number in which is located the top row of the character to the Feature Matching Logic unit 68 (Fig. 1) together with the unfolding signal UNF FINISH (Fig. 18n) over line 336. The integrated circuit networks having a numer¬ ical designation disclosed herein are commercially available from the Texas Instruments Corporation of Dallas, Texas. While the preferred embodiment of the inven- tion has been described in detail for processing data relating to the recognition of characters in a standard E-13B character font, the data preprocessing system could be easily adapted by a person of ordinary skill in the art to process data generated from reading charac- ters and symbols from any standard character font without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A method for processing data signals representing an unknown character, characterized by the steps ofΪ generating a plurality of rows of data bits comprising first data bits representing feature charac- teristics of a character and second data bits repre¬ senting non-feature characteristics of a character; detecting the largest number of consecutive rows con¬ taining only said second data bits; and detecting a row of data bits adjacent said largest number of consecutive rows, and in response to such detection generating a control signal identifying the row corresponding to the top of the character. 2. A method according to claim 1, charac¬ terized by the step of comparing the number of first data bits contained in said row of bits adjacent said largest number of consecutive rows with the number of first data bits contained in the next adjacent row of data bits, and identifying the row corresponding to the top of the character on the basis of this comparison. 3. A method according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by the preliminary step of gen¬ erating rows of data bits comprising first data bits representing feature characteristics of a character and second data bits representing non-feature character¬ istics of a character, detecting the presence of a said second data bit in a row surrounded by said first data bits, and replacing any such detected second data bit with a first data bit. 4. A method according to claim 3, charac¬ terized by the step of reducing the number of data bits in each of the rows generated in said preliminary step so as to generate said plurality of rows in respect of 4. (concluded) which said largest number of consecutive rows are de¬ tected. 5. A system for processing data used by a recognition system in recognizing an unknown character, characterized by first generating means (46, 50, 88, 90) for generating rows of data bits comprising first data bits representing feature characteristics of the unknown character and second data bits representing the back¬ ground of the unknown character, detecting means (92) for detecting the first two rows of data bits which follow the largest number of consecutive rows contain- ing only said second data bits, comparing means .(100) for comparing the number of said first data bits con¬ tained in each of said first two rows, and second gen¬ erating means (104) for generating a signal identifying the row corresponding to the top of the unknown char- acter on the basis of this comparison. 6. A system according to claim 5, charac¬ terized in that said first generating means includes a first decoding means (258a-258e) which receives pre¬ liminary rows of data bits comprising first data bits representing feature bits of the unknown character and second data bits representing the background of the unknown * character, said first decoding means being ar¬ ranged to replace a said second data bit surrounded by said first data bits with a said first data bit, and being further arranged to count a predetermined number of data bits in each preliminary row and replace said number with a said first or second data bit based on what data bits are present in said number, and first storing means (260a, 260b) connected to said detecting means (92) for storing the reduced number of data bits in each row. OMPI 7. A system according to claim 6, charac¬ terized by counting means (267a-267e) for counting the number of first data bits in each row stored in said first storing means (260a, 260b), and second storing means (270a-270e) for storing the output count of said counting means, said comparing means (100) being con¬ nected to said second storing means for receiving the output count thereof. 8. A system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that said comparing means (100) is arranged to determine whether the second of said first two rows contains at least a predetermined number of said first data bits in relation to the number of said first data bits contained in the first of said two rows, said second generating means (104) being arranged to generate a signal identifying said second of said first two rows as the row corresponding to the unknown character if such relationship is established. 9. A system according to claim 8, charac¬ terized in that said comparing means (100) is arranged to determine whether said second of said first two rows contains at least twice the number of said first data bits as is contained in said first of said first two rows. OMPI

Inventors: AKISTER JAMES FRANCES, LEUNG PATRICK CHAPWOO, NALLY ROBERT BLAIZE, VANCE ERIC JAMES, AKISTER, JAMES, FRANCES, LEUNG, PATRICK, CHAPWOO, NALLY, ROBERT, BLAIZE, VANCE, ERIC, JAMES
Applicants: NCR CO, NCR CORPORATION
Application year: 1982
Main classification: G06K9
IPC codes: G06K9