Patent Document ID: 4443855
Application ID: 06260892
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. Robotic apparatus having, in combination, a robotic mechanism to operate on points of interest in a field; computer means for controlling the robotic mechanism; an image sensor operable to scan the field and provide an analog image of objects within the field; means to convert the analog image to a binary image in the form of binary words each comprising several pixels, said pixels forming multiple adjacent rows; and a mask algorithm image processor that comprises high-speed picture memory means connected to receive the binary words and operable to store the same in a manner that maintains the spatial relationship thereof, and analyzing means for analyzing contiguous overlapping groups of binary bits in successive iterations of the stored binary image, each group comprising at least nine pixels in a three-by-three matrix, thereby to determine the new binary value to be assigned to the center pixel of the group, which new binary value is applied to said center pixel to update the same, said analyzing means including a programmable memory operable to store in real time the present binary value to the center pixel until it is no longer needed in the present iteration and also to apply the new value as memory update in real time; and result memory means that receives information from the analyzing means only as to said points of interest and that stores said information which is in the form of address information and description information with respect to said points of interest to provide an output that is connected as input to the computer in order to cause the robotic mechanism to operate upon said points of interest of objects in real time.