Abstract:
A discrimination reference level generator which provides a dynamically adjustable reference level for discriminating between the white background of a document and black characters imprinted on the document. The maximum contrast signal from document areas on either side of the document area being scanned are used to control the black-white discrimination level of the scanned area. Furthermore, correlation between the discrimination reference levels of adjacent document areas prevents a sudden decrease in the discrimination reference level between two adjacent document areas. The discrimination reference level is not permitted to fall below a predetermined minimum level which is constant for normal contrast but which is automatically raised when there is an extremely high contrast between the document and the characters imprinted thereon.
Abstract:
An analog-to-digital converter that eliminates dynamic coupling errors in a system where the measured signal and the reference signal are subject to such variations. This device sequentially samples an analog unknown voltage and a reference voltage and converts the sampled signals into digital information representative of the unknown voltage. Sampling and conversion is achieved in a three step process which alternates the reference and unknown signal inputs to an integrator and level holding circuits. The integrator output controls the duration of a digital counter which runs until the integrator output crosses a zero value. The result in the digital counter provides the binary value representative of the analog unknown signal. Dynamic coupling errors which occur during the reference and unknown signal sample times are eliminated by dividing the sample time of the unknown signal in two segments, a first sampling segment prior to sampling the reference signal, and a second sampling segment after the reference signal.