Statistical pattern recognition system with continual update of acceptance zone limits

Claim 2

A pattern recognition system comprising A. a first memory for storing data representing an upper limit distribution pattern of a series of measurements on a parameter, B. a second memory for storing data representing a lower limit distribution pattern of a series of measurements on the same parameter, C. a third memory for storing new data representing a distribution pattern of additional measurements on the same parameter, and D. means for comparing the contents of said third memory with the contents of said first memory and with the contents of said second memory, said comparing means emitting a signal which reflects when each number at an address in said third memory lies between the numbers contained at the corresponding addresses of said first and second memories.

Claim 3

is connected to disable said gate after a selected number of clock pulses.

Claim 4

is connected to disable said gate after a selected number of clock pulses.

Claim 5

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 1 and further including A. means for substituting the number contained at each address of said third memory for the number contained at the corresponding address of said first memory when the former number is larger than the latter number, and B. means for substituting the number contained at each address of said third memory for the number contained at the corresponding address of said second memory when the former number is less than the latter number so that the upper and lower limit distribution patterns define in between them an acceptance zone which gradually expands in response to long term changes in the parameter being measured.

Claim 6

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 2 and further including A. means for periodically decrementing the contents of said first memory by a selected amount, and B. means for periodically iNcrementing the contents of said second memory by a selected amount so that the acceptance zone both expands and contracts in response to said long term changes in the measured parameters.

Claim 7

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 3 and further including means for decrementing the contents of said third memory by a selected amount so as to adjust the percentage contribution of the most recent series of parameter measurements to the distribution pattern contained in said third memory.

Claim 8

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 1 and further including a threshold control section for actuating said comparing means after a selected number of measurements on a parameter.

Claim 9

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 1 and further including a threshold control section for actuating said comparing means when the number contained at actuating address of said third memory exceeds a predetermined magnitude.

Claim 10

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 1 and further including indicating means responsive to signals from said comparing means, said indicating means signalling an operator when said comparing means has sensed that a selected number of the numbers contained at the addresses of said third memory lie between the numbers contained at the corresponding addresses of said first and second memories.

Claim 11

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 7 and further including display means connected to display the contents of said memories on a time-share basis so as to yield a simultaneous visual presentation of all the distribution patterns contained in said memories.

Claim 12

A pattern recognition system comprising A. means for measuring a parameter, B. a first memory having a plurality of memory addresses, C. means for storing the number of occurrences of each different parameter measurement at a different address of said first memory so as to build up to said first memory a distribution pattern of parameter measurements, and D. means for decrementing the contents of said first memory so as to selectively adjust the percentage contribution of the most recent series of parameter measurements t the distribution pattern built up in said first memory.

Claim 13

A pattern recognition system comprising A. means for measuring a parameter, B. a first memory having a plurality of memory addresses, C. means for storing the number of occurrences of each different parameter measurement at a different address of said first memory so as to build up to said first memory a distribution pattern of parameter measurements, and D. means for decrementing the contents of said first memory so as to selectively adjust the percentage contribution of the most recent series of parameter measurements t the distribution pattern built up in said first memory.

Claim 14

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 9 and further including A. a second memory containing numbers reflecting the upper limit distribution pattern of the measurements on the same parameter, B. a third memory containing numbers reflecting the lower limit distribution pattern of the measurements on the same parameter, said limit patterns defining an acceptance zone between them, C. means for comparing the number contained in each address of said first memory with the number contained at the corresponding address of said second memory, said comparing means emitting an electrical signal showing when the former number exceeds the latter number, D. means for comparing the number contained at each address of said first memory with the number contained at the corresponding address of said third memory, said comparing means emitting an electrical signal showing when the former number is less than the latter number, and E. indicating means responsive to said electrical signals for measuring the number of times the numbers at the addresses of said first memory fall between the numbers at the corresponding addresses of said second and third memories so as to indicate when the distribution pattern built up in said first memory fits sufficiently within the acceptance zone defined by the patterns contained in the second and third memories.

Claim 15

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 10 and further including means for substituting the number contained at each address of said first memory for the number contained at the corresponding address of said second or third memory whenever the number contained in the first memory is not between the numbers contained at the corresponding addresses of said second and thirD memories so as to expand said acceptance zone to accommodate changes in the pattern built up in said first memory.

Claim 16

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 11 and further including A. means for periodically decrementing the contents of said second memory by a selected amount, and B. means for periodically incrementing the contents of said third memory by a selected amount so that said acceptance zone also contracts in response to long term changes in the parameter being measured.

Claim 17

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 12 and further including a threshold control section for actuating said incrementing and decrementing means only after an adequate distribution pattern has been built up in said first memory.

Claim 18

A pattern recognition system comprising A. means for measuring a parameter, B. a first multiaddress memory, C. means for adding different parameter measurements at different addresses in said memory so that each memory address accumulates the number of occurrences of a particular parameter measurement, D. means for periodically subtracting a selected percentage of the contents of each first memory address, E. a second addressable recirculating memory for storing numbers reflecting the upper limit distribution pattern of measurements on the same parameter, F. means for periodically subtracting from the contents of each second memory address a selected percentage of the number contained at that address, G. a third addressable recirculating memory for storing numbers reflecting the lower limit distribution pattern of measurements on the same parameter, said upper and lower limit patterns defining an acceptance zone between them, H. means for adding to the contents of each third memory address a selected percentage of the number contained at that address, I. a first magnitude comparator for comparing the number contained at each address of said first memory with the number contained at the corresponding address of said second memory, said comparator emitting an output signal whenever the former number exceeds the latter number, J. a second magnitude comparator for comparing the number contained at each address of said first memory with the number contained at the corresponding address of said third memory, said second comparator emitting an output signal when the former number is less than the latter number, K. means for substituting the number contained at each address of said first memory for the number contained at the corresponding address of said second memory whenever an output signal from said first comparator indicates that the former number is larger than the latter number, L. means for substituting the number contained at each address of said first memory for the number contained at the corresponding address of said third memory whenever said second comparator indicates that the former number is less than the latter number, M. counting means responsive to the signals from said comparators for counting each time the number at an address of said first memory falls between the numbers contained at the corresponding addresses of said second and third memories, and N. an indicator for indicating when said counting means has reached a selected count so as to apprise an operator that the pattern contained in said first memory fits sufficiently within said acceptance zone.

Claim 19

A pattern recognition system comprising A. means for measuring a parameter, B. a first multiaddress memory, C. means for adding different parameter measurements at different addresses in said memory so that each memory address accumulates the number of occurrences of a particular parameter measurement, D. means for periodically subtracting a selected percentage of the contents of each first memory address, E. a second addressable recirculating memory for storing numbers reflecting the upper limit distribution pattern of measurements on the same parameter, F. means for periodically subtracting from the contents of each second memory address a selected percentage of the number contained at that address, G. a third addressable recirculating memory for storing numbers reflecting the lower limit distribution pattern of measurements on the same parameter, said upper and lower limit patterns defining an acceptance zone between them, H. means for adding to the contents of each third memory address a selected percentage of the number contained at that address, I. a first magnitude comparator for comparing the number contained at each address of said first memory with the number contained at the corresponding address of said second memory, said comparator emitting an output signal whenever the former number exceeds the latter number, J. a second magnitude comparator for comparing the number contained at each address of said first memory with the number contained at the corresponding address of said third memory, said second comparator emitting an output signal when the former number is less than the latter number, K. means for substituting the number contained at each address of said first memory for the number contained at the corresponding address of said second memory whenever an output signal from said first comparator indicates that the former number is larger than the latter number, L. means for substituting the number contained at each address of said first memory for the number contained at the corresponding address of said third memory whenever said second comparator indicates that the former number is less than the latter number, M. counting means responsive to the signals from said comparators for counting each time the number at an address of said first memory falls between the numbers contained at the corresponding addresses of said second and third memories, and N. an indicator for indicating when said counting means has reached a selected count so as to apprise an operator that the pattern contained in said first memory fits sufficiently within said acceptance zone.

Claim 20

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 14 wherein A. said second memory comprises a subtracter, a delay line and a first shift register connected in a closed loop, and B. said means for subtracting numbers from said second memory includes means for periodically gating a selected number of the most significant bits of the word contained in said first shift register to said subtracter for subtraction from a corresponding word of the least significant bits in said number.

Claim 21

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 15 wherein A. said third memory comprises an adder, a delay line and a second shift register connected in a closed loop, and B. said means for adding numbers to said third memory includes means for periodically gating a selected number of the most significant bits of each word contained in said second shift register to said adder for being added to a corresponding number of the least significant bits in said word.

Claim 22

A pattern recognition system as defined in claim 16 wherein each said gating means comprises A. an adjustable scale selector for connection to a selected stage of the associated first or second register for reading out data from that stage, B. a gate connected, when enabled, to circulate said data from said stage to the associated adder or subtracter, C. means for periodically enabling said gate, and D. an adjustable counter which