Adaptive binary state decision system

Claim 2

A binary state decision system for quantizing an analog signal into a two level output signal comprising: means for receiving said analog signal for quantization; means for emphasizing rapid changes in said analog signal over a predetermined range of rates of change of said analog signal; means responsive to said analog signal for identifying a predetermined amplitude range of analog signals included in the range of variation of said analog signal; means responsive to the emphasized analog signal and said predetermined amplitude range for developing relatively higher and lower threshold signal levels as predetermined combinations of the amplitude of said analog signal outside said predetermined amplitude range; and means responsive to said emphasized analog signal for generating one level of said output signal whenever said emphasized anAlog signal is greater than said higher threshold signal level and for generating the second level of said output signal whenever said emphasized analog signal is less than said lower threshold signal level.

Claim 3

The binary state decision system of claim 1 wherein the levels of the extremes of said predetermined amplitude range are the levels of said relatively higher and lower threshold signals.

Claim 4

A binary decision circuit for generating a two level binary output signal representative of predetermined characteristics of analog input signals comprising: means for receiving said analog input signals; means operative in response to those analog input signals greater than a first predetermined signal level for developing a first threshold level; means operative in response to those analog input signals outside a range of analog input signals between said first and a second predetermined signal level for developing a second, lower threshold signal level; and means for producing the first of said two levels of said binary output signal in response to said analog input signals being greater than said first threshold signal level and for producing the second of said two levels of said binary output signal in response to said input analog signals being less than said second threshold signal level; said means for producing said first and second levels of said binary output signal having a hysteresis characteristic between said first and second threshold signal levels for maintaining the level of said binary output signal until said analog input signal crosses the threshold signal level opposite the threshold signal level establishing the existing level of said binary output signal.

Claim 5

A binary decision circuit for generating a two level binary output signal representative of predetermined characteristics of analog input signals comprising: means for receiving said analog input signals; means operative in response to those analog input signals greater than a first predetermined signal level for developing a first threshold level; means operative in response to those analog input signals outside a range of analog input signals between said first and a second predetermined signal level for developing a second, lower threshold signal level; and means for producing the first of said two levels of said binary output signal in response to said analog input signals being greater than said first threshold signal level and for producing the second of said two levels of said binary output signal in response to said input analog signals being less than said second threshold signal level; said means for producing said first and second levels of said binary output signal having a hysteresis characteristic between said first and second threshold signal levels for maintaining the level of said binary output signal until said analog input signal crosses the threshold signal level opposite the threshold signal level establishing the existing level of said binary output signal.

Claim 6

The binary decision circuit of claim 3 further including: means for processing said two level binary output signal to provide data compression for more efficient data communication.

Claim 7

The binary decision circuit of claim 3 wherein said first and second predetermined signal levels are respectively said first and second threshold signal levels.

Claim 8

A signal processor operative to convert an analog photodetector signal to a binary signal representative of black and white reflectivity characteristics of matter scanned by an illuminated spot, said signal processor comprising: means for providing enhanced response filtering of said analog photodetector signal to provide significant reduction of noise on said analog photodetector signal while enhancing response to portions of said analog photodetector signal representing finer detail in said matter scanned than the width of said spot; means for low-pass filtering said analog photodetector signal and providing a low-pass filtered analog signal which includes the DC level of said analog photodetector signal; first tracking means for tracking said low-pass filtered analog signal when it is above a first predetermined signal level to provide a first tracking signal which responds rapidly to increases in said low-pass filtered analog signal above said first predetermined signal level, which responds relatively more slowly to decreases in said low-pass filtered analog signal from levels above said first predetermined signal level, and which remains constant whenever said enhanced response analog signal is below said first predetermined signal level; second tracking means for tracking said low-pass filtered analog signal when it is below a second predetermined signal level to provide a second tracking signal which responds rapidly to decreases in said low-pass filtered analog signal, which responds relatively more slowly to increases in said low-pass filtered analog signal from levels below said second predetermined level, and which remains constant whenever said enhanced response analog signal is above said second predetermined signal level; means for establishing a first threshold signal level as a predetermined percentage of at least said first tracking signal; means for establishinG a second threshold signal level as a combination of predetermined percentages of said first and second tracking signals; and output means for providing one level of said binary signal whenever said enhanced response analog photodetector signal exceeds said first threshold signal level, for providing the second level of said binary signal whenever said enhanced response analog photodetector signal is less than said second threshold signal level, and for providing no change in said binary signal level when said enhanced response analog photodetector signal crosses one of said threshold signal levels into the range between said threshold signal levels.

Claim 9

A signal processor operative to convert an analog photodetector signal to a binary signal representative of black and white reflectivity characteristics of matter scanned by an illuminated spot, said signal processor comprising: means for providing enhanced response filtering of said analog photodetector signal to provide significant reduction of noise on said analog photodetector signal while enhancing response to portions of said analog photodetector signal representing finer detail in said matter scanned than the width of said spot; means for low-pass filtering said analog photodetector signal and providing a low-pass filtered analog signal which includes the DC level of said analog photodetector signal; first tracking means for tracking said low-pass filtered analog signal when it is above a first predetermined signal level to provide a first tracking signal which responds rapidly to increases in said low-pass filtered analog signal above said first predetermined signal level, which responds relatively more slowly to decreases in said low-pass filtered analog signal from levels above said first predetermined signal level, and which remains constant whenever said enhanced response analog signal is below said first predetermined signal level; second tracking means for tracking said low-pass filtered analog signal when it is below a second predetermined signal level to provide a second tracking signal which responds rapidly to decreases in said low-pass filtered analog signal, which responds relatively more slowly to increases in said low-pass filtered analog signal from levels below said second predetermined level, and which remains constant whenever said enhanced response analog signal is above said second predetermined signal level; means for establishing a first threshold signal level as a predetermined percentage of at least said first tracking signal; means for establishinG a second threshold signal level as a combination of predetermined percentages of said first and second tracking signals; and output means for providing one level of said binary signal whenever said enhanced response analog photodetector signal exceeds said first threshold signal level, for providing the second level of said binary signal whenever said enhanced response analog photodetector signal is less than said second threshold signal level, and for providing no change in said binary signal level when said enhanced response analog photodetector signal crosses one of said threshold signal levels into the range between said threshold signal levels.

Claim 10

The signal processor of claim 6 wherein said means for enhanced response filtering of said analog photodetector signal provides overshoot in its response to a range of relatively steep slopes in said analog photodetector signal.

Claim 11

The signal processor of claim 6 further including: means responding to said analog photodetector signal for detecting abnormal reflectivity characteristics in said matter scanned; and means for inhibiting said first and second tracking means from tracking said low-pass filtered analog signal in response to said detection of said abnormal reflectivity characteristics.

Claim 12

The signal processor of claim 8 wherein said means for detecting abnormal reflectivity characteristics further includes: means for indicating if said abnormal reflectivity characteristic is high; means for providing an abnormally high reflectivity in response to a hole through said matter scanned; and means for processing said binary signal and operative to provide a predetermined level of said binary signal in place of the level provided by said output means in response to detection of said abnormally high reflectivity characteristic and also in response to the presence of said illuminated spot within a predetermined area adjacent the area of detection of said abnormally high reflectivity characteristic.

Claim 13

The signal processor of claim 6 further comprising: first and second means for accumulating signals comprising said first and second tracking means respectively; means for applying a relatively higher magnitude signal to said first signal accumulating means to cause positive slope signal accumulation thereby whenever said low-pass filtered analog signal is greater than said first tracking signal level; means for applying to said first signal accumulating means a relatively lower magnitude signal to cause relatively lower negative slope signal accumulation thereby whenever said low-pass filtered analog signal is less than said first tracking signal level and said enhanced response analog signal is greater than said first predetermined signal level; means for preventing signal accumulation by said first signal accumulating means whenever said enhanced response analog signal is less than said first predetermined signal level; means for applying to said second signal accumulating means a relatively higher magnitude signal to cause relatively higher negative slope signal accumulation thereby whenever said low-pass filtered analog signal is less than said second tracking signal; means for applying to said second signal accumulating means a relatively lower magnitude signal to cause relatively lower positive slope signal accumulation thereby whenever said low-pass filtered analog signal is greater than said second tracking signal level and said enhanced response analog signal is less than said second predetermined signal level; and means for preventing signal accumulation by said second signal accumulating means whenever said enhanced response analog signal is greater than said second predetermined level; said first and second tracking signals being respectively the signals accumulated by said first and second signal accumulating means; said first and second predetermined signal levels being defined by said first and second threshold signal Levels respectively.

Claim 14

The signal processor of claim 6 further comprising: means for causing a prescan of portions of said matter; means for enabling tracking of said low-pass filtered signal by said first and second tracking means during said prescan of portions of said matter and for maintaining said first and second tracking signals unchanged during scanning of said matter subsequent to said prescan; and means for receiving from said output means the first and second levels of said binary signal during scanning of said matter subsequent to said prescan.

Claim 15

A binary state decision system for quantizing an analog signal into a two level output signal comprising: means for receiving said analog signal for quantization; means responsive to said received analog signal for developing a plurality of signals respectively representative of relatively higher level and relatively lower level portions of said received analog signal; means for combining said plurality of signals to produce decision criteria separating the range of said received analog signal into white and black regions and an intermediate hysteresis region; and means operative in response to said received analog signal and said decision criteria for producing the first level of said two level output signal whenever said received analog signal is in said white region and for producing the second level of said two level output signal whenever said received analog signal is in said black region; the level of said two level output signal remaining unchanged whenever said received analog signal enters said hysteresis region.

Claim 16

A binary state decision system for quantizing an analog signal into a two level output signal comprising: means for receiving said analog signal for quantization; means responsive to said received analog signal for developing a plurality of signals respectively representative of relatively higher level and relatively lower level portions of said received analog signal; means for combining said plurality of signals to produce decision criteria separating the range of said received analog signal into white and black regions and an intermediate hysteresis region; and means operative in response to said received analog signal and said decision criteria for producing the first level of said two level output signal whenever said received analog signal is in said white region and for producing the second level of said two level output signal whenever said received analog signal is in said black region; the level of said two level output signal remaining unchanged whenever said received analog signal enters said hysteresis region.

Claim 17

The binary state decision system of claim 12 further comprising means for enhancing the production of transitions between said first and second levels of said two level output signal in response to predetermined frequencies of said received analog signal.

Claim 18

The binary state decision system of claim 13 wherein said enhancing means includes: means for causing overshoot response to said predetermined frequencies of said received analog signal prior to its use in producing the first and second levels of said two level output signal; and means for causing reduced response to short duration, transient portions of said received analog signal prior to its use in developing said plurality of signals.

Claim 19

The binary state decision system of claim 12 further comprising: means for previewing one or more portions of said received analog signal at least once; means for causing said development of said plurality of signals in response to said previewed portions of said received analog signal; means for causing said plurality of signals to remain unchanged during reception of said analog signal subsequent to the previewing thereof; said means for producing said first and second levels of said two level output signal being responsive to said received analog signals subsequent to the previewing thereof and responsive to said decision criteria resulting from the development of said plurality of signals in response to said previewed portions of said received analog signal.

Claim 20

The binary state decision system of claim 12 wherein said decision criteria continuously adjust in response to the signal levels of said relatively higher level and relatively lower level portions of said received analog signal.

Claim 21

A signal processor for quantizing an analog scan signal representing reflectivity characteristics of matter being scanned into a binary signal, said signal processor comprising: means for receiving said analog scan signal; means for developing first and second signals in response to said analog scan signal to represent respectively weighted maxima and minima levels of said received analog scan signal; means for establishing first and second threshold signal levels in response to said first and second signals; means for generating one state of said binary signal whenever said received analOg signal is greater than said first threshold signal level, for generating the other state of said binary signal whenever said received analog signal is less than said second threshold signal level, and for maintaining the state of said binary signal whenever said received analog scan signal crosses one of said threshold signal levels into the signal region between said first and second threshold signal levels.

Claim 22

A signal processor for quantizing an analog scan signal representing reflectivity characteristics of matter being scanned into a binary signal, said signal processor comprising: means for receiving said analog scan signal; means for developing first and second signals in response to said analog scan signal to represent respectively weighted maxima and minima levels of said received analog scan signal; means for establishing first and second threshold signal levels in response to said first and second signals; means for generating one state of said binary signal whenever said received analOg signal is greater than said first threshold signal level, for generating the other state of said binary signal whenever said received analog signal is less than said second threshold signal level, and for maintaining the state of said binary signal whenever said received analog scan signal crosses one of said threshold signal levels into the signal region between said first and second threshold signal levels.

Claim 23

The signal processor of claim 17 further including: means for causing a prescan of said matter; and means for producing the development of said first and second signals in response to the received analog scan signal during said prescan and for maintaining said first and second signals unchanged during scanning of said matter subsequent to said prescan; said generating means being operative during scanning of said matter subsequent to said prescan to provide said first and second states of said binary signal in response to said received analog scan signal.