Patent · US Expired

Adjustable read level threshold for optical mark scanning

US5420407A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
4References
40Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 17, 1993
Grant dateMay 30, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 17, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06K17/0032
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

To determine a read level threshold for discriminating those response bubbles on a scannable answer sheet intended to be marked from those response bubbles not intended to be marked, an adjustable read level threshold is dynamically determined based on the read levels of a designated pool of response bubbles. In an optical scanner the darkness (read level) of each response mark entered for a particular question is determined to make a profile. From this profile showing the various read levels present for the response marks, the system determines read level "gaps," i.e., read levels in the profile for which there are no marks present, and adjusts the threshold for discriminating intended marks based on the read level(s) comprising the gaps.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.