Some Considerations in Using Optical Chkarcter Recognition Equipment

The OCR Input method Is disdocuments through , he machine; a rec. tivgulshed from other automatio input ognition head to read die characters on conversion methods such as magnetic the source documents; a memory to ink character recognition and optical compare ilte characters read with those mark reading (another typo of optical stored In mcmory; a code converter to scanning) In that the characters to be convert th1e characters into computer. read are recognized by their images acceptable code; and a control unit. rather than magnetically or position. It Is estimated that there are 500 or ally. OCR works on the principle of more optical scanning machines In use light reflectance. A strong light Is in the United States at present. A surpassed over the source document and vey of about 2,200 computer Installathe machuife senses those areas which tions by lu-siness Automation shows do not reflect the light. The areas not that only about it )ercent of the instal. reflecting light (the charatcr Images) lations use optical scanrnng equipment are compared with character imngcs as their basic input device and that stored In the machine's memory. The keypunching is still She basic input matched character is then transferred method In about 85 perceni of the in. to the computer for direct Input or is ,ta.ations? Electronic News estimates written on a computer.accepiable that optical scanning Input volume now medium such as magnetic tape, lual out 1 pen t of lI pen Certain features are common to all equals about 1 perent of thc present