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A compression and decompression system in which a reversible wavelet filter are used to generates coefficients from input data, such as image data. The reversible wavelet filter is an efficient transform implemented with integer arithmetic that has exact reconstruction. The present invention uses the reversible wavelet filter in a lossless system (or lossy system) in which an embedded codestream is generated from the coefficients produced by the filter. An entropy coder performs entropy coding on the embedded codestream to produce the compressed data stream.

Systems and methods are provided for enabling an application programmer to construct a new application program for communicating with a remote machine. The systems and methods include a parser class that retrieves during runtime a representation of object instances contained in a data file and for enabling the new application program to create in memory a plurality of object instances from the representation of the plurality of the object instances.

A compression and decompression system in which a reversible wavelet filter are used to generates coefficients from input data, such as image data. The reversible wavelet filter is an efficient transform implemented with integer arithmetic that has exact reconstruction. The present invention uses the reversible wavelet filter in a lossless system (or lossy system) in which an embedded codestream is generated from the coefficients produced by the filter. An entropy coder performs entropy coding on the embedded codestream to produce the compressed data stream.

A compression and decompression system in which a reversible wavelet filter are used to generates coefficients from input data, such as image data. The reversible wavelet filter is an efficient transform implemented with integer arithmetic that has exact reconstruction. The present invention uses the reversible wavelet filter in a lossless system (or lossy system) in which an embedded codestream is generated from the coefficients produced by the filter. An entropy coder performs entropy coding on the embedded codestream to produce the compressed data stream.

A compression and decompression system in which a reversible wavelet filter are used to generates coefficients from input data, such as image data. The reversible wavelet filter is an efficient transform implemented with integer arithmetic that has exact reconstruction. The present invention uses the reversible wavelet filter in a lossless system (or lossy system) in which an embedded codestream is generated from the coefficients produced by the filter. An entropy coder performs entropy coding on the embedded codestream to produce the compressed data stream.

A compression and decompression system in which a reversible wavelet filter are used to generates coefficients from input data, such as image data. The reversible wavelet filter is an efficient transform implemented with integer arithmetic that has exact reconstruction. The present invention uses the reversible wavelet filter in a lossless system (or lossy system) in which an embedded codestream is generated from the coefficients produced by the filter. An entropy coder performs entropy coding on the embedded codestream to produce the compressed data stream.

A compression and decompression system in which a reversible wavelet filter are used to generates coefficients from input data, such as image data. The reversible wavelet filter is an efficient transform implemented with integer arithmetic that has exact reconstruction. The present invention uses the reversible wavelet filter in a lossless system (or lossy system) in which an embedded codestream is generated from the coefficients produced by the filter. An entropy coder performs entropy coding on the embedded codestream to produce the compressed data stream.

An apparatus for communicating with a plurality of remote machines, of a plurality of machine types includes a computer system including a processor and memory a data communication means, coupled to the computer system and to the plurality of remote machines, for communicating with each of the plurality of remote machines, a first plurality of software objects within the memory for describing services for the plurality of remote machines, and a plurality of operations within the memory associated with the first plurality of software objects, the plurality of operations for satisfying requests described by the services of the first plurality of software objects.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding data in parallel. The present invention provides a system for decompressing a data stream having multiple codewords. The system includes an input channel that receives the data stream. The system also includes a decoder which decodes each bit of the data stream, wherein at least two of the codewords in the data stream are decoded at the same time, such that the data stream is decoded in parallel.

Transforms such as the DCT are useful for image compression. One close relative of the DCT is preferred for its arithmetic simplicity. A method and apparatus is described whereby the quantization operates with speeds comparable to 16 bit transforms yet the mean squared error is comparable to that of a 32 bit transform. The factorability of the transform into a relatively rapid set of additions and a set of multiplications permits an efficient pipelined data flow wherein the addition sections of the vertical and horizontal transforms are performed by the same hardware prior to a final multiplication.

An apparatus and method for increasing the throughput of a data processing system such as an acoustic or image compression system. An addition or subtraction of two pluralities of numbers is accomplished in parallel by combining numbers into a pair of "doublevectors," adding or subtracting the pair of doublevectors, and separating the resultant doublevector to provide values representative of the results of the addition or subtraction on the original plurality of numbers. Similarly, a left-shift of a plurality of numbers is accomplished by combining the numbers into a single doublevector, left-shifting the doublevector, and extracting a plurality of output values representative of the left-shifted values of the original numbers. Using additions, subtractions and shifts a linear transform such as the Generalized Chen Transform may be performed using doublevectors to provide a substantial increase in computation speed.

Transforms such as the DCT are useful for image compression. One close relative of the DCT is preferred for its arithmetic simplicity. A method and apparatus is described whereby the image compression is done with no multiplications while still compatible with a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) Transform. Other enhancements are made to improve image quality.

A data compression system uses sameness information, such as temporal sameness of corresponding pixels, in the coding process. Two sets of contexts are used, one set when a pixel is the same as a sameness pixel, and one set of contexts for residual coding of the pixel when it is not the same. The use of the sameness bit saves computation because, if in decoding the one "sameness" bit, a decompressor determines that the pixel is equal to the corresponding pixel in a previous frame, then no further decoding is needed for that pixel.

An apparatus and method for producing an enhanced resolution image from a set of lower resolution pixel image scans uses jitter and cogging errors introduced by the scanner to provide the additional information about the image that is required to produce the high resolution. One of the image scans is selected as a prototype image and is interpolated to produce an image of higher density samples (mixels). Each of the remaining pixel image scans is aligned with the interpolated prototype. The mixel values of the prototype are iteratively adjusted by minimizing an error metric representing the difference between pixel values computed from the prototype and the corresponding pixel values of each of the lower resolution pixel image scans. The method and apparatus are suitable for use in document copying system, high resolution television imaging, facsimile system, and character regeneration systems.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for compressing and/or decompressing data. In one embodiment, a system comprises a one-pass spatially embedded compressor and a limited bandwidth channel. The compressor comprises image data into compressed image data in one-pass. The compressor comprises an encoder and a coded data manager.

A compression and decompression system in which a reversible wavelet filter are used to generates coefficients from input data such as image data. The reversible wavelet filter is an efficient transform implemented with integer arithmetic that has exact reconstruction. The present invention uses the reversible wavelet filter in a lossless system (or lossy system) in which an embedded codestream is generated from the coefficients produced by the filter. An entropy coder performs entropy coding on the embedded codestream to produce the compressed data stream.

The present invention provides an encoding and/or decoding apparatus used for the compression and expansion of data. A finite state machine comprises a number of tables, which collectively have a plurality of states. One of the tables encodes multi-bit symbols for fixed probabilities.

A compression and decompression system in which a reversible wavelet filter are used to generates coefficients from input data, such as image data. The reversible wavelet filter is an efficient transform implemented with integer arithmetic that has exact reconstruction. The present invention uses the reversible wavelet filter in a lossless system (or lossy system) in which an embedded codestream is generated from the coefficients produced by the filter. An entropy coder performs entropy coding on the embedded codestream to produce the compressed data stream.

A reversible Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) is described. The reversible DCT may be part of a compressor in a system. The system may include a decompressor with a reversible inverse DCT for lossless decompression or a legacy decompressor with an inverse DCT for lossy decompression.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for classifying text by using two constants determined by analyzing the text. The first constant, G, classifies text in the order of constraint. It is defined by the equation G=log (N/L)/ {log(N)-1}, where N is the number of words and L is the number of different words in the text being classified. The second constant, R, is the correlation coefficient between the word length and the logarithm scaled rank order of word frequency. The values of the two constants can be used to determine how to classify text. In the case of English text, the text may be classified as computer language, text from a technical manual, English text written by foreigners or English text written by native English speakers.

The present invention relates to the interrelationships between nature (as mediated by evolution and genetic algorithms) and nurture (as mediated by gradient-descent supervised learning) in a population of neural networks for pattern recognition. The Baldwin effect is demonstrated that learning can change the rate of evolution of the population's genome - a "pseudo-Lamarkian" process, in which information learned is ultimately encoded in the genome by a purely Darwinian process. Selectivity is shown for this effect: too much learning or too little learning in each generation leads to slow evolution of the genome, whereas an intermediate amount leads to most rapid evolution. For a given number of learning trials throughout a population, the most rapid evolution occurs if different individuals each receive a different number of learning trials, rather than the same number. Because all biological networks possess structure due to evolution, it is important that such interactions between learning and evolution be understood. Hybrid systems can take advantage both of gradient descents (learning) and large jumps (genetic algorithms) in very complicated energy landscapes and hence may play an increasingly important role in the design of artificial neural systems.

The present invention provides an encoding and decoding apparatus used for the compression and expansion of data. A state machine is provided having a plurality of states. Each state has at least one transition pair. Each element of the transition pair comprises zero or more bits representative of the compact code to be output and the identification of the next state to proceed to. The transition pair reflects an output for a yes and no response associated with the probability of the data to be compacted and whether the data falls within that probability.

Transforms such as the DCT are useful for image compression. One close relative of the DCT is preferred for its arithmetic simplicity. A method and apparatus is described whereby the image compression is done with no multiplications while still compatible with a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) Transform. Other enhancements are made to improve image quality.

The present invention provides an encoding and decoding apparatus used for the compression and expansion of data. A state machine is provided having a plurality of states. Each state has at least one transition pair. Each element of the transition pair comprises zero or more bits representative of the compact code to be output and the identification of the next state to proceed to. The transition pair reflects an output for a yes and no response associated with the probability of the data to be compacted and whether the data falls within that probability.

An improved document matching and retrieval system is disclosed where an input document is matched against a database of documents, using a descriptor database which lists descriptors and points to a list of documents containing features from which the descriptor is derived document. The descriptors are selected to be invariant to distortions caused by digitizing the documents or differences between the input document and its match in the document database. An array of accumulators is used to accumulate votes for each document in the document database as the descriptor base is scanned, wherein a vote is added to an accumulator for a document if the document is on the list as having a descriptor which is also found in the input document. The document which accumulates the most votes is returned as the matching document, or the documents with more than a threshold number of votes are returned.

The invention provides an improved method and apparatus for compression of palettized images. Input symbols in an M-ary alphabet are binarized based on a context model of the input data, where the binarization is selected to provide good compression by a binary encoder. The particular binarization is determined from a reindexing table which maps each input symbol to a number of binary values. The mapping is determined from the images to be compressed, and is typically transmitted with the compressed images as overhead. The mapping is a local minimum of the bitwise entropy of the binarization. With or without reindexing the input, the symbols can be converted compressed in parallel, with the bits of the input symbols buffered and reordered as necessary to ensure that bits needed for context of a bit being decoded are available before the decompressor decodes the bit being decoded. The decompressor includes a means for performing the opposite reordering such that the output of the decompressor is the same as the input to the compressor.

A method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing a graphical user interface for creating and editing a mapping of structured information to different structured information, which allows a user to interactively define the mapping. The present invention operates as a user tool by accepting interactive input from a user of a source input, processing the input to display the source input in a format for accepting user commands to create or edit a transformation map of source components to target components. Interactive user input is accepted for selection of an input file to be transformed and selection of a transformation map for the requested transformation. Interactive user input is accepted for processing for selection of individual components of the first structured information format for mapping, and for selection of options for the target components. Exemplary options for the target components are a null value, the source component itself, a single selected target component, or plural selected target components. Interactive user input is accepted for processing to assign attribute values to components of the second structured information format. Exemplary options for the sources of attribute values are attribute values obtained from the source components, system attribute values, no value, attribute values input interactively by the user through the user interface, and content of element. Interactive user input is then accepted and processed to initiate processing of a transformation of the source input file in the first structured information format to a target output file in the second structured information format.

A method and apparatus that provides any type of data information in a facsimile message is configured to accept data information at a source terminal from an external device and send the data information to one or more destination terminals via a facsimile message. In particular, a processor formats the data information in the form of one or more non-standard frames that are conventionally used only to support point to point polling operations for two facsimile devices. The data information is accepted from an external data source and converted by the processor to the one or more NSF frames. A routing feature of the present invention allows the facsimile message containing the data information to one or more destination terminal which are user-selectable at the source terminal.

A method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing a graphical user interface for creating and editing a mapping of structured information to different structured information, which allows a user to interactively define the mapping. The present invention operates as a user tool by accepting interactive input from a user of a source input, processing the input to display the source input in a format for accepting user commands to create or edit a transformation map of source components to target components. Interactive user input is accepted for selection of an input file to be transformed and selection of a transformation map for the requested transformation. Interactive user input is accepted for processing for selection of individual components of the first structured information format for mapping, and for selection of options for the target components. Exemplary options for the target components are a null value, the source component itself, a single selected target component, or plural selected target components. Interactive user input is accepted for processing to assign attribute values to components of the second structured information format. Exemplary options for the sources of attribute values are attribute values obtained from the source components, system attribute values, no value, attribute values input interactively by the user through the user interface, and content of element. Interactive user input is then accepted and processed to initiate processing of a transformation of the source input file in the first structured information format to a target output file in the second structured information format.

A method and system for forming a digital facsimile message that includes a subaddress. A source terminal forms a digital facsimile message by using information input by a user in response to prompting inquiries generated by the source terminal. In response to a prompt, a user enters whether the user will enter a subaddress to route the message to a destination terminal. If an affirmative response is received, the source terminal prompts the user to input the subaddress and later to input a telephone number of a destination server which services the destination terminal. The source terminal receives a response from a user indicating whether the subaddress is used for the routing of the digital facsimile message. Based on the input data, the source terminal forms a digital facsimile message that includes the subaddress of the destination terminal. The message may then be sent over a communications channel to the destination server, which then routes the message to the destination terminal. The destination server may convert the subaddress into a matching Internet Protocol address of the destination terminal so that the destination server may route the source terminal's incoming message over the Internet to the destination terminal. The source terminal may also form a polling message by prompting the user to insert specific information, where the polling message allows a user to retrieve data files from the destination terminal.

A method, apparatus, and computer program product for mapping a first structured information format to a second structured information format, which allows a user to interactively define the mapping. The present invention operates as a user tool by accepting interactive input from a user of a source input, by processing the input to display the source input in a format for accepting and processing user commands to create or edit a transformation map of source components to target components. Interactive user input is then accepted and processed for selection of an input file to be transformed and selection of a transformation map to be used for the requested transformation. Interactive user input is accepted and processed for selection of individual components of the first structured information format for mapping, and for selection of options for the target components. Exemplary options for the target components are a null value, the source component itself, a single selected target component, or plural selected target components. Interactive user input is accepted for processing to assign attribute values to components of the second structured information format. Exemplary options for the sources of attribute values are attribute values obtained from the source components, system attribute values, no value, attribute values input interactively by the user, and content of element. Interactive user input is then accepted and processed to initiate processing of a transformation of the source input file in the first structured information format to a target output file in the second structured information format.

An object-oriented system and computer program product for mapping structured information to different structured information, which allows a user to interactively define the mapping. The present invention operates as an object-oriented user tool by accepting interactive input from a user of a source input, by processing the input to display the source input in a format for accepting and processing user commands to create or edit a transformation map of source components to target components. Interactive user input is then accepted and processed for selection of an input file to be transformed and selection of a transformation map to be used for the requested transformation. Interactive user input is accepted and processed for selection of individual components of the first structured information format for mapping, and for selection of options for the target components. Exemplary options for the target components are a null value, the source component itself, a single selected target component, or plural selected target components. Interactive user input is accepted for processing to assign attribute values to components of the second structured information format. Exemplary options for the sources of attribute values are attribute values obtained from the source components, system attribute values, no value, attribute values input interactively by the user, and content of element. Interactive user input is then accepted and processed to initiate processing of a transformation of the source input file in the first structured information format to a target output file in the second structured information format.

A method to connect a wide sized document scanner to a laser printer engine for copying with size reduction enables the output to be printed on plain paper through a laser printer and digital copier with different paper sizes. The method utilizes an output buffer such that the original document needs to be scanned only once even though multiple copies are requested. The method adjusts input resolution to output device characteristics by manipulating the pulse width of the video signal and matching the number of output lines.

Transforms such as the DCT are useful for image compression. One close relative of the DCT is preferred for its arithmetic simplicity. A method is described whereby the image compression is done with no multiplications. Other enhancements are made to improve image quality.

A facsimile machine is provided which includes a mechanism to generate ASCII codes for addressing a digital network, and to generate numeric number for addressing the public switched telephone (analog) network. Such facsimile machine can address other facsimile machines and communicate data over either network, in digital or analog format.

A document processing system controls the printing of documents represented in page description language form. Documents are represented by a page description language which is structured so that definition and declaratory commands are positioned only at the beginning of each distinct document segment. Each document has prologue sections, which contain definition and declaratory commands, and content portions which contain the specific tokens or commands for defining specific images. The definition and declaratory commands in the prologue sections of the document are arranged in a hierarchical tree so that each definition and declaratory command has a scope corresponding to the portion of the hierarchical tree subtended by that command. A structure processor handles resource declaration and definitions, dictionary generation, context declarations and references to data external to the document. A content processor processes the tokens using the definitions and declarations set up by the structure processor, and an imaging driver module translates the document into commands suitable for any of several types of printers, as well as for communication by telephone line to a remote device. One feature of the document processing system is the ability to query a remote device to determine whether it has the resources required for processing a document transmitted in a high level encoded form. It then either transmits the document in rasterized bit map form if the required resources are not available, or transmits the document in a higher level encoded form if the required resources are available.

An automatic interface layout generator for database systems is disclosed herein. The automatic generator includes a specification tool for specifying a set of block descriptions representative of specified portions of a database. A block layout generator produces interface objects to be included within an interface of the database, wherein each of the interface objects corresponds to one of the block descriptions and includes a plurality of layout fields. A layout quality parameter is determined for each of the interface objects based on arrangement of the layout fields within the interface objects. A block placement generator arranges sets of the interface objects into block configurations within the interface. A placement quality parameter for each of the block configurations is derived based on a set of block placement rules and on the layout quality parameters, and a final block configuration is selected by comparing the placement quality parameters corresponding to particular block configurations.

A system for debugging an application program includes a debugging execution unit operated under an operating-system-free environment. The debugging execution unit includes a communication channel, a target processor unit for executing the application program and a first debugging program, and an interrupt vector swapper. The first debugging program includes a first set of input/output procedures for handling debugging communications over the communication channel, and the application program includes a second set of input/output procedures for handling communications over the communication channel associated with execution of the application program. Interrupt signals are generated when the target processor unit receives communications from the host processor unit. The target processor unit communicates with a host processor unit via the communication channel both when executing the application program and when executing the first debugging program. A first set of interrupt vector entries link interrupt signals generated during execution of the first debugging program to a first set of destination addresses. A second set of interrupt vector entries link interrupt signals generated during execution of the application program to a second set of destination addresses. A vector controller maps interrupt signals via the first set of interrupt vector entries during execution of the first debugging program, and maps interrupt signals via the second set of interrupt vector entries during execution of the application program.

A facsimile machine is provided which can transmit and receive data over asynchronous digital data networks in accordance with an asynchronous protocol. The facsimile machine can provide and receive negotiation information during a data transmission process.

Communication system and method including a calling apparatus and a called apparatus. The system comprises handshake means for exchanging negotiation information including error correction ECM capabilities data, contained in a plurality of command frames between the calling apparatus and the called apparatus. The system further includes means for initiating an error correction operation, a transmitter for transmitting and receiving between the calling and the called apparatus a data set having associated data frame identification information, and verification means for verifying receipt of the data set. A method corresponding to the system also is described.

A method and apparatus for generating a file which conforms to the requirements of a computer language and does not require the user to type out the desired commands for a file being created. A list of commands is displayed for a user to select and when a user selects a specific command, the user is prompted for additional information concerning the command, if this information is required. The user is given choices of commands or elements which are to appear below the previously selected element or command. A stack is used to keep track of the different elements in a hierarchical structure of the computer language. When an element is first placed into a file being generated, it is pushed onto the stack. As elements below the current element in the hierarchy are being processed, they are pushed on top of the previous elements. When the elements are finished, they are popped off of and elements requiring end-tags which signify the end of the element are then inserted into the generated file.

An automatic interface layout generator for database systems is disclosed herein. The automatic generator includes a specification tool for specifying a set of block descriptions representative of specified portions of a database. A block layout generator produces interface objects to be included within an interface of the database, wherein each of the interface objects corresponds to one of the block descriptions and includes a plurality of layout fields. A layout quality parameter is determined for each of the interface objects based on arrangement of the layout fields within the interface objects. A block placement generator arranges sets of the interface objects into block configurations within the interface. A placement quality parameter for each of the block configurations is derived based on a set of block placement rules and on the layout quality parameters, and a final block configuration is selected by comparing the placement quality parameters corresponding to particular block configurations.

A method and apparatus for performing compression and/or decompression is described. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a system having a buffer, a wavelet transform unit, and a coder. The wavelet transform unit has an input coupled to the buffer to perform a wavelet transform on pixels stored therein and to generate coefficients at an output. The coder is coupled to the wavelet transform unit to code the transformed pixels received from the buffer.

A system, computer program product, and method for managing ASP documents includes requesting a transfer of an ASP document at an ASP user device connected to a remote document manager and a remote ASP via a network such as the Internet, establishing a predetermined time for effecting a transfer of the ASP document, and transferring the ASP document at a predetermined time via the network. According to one embodiment of the first aspect, the step of requesting a transfer may include sending a deferred transfer request to the remote document manager via the network when the ASP user device logs on to the remote document manager. In this regard, the user requests a transfer by inputting a deferred transfer option from a menu received from the remote document manager via the network. The step of establishing a predetermined time for effecting a transfer of the ASP document may include inputting the predetermined time, and sending the predetermined time to the remote document manager via the network or requesting the remote document manager to establish the predetermined time without sending a predetermined time to the remote document manager.

A method and apparatus for performing compression and/or decompression is described. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a system having a buffer, a wavelet transform unit, and a coder. The wavelet transform unit has an input coupled to the buffer to perform a wavelet transform on pixels stored therein and to generate coefficients at an output. The coder is coupled to the wavelet transform unit to code the transformed pixels received from the buffer.

The present invention relates to a method of determining optimum color density and gamma curves and includes a step of providing a first set of input color values representing a set of Cyan, Magenta and Yellow values corresponding to a desired output color. An array of color output simulations is output using the first set of input color values, the array consisting of a plurality of individual color samples having varying amounts of Cyan, Magenta and Yellow which differ by predetermined percentages. The sample which corresponds most closely with the desired output color is selected and the Cyan, Magenta and Yellow values corresponding to the sample are determined. The gamma correction curves which are used to adjust the input color values are adjusted by using the determined Cyan, Magenta and Yellow values.

A method and apparatus for performing compression and/or decompression is described. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a system having a buffer, a wavelet transform unit, and a coder. The wavelet transform unit has an input coupled to the buffer to perform a wavelet transform on pixels stored therein and to generate coefficients at an output. The coder is coupled to the wavelet transform unit to code the transformed pixels received from the buffer.

A compiling system and method for generating a sequence of program instructions for use in a dynamically reconfigurable processing unit having an internal hardware organization that is selectively changeable among a plurality of hardware architectures, each hardware architecture executing instructions from a corresponding instruction set. Source files are compiled for execution using various instruction set architectures as specified by reconfiguration directives. Object files optionally encapsulate bitstreams specifying hardware architectures corresponding to instruction set architectures with executable code for execution on the architectures.

An FSM-coder hardware is described. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of encoding that includes creating an interval based on a finite state machine (FSM) state. The interval comprises a pair of subintervals having endpoints. The method also includes selecting one of the pair of subintervals based on whether the input bit is in a most probable state, and outputting zero or more bits corresponding to bits that match between endpoints of said one subinterval that occur from the most significant bits to, and not including, the first non-matching bits between the endpoints of said one subinterval.

An improved method and apparatus for correcting for splay is provided. A document distorted by the curvature of a page of text away from a platen is converted to a digital image. The digital image is the manipulated to remove the distortion by fitting the lines of text in an unsplayed portion to a skew line, which represents the deviation of lines of text in the digital image from horizontal. Then the splay is determined for each line of text. Once the skew and the splay are determined, an inverse transformation is done to straighten the lines of text. A horizontal stretching is also applied to the text to correct for the projection angle of the original document.

Business forms are a special class of documents typically used to collect or distribute data; they represent a vast majority of the paperwork need to conduct business. The present invention provides a pattern recognition system that classifies digitized images of business forms according to a predefined set of templates. The process involves a training phase, during which images of the template forms are scanned, analyzed and stored in a data dictionary, and a recognition phase, during which images of actual forms are compared to the templates in the dictionary to determine their class membership. The invention provides the feature extraction and matching methods, as well as the organization of the form dictionary. The performance of the system was evaluated using a collection of computer generated test forms. The methodology for creating these forms, and the results of the evaluation are also described. Business forms are characterized by the presence of horizontal and vertical lines that delimit the useable space. The present invention identifies these so called regular lines in bi-level digital images to separate text from graphics before applying an optical character recognizer; or as a feature extractor in a form recognition system. The approach differs from existing vectorization, line extraction, and text-graphics separation methods, in that it focuses exclusively on the recognition of horizontal and vertical lines.

The present invention provides an encoding and decoding apparatus used for the compression and expansion of data. A state machine is provided having a plurality of states. Each state has at least one transition pair. Each element of the transition pair comprises zero or more bits representative of the compact code to be output and the identification of the next state to proceed to. The transition pair reflects an output for a yes and no response associated with the probability of the data to be compacted and whether the data falls within that probability.