Pattern discriminator

In a pattern discriminator which receives scanning data obtained by scanning objects within defined window regions with a photoelectric converter of the two-dimensional scanning type, and having means for converting the scanning data into pixel binary data representing characteristics of the object scanned by using a threshold value whih is variable within a window region, and having means for evaluating the binary data in accordance with predetermined criteria and for producing an output signal indicative of said evalution, the improvements comprising:

• means for defining a plurality of window regions, comprising memory means for storing abscissa data representing the beginning and ending absceissa points of each window region on each scanning line in a compressed arrangement so that the memory need only store data for scanning lines having window regions located thereon, means for generating postional data representing the abscissa scanning position along each scanning line, comaprator circuit means comprising two comparators, one comparator for comparing the abscissa scanning position data with the beginning abscissa point data and for producing an output when the abscissa position is after the beginning abscissa point, and a second comparator for comparing the abscissa scanning position data with the ending abscissa point data and for producing an output when the abscissa position is before the ending point, and logic gate means generating a window output signal in response to the production of outputs from the two comparators;
• means for gating the binary data to said evaluation means in response to said window output signal, so that only binary data for points within a window region are provided to the evaluation means,
• and the evaluation means comprising a plurality of binary conversion channels each having a different threshold level, and means for selecting from said plurality of binary conversion channels the output of a particular one for evaluating the second data supplied thereto based on the parameter stored in said memory corresponding to the address of the data being processed.