requirement. An

advantage of the OBR is that it is not particularly sensitive to direction of scanning and does not require more than minimal operator training or attention.

2.3.4 Coat Bangsa - Purchase prices of optical bar code readers range from approximately $6,000 to $40,000.

2.3.5 Iɣpical Data Entry Applicationa · Some credit card applications use bar code imprinting for sales receipts. Point-of-sale (POS) applications use bar codes such as the UPC code. Supermarket, inventory and warehouse applications use bar codes imprinted on labels for routing and inventory control functions.

2.3.6 Advantagea and Strong Pointa

Optical bar code readers are simpler expensive than optical character readers.

Skew and character registration is not

and less

critical

for OBR readers as it is for OCR's. Thus, bar coding can be read on containers of different shapes (other than flat surfaces).

2.3.7 Diaadvantages and Limitations

Bar code readers are limited in their usefulness human-oriented systems since the bar codes cannot be easily read and are impossible to write by humans.

Bar codes are not space-efficient, 1.e. considerable amount of space is required to represent a few characters.

2.4 Equipment Category: Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) - MICR readers are electronic reading devices that recognize characters by analyzing the magnetic waveform of the individual characters and identifying them. The ink used in imprinting these characters is a special ink with iron oxide particles. This ink is magnetized prior to reading. The entire MICR technology was developed for and is presently used almost exclusively by the banking industry. MICR characters are encoded on checks and deposit slips (through a manually operated keyboard device that encodes amounts and serves to validate amount totals of these documents). MICR readers are usually dual purpose devices. In addition to reading, they also sort the documents into as many as 32 sort pockets,

2.4.1 Equipment Characteristica

2.4.1.1 Rata Capacity/Speed

2.4.1.1.1 Icanaíerzicanamission spread

ope te in an online or an off-line mode.

In the online

mode, the reader is connected directly to the computer via an I/O channel and can read and sort documents and send the information directly to the computer. In this mode, transmission speed is limited to approximately 1600 minute characters per second (based on 1600 documents per

with 60 characters per document). In the off-line mode, the MICR reader is only capable of reading the documents for the purpose of sorting them.

2.4.1.1.2 Volume Per Wait of Lime The maximum volume currently available 1s 1,600 six-inch documents per minute and is limited by the reader's paper handling mechanism.

2.4.1.1.3 Operator Speed - The operator not a factor in MICR reader operation.

speed is

normally

2.4.1.2 Operational and Environmental Requirementa

2.4.1.2.1 Iampacature/Humidity Requirements MICR readers are designed to connect directly to the computer and are usually in the controlled environment computer facility.

2.4.1.2.2 Area/Physical Location - The MICR reader can be as large as (or larger than) a standard card reader (depending on the number of sorter pockets). The unit is normally located in a computer room.

2.3.1.2.3 Computer Interface

· MICR readers are normally connected directly to a host computer via an I/O channel.

2.4.1.3 Input Characteristica

2.4.1.3.1 Record Sizes - Most MICR readers are capable of reading up to 60 characters per document.

Character sets used

2.4.1.3.2 Character Sets Available with MICR readers are generally limited to the numerics 0 through 9 and four or five special characters. These are uniquely shaped characters printed with magnetic ink. The special characters are symbols used in the banking industry. Some MICR units provide OCR capabilities with character sets typical of OCR readers.

2.4.1.3.3 Special Form Requirements Most MICR readers are capable of reading documents ranging in length from 5-3/4 inches to 9-1/2 inches and ranging in width from 2-1/2 inches to 4-1/2 inches. Paper quality is not as critical in MICR applications as it is in OCR. Characters read by MICR readers must be printed with a special ink containing iron oxide particles.

2.4.1.4 Output Capabilities - MICR readers transmit directly to the computer. Some units offer lister attachments which list transactions as they are being processed. Operator

communications and reentry correction operations are sometimes accomplished through the use of CRT units

2.4.1.5 Edit/Validate Capabilities In MICR applications, edit/validate operations are normally performed by the use of check digits and software executed on the host computer. 2.4.2 Options - Some of the more common options available on MICR readers include combination MICR and OCR reading capability, automatic endorser, and additional sorting pockets, Some vendors offer such options as microfilming systems, wide variety of reject reentry systems (key-to-disk, punch card, OCR), and sophisticated document repair equipment (mechanical devices that physically repair items so they can be processed automatically).

2.4.3 Operator Requirementa - Except for the document handling functions that involve loading the reader, clearing lams, and removing unreadable documents for reentry, this is not a critical factor in a MICR operation.

2.4.4 Cost Ranges - Purchase prices of

MICR readers range

from below $30,000 to over $200,000 and lease prices range from around $700 to over $3,000 per month.

2.4.5 Ixpical Data Entry Applications Since its inception, MICR equipment has primarily been used for a single application, the processing of banking documents (especially checks). Almost all of the MICR readers features have been dictated by its prime user, the banking industry.

2.4.6 Advantagea and Strong Pointa

They allow the direct reading of magnetic ink encoded characters which are insensitive to pencil or ink overmarkings.

.

They have been used successfully for many years in the banking industry.

"Print

ons

MICR specifications are standardized (ANSI
Specifications for Magnetic

Recognition" and ANSI X3.3-1970 "Bank Check
for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition").

2.4.7 Diaadvantages and Limitationa

MICR readers require special forms

read a limited character set.

X3.2-1970

Ink

Character

Specifications

Ultimately, the development of inexpensive, flexible, and reliable optical character readers will probably replace most MICR readers.

fast,

MICR's have not gained popularity in any industry except banking. For this reason, capabilities and features which would be beneficial to other types of applications are not readily available.

2.5 Equipment Category: Remote Scanners - Remote Scanners are optical readers (either OCR, OMR, or OBR) which are configured to operate as remote data terminals. They are designed to provide both remote data capture and timely transmission of processed data to the computer. Previous sections of this report were devoted to large, fast, and generally expensive optical readers that are usually configured to operate as centralized data input devices. In contrast, the remote Scanner is capable of economically scanning data at decentralized locations and allows the functional users to retain complete control of their source documents. Present remote scanners vary in their capability to read marks, bars, and characters. Each, however, permits operator intervention via a keyboard at the source for operator communication and reentry/error correction. have covered the basic and OBR equipment, the

Because previous sections characteristics of OCR, OMR, equipment profiles for the remote Scanners will not be included in this report.

2.6 Equipment CategorX:

Prepunched Tag Readers Prepunched Tag Readers are reading devices that read small merchandise tags encoded with prepunched holes. Prepunched tag system have been in use for nearly 20 years in the retai merchandising industry. Currently the systems are being replaced by magnetic encoded tags and other more sophisticated POS systems. Reference sources do not consider prepunched tag readers to be "state-of-the-art" data entry devices. For this reason, an equipment profile not be included in this report.

for this device will

Chapter 3

SPECIAL INPUT DEVICES

3.1 Equipment Category: Pushbutton Telephone - Pushbutton telephones use pushbuttons rather than rotary dials for entering the dialing information. Rotary-dial telephones have a disk with 10 "fingerholes," with each hole representing one of the 10 numerics, 0 through 9. Dialing information (telephone numbers) is entered by placing a finger in the hole representing the appropriate number and then rotating the disk clockwise.

Pushbutton telephones have a pushbutton keyboard (similar to the numeric keyboard of adding machine, although the order of the keys is inverted) instead of a rotary-dial disk. The depression of the pushbuttons (keys) enters the dialing information. Each key generates a unique combination of frequencies which is interpreted telephone switching system.

by the

In addition to the pushbutton telephone's primary purpose (voice communication), it can easily be adapted to function as a data entry terminal. In this mode, the user simply "dials" the host computer's telephone number, awaits the connection, and then enters data through the pushbuttons. The host computer can communicate to the user by transmitting audible tones or by voice response (machine generated or recorded speech).

pushbutton telephone would be limited to the keying speed of

the operator.

3.1.1.1.3 Operator Speed - It has been estimated that the average Operator keying speed using a pushbutton telephone is 1.5 characters a second.

3.1.1.2 Operational and Environmental Requirements

3.1.1.2.1 Iemperature/Humidify Requirements Telephones can be placed in almost any environment, including offices, shops, warehouses, outside, moving vehicles, etc.

3.1.1.2.2 Arga¿Physical Location - Telephones require less than one square foot of space.