Hybrid incoherent optical pattern recognition system.

A pattern recognition system that uses incoherent spatial filtering to recognize images directly from a narrowband phosphor television monitor is described. Images of real objects are captured with a television camera. These images are then edge-enhanced electronically and displayed on the TV monitor. The monitor output is used directly as the input to a holographic correlator. An optical multichannel analyzer at the correlation plane is used to analyze the shape of the correlation function and to determine the position of its peak. Experimental results agree well with theory. Concepts for handling rotation, aspect angle, and scale variations of the input are discussed.