A Color Raster Scanning System for Digitizing Cartographic Data

The final technical report on the Color Raster Scanner system described the principal system requirements, and the technical considerations leading to the definition of the design approaches employed. The resulting system is composed of major functional elements in hardware, in software, and in the operator support interfaces. This latter area is of high importance in applying the Scanner capabilities to obtain satisfactory results in the use of the scanned cartographic data. The report contains a functional description of the Color Raster Scanner system in all its subdivisions, and includes results of test and evaluation as obtained. The major units of the system are the Drum Scanner Unit, the Data Preprocessor, the Control Microprocessor with its I/O control and display hardware, the Model 8/32 Processor System, and the Applications Software which supports, controls, and integrates system operations. The hardware and software functional descriptions follow the flow of data from photodetection to its recording in digital form on magnetic tape. The software is described in its diverse applications of operator support, on-line processing of data as scanned and off-line processing of output scanned data to requirements which entail more extensive file manipulation.