With the expanded usage of computers in office operations, the HT-4197 and HT-4195 OCR readers from Hitachi used computers in place of OCR controllers. Hitachi developed an OCR package (an OCR operating and processing program) that ran on Windows, enabling the readers to be used as standalone systems as well as realizing multi-correction functions that allowed OCR scans to be checked on multiple LAN-connected computers. The HT-4197 OCR reader also delivered the highest performance in its class (approximately 42 sheets per minute when reading A4 sheets with 300 characters per sheet). The accuracy of the paper-feed mechanism was also improved so that stock forms with sprocket holes, such as order forms required by consumer cooperatives, could be input directly. Other advanced features included the capability to input thin 35-kilogram-weight pages in six-sided duplicate vouchers including the inside pages (i.e., the second and third pages) and to input dry-sealed postcards (double-layer postcards), such as notifications of tax payments, making the readers the first in the industry to support thick 150-kilogram-weight paper.．
| Readable characters | OCR-B font, MICR (E13B), 407, gothic, OCR-K, dot-matrix characters: able to read mixtures of numbers, letters, and 100 types of printer-printed characters Handwritten characters: numbers, letters, katakana characters, and symbols Handwritten kanji characters: recognized about 4,300 characters |
|---|---|
| Forms handled | A8 to A3, paper weights from 35 to 150 kilograms |
| Processing speeds | Document mode: up to about 270 sheets per minute (reading 10 printed numbers per A8 sheet) Page mode: up to about 42 sheets per minute (on the HT-4197, reading 300 handwritten numbers per A4 sheet) ※Performance boosted to about 58 sheets per minute in May 1995 up to about 20 sheets per minute (on the HT-4195, reading 300 handwritten numbers per A4 sheet) |
| Release date | September 1993 |
Hitachi boosted the performance of the HT-4197 OCR reader in May 1995, with its speed reaching approximately 58 sheets per minute (when reading 300 handwritten numbers per A4 sheet), the fastest speed in the industry.
