Patent ID: 7163143
Filing Date: 2007-01-16
Classification: B07C

Abstract:
1. A method of handling mail items in a mail handling machine, such mail items including foreign destination mail items, and each mail item having a surface including address information, which method comprises: forming a digital image on the surface of the mail item which includes the address information; and performing an automatic address recognition operation by optical character recognition (OCR) for the purpose of determining the address information of the mail item; said method being characterized in that: when the address information cannot be automatically recognized unambiguously, the method further comprises: deriving a digital imprint from the digital image of the mail item, which digital imprint serves to identify the mail item in the machine in order to perform an address recognition operation by video coding; and generating an identity code for the mail item and printing the idenyity code on the mail item if the address information recognized by video coding corresponds to address information of a mail item that does not have a foreign destination.