Patent ID: 6289109
Filing Date: 2001-09-11
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
Apparatus for processing mailpieces comprising:a. means for sequentially feeding a plurality of mailpieces in a predetermined path of travel having a downstream direction, each of the mailpiece having a leading edge and a trailing edge in the path of travel, each of the mailpieces including an outer surface having a plurality of blocks of data marked thereon, each of the mailpiece outer surfaces having a longitudinal length thereof extending upstream from the leading to the trailing edge thereof having a transverse length thereof extending transversely of the longitudinal length;b. a digital computer;c. means electrically connected to the computer for obtaining a digital bit map image of the outer surface of at least one of the mailpieces, the image obtaining means including means for unidirectionally raster scanning the mailpiece outer surface under the control of the computer, the image obtaining means including means for sequentially providing a plurality of scan lines of data to the computer, the scan lines respectively extending parallel to one another and transversely of the longitudinal length of the mailpiece outer surface, each of the scan lines including a sequence of a plurality of pixels of data respectively corresponding to a bit of a black and white scale of bits, each of the scan lines having a different first coordinate code assigned thereto for identifying a location thereof longitudinally of the length of the mailpiece outer surface, each of the pixels of any given scan line having a different second coordinate code assigned thereto for identifying a location thereof transversely of the longitudinal length of the mailpiece outer surface, whereby each pixel has a different combination of first and second coordinate codes uniquely identifying the location thereof on the mailpiece outer surface and all of the pixels correspond to a bit map image thereof; andd. the computer including means programmed for:i. finding individual runs of a plurality of black bits of each scan line and determining whether any bit of each individual run neighbors at least one black bit of another scan line;ii. combining each of the found individual runs of each scan line which neighbor at least one black bit of the another scan line with each neighboring black bit of the another scan line to form at least one character;iii. determining the first and second coordinates defining a location on the mailpiece outer surface of a block having at least one character and assigning a descriptive value to the block as a function of a plurality of features thereof; andiv. comparing the descriptive value assigned to the block having at lest one character to a list of values identifying the location of a plurality of blocks of data and identifying the block having at least one character as a particular one of the plurality of blocks of data if the descriptive value is the same as one of the values in the list of values.