Matched mailing system employing address print array recognition

A system for match mailing a plurality of documents and envelopes, includes first scanning means for scanning at least one line of a first identification block of text printed on a document, the first block of text having a determined number of characters, first means operatively connected to the first scanning means for generating a first print array representative of the number and location of characters of the lines scanned in the first block of text, second scanning means for scanning at least one line of a second identification block of text printed on an envelope, the second block of text having a determined number of characters and second means operatively connected to the second scanning means for generating a second print array representative of the number and location of characters of the lines scanned in the second block of text. The system may further include means for comparing the first print array to the second print array and inserting means operatively connected to the comparing means for inserting the document into the envelope when the first print array matches the second print array.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to matched mailing systems, and more 
particularly, to matched mailing systems employing address characteristics 
for matching mailing envelopes and inserts. The present invention can be 
utilized in inserting machines where the inserter processes other 
materials which may require matching or match verification before being 
inserted into envelopes. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Systems have been developed for matched mailing. Matched mailing as defined 
herein means that items to be inserted into an envelope are matched with a 
particular envelope or with other documents. These matched mailings are 
used, for example, in connection with inserting pre-identified coupons 
into pre-determined envelopes such that usage patterns of recipients of a 
mailing can be determined by how the particular coupons are redeemed. 
Matched mailing systems are also employed where a particular insert such 
as a letter is to be inserted into an opaque envelope (that is where the 
inserted letter does not serve as the address bearing document which is 
visible through a windowed portion of the envelope). 
One known method for accomplishing matched mailings has involved the use of 
relatively expensive optical character recognition (OCR) devices. The name 
and address on the envelope is read and compared with the name and address 
on the insert which is also read to insure that the appropriate match 
exists. OCR devices usually include a scanner for digitizing printed 
characters, and a computer which executes algorithms for character 
recognition of the scanned characters. The various types of algorithms 
include preprocessing algorithms, such as line segmentation, character 
segmentation, and character recognition algorithms, such as template 
matching, are well known in the art. In general, the template matching 
algorithm, in which a scanned character is correlated with templates of 
all expected characters, is time consuming and normally executed in 
hardware, which results in expensive systems. 
Other known methods of achieving matched mailing involve keeping a track of 
the location of both the envelope and the insert as the envelope and 
insert are processed by the system. Another method involves an on-line 
fabrication of the envelope such that a match is automatically guaranteed. 
Yet another method involves an on-line address printing on the envelope 
immediately prior to insertion. These methods are either very costly or 
are subject to errors. 
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 176,803, filed Apr. 1, 1988, having the 
same inventor and assignee as the present application, a method and 
apparatus for matching uniquely identified documents to an envelope using 
a plurality of bar code readers is disclosed. A bar code reader is mounted 
on each of the feeder hoppers of an inserter system for the purpose of 
reading bar code information printed on each document fed onto a transport 
deck. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A system has been discovered that will provide a matched mailing capability 
without the need to have optical character recognition devices which read 
the address on the documents to be inserted and on the mail piece and 
without the need to keep track of the location of the mailpiece and 
inserts. 
In accordance with the present invention, a matched mailing system utilizes 
a print array of the address on the address bearing document for 
performing the matching function. The print array serves as a code which 
is distinct and easily matched to an identical print array code of another 
document to be matched. 
The system in accordance with the present invention increases the speed and 
effectiveness of a matched mailing system and the reliability of insuring 
a proper match is accomplished, while utilizing relatively inexpensive 
optical reading devices. The present invention eliminates the need for the 
template matching or other character recognition algorithms in a matched 
mailing system. 
In accordance with a further feature of the present invention consecutive 
documents containing addresses having identical print arrays are modified 
so that a detectable difference exists and the addresses occupy different 
print arrays. 
A system embodying the present invention includes first scanning means for 
scanning at least one line of a first identification block of text printed 
on a document, the first block of text having a determined number of 
characters, first means operatively connected to the first scanning means 
for generating a first print array representative of the number and 
location of characters of the lines scanned in the first block of text, 
second scanning means for scanning at least one line of a second 
identification block of text printed on an envelope, the second block of 
text having a determined number of characters and second means operatively 
connected to the second scanning means for generating a second print array 
representative of the number and location of characters of the lines 
scanned in the second block of text. 
The system may further include means for comparing the first print array to 
the second print array and inserting means operatively connected to the 
comparing means for inserting the document into the envelope when the 
first print array matches the second print array.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In FIG. 1, a block diagram of the present invention is shown. 
Document/envelope generator and printer 5 generates and prints documents, 
such as those shown at 11, 12, 13, and 14, each containing an 
identification block of text such as addresses 201a, 202a, 203a and 204a. 
Document/envelope generator and printer 5 also generates and prints 
envelopes, such as those shown at 41, 42, 43 and 44, each containing an 
identification block of text which corresponds to the block of text on 
documents 11, 12, 13 and 14, such as addresses 201b, 202b, 203b and 204b. 
Once generated and printed, documents 11, 12, 13, and 14 are placed in 
feeder 10 and envelopes 41, 42, 43 and 44 are placed in feeder 40. It will 
be appreciated that document/envelope generator and printer 5 can be two 
devices, one for documents and one for envelopes, which communicate in a 
known manner. It is envisioned that document/envelope generator and 
printer 5 would be a convention computer system capable of generating the 
printed documents and envelopes, for example a mini computer and laser 
printer configuration. 
Feeder 10 feeds documents, 11, 12, 13, and 14, which are sequentially 
transported to document scanner 20. When document 11 is transported to 
scanner 20, scanner 20 scans an area containing mailing address 201a on 
document 11. Feeder 40 feeds envelopes 41, 42, 43, and 44, which are 
sequentially transported to envelope scanner 50. As document 11 is 
transported to scanner 20, envelope 41 is transported to scanner 50. 
Scanner 50 scans an area containing mailing address 201b printed on 
envelope 41. The scanned information read by scanners 20 and 50 are sent 
to processor 30 which generates two print arrays (described below) one for 
the mailing address on document 11 and another for the mailing address on 
envelope 41. Envelope 41 and document 11 are transported to insert station 
70. If the print array of document 11 matches the print array of envelope 
41, document 11 is inserted into the envelope 41. If the print arrays do 
not match, document 11 and/or envelope 41 can be rejected automatically. 
As stated previously, each of documents 11, 12, 13 and 14 and envelopes 41, 
42, 43, and 44 has therein a block of text, such as a mailing address 201a 
for document 11 and mailing address 201b for envelope 41. The mailing 
addresses, for example, addresses 201, 202, 203, and 204 shown in FIG. 2, 
which respectively correspond to 201a, 202a, 203a, 204a and to 201b, 202b, 
203b and 204b, occupy a fixed location and a predetermined amount of 
space. The number and location of characters in each line of addresses 201 
a and b can be used to distinguish addresses 201 a and b from addresses 
202 a and b, 203 a and b, and 204 a and b. For example, the name Mr. 
Christopher Jones in address 201 is distinguishable from Mr. Larry Smith 
in address 202 because of the extra amount of characters in the longer 
name. In addition, the location of the characters provides another level 
of distinguishability. In the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention, the entire address is scanned to obtain a print array 
representative of the address. 
In the preferred embodiment, scanner 20 includes an image scanner, such as 
a CCD based array available from Texas Instruments or a MOS based array 
available from RETICON, and a single board computer, such as a computer 
based on INTEL processor 80286. Scanner 20 is used in the present 
invention to determine the print array of an identification block of text, 
such as a mailing address. Unlike other matched mailing systems requiring 
more expensive readers to recognize the characters in the address, the 
present invention does not use a time consuming template matching 
algorithm required for the recognition of the address characters. The 
present invention must only distinguish between the presence and absence 
of characters in the address. This is accomplished by adjusting the 
position of scanner 20 to correspond to the location of the block of text 
on the document being scanned. FIG. 3b, described below, provides a flow 
chart showing the conversion of the scanned address into a print array. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, an example of the scanning of addresses is shown. 
Addresses 201, 202, 203 and 204 represent mailing addresses 201a, 202a, 
203a, and 204a printed on documents 11, 12, 13, and 14 respectively and 
mailing addresses 201b, 202b, 203b and 204b printed on envelopes 41, 42, 
43, and 44 respectively. As document 11 passes by scanner 20, scanner 20 
scans each line of address 201a. In accordance with the present invention 
for each block of text, such as address 201a, scanner 20 divides the 
scanned information into a plurality of channels. The number of channels 
are determined based on the number of characters in the identification 
block of text generated by document/envelope generator and printer 5 (FIG. 
1). In FIG. 2, channels 101 through 125 are shown. For each channel, 
scanner 20 records the line number when a character is detected in that 
channel. The same information is scanned and recorded when envelope 41 
passes by scanner 50. For purposes of illustration, in FIG. 2 each channel 
contains only one character or character space. Normally, the scanned 
characters will overlap channels and the lines may be skewed. The line 
segmentation (for deskewing the lines) and the character segmentation (for 
separating the characters) are handled by algorithms which are known to 
those skilled in the art. 
For addresses 201 a and b, scanners 20 and 50 scan at least one line, such 
as the name Mr. Christopher Jones. Scanners 20 and 50 detect the 
characters printed in channels 101, 102, 103, 105 through 115, and 117 
through 121. In the examples provided in FIG. 2, all the addresses are 
left justified. It will be understood that this is not a requirement for 
the present invention. In the preferred embodiment, the mailing address 
format, i.e. the positions and spacing, of the characters in the document 
addresses, such as 201a, 202a, 203a, and 204a are consistent with the 
format of the characters in the envelope addresses, such as 201b, 202b, 
203b and 204b. 
Referring now to FIG. 3a, a flowchart describing the generation of a 
document and/or envelope in the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention, is shown. Steps 220 through 228 are performed by the Generator 
and Printer 5 in FIG. 1. At 220, the print array for an address block of 
text to be printed on the next document and/or envelope to be generated is 
determined. At 222, a comparison of this print array is made to the print 
array determined for the previously generated document and/or envelope. At 
224, if the arrays are not identical, the document and or envelope are 
generated, at 228, with the address block of text. If the arrays are 
identical at 224, a character is added or deleted, at 226, at the end of 
the first line of the address block of text. For example, a character will 
be added if there is no character present at the end of the first line of 
the original address block of text, and will be deleted if a character is 
present. At 228, the modified address block of text will be printed on the 
document and/or envelope. Through this process, no consecutive generated 
documents or envelopes can have identical print arrays. 
Referring now to FIG. 3b, a flowchart describing the generation of a print 
array for an address is shown. At 240, the address block of text on a 
document and/or and envelopes is scanned. At 242, line segmentation is 
performed on the scanned information to distinguish between the lines in 
the address block of text. At 244, character segmentation is performed to 
determine the location of each character on each line of the address block 
of text. At 248, a print array is generated based on the results of the 
line and character segmentations. 
As each line of mailing addresses 201 a and b are scanned, scanners 20 and 
50 detect the presence or absence of a character in each channel. The 
outputs from the scanners 20 and 50 are on/off or black/white patterns 
representing where characters are located in each line of addresses 201 a 
and b. Scanners 20 and 50 transmit the outputs to processor 30 which 
generates print array 301, shown in FIG. 4, for each of mailing addresses 
201 a and b. FIG. 3 also shows print arrays 302, 303, and 304, 
corresponding to mailing addresses 202, 203, and 204, respectively, in 
FIG. 2. 
It will be appreciated that the matching can also be accomplished by 
matching the print array generated from only one line of a mailing 
address, such as the line containing the name. In the preferred embodiment 
of the present invention, the entire address is scanned to obtain a print 
array representative of the entire address. Generating a print array from 
all lines of the mailing address significantly increases the probability 
that two consecutively scanned mailing addresses will result in different 
print arrays. 
Referring now to FIG. 4, examples of a print array generated from a scan of 
an address block are shown. Print arrays 301, 302, 303, and 304 correspond 
to addresses 201, 202, 203, and 204 respectively. The left column 
identifies the array channels 101-125 of document scanner 20 and envelope 
scanner 50. Print array 301 represents the print array generated by 
processor 30 according to information received from document scanner 20, 
relating to the scanning of mail address 201 printed on document 11. Print 
array 301 also represents the print array generated by processor 30 after 
receiving information from envelope scanner 50, relating to the scanning 
of mailing address 201 printed on envelope 41. In the preferred 
embodiment, each of the array channels identifies every line containing a 
character in that channel. From print array 301, it can be seen that the 
scanners 20 and 50 detected characters in lines 1, 2 and 3 for channels 
101, 102, 105 through 110, 112, 113 and 114. Characters were detected in 
only lines 2 and 3 for channels 104 and 116, in only lines 1 and 3 for 
channels 103, 112 and 117 through 120, in only lines 1 and 2 for channels 
111 and 115, in only line 3 for channels 17 through 20, and in only line 1 
for channel 121. No characters were detected in channels 122 through 125. 
Thus referring back to FIG. 1, when document 11 containing address 201 is 
to be inserted into envelope 41 containing address 201, the print array 
generated by processor 30 for document 11 will match the print array 
generated by processor 30 for envelope 41, document 11 and envelope 41 
will be transported to insert station 70 and document 11 will be inserted 
into envelope 41. No insertion will occur if the system attempted to 
insert document 12 containing address 202 into envelope 41 because print 
array 302 for document 12 and print array 301 for envelope 41 do not 
match. When the print arrays of a document and an envelope do not match an 
error is detected and appropriate steps can be taken, for example, 
rejection of the document and envelope or operator intervention. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 show other print arrays which can be generated for addresses 
201, 202, 203 and 204 using alternate pattern techniques. In FIG. 5, print 
arrays 401, 402, 403 and 404 correspond to addresses 201, 202, 203 and 204 
respectively using a pattern technique where the number of address lines 
containing characters in each channel is recorded per channel. This 
differs from the pattern technique used in the preferred embodiment shown 
in FIG. 4, which records the lines in which the characters were detected 
for each channel. 
In FIG. 6, print arrays 501, 502, 503, and 504 correspond to addresses 201, 
202, 203 and 204 respectively using a pattern technique where the last 
channel containing a character in each line is recorded. 
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that additional 
techniques can be used to generate print arrays. The pattern technique 
used to generate the print arrays in FIG. 4 is a preferred technique 
because it contains more information per channel and is less likely to 
have two consecutive documents/envelopes with identical print arrays. For 
example, print arrays 403 and 404 are identical, but print arrays 303 and 
304 are not. This is because the pattern technique used in the preferred 
embodiment shown in FIG. 4 contains more character pattern information per 
channel. Print arrays 303 and 304 differ at channel 110 because the 
preferred pattern technique has a higher level of discriminating power 
which makes it better suited for use in matched mailing in accordance with 
the present invention. 
As described thus far, it will be appreciated that is possible for the 
print arrays for a document and an envelope to match even when the scanned 
mailing addresses of each are different. An example of this is when 
consecutive documents bearing addresses 202 and 203 in FIG. 2 are to be 
inserted into consecutive envelopes bearing addresses 202 and 203. Print 
arrays 302 and 303 for addresses 202 and 203 are identical. An error could 
occur in the matching of the print arrays, if for example, envelope 42 
bearing address 202 is lost or out of sequence. When document 12 bearing 
address 202 is scanned print array 302 will be generated. Since envelope 
42 containing the matching address is not in proper sequence, the system 
will attempt to match the next envelope, i.e. envelope 43 containing 
address 203. Because address 203 has an identical print array 303, the 
system, as described so far, would not detect an error and would insert 
document 12 into the envelope 43. In the preferred embodiment of the 
present invention, no print arrays of consecutive documents or envelopes 
are identical. 
Referring now to FIG. 7, addresses 202 and 203 are shown again with one 
modification. An additional character has been added in channel 125 in the 
first line of address 203. In FIG. 8 print array 303 reflects the 
additional character in channel 125. The addition of this one character 
prevents consecutive addresses 202 and 203 from having identical print 
arrays. The additional character preferably is added when the document and 
envelope bearing address 203 are printed by document/envelope generator 
and printer 5 (FIG. 1). This requires that the print array for each 
address be known or determined by generator and printer 5. Because 
generator and printer 5 prints the documents and envelopes in the order 
they will be scanned and inserted, generator and printer 5, knowing the 
print arrays for each address, can prevent two consecutive printed 
documents/envelopes from having identical print arrays by adding at least 
one character to at least one line of the address, preferably at the end 
of a line. Alternatively, at least one character could be dropped from any 
of the lines of the address to prevent two consecutive addresses from 
having identical print arrays. The same technique can be used for 
alternate print arrays in FIGS. 5 and 6 to prevent consecutive identical 
print arrays. 
The use of the print array algorithm in place of the character recognition 
algorithms significantly reduces the processing cost required for matched 
mailing. As described above, the matching of print arrays is reliable for 
matching inserts to envelopes. 
While the invention has been disclosed and described with reference to a 
single embodiment thereof it will be apparent, as noted above that 
variations and modifications may be made therein. It is, thus, intended in 
the following claims to cover each variation and modification that falls 
within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.