Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods of correlating data relating to an item of mail, such as barcode information, with the associated item of mail. This allows the item of mail to be sorted using the data relating to the item of mail. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for correlating an item of mail, subject to sorting by a mail sorter, with data, stored by a processing unit, relating to the item of mail. The method comprises acts of associating the item of mail with a first counter value, associating the data with a second counter value, and corresponding the first counter value with the second counter value to correlate the data with the item of mail.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/687,059, entitled “Methods and Apparatus for Recognizing and Processing Barcodes Associated with Mail,” filed on Jun. 3, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates generally to systems and methods used for the automated sorting of mail and, more specifically, to systems and methods used to correlate information relating to an item of mail with the associated item of mail.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Barcodes are used by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to sort mail. Automated mail sorting systems can read barcodes on mail and sort mail based on final destination or other factors. This allows for efficient mail processing. Mail sorting systems currently used by the USPS have the ability to recognize and process conventional two-state barcodes, such as POSTNET barcodes. POSTNET barcodes encode zip code and delivery point code information using bars having two possible states, short or tall.  
         [0004]     Barcodes for mail sorting have been developed that allow more information to be encoded relative to two-state barcodes. These barcodes are referred to as four-state barcodes because each bar of the barcode may have one of four variations. Specifically, each bar of a four-state barcode consists of a small bar that can have an ascender above it, a descender below it, or both. Two such barcodes are the Flat ID code sort (FICS) barcode and the Intelligent Mail (IM) barcode. FICS barcodes are barcodes that are applied to letters that do not have delivery information recognized by a mail sorter. A FICS barcode encoding sorting information will be printed on a label that is affixed to the letter. IM barcodes are used by mass mailers to identify mail with delivery information and other information (e.g., customer data and/or sender information).  
         [0005]     Currently, mail sorting systems used by the USPS lack the ability to recognize and process four-state barcodes, such as FICS and IM barcodes. Accordingly, there is a need for system that can recognize and process four-state barcodes and interface with existing mail sorting systems used by the USPS.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     In view of the foregoing, there is a need for system that can recognize and process four-state barcodes and interface with existing mail sorting systems used by the USPS. So that the barcode data or other data generated by the system can be used by a mail sorting system, e.g., to sort an item of mail, the data must be correlated with the item of mail from which it was derived. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention relate to systems and methods for correlating data relating to an item of mail with the associated item of mail. The data may comprise information from a FICS barcode, information from an IM barcode, or other information relating to the item of mail.  
         [0007]     One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for correlating an item of mail, subject to sorting by a mail sorter, with data, stored by a processing unit, relating to the item of mail. The method comprises acts of associating the item of mail with a first counter value; associating the data with a second counter value; and corresponding the first counter value with the second counter value to correlate the data with the item of mail.  
         [0008]     Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a system, comprising a mail sorter to sort an item of mail; a processing unit to generate data relating to the item of mail; a first counter adapted to generate a first counter value when the item of mail is at a predetermined position within the mail sorter; memory to store the data relating to the item of mail with a second counter value such that the data and the second counter value are linked in the memory; and means for corresponding the first counter value with the second counter value to correlate the data with the item of mail.  
         [0009]     A further embodiment of the invention is directed to a processing unit, comprising an input to receive information for identifying an item of mail from a mail sorter; an input to receive an image of at least a portion of the item of mail from a camera; one or more processors to identify a barcode and generate sortable data relating to the barcode; means for correlating a unique identifier with the sortable data using the information; and an output for transmitting the unique identifier and the sortable data to the mail sorter. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment of a system for processing and sorting mail;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of the barcode processing server  7  of  FIG. 1  according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of the barcode processing server  7  according to another embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0013]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  illustrate data structures for storing information within a shared memory of the barcode processing server  7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     The United States Postal Service (USPS) delivers more than 206 billion pieces of mail each year to over 142 million delivery addresses. Automating the process of sorting mail improves the speed and accuracy with which mail is sorted. One system used by the USPS for automating the process of sorting mail is the Upgraded Flats Sorting Machine (UFSM 1000) manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation of Bethesda, Md. This system comprises a conveyor to transport mail and robotic handling to sort the mail based on POSTNET barcodes and/or address block information. The UFSM 1000 is used in connection with a camera and an object recognition system to acquire images of the mail and recognize and process POSTNET barcodes and address block information in the images. While the UFSM 1000 is able to recognize and process POSTNET barcodes, it cannot recognize and process four-state barcodes.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a system for processing and sorting mail that is capable of recognizing and processing both conventional two-state barcodes and four-state barcodes. The system comprises a mail sorter  1 , which may be the UFSM 1000 system described above, a camera  3  for acquiring images of the mail passing through the mail sorter  1 , an optical character recognition (OCR) processor  5  for recognizing and processing address information and conventional two-state barcodes, a FICS look-up server  9  for processing flat ID code sort (FICS) barcodes, a barcode processing server  7  for recognizing four-state barcodes, processing Intelligent Mail (IM) barcodes, and serving as an interface between the mail sorter  1  and the FICS look-up server  9 . Each of mail sorter  1 , camera  3 , OCR processor  5 , FICS look-up server  9 , and barcode processing server  7  may be a separate component linked to the other components via an external data link. Thus, one or more of mail sorter  1 , camera  3 , OCR processor  5 , FICS look-up server  9 , and barcode processing server  7  may be remotely located from the other components. Alternatively, one or more of the components may be integrated to form a unitary component.  
         [0016]     As an item of mail passes through mail sorter  1 , it is imaged by camera  3 . According to one exemplary implementation, camera  3  is a line scan camera, model number AV 1520, manufactured by Accu-Sort Systems, Inc. of Telford, Pa. However, other cameras capable of capturing grayscale and/or binary images of mail may alternatively be used. Camera  3  comprises three ports. Two of these ports are used to couple the camera  3  to OCR processor  5 , and the other is used to couple the camera to barcode processing server  7 . As will be discussed, OCR processor  5  is used to recognize and process address block and two-state barcode information. Barcode processing server  7 , in connection with FICS look-up server  9 , is used to recognize and process FICS and IM four-state barcodes.  
         [0017]     Two-state barcode and address block information is processed by the system of  FIG. 1  in a conventional manner. Specifically, camera  3  transmits images acquired to OCR processor  5  so that address block and two-state barcode information included in the images may be recognized and processed. In the exemplary system of  FIG. 1 , OCR processor  5  is a Flats Mail Optical Character Recognition (FMOCR) system manufactured by Siemens AG of Munich, Germany. OCR processor  5  decodes the barcode and/or converts the image of the address block to a readable format. This processed information is transmitted to OCR communication interface  11  within mail sorter  1 . Mail sorter  1  then sorts the mail according to the received information.  
         [0018]     Four-state barcode information is processed by the system of  FIG. 1  using the barcode processing server  7  and various interfaces provided to FICS look-up server  9 , mail sorter  1  and camera  3 . Barcode processing server  7  interfaces with a Time Interval Counter (TIC) I/O  13  and a barcode processing server communication interface  15  of mail sorter  1 . These interfaces, as well as the operations and functions of barcode processing server  7 , will be described in detail in connection with  FIG. 2 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of barcode processing server  7  and the interfaces of the barcode processing server  7  to the mail sorter  1 , camera  3 , and FICS look-up server  9  previously discussed. The processing of mail having four-state barcodes will now be discussed. As an item of mail passes through mail sorter  1 , its location is tracked by a Time Interval Counter (TIC)  10  coupled to TIC I/O interface  13  shown within the mail sorter  1  of  FIG. 1 . The TIC  10  generates a count that is incremented as the conveyor of mail sorter  1  is moved, and thus may be correlated with a location of the item of mail within mail sorter  1 . Thus, the TIC  10  may be used to track to movement of mail through the mail sorter  1  so that the location of a given item of mail may be known as it passes through the mail sorter  1 . One suitable TIC that may be used is counter/timer board, model number PCI-CTR05, manufactured by Measurement Computing Corporation of Middleboro, Mass.  
         [0020]     After an item of mail enters mail sorter  1  and is imaged by camera  3 , the image  19  is transmitted to a camera communication interface  17  within barcode processing server  7  and is stored in shared memory. The shared memory may be located, for example, within the barcode processing server  7 . Image  19  may be stored in shared memory with a TIC count  21  requested from mail sorter  1 . For example,  FIG. 4   b  shows an exemplary data structure  42 , comprising TIC count  21  and a pointer to image  19 , that may be stored in shared memory. TIC count  21  represents a count of the TIC  10  at the time when the image  19  was acquired by camera  3 , or at another predetermined time. TIC count  21  is transmitted from the TIC  10  via a TIC I/O interface  13  ( FIG. 1 ) of mail sorter  1 . TIC count  21  is received at the Enhanced Induction Station (EIS) communication interface  23  of barcode processing server  7 , and then stored in shared memory with image  19  (or a pointer thereto) as described above. At the same time that TIC count  21  is requested by barcode processing server  7 , a TIC count  25  is also read by mail sorter  1  from the TIC  10 . Mail sorter  1  associates TIC count  25  with a mail piece identifier  27 , which is a unique identifier assigned to an item of mail. TIC count  25  and mail piece identifier  27  are also transmitted to EIS communication interface  23  of barcode processing server  7  via TIC I/O interface  13  ( FIG. 1 ) of mail sorter  1  and stored together in shared memory. For example,  FIG. 4   a  shows an exemplary data structure  40 , comprising TIC count  25  and mail piece identifier  27 , that may be stored in shared memory. As will be discussed herein, TIC counts  21  and  25  and mail piece identifier  27  are used to associate barcode data processed by barcode processing server  7  with a particular item of mail being handled by mail sorter  1 .  
         [0021]     Although TIC count  25  is described as being generated by the TIC  10  of mail sorter  1  and being transmitted to the barcode processing server  7 , TIC count  25  may alternatively be generated by a second TIC associated with the barcode processing server. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , barcode processing server  7  may comprise a TIC  20  that generates TIC count  25 . The TIC  20  may be synchronized with the TIC  10  ( FIG. 1 ) such that the TIC  20  increments at the same rate and at the same times as TIC  10 . A data connection (e.g., a wireless connection or an Ethernet connection) may be provided between TIC  10  and TIC  20  to transmit synchronization signals. Once generated, TIC count  25  is transmitted to FICS processor  29  and treated in the same manner as described in connection with  FIG. 2 .  
         [0022]     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , when image  19  is received by camera communication interface  17 , it is transmitted to optical character recognition (OCR) communication interface  31  by a processor  29 . OCR communication interface  31  will in turn transmit image  19  to one of OCR engines  33  and  35 . OCR engines  33  and  35  may have identical functionality, and thus allow parallel processing of images and other data. OCR communication interface  21  selects one of OCR engines  33  and  35  based on which OCR engine is available, and transmits image  19  to that OCR engine. In the example of  FIG. 2 , image  19  is transmitted to OCR engine  35 . Each of the OCR engines  33  and  35  may use Lockheed Martin Symbol Recognition (LMSR) software to process a received image and return all barcode data identified in the image. Specifically, the LMSR software returns the type of barcode and the data of the barcode (i.e., all digits for the barcode) for each barcode identified. The barcode type and barcode data corresponding to image  19 , collectively data  37 , is stored in shared memory with image  19  and TIC count  21 , as shown in  FIG. 4   b . OCR engine  35  then notifies OCR communication interface  31  that the processing of image  19  is complete and that the results of such processing have been stored in memory.  
         [0023]     The OCR communication interface  31  will then determine, based on data  37 , what type of barcode(s) were contained within image  19 . If the OCR communication interface  31  determines that data  37  comprises a FICS barcode  41 , a message is transmitted to processor  29 , following which processor  29  notifies FICS look-up server interface  39  that a FICS barcode is ready to be processed. FICS look-up server (FLS) interface  39  transmits the FICS barcode  41  to FICS look-up server  9 . FICS look-up server  9  may be a REMLOC server manufactured by Northrop Grumman Corporation of Los Angeles, Calif., or another processor that may be used to perform a lookup to determine sortable data relating to the FICS barcode  41 . For example, FICS look-up server  9  may store zip code information associated with a particular barcode. Sortable data  43  determined by FICS look-up server  9  based on the FICS barcode  41  is transmitted back to FICS look-up server interface  39  and stored in shared memory with the corresponding image  19 .  
         [0024]     Returning again to the data  37  generated by OCR engine  35 , if the OCR communication interface  31  determines that data  37  comprises an IM barcode, one of OCR engines  35  and  37  performs a lookup to determine sortable data  38  relating to the IM barcode. Sortable data  38  determined by the OCR engine based on the IM barcode is stored in shared memory with the corresponding image  19 .  
         [0025]     Once the four-state bar codes have been recognized by barcode processing server  7 , processed by the barcode processing server  7  and/or FICS look-up server  9 , the resulting sortable data  45 , which may correspond to sortable data  43  returned by FICS look-up server  9  or sortable data  38  returned by OCR engines  33  or  35 , is stored in shared memory. For example, sortable data  45  may be stored as part of data structure  42  previously described in connection with  FIG. 4   b . After sortable data  45  has been stored, the results are ready to be returned to mail sorter  1 . If FICS look-up server  9  has completed processing a FICS barcode, EIS communication interface  23  will be notified that sortable data is ready to be returned to mail sorter  1 . Similarly, if OCR engine  33  or  35  has completed processing an IM barcode, OCR communication interface  31  notifies EIS communication interface  23  that sortable data is ready to be returned to mail sorter  1 .  
         [0026]     EIS communication interface  23  matches TIC count  21 , which is stored in memory with the sortable data  45  as shown in data structure  42  of  FIG. 4   b , with TIC count  25 , which is stored in memory with mail piece identifier  27  as shown in data structure  40  of  FIG. 4   a , by comparing the values of the TIC counts. For example, the TIC counts  25  and  21  encircled by an oval in  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  have corresponding values; thus, the mailpiece identifier  27  associated with the encircled TIC count  25  corresponds with the sortable data  45  associated with the encircled TIC count  21 . In this manner, EIS communication interface  23  is able to correlate sortable data  45  with a corresponding mail piece identifier  27 . Sortable data  45  and its related mail piece identifier  27  are then returned to mail sorter  1 . Mail sorter  1  uses mail piece identifier  27  to determine a corresponding item of mail being processed, and may use sortable data  45  to determine how the item of mail should be sorted. For example, mail sorter  1  may use the sortable data  45  to sort the item of mail by zip code.  
         [0027]     It should be appreciated that data structures  40  and  42  are one example of how TIC count  21 , TIC count  25 , mailpiece identifier  27 , data  45 , and/or image  19  may be stored in memory, however many implementations are possible. For example, a single data structure with all of the data in data structures  40  and  42  may alternatively be used. In addition, other formats for storing data, other than a data structure, may alternatively be used.  
         [0028]     It should be appreciated that the system shown in  FIG. 1  represents one exemplary implementation of a system for performing the various functions described herein, however other configurations are possible. The components of the system are shown for illustrative purposes, and need not be limited to the specific components shown. For example, while mail sorter  1  is the UFSM 1000 in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , other mail sorters may be used. Camera  3  also may be implemented using any suitable line scan camera or other device or apparatus capable of imaging address and barcode information on mail. FICS look-up server  9  may or may not be included in the overall system, depending on whether it is desired that the system be capable of processing FICS barcodes. In addition, barcode processing server  7  may be implemented as one or more computing systems and is not limited to the particular configuration shown. Further, although the system has been described in the context of processing barcodes, the invention is not so limited. The principles described herein for correlating data with an item of mail may also be applied to other information relating to items of mail (e.g., recipient information or postage information).  
         [0029]     Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.