Patent ID: 6987863

Claim:
A method for reading postal article inscriptions or document inscriptions, comprising the steps of: recording an image of the postal article or document; automatically reading the image with a single-stage or multistage process OCR devices; if reading results are not complete or unique, reading the images by coding forces in at least one video coding device, the device comprising two or more video coding stations which receive the images via a distribution device, the images being transmitted to the OCR devices and to the video coding devices together with data accompanying the images in order to carry out the step of reading with data relating to reading conditions and additional tasks; supplying images from different customers together with data accompanying the images and relating to postal articles or documents to be read, storing core data relating to each customer such that it can be searched, the data including at least a source of the images, the scope of the agreed reading steps and further services as service types and, in a cost model, their costs as a function of defined image attributes, determining before each reading process, from data accompanying the images and core data, respective customer and respective reading task including image attributes which are required for cost determination, storing customer processing information relating to reading steps together with reading and processing results, determined image attributes, and data accompanying the images, such that they can be searched and sorted on a time-related basis after carrying out the reading process for each image, determining costs incurred from a cost model included in core data by means of the stored data relating to the reading processes carried out, storing the determined costs such that they can be sorted on the basis of service types of the cost model and on the basis of service time periods, and outputing the determined costs as invoices based on defined sorting criteria for each customer.