Patent ID: 7361861

Claim:
A modular document sorting apparatus comprising: a plurality of modules functionally and releasably connected to one another to scan documents for information and sort the documents according to the information, the plurality of modules including a scanning module; a sorting module for sorting documents according to scanned information; wherein at least one of the plurality of modules includes document feeder at least one of the plurality of modules includes a document singulator; and at least one of the plurality of modules includes at least one transport belt, the width of which is disposed substantially horizontally such that documents when carried on the at least one belt are transported in a flat manner on the at least one transport belt; wherein two or more modules are configured to be powered by separate power supplies; and wherein the apparatus is controlled by a transport computer and an imaging computer; wherein the transport computer governs image capturing, document transport and document sorting; wherein the imaging computer processes image information to determine sorting requirements; and the apparatus stores images; such that the apparatus can operate by releasing one or more modules not necessary for either scanning or sorting when scanning or sorting.