Patent ID: 7387251

Claim:
In a paper handling system a method for reading a bar code on a mail piece, wherein data in said bar code is representative of address information on said mail piece, the method comprising the steps of: transporting said mail piece such that said bar code on said mail piece moves past a first and a second bar code reader; said first and said second bar code reader each scanning said bar code on said mail piece to read said bar code; and, merging data obtained by said first and said second bar code reader to reconstruct said bar code on said mail piece; and employing said data obtained by said first and said second bar code reader to cause a camera to image a specific portion of said address information on said mail piece that represents bar code data not recovered by said first and said second bar code reader, such that merging said data obtained by said first and said second bar code reader with imaging data obtained from said mail piece address information reconstructs said bar code on said mail piece.