System and method for extracting a region of interest from a captured image of a mailpiece or parcel label

A system for extracting a region of interest from a captured image of an item, the system comprising:

• an imaging device configured to capture an image of an item having a computer readable code thereon;
• and
• a processor in data communication with the imaging device and configured to:
• generate first image data of the item, the captured data comprising binary image data;
• identify a first pixel region in the binary image data, the first pixel region comprising the computer readable code;
• remove a second pixel region, the second pixel region comprising the captured image data which is other than the first pixel region;
• and
• store second image data, the second image data comprising the first pixel region,
• wherein the computer readable code comprises a two dimensional barcode including white spaces and black spaces, and wherein in identifying the first pixel region, the processor is configured to:
• pass the two dimensional barcode through a first filter to fill the white spaces to generate a modified two dimensional barcode;
• determine a location of a pixel region representing the two dimensional barcode in the binarized image data;
• and
• pass the modified two dimensional barcode through a second filter to restore the white spaces and binarized image data of the two dimensional barcode, wherein the binarized image data of the two dimensional barcode represents the first pixel region.

A method of extracting a region of interest from a captured image of an item, the method comprising:

• capturing, in an imaging device, an image of an item having a computer readable code positioned thereon, wherein the computer readable code comprises a barcode;
• storing information relating to barcode types, barcode formats, pixel numbers for major axes of bars of one or more barcodes, a range of pixel numbers for minor axes of the bars of the one or more barcodes, and a range of pixel numbers of an entire width of each of the one or more barcodes;
• generating, at a processor, first image data of the item comprising binary image data, the binary image data comprising a first pixel region representing the barcode and a second pixel region surrounding the first pixel region;
• determining a type of the barcode based on the binarized image data;
• determining, based on the determined type of the barcode, one or more of a format of the barcode, a pixel number for a major axis of bars of the barcode, a range of pixel numbers for minor axes of the bars of the barcode, or a range of pixel numbers for an entire width of the barcode;
• identifying, at the processor, a location of the first pixel region based on one or more of the determined format of the barcode, the determined pixel number for the major axis, the determined range of pixel numbers for the minor axes, or the determined range of pixel numbers for the entire width of the barcode;
• comparing the location of the first pixel region with the binary image data to identify the second pixel region;
• removing, at the processor, the second pixel region, from the binary image data;
• and
• storing second image data, the second image data comprising the first pixel region.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, when executed by one or more processors, configured to perform a method of extracting a region of interest from a captured image of an item, the method comprising:

• capturing, in an imaging device, an image of an item having a computer readable code positioned thereon, wherein the computer readable code comprises a barcode;
• storing information relating to barcode types, barcode formats, pixel numbers for major axes of bars of one or more barcodes, a range of pixel numbers for minor axes of the bars of the one or more barcodes, and a range of pixel numbers of an entire width of each of the one or more barcodes;
• generating, at a processor, captured image data of the item comprising binary image data, the binary image data comprising a first pixel region representing the barcode and a second pixel region surrounding the first pixel region;
• determining a type of the barcode based on the binarized image data;
• determining, based on the determined type of the barcode, one or more of a format of the barcode, a pixel number for a major axis of bars of the barcode, a range of pixel numbers for minor axes of the bars of the barcode, or a range of pixel numbers for an entire width of the barcode;
• identifying, at the processor, a location of the first pixel region based on one or more of the determined format of the barcode, the determined pixel number for the major axis, the determined range of pixel numbers for the minor axes, or the determined range of pixel numbers for the entire width of the barcode;
• removing, at the processor, the second pixel region from the binary image data;
• and
• storing the first pixel region.