Vision-enhanced photocell system for package sorting

A method for detecting delivery items using a light detector and a camera positioned at a sensing location along a moving surface that moves a delivery item that is on the moving surface, the method comprising:

• receiving a light status signal from the light detector, the light status signal having a first state when a light beam directed across the moving surface at the sensing location is detected at the light detector, which indicates absence of the delivery item, and a second state when the light beam is not detected at the light detector, which indicates presence of the delivery item;
• receiving image data from the camera, the image data including images at the sensing location;
• and
• modifying the light status signal based on the image data when the light status signal and the image data disagree on a number of the delivery items.

A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor of a sensing system, cause the hardware processor to execute operations for detecting delivery items using a light detector and a camera positioned at a sensing location along a moving surface that moves a delivery item that is on the moving surface, the operations comprising:

• receiving a light status signal from the light detector, the light status signal having a first state when a light beam directed across the moving surface at the sensing location is detected at the light detector, which indicates absence of the delivery item, or a second state when the light beam is not detected at the light detector, which indicates presence of the delivery item;
• receiving image data from the camera, the image data including images at the sensing location;
• and
• modifying the light status signal based on the image data when the light status signal and the image data disagree on a number of the delivery items.