System and method for extracting a computer readable code from a captured image of a distribution item

A method of extracting a computer readable code from a captured image of a mailpiece or parcel, the method comprising:

• capturing, at a reader, an image of an item having a computer readable code thereon;
• storing, at a memory, captured image data of the item;
• obtaining, at one or more processors, captured image data of the item including the computer readable code either from the reader or the memory;
• downconverting, at the one or more processors, a first resolution of the captured image data of the item to a second resolution at a first downconversion ratio to generate first downconverted image data of the item having the second resolution;
• detecting, at the one or more processors, an edge of the computer readable code in the first downconverted image data;
• if the edge of the computer readable code cannot be detected in the first downconverted image data, downconverting the second resolution of the downconverted image data to a third resolution at a second downconversion ratio to generate a second downconverted image data, the second downconversion ratio is different from the first downconversion ratio;
• and
• removing a first region of the downconverted image data or the second downconverted image data based at least in part on the detected edge of the computer readable code to generate reduced image data, the first region excluding the computer readable code.

A system for processing items, the system comprising:

• a reader configured to capture an image of an item having a computer readable code thereon;
• and
• one or more processors in data communication with the reader, the one or more processors configured to:
• receive, from the reader, captured image data of the item, the captured image data including the computer readable code, wherein the computer readable code is a barcode and the captured image data comprises binary data;
• downconvert the captured image data of the item to generate downconverted image data;
• determine at least one of a beginning and an ending of the barcode;
• detect an edge of the computer readable code in the downconverted image data by detecting a border between a white space and the beginning or the ending barcode of the barcode;
• and
• remove a first region of the downconverted image data based at least in part on the detected edge of the computer readable code to generate reduced image data, the first region excluding the computer readable code.