Structure for recognizing article to be collected, and collection information recognition apparatus and collection processing apparatus that use the structure

A collection information recognition apparatus comprising:

• a recognition indicator element that is provided in a portion of the holding base for holding the article to be collected with a predetermined positional relationship or a portion of the article to be collected and that has four unit pattern marks or more, with a predetermined positional relationship, formed in such a way that the density pattern sequentially changes with an increasing distance from the center position toward the periphery of the mark;
• an imaging tool that captures an image of the recognition indicator element placed opposite the holding base or the article to be collected;
• and
• a layout information recognition block that recognizes layout information about the position and the attitude of the holding base or the article to be recognized made up of an article to be collected, by use of at least imaging information about the recognition indicator element whose image has been captured by the imaging tool.