Image detecting apparatus and method for reading and or verifying the contents of sealed envelopes
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorWilliam Berson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention relates to reading and analyzing the contents of sealed mail. The invention has utility in the sorting of sealed mail and in the matching of mail envelopes and its contents. The contents of sealed mail are read by having a light in the near infrared directed to the sealed envelope and creating an image of the printed matter on the contents by directing the light to an optical detector. The image thus received is analyzed and a determination can be made whether contents are of high value or whether the addresses on the envelope match the addresses of the contents. If the envelopes are not addressed, the address can be printed on the envelope after analysis of the address block of the contents.
Claims17
Apparatus for distinguishing high value content in sealed envelopes from other envelopes in a stream of envelopes, comprising:
- envelope conveying means defining a conveying path, a source of light spaced from said conveying means for emitting light upon said conveying path, an optical detector positioned relative to said light source to receive light directed to said conveying path, and an image detector and analysis system in communication with said optical detector for reading the contents of a sealed envelope on said conveying path and analyzing the contents to determine if the same are high value contents.
Apparatus for match mailing of an address on an envelope with the address on the contents of the envelope, comprising:
- envelope conveying means defining a conveying path, a source of light spaced from said conveying means for emitting light upon said conveying path, an optical detector positioned relative to said light source to receive light directed to said conveying path, and an image detector and analysis system in communication with said optical detector for reading the contents of a sealed envelope on said conveying path and analyzing the contents thereof and a printer in communication with said image detector and analysis system for printing an address on an envelope that matches the contents thereof.
Apparatus for reading printed matter on the contents of sealed envelopes, comprising:
- envelope conveying means defining a conveying path, a source of light spaced from said conveying means for emitting light upon said conveying path, an optical detector positioned relative to said light source to receive light directed by said light source to said conveying path, and an image detector and analysis system in communication with said optical detector for reading the contents of a sealed envelope on said conveying path.
Method of distinguishing high value content in sealed envelopes from other envelopes, the steps comprising:
- conveying envelopes along a path serially,
- emitting light having a wave length between 650 nm to 900 nm upon said envelopes,
- receiving light directed to said conveying path and through an envelope
- reading contents of a sealed envelope on said conveying path, and
- analyzing the contents to determine if the same are high value contents.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.