US 6,190,110 B1 · Residual mail detection and container alignment verification and method

Abstract

A bulk mail processing system (10) conveys bulk mail containers (C) from a receiving station (R) at which the container is placed on a conveyor (12) to an unloading station (D) at which the contents of the container are dumped. A video camera (22) obtains an image of the container which is transmitted to a processor (24). The image is processed to determine if residual mail (M) is left in the container after it is emptied. A mechanism (18) removes the container from the conveyor, empties the container, and then returns the container back to the conveyor. A controller (20) controls operation of the emptying mechanism. The controller is responsive to an input from the processor that all the contents of a container have been removed to replace the empty container on the conveyor. The controller is further responsive to an input from the processor that there is residual mail left in the container to have the mechanism re-empty the container and so insure container is completely empty before being returned to the conveyor.

Claims31

Dependent claims

In a bulk mail processing system in which a bulk mail container is conveyed from a receiving station to an unloading station at which the contents of the container are emptied out of the container, apparatus for monitoring the container comprising:

emptying means at the unloading station emptying the contents of the container;
imaging means viewing the container after it has been emptied;
a processor to which the image is transmitted by the imaging means, the processor processing the image to determine if the container has been fully emptied or if any residual pieces of mail remain therein;
and,
a controller controlling operation of the emptying means and responsive to an input from the processor that the container has been emptied to have the empty container conveyed away from the unloading station, the controller being further responsive to an input from the processor that there is residual mail left in the container to have the emptying means re-empty the container to unload the remaining contents of the container so the container is completely empty before being conveyed from the unloading station.

2 more elements

A bulk mail processing system comprising:

a conveyor on which a container containing bulk mail is conveyed from a receiving station to a dumping station at which the contents of the container are emptied out of the container which is then conveyed away from the dumping station;
an imaging means viewing the container and the contents thereof;
emptying means at the dumping station emptying the contents out of the container for the container to be emptied, the emptying means removing the container from the conveyor, inverting the container to empty its contents, and then returning the container to its original position and replacing it on the conveyor for the container to be conveyed from the dumping station;
a processor to which an image of the container is transmitted by the imaging means, the processor processing the image to determine if the container has been emptied or if any residual pieces of mail remain therein;
and,
control means controlling operation of the emptying means and responsive to an input from the processor that the container has been emptied to have the empty container conveyed from the dumping station, the control means being further responsive to an input from the processor that there is residual mail left in the container to have the emptying means empty the remaining contents of the container so the container is completely empty before being conveyed from the dumping station.

3 more elements

In a bulk mail processing system in which a bulk mail container is conveyed from a receiving station to an unloading station at which the container is emptied of its contents with the container then being conveyed away from the unloading station, the system including apparatus positioned at the unloading station for emptying the container and a controller controlling operation of the apparatus, the improvement comprising:

imaging means at the unloading station obtaining an image of the container after the container is emptied;
and,
a processor processing the image to determine if the container is empty or if any residual pieces of mail remain therein, the processor providing one input to the controller if the container is empty to have the empty container conveyed from the unloading station, but another input to the controller if the processor determines there is residual mail in the container, the controller being responsive to the second said input from the processor to have the container emptying apparatus again empty the contents of the container to remove any pieces of residual mail therefrom.

A method of bulk mail processing comprising:

conveying a bulk mail container from a receiving station to an unloading station;
emptying the contents of the container by a container emptying mechanism whose operation is controlled by a controller;
obtaining an image of the container after the container has been emptied;
processing the image to determine if the container, after its contents have been emptied, retains any residual pieces of mail;
informing the container emptying mechanism controller if the container still contains residual pieces;
and,
re-emptying the container using the mechanism to empty the residual pieces of mail from the container.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Residual mail detection and container alignment verification and method

Life of this patent

Residual mail detection and container alignment verification and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31