US 6,289,109 B1Granted

Method and apparatus for processing mailpieces including means for identifying the location and content of data blocks thereon

AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.

InventorsRonald E. Gocht, Leon A. Pintsov

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Abstract

An apparatus for determining the location and content of data blocks on a mailpiece includes a computer connected to a structure for obtaining a digital bit map image of an outer surface of a mailpiece. The computer includes structure programmed for: finding each run of a plurality of black bits of each scan line of the bit map image and determining if any bit thereof neighbors at least one black bit of another scan line; combining the found run with each neighboring bit to form a piece; assigning a descriptive value to a block having at least one piece and comparing the descriptive value to a list of values to determine which type of data block the block having the descriptive value is.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Apparatus for processing mailpieces comprising:

a. means for sequentially feeding a plurality of mailpieces in a predetermined path of travel having a downstream direction, each of the mailpiece having a leading edge and a trailing edge in the path of travel, each of the mailpieces including an outer surface having a plurality of blocks of data marked thereon, each of the mailpiece outer surfaces having a longitudinal length thereof extending upstream from the leading to the trailing edge thereof having a transverse length thereof extending transversely of the longitudinal length;
b. a digital computer;
c. means electrically connected to the computer for obtaining a digital bit map image of the outer surface of at least one of the mailpieces, the image obtaining means including means for unidirectionally raster scanning the mailpiece outer surface under the control of the computer, the image obtaining means including means for sequentially providing a plurality of scan lines of data to the computer, the scan lines respectively extending parallel to one another and transversely of the longitudinal length of the mailpiece outer surface, each of the scan lines including a sequence of a plurality of pixels of data respectively corresponding to a bit of a black and white scale of bits, each of the scan lines having a different first coordinate code assigned thereto for identifying a location thereof longitudinally of the length of the mailpiece outer surface, each of the pixels of any given scan line having a different second coordinate code assigned thereto for identifying a location thereof transversely of the longitudinal length of the mailpiece outer surface, whereby each pixel has a different combination of first and second coordinate codes uniquely identifying the location thereof on the mailpiece outer surface and all of the pixels correspond to a bit map image thereof;
and
d. the computer including means programmed for:
i. finding individual runs of a plurality of black bits of each scan line and determining whether any bit of each individual run neighbors at least one black bit of another scan line;
ii. combining each of the found individual runs of each scan line which neighbor at least one black bit of the another scan line with each neighboring black bit of the another scan line to form at least one character;
iii. determining the first and second coordinates defining a location on the mailpiece outer surface of a block having at least one character and assigning a descriptive value to the block as a function of a plurality of features thereof;
and
iv. comparing the descriptive value assigned to the block having at lest one character to a list of values identifying the location of a plurality of blocks of data and identifying the block having at least one character as a particular one of the plurality of blocks of data if the descriptive value is the same as one of the values in the list of values.

7 more elements

In apparatus for processing mailpieces, wherein the apparatus comprises;

a. means for sequentially feeding a plurality of mailpieces in a predetermined path of travel having a downstream direction, each of the mailpieces having a leading edge and a trailing edge in the path of travel, each of the mailpieces including an outer surface having a plurality of blocks of data marked thereon, each of the mailpiece outer surfaces having a longitudinal length thereof extending upstream from the leading to the trailing edge thereof and having a transverse length thereof extending transversely of the longitudinal length;
b. a digital computer;
c. means electrically connected to the computer for obtaining a digital bit map image of the outer surface of at lease one of the mailpieces, the image obtaining means including means for unidirectionally raster scanning the mailpiece outer surface under the control of the computer, the image obtaining means including means for sequentially providing a plurality of scan lines of data to the computer, the scan lines respectively extending parallel to one another and transversely of the longitudinal length of the mailpiece outer surface, each of the scan lines including a sequence of a plurality of pixels of data respectively corresponding to a bit of a black and white scale of bits, each of the scan lines having a different first coordinate code assigned thereto for identifying a location thereof longitudinally of the length of the mailpiece outer surface, each of the pixels of any given scan line having a different second coordinate code assigned thereto for identifying a location thereof transversely of longitudinal length of the mailpice outer surface, whereby each pixel has a different combination of first and second coordinate codes uniquely identifying the location thereof on the mailpiece outer surface and all of the pixels correspond to a bit map image thereof;
a process for identifying the location and content of blocks of data on the mailpiece outer surface, the process including the steps of:
i. finding individual runs of a plurality of back bits of each scan line and determining whether any bit of each individual run neighbors at least one black bit of another scan line;
ii. combining each of the found individual runs of each scan line which neighbors at least one black bit of the another scan line with each neighboring black bit of the another scan line to form at least one character;
iii. determining the first and second coordinates defining a location on the mailpiece outer surface of a block having at least one character and assigning a descriptive value to the block as a function of a plurality of features thereof;
and
iv. comparing the descriptive value assigned to the block having at least one piece to a list of values identifying the location of a plurality of blocks of data and identifying the block having at least one piece as a particular one of the plurality of blocks of data if the descriptive value is the same as one of the values in the list of values.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

Apparatus for processing mailpieces comprising:

a. means for sequentially feeding a plurality of mailpieces in a predetermined path of travel having a downstream direction, each of the mailpiece having a leading edge and a trailing edge in the path of travel, each of the mailpieces including an outer surface having a plurality of blocks of data marked thereon, each of the mailpiece outer surfaces having a longitudinal length thereof extending upstream from the leading to the trailing edge thereof having a transverse length thereof extending transversely of the longitudinal length;
b. a digital computer;
c. means electrically connected to the computer for obtaining a digital bit map image of the outer surface of at least one of the mailpieces, the image obtaining means including means for unidirectionally raster scanning the mailpiece outer surface under the control of the computer, the image obtaining means including means for sequentially providing a plurality of scan lines of data to the computer, the scan lines respectively extending parallel to one another and transversely of the longitudinal length of the mailpiece outer surface, each of the scan lines including a sequence of a plurality of pixels of data respectively corresponding to a bit of a black and white scale of bits, each of the scan lines having a different first coordinate code assigned thereto for identifying a location thereof longitudinally of the length of the mailpiece outer surface, each of the pixels of any given scan line having a different second coordinate code assigned thereto for identifying a location thereof transversely of the longitudinal length of the mailpiece outer surface, whereby each pixel has a different combination of first and second coordinate codes uniquely identifying the location thereof on the mailpiece outer surface and all of the pixels correspond to a bit map image thereof;
and
d. the computer including means programmed for:
i. finding individual runs of a plurality of black bits of each scan line and determining whether any bit of each individual run neighbors at least one black bit of another scan line;
ii. combining each of the found individual runs of each scan line which neighbor at least one black bit of the another scan line with each neighboring black bit of the another scan line to form at least one character;
iii. determining the first and second coordinates defining a location on the mailpiece outer surface of a block having at least one character and assigning a descriptive value to the block as a function of a plurality of features thereof;
and
iv. comparing the descriptive value assigned to the block having at lest one character to a list of values identifying the location of a plurality of blocks of data and identifying the block having at least one character as a particular one of the plurality of blocks of data if the descriptive value is the same as one of the values in the list of values.

7 more elements