US 6,370,259 B1 · Automatic address extractor

Abstract

A method and apparatus (10) for preparing forms used by the Postal Service in delivering certain types of mail (E). Each piece of such mail is conveyed past a camera or scanner (12) to obtain an image of the piece including the name of the sender and name and address of the recipient. The image is processed by an image processor (14) to locate the edge (C) of the piece at its upper left hand corner where sender information is located. A first line of information, usually the sender's name, is extracted from a sender information segment (S) of the envelope, and the first two lines of recipient information, usually the recipient's name and street address, are extracted and from a recipient's information segment (R) of the mail piece. These three lines of information are now transferred from the memory onto an appropriate postal form (F) with each line of information copied onto an appropriate portion of the form. The forms are sorted by zip code and carrier route so a carrier can pick-up the forms needed together with the mail carried on their route.

Claims30

Dependent claims

Apparatus facilitating the preparation of forms required by the Postal Service for the delivery of particular pieces of mail including registered mail and certified mail comprising:

a conveyor on which each piece of mail is placed for conveyance from one location to another;
imaging means obtaining an image of the mail piece as it is being conveyed, the image including information about the sender and the recipient of the piece of mail;
an image processor processing said image to locate said sender and recipient information and to extract at least a portion of the sender and recipient information from the image;
and,
means printing a postal form required for use with the piece of mail for its delivery, said sender and recipient information being transferred to said form from said image processor whereby said form is prepared for a mail carrier's use in delivering the piece of mail so to save the carrier time by preparing the forms for the carrier.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic address extractor

Life of this patent

Automatic address extractor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30