Wireless system and method for sorting letters, parcels and other items

A system for assisting an operator in manually sorting mail, comprising:

• a wireless headset including a microphone for translating a verbal statement from the operator into speech signals;
• a speech recognition unit which recognizes addressee information corresponding to an item of mail from said speech signals;
• a database which stores records corresponding to a plurality of addressees, each of said records including destination information for a respective one of said addressees;
• a processing unit which searches the database for at least one record matching the addressee information recognized by said speech recognition unit;
• and
• an output unit which outputs results of said database search to the operator, said output unit including a display terminal which displays information including said destination information in said at least one matching record,
• wherein, when the processing unit finds a plurality of records matching the addressee information, the display terminal displays information indicative of the plurality of matching records, and
• wherein, when the speech recognition unit translates speech signals from the microphone indicative of a selection of one of said plurality of matching records, the display terminal displays further information including said destination information indicative of the selected matching record.

A system for assisting an operating in sorting mail, comprising:

• a wireless headset including a microphone for translating a verbal statement from the operator into speech signals;
• a speech recognition unit which recognizes addressee information corresponding to an item of mail from said speech signals;
• a database which stores records corresponding to a plurality of addressees, each of said records including destination information for a respective one of said addressees;
• a processing unit which searches the database for at least one record matching the addressee information recognized by said speech recognition unit;
• and
• an output unit which outputs results of said database search to the operator,
• wherein said output unit includes:
• (i) a speech synthesis unit which converts electrical signals corresponding to results of said database search into speech signals, and
• (ii) at least one speaker included in said headset, said at least one speaker translating the speech signals corresponding to the results of said database search into audible signals understandable by the operator, and
• wherein said system further includes:
• a keyboard for inputting an addressee name into said processing unit;
• and
• correct pronunciation means for receiving information indicative of an addressee name input by said keyboard and for instructing the speech synthesis unit to output speech signals to the headset speakers to inform the operator on how to phonetically pronounce the addressee name.

A method for sorting items of mail, comprising:

• providing an operator with a wireless headset including a microphone;
• translating a statement spoken into the microphone into speech signals;
• transmitting the speech signals to a speech recognition unit;
• recognizing addressee information corresponding to an item of mail from said speech signals;
• searching a database of records corresponding to a plurality of addressees to find at least one record that matches said addressee information;
• outputting information included within the at least one matching record;
• and
• manually sorting the item of mail based on destination information included in the at least one matching record,
• wherein said outputting step includes displaying information corresponding to the at least one matching record on a heads-up display included in the headset.

A method for sorting items of mail, comprising:

• providing an operator with a wireless headset including a microphone;
• translating a statement spoken into the microphone into speech signals;
• transmitting the speech signals to a speech recognition unit;
• recognizing addressee information corresponding to an item of mail from said speech signals;
• searching a database of records corresponding to a plurality of addressees to find at least one record that matches said addressee information;
• outputting information included within the at least one matching record;
• and
• manually sorting the item of mail based on destination information included in the at least one matching record,
• wherein said outputting step includes displaying information corresponding to the at least one matching record on a display terminal, and
• wherein if a plurality of records matches said addressee information, said method further includes:
• displaying information indicative of said plurality of matching records on said display terminal;
• translating a second statement spoken in the microphone into selection signals, said second statement identifying a selection of one of said plurality of matching records;
• and
• outputting information including destination information corresponding to said selected one of said plurality of matching records.

A method for sorting items of mail, comprising:

• providing an operator with a wireless headset including a microphone;
• translating a statement spoken into the microphone into speech signals;
• transmitting the speech signals to a speech recognition unit;
• recognizing addressee information corresponding to an item of mail from said speech signals;
• searching a database of records corresponding to a plurality of addressees to find at least one record that matches said addressee information,
• outputting information included within the at least one matching record;
• and
• manually sorting the item of mail based on destination information included in the at least one matching record,
• wherein said method further comprises:
• inputting an addressee name into said processing unit using a keyboard;
• and
• outputting information indicative of a correct pronunciation of said addressee name.