# US 8,140,395 B2 · Enrollment apparatus, system, and method

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- Number: US 8,140,395 B2
- Document ID: US8140395B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/324,204
- Filed: 2008-11-26
- Published: 2009-09-03
- Granted: 2012-03-20
- Earliest claimed: 2007-11-26
- Assignees: Proiam, LLC
- Inventors: Mike Murphy; Paul Yarin; Eric Metois; Will Crosby; Wilson Pearce; Mark Durbin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8140395B2

## CPC

- G06V 30/424: Postal images, e.g. labels or addresses on parcels or postal envelopes
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting}
- G06Q 20/202: {Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR}
- G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing}
- G06T 7/62: of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
- G06V 20/20: in augmented reality scenes
- G06V 20/64: Three-dimensional [3D] objects
- G06V 30/1456: {based on user interactions}
- G07B 17/00193: {Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system}
- G07B 17/00661: {Sensing or measuring mailpieces (weighing G01G19/00)}
- G06V 30/10: Character recognition
- G07B 17/00508: {Printing or attaching on mailpieces (printing mechanisms B41J; security printing B41M3/14; marking methods B41M5/00; inks C09D11/00; record carriers with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00)}
- G07B 2017/00225: {Vending machine or POS (Point Of Sale) apparatus}
- G07B 2017/00685: {Measuring the dimensions of mailpieces}
- G07B 2017/00701: {Measuring the weight of mailpieces}
- G07B 2017/00725: {Reading symbols, e.g. OCR}
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G07B: TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS

## Abstract

An apparatus for enrolling a package is disclosed including: a receiving surface for receiving the package; at least one weight sensor in communication with the receiving surface which generates a weight signal indicative of the weight of the package; at least one video camera which generates a video signal indicative of an image of the package on the receiving surface; and a processor in communication with the at least one weight sensor and the at least one video camera. The processor includes: a weight module which produces, in response to the weight signal, weight data indicative of the weight of the package; and a dimension capture module which produces in response to the video signal, dimension data indicative of the size of the package. In some embodiments the processor further includes a recognition module which produces, in response to the video signal character data indicative of one or more characters present on the package.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for enrolling a package placed in a stationary position on a stationary receiving surface comprising:
the stationary receiving surface;
at least one weight sensor in communication with the receiving surface which generates a weight signal indicative of the weight of the package;
a video camera unit located above the receiving surface on a support arm, wherein the camera unit:
operates in a first mode characterized by a relatively large two dimensional field of view to generate a first video signal characterized by a relatively low resolution and relatively high frame rate, and
operates in a second mode characterized by a relatively small field of view to generate a video signal characterized by a relatively high resolution and a relatively low frame rate; and
a processor in communication with the at least one weight sensor and the at least one video camera, said processor comprising:
a weight module which produces, in response to the weight signal, weight data indicative of the weight of the package;
a dimension capture module which produces, in response to one or more of the first video signal and the second video signal, dimension data indicative of the size of the package, wherein the dimension capture module comprises a tracking module which produces, in response to the first video signal, tracking data indicative of the presence and location of the package on the receiving surface, wherein the tracking information comprises
length and width dimension data indicative of the size of the package along two axes lying in a plane parallel to the receiving surface, and
height dimension data indicative of the size of the package along an axis transverse to the plane parallel to the receiving surface; and
a recognition module which produces, in response to the second video signal, character data indicative of one or more characters present on the package;
wherein the processor is configured to automatically switch the camera unit between the first and second modes; and
wherein each of the first and second video signals comprises a stream of two dimensional image frames.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera unit comprises a stereoscopic imager.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the dimension capture module produces, in response to a stereoscopic video signal from the stereoscopic imager, the height dimension data.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dimension capture module comprises an edge finder module which produces, in response to the first video signal, edge data indicative of the location of one or more edges of the package.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the dimension capture module comprises at least one chosen from the group consisting of: a frame differencing module which generates two dimensional difference images from two or more two dimensional images of the first video signal; and a color masking module configured to generate information indicative of the presence or location of the package based on color information from the video signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the dimension capture module comprises a Hough transformation module which applies the Hough transformation to one or more images from the first video signal, and analyzes the transformed images to determine information indicative of the size or location of edges on the package.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a rectangle tracking module configured to track the location of a substantially rectangular package based on the information indicative of the size or location of edges on the package.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recognition module comprises:
an image processing module for processing one or more two dimensional images from the second video signal; and
an analysis module which analyzes the one or more processed images to produce the character data indicative of one or more characters present on the package.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the image processing module comprises at least one chosen from the list consisting of:
a color manipulating module for modifying the color of the one or more images;
a linear filter module for applying a linear image filter to the one or more images; and
a morphological filter module for applying one or more morphological operations to the one or more images.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the image processing module comprises an image segmentation module for segmenting the one or more images into one or more regions of interest based on the content of the images.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, where in the image processing module comprises an image rotation module which rotates at least a portion of the one or more images.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the image rotation module is in communication with the dimension capture module, and rotates at least a portion of the one or more images based on information from the dimension capture module indicative of the location of the package.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one camera unit comprises at least two cameras each generating a respective video signal, and wherein
the cameras have least partially overlapping fields of view, and
the processor comprises an image stitching module which, in response to the respective video signals, combines overlapping two dimensional images from the at least two cameras to produce a single image of the combined field of view of the cameras.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein substantially all locations on the receiving surface fall within the relatively large two dimensional field of view of the camera unit operating in the first mode.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the camera unit includes only a single camera.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiving surface comprises at least one indicia for aligning or focusing the camera unit.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the camera unit comprises an autofocus.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, comprising an integrated housing comprising the receiving surface and processor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the support arm extends between a proximal end connected to the housing and a distal end positioned above the receiving surface, said distal end supporting the camera unit.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one chosen from the group consisting of: an RFID reader, and a bar code reader.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one weight sensor comprises: a load cell, a MEMs device, a piezoelectric device, a spring scale, and a balance scale.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of one or more characters present on the package comprise data indicative of at least one chosen from the group consisting of: an alphanumeric character, a symbol, a postal code, a post mark, a bar code, and a two dimensional bar code.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a postal meter in communication with the processor.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a printer in communication with the processor.

### Claim 25

A method of enrolling a package comprising:
providing an enrollment apparatus for enrolling a package placed in a stationary position on a stationary receiving surface comprising:
the stationary receiving surface;
at least one weight sensor in communication with the receiving surface which generates a weight signal indicative of the weight of the package;
a video camera unit located above the receiving surface on a support arm, wherein the camera unit:
operates in a first mode characterized by a relatively large two dimensional field of view to generate a first video signal characterized by a relatively low resolution and relatively high frame rate, and
operates in a second mode characterized by a relatively small field of view to generate a video signal characterized by a relatively high resolution and a relatively low frame rate; and
a processor in communication with the at least one weight sensor and the at least one video camera, said processor comprising:
a weight module which produces, in response to the weight signal, weight data indicative of the weight of the package;
a dimension capture module which produces, in response to one or more of the first video signal and the second video signal, dimension data indicative of the size of the package, wherein the dimension capture module comprises a tracking module which produces, in response to the first video signal, tracking data indicative of the presence and location of the package on the receiving surface, wherein the tracking information comprises
length and width dimension data indicative of the size of the package along two axes lying in a plane parallel to the receiving surface, and
height dimension data indicative of the size of the package along an axis transverse to the plane parallel to the receiving surface; and
a recognition module which produces, in response to the second video signal, character data indicative of one or more characters present on the package, wherein the processor is configured to automatically switch the camera unit between the first and second modes;
placing a package on the receiving surface;
using the enrollment apparatus to determine information indicative of the weight of the package;
using the enrollment apparatus to determine information indicative of the size of the package;
using the enrollment apparatus to determine information indicative of one or more characters present on the package; and
outputting the information indicative of the weight, size, and one or more characters present on the package.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the information indicative of the weight, size, and one or more characters present on the package, respectively, are determined substantially in parallel.

### Claim 27

A system comprising:
an enrollment apparatus for enrolling a package placed in a stationary position on a stationary receiving surface comprising:
the stationary receiving surface;
at least one weight sensor in communication with the receiving surface which generates a weight signal indicative of the weight of the package;
a video camera unit located above the receiving surface on a support arm, wherein the camera unit:
operates in a first mode characterized by a relatively large two dimensional field of view to generate a first video signal characterized by a relatively low resolution and relatively high frame rate, and
operates in a second mode characterized by a relatively small field of view to generate a video signal characterized by a relatively high resolution and a relatively low frame rate; and
a processor in communication with the at least one weight sensor and the at least one video camera, said processor comprising:
a weight module which produces, in response to the weight signal, weight data indicative of the weight of the package;
a dimension capture module which produces, in response to one or more of the first video signal and the second video signal, dimension data indicative of the size of the package, wherein the dimension capture module comprises a tracking module which produces, in response to the first video signal, tracking data indicative of the presence and location of the package on the receiving surface, wherein the tracking information comprises
length and width dimension data indicative of the size of the package along two axes lying in a plane parallel to the receiving surface, and
height dimension data indicative of the size of the package along an axis transverse to the plane parallel to the receiving surface; and
a recognition module which produces, in response to the second video signal, character data indicative of one or more characters present on the package, wherein the processor is configured to automatically switch the camera unit between the first and second modes; and
a package management system,
wherein the enrollment apparatus is in communication with the package management system to provide information indicative of the weight, size, and one or more characters present on the package.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27, wherein the package management system comprises at least one chosen from the list consisting of: a package delivery system, a supply chain management system, an inventory management system, and a chain of custody management system.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27, wherein the package management system comprises a point of sale unit, and wherein the point of sale unit generates and displays, in response to the information indicative of the weight, size, and one or more characters present on the package, information indicative of one or more available service options.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, wherein the point of sale unit comprises:
an input unit for receiving information from a user;
a service unit for providing information indicative of one or more available service options based on the information from the user and information indicative of the weight, size, and one or more characters present on the package.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The system of claim 30, wherein the input unit comprises the enrollment apparatus.

### Claim 32 (depends on 30)

The system of claim 30, wherein the input unit receives a series of instructions from the user, and the service unit comprises a backwards chaining logic unit which dynamically determines and displays available service options based on the series of instructions and based information indicative of the weight, size, and one or more characters present on the package.

### Claim 33 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27, wherein the package management system comprises a point of service unit, and further comprising a handler module for facilitating communication between the enrollment apparatus and the point of service unit.