Systems, methods and devices for item processing

• US 10,293,380 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Dearing, Stephen M., Sherry, Carla F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Tsung-Yin
• Application Number:
  US15/648,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20170304872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 2301/0058 Verification for the correct postage amount
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 7/005 Computer assisted manual sorting, e.g. for mail
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00443 Verification of mailpieces, e.g. by checking databases

Abstract

Methods, systems and devices for item processing. The systems can include a PASS module that can include features that receive inputs relating to an item for processing and provide those inputs to other components and/or modules of a PASS system and/or of another system. The PASS system can include a variety of modules, including the PASS module, and can collect information and/or inputs from the variety of modules of the PASS system and use that information in item processing. The methods of item processing can use the PASS system and the PASS module to perform a variety of functions including, for example, revenue protection, sorting of items, task management, sampling and data collection, redirecting if enroute items, and personnel management.

Claims

1. A system for item processing in an item distribution system comprising:

a camera configured to capture item information comprising physical characteristics of a second item being processed by item processing equipment in the item distribution system, and the camera configured to capture an image of a label located on the second item, the label located on the second item including scan data located thereon;

a database comprising information from first scan data previously captured from a label located on a first item that is different than the second item; and

a processor in communication with the camera, wherein the processor is configured to;

generate second scan data from the captured image of the label located on the second item;

compare information from the second scan data to the information from the first scan data in the database to identify whether the second scan data is a duplicate use of the first scan data;

determine from the captured item information a physical characteristic of the second item;

determine if information from the second scan data matches the determined physical characteristic of the second item; and

provide instructions for further processing of the second item based on whether a duplicate use is identified, or whether the information from the second scan data corresponds to the physical characteristic of the second item.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to capture an image of an item when a label on the item is viewable by the camera within a defined three-dimensional space.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate the second scan data to a central computing unit configured to store information and instructions related to the item.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to receive instructions relating to a disposition location of the second item from the central computing unit.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cart and a boom, wherein the boom is connected to the cart at a first end and wherein a second end of the boom extends from the cart and the camera is located at the second end of the boom.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein an output comprises at least one of an audible or visual output.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the visual output comprises a colored light.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second scan data uniquely identifies the second item upon which the label including the scan data is located.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the label comprises information for determining item processing instructions.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein item processing instructions identify tasks relating to the second item.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein, if a duplicate use is not identified, the processor is further configured to:

identify a designated time frame;

identify an indicator of a label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame;

determine if information from second scan data corresponds to the identified indicator of the label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame; and

provide instructions for further processing of the second item based on whether information from the second scan data corresponds to the indicator of the label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame.

12. A system for item processing in an item distribution system comprising:

a hardware implemented scan module configured to capture item information from an item being processed by item processing equipment in the item distribution system, the captured item information comprising physical characteristics of the item being processed, and to capture label information from a label located on the item being processed, the label information comprising physical characteristics of an item, and to generate scan data relating to the captured item information and the captured label information; and

a computing system comprising a processor;

wherein the computing system is configured to;

receive the scan data;

determine a physical characteristic of the item being processed based at least in part on the scan data relating to the captured item information;

determine if the determined physical characteristic of the item being processed matches the captured label information from the label located on the item being processed; and

if a match is not determined, then to cause the item processing equipment to redirect the item from a first path to a second path.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computing system is further configured to update a first database with the scan data.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the computing system comprises a second database which includes an indicator of scan data that has been associated with more than one item.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the computing system comprises a third database which includes indicators for each of a plurality of the scan images generated in a specified time frame.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the third database includes indicators for each of a plurality of the scan images generated in a designated past time period.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the item info nation comprises information for determining item processing instructions.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein item processing instructions identify tasks relating to the item being processed.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the computing system is further configured to:

identify a designated time frame;

identify an indicator of a label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame;

determine if information from the scan data relating to the captured label information corresponds to the identified indicator of the label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame; and

provide instructions for further processing of the item based on whether information from the scan data relating to the captured label information corresponds to the identified indicator of the label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame.

20. A method of item processing in an item distribution system comprising:

capturing, by an imaging device, item information comprising physical characteristics of a second item being processed by item processing equipment in the item distribution system, and the camera configured to capture an image of a second label located on the second item, the label located on the second item including scan data located thereon;

generating, by a processor, second scan data from the captured image of the label located on the second item;

comparing information from the second scan data to information, in a database, from first scan data previously captured from a label located on a first item that is different than the second item, to identify whether the second scan data is a duplicate use of the first scan data;

determining from the captured item information a physical characteristic of the second item;

determining if information from the second scan data matches to the determined physical characteristic of the second item; and

providing instructions for further processing of the second item based on whether a duplicate use is identified, or whether the information from the second scan data corresponds to the physical characteristic of the second item.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

detecting the presence of the second item within a defined three-dimensional image; and

triggering the capturing of the image in response to detecting the presence of the second item.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising updating a local database with the second scan data.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the local database is updated with an indicator of the captured image.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing information relating to the captured image.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the provided information comprises a representation of the captured image.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the label located on the second item comprises information for determining second item processing instructions.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein second item processing instructions identify tasks relating to the second item.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein, if a duplicate use is not identified, the method further comprises:

identifying a designated time frame;

identifying an indicator of a label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame;

determining if information from the second scan data corresponds to the identified indicator of the label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame; and

providing instructions for further processing of the second item based on whether information from the second scan data corresponds to the identified indicator of the label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame.

29. A method of item processing in an item distribution system comprising:

capturing, using a hardware implemented scan module, item information from an item being processed by item processing equipment in the item distribution system, the captured item information comprising physical characteristics of the item being processed;

capturing, using a hardware implemented scan module, label information from a label located on the item being processed, the label information comprising physical characteristics of an item;

determining if at least some of the captured item information comprising physical characteristics of the item being processed matches at least some of the captured label information comprising physical characteristic of an item; and

if it is determined that the at least some of the captured item information does not match the captured label information, then causing the item processing equipment to redirect the item from a first path to a second path.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

comparing at least some of the captured label information to a first database comprising information previously obtained from a first label while the first label was located on a first item that is different than the item being processed by the processing equipment to identify a duplicate use of the at least some of the captured label information; and

if a duplicate use is identified, then causing the item processing equipment to redirect the item from a first path to a second path.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising extracting information associated with the label located on the item being processed from the captured label information.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising querying a database with the extracted information for information relating to the requested service.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising determining a payer.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining if the sender of the item is ascertainable; and

if the sender is ascertainable, indicating that the sender is the payer.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

determining if the intended recipient is ascertainable if the sender is not ascertainable; and

indicating that the intended recipient is the payer if the intended recipient is ascertainable.

36. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

identifying a designated time frame;

identifying an indicator of a label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame;

determining if information from the second scan data corresponds to the identified indicator of the label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame; and

providing instructions for further processing of the second item based on whether information from the second scan data corresponds to the identified indicator of the label that is identified as having been scanned in the designated time frame.