Sorting/scanning system camera upgrade apparatus with backwards compatibility
First Claim
1. An apparatus for improving a scanning and sorting system that processes a plurality of postal items having printed physical address identification image data on a surface thereof, the scanning and sorting system including a legacy lower resolution camera for generating image data in legacy data formats and reduced resolutions and legacy image processing equipment for processing the legacy image data, the apparatus comprising:
- a camera generating higher resolution image data than the legacy lower resolution camera, the higher resolution camera adapted to capture higher resolution images of the physical address identification image data from the surface of the postal items being scanned including the printed physical address identification data; and
a scanning adaptor device interposed between the higher resolution camera and the legacy image processing equipment to provide compatibility between the higher resolution camera and the legacy image processing equipment, the scanning adaptor device including;
an input connector arranged to couple the scanning adaptor device to the higher resolution camera and to enable reception of the higher resolution image data from the higher resolution camera via a higher resolution data signal;
an image format conversion apparatus configured to convert the higher resolution image data including the physical address identification image data received via the higher resolution signal into legacy-compatible image data, the legacy compatible image data having a data format and reduced resolution that is compatible with the legacy image processing equipment and including the physical address identification image data; and
a backward-compatible legacy connector arranged to couple the scanning adaptor device to the legacy image processing equipment and to enable transmission of the legacy-compatible image data from the scanning adaptor device to the legacy image processing equipment via a legacy data signal,wherein the legacy data signal is consistent with the data format and electrical signaling characteristics required by the legacy image processing equipment, andwherein the backward-compatible legacy connector is dimensionally configured to facilitate physical attachment to the legacy image processing equipment,wherein the input connector is further configured to accommodate reception of one or more control signals from the higher resolution camera in a first format compatible with the higher resolution camera,the image format conversion apparatus is further configured to convert the one or more control signals from the first format into a one or more control signals in a second format compatible with the legacy camera; and
the backward-compatible legacy connector is further configured to accommodate transmission of the control signals in the second format.
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Abstract
A scanning camera upgrade adaptor system provides backwards compatibility when an existing scanning camera subsystem is replaced or upgraded in automated sorting equipment with a newer camera having a different data format. The adaptor system allows sorting equipment such as mail sorting equipment to be upgraded or repaired with a new camera while providing compatibility and optional fallback to a previous mode of operation of the existing equipment. The upgrade system enables legacy equipment and newly added sorting/processing equipment to be utilized in conjunction, while reducing cost of upgrade and necessity for completely new equipment as desirable features are added.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An apparatus for improving a scanning and sorting system that processes a plurality of postal items having printed physical address identification image data on a surface thereof, the scanning and sorting system including a legacy lower resolution camera for generating image data in legacy data formats and reduced resolutions and legacy image processing equipment for processing the legacy image data, the apparatus comprising:
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a camera generating higher resolution image data than the legacy lower resolution camera, the higher resolution camera adapted to capture higher resolution images of the physical address identification image data from the surface of the postal items being scanned including the printed physical address identification data; and a scanning adaptor device interposed between the higher resolution camera and the legacy image processing equipment to provide compatibility between the higher resolution camera and the legacy image processing equipment, the scanning adaptor device including; an input connector arranged to couple the scanning adaptor device to the higher resolution camera and to enable reception of the higher resolution image data from the higher resolution camera via a higher resolution data signal; an image format conversion apparatus configured to convert the higher resolution image data including the physical address identification image data received via the higher resolution signal into legacy-compatible image data, the legacy compatible image data having a data format and reduced resolution that is compatible with the legacy image processing equipment and including the physical address identification image data; and a backward-compatible legacy connector arranged to couple the scanning adaptor device to the legacy image processing equipment and to enable transmission of the legacy-compatible image data from the scanning adaptor device to the legacy image processing equipment via a legacy data signal, wherein the legacy data signal is consistent with the data format and electrical signaling characteristics required by the legacy image processing equipment, and wherein the backward-compatible legacy connector is dimensionally configured to facilitate physical attachment to the legacy image processing equipment, wherein the input connector is further configured to accommodate reception of one or more control signals from the higher resolution camera in a first format compatible with the higher resolution camera, the image format conversion apparatus is further configured to convert the one or more control signals from the first format into a one or more control signals in a second format compatible with the legacy camera; and the backward-compatible legacy connector is further configured to accommodate transmission of the control signals in the second format. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A scanning adaptor device for improving a scanning and sorting system that processes a plurality of postal items having printed physical address image identification data on a surface thereof, the scanning and sorting system including legacy image processing equipment for processing legacy image data in data formats and reduced resolutions provided by a legacy lower resolution camera and a higher resolution camera adapted to capture images of the physical address identification image data from the surface of the postal items being scanned including the printed physical address identification data at a higher resolution than the legacy lower resolution camera, the scanning adaptor device interposed between the higher resolution camera and the legacy image processing equipment and comprises:
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an input connector arranged to couple the scanning adaptor device to the higher resolution camera and to enable reception of the higher resolution image data from the higher resolution camera via a higher resolution data signal; an image format conversion apparatus configured to convert the higher resolution image data including the physical address identification image data received via the higher resolution signal into legacy-compatible image data, the legacy compatible image data having a data format and reduced resolution that is compatible with the legacy image processing equipment and including the physical address identification image data; and a backward-compatible legacy connector arranged to couple the scanning adaptor device to the legacy image processing equipment and to enable transmission of the legacy-compatible image data from the scanning adaptor device to the legacy image processing equipment via a legacy data signal, wherein the legacy data signal is consistent with the data format and electrical signaling characteristics required by the legacy image processing equipment, and wherein the backward-compatible legacy connector is dimensionally configured to facilitate physical attachment to the legacy image processing equipment, wherein the input connector is further configured to accommodate reception of one or more control signals from the higher resolution camera in a first format compatible with the higher resolution camera; the image format conversion apparatus is further configured to convert the one or more control signals from the first format into a one or more control signals in a second format compatible with the legacy camera; and the backward-compatible legacy connector is further configured to accommodate transmission of the control signals in the second format. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for improving a scanning and sorting system that processes a plurality of postal items having printed physical address image identification data on a surface thereof, the scanning and sorting system including a legacy lower resolution camera for generating image data in legacy data formats and reduced resolutions and legacy image processing equipment for processing the legacy image data, the method comprising:
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providing a camera generating higher resolution image data than the legacy lower resolution camera, the higher resolution camera adapted to capture higher resolution images of the physical address identification image data from the surface of the postal items being scanned including the printed physical address identification data; and interposing a scanning adaptor device between the higher resolution camera and the legacy image processing equipment to provide compatibility between the higher resolution camera and the legacy image processing equipment, the scanning adaptor device configured for; coupling, via an input connector, the scanning adaptor device to the higher resolution camera; enabling, via the input connector, reception of the higher resolution image data from the higher resolution camera through a higher resolution data signal; converting, via an image format conversion apparatus, the higher resolution image data including the physical address identification image data received through the higher resolution signal into legacy-compatible image data, the legacy compatible image data having a data format and reduced resolution that is compatible with the legacy image processing equipment and including the physical address identification image data; coupling, via a backward-compatible legacy connector, the scanning adaptor device to the legacy image processing equipment; and enabling, via the backward-compatible legacy connector, transmission of the legacy-compatible image data from the scanning adaptor device to the legacy image processing equipment via a legacy data signal, wherein the legacy data signal is consistent with the data format and electrical signaling characteristics required by the legacy image processing equipment, and wherein the backward-compatible legacy connector is dimensionally configured to facilitate physical attachment to the legacy image processing equipment, configuring the input connector to accommodate reception of one or more control signals from the higher resolution camera in a first format compatible with the higher resolution camera, configuring the image format conversion apparatus to convert the one or more control signals from the first format into a one or more control signals in a second format compatible with the legacy camera; and configuring the backward-compatible legacy connector to accommodate transmission of the control signals in the second format. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for improving a scanning and sorting system that processes a plurality of postal items having printed physical address image identification data on a surface thereof, the scanning and sorting system including legacy image processing equipment for processing legacy image data in data formats and reduced resolutions provided by a legacy lower resolution camera and a higher resolution camera adapted to capture images of the physical address identification image data from the surface of the postal items being scanned including the printed physical address identification data at a higher resolution than the legacy lower resolution camera, the method comprising:
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interposing a scanning adaptor device between the higher resolution camera and the legacy image processing equipment to provide compatibility between the higher resolution camera and the legacy image processing equipment, the scanning adaptor device configured for; coupling, via an input connector, the scanning adaptor device to the higher resolution camera; enabling, via the input connector, reception of the higher resolution image data from the higher resolution camera through a higher resolution data signal; converting, via an image format conversion apparatus, the higher resolution image data including the physical address identification image data received through the higher resolution signal into legacy-compatible image data, the legacy compatible image data having a data format and reduced resolution that is compatible with the legacy image processing equipment and including the physical address identification image data; coupling, via a backward-compatible legacy connector, the scanning adaptor device to the legacy image processing equipment; and enabling, via the backward-compatible legacy connector, transmission of the legacy-compatible image data from the scanning adaptor device to the legacy image processing equipment via a legacy data signal, wherein the legacy data signal is consistent with the data format and electrical signaling characteristics required by the legacy image processing equipment, and wherein the backward-compatible legacy connector is dimensionally configured to facilitate physical attachment to the legacy image processing equipment, configuring the input connector to accommodate reception of one or more control signals from the higher resolution camera in a first format compatible with the higher resolution camera, configuring the image format conversion apparatus to convert the one or more control signals from the first format into a one or more control signals in a second format compatible with the legacy camera; and configuring the backward-compatible legacy connector to accommodate transmission of the control signals in the second format. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification