Adaptive, product control and stabilization sub-system for camera-based optical character recognition, and a method of operating the same
First Claim
1. A mail article transportation and stabilization system, for use in conjunction with a camera-based scanning system whereby clear, accurate, and complete scanning, imaging, and reading of address information, contained upon a plurality of mail articles, can be achieved, comprising:
- a housing comprising a front surface;
a camera fixedly disposed within said housing and comprising a camera view port defined within said front surface of said housing and across which a plurality of mail articles are to be serially conveyed;
a conveyor belt for serially conveying the plurality of mail articles across said camera view port of said camera in a longitudinal direction such that information contained upon the plurality of mail articles can be scanned, imaged, and read by said camera; and
air plenum means defined within said housing for generating air streams defining an air bearing layer upon which said conveyor belt, and the plurality of mail articles being conveyed by said conveyor belt, can be conveyed in a substantially smooth, frictionless, and jitter-free manner such that said camera can scan, image, and read the information contained upon the plurality of mail articles in an accurate, clear, and complete manner.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mail article transportation and stabilization system, and a method of operating the same, for use in conjunction with a camera-based optical character recognition (OCR), bar code reader (BCR), or similar image capture scanning system, comprises a conveyor drive belt for conveying the articles, pieces, or units of mail across a platen assembly within which an optical character recognition (OCR), bar code reader (BCR), or similar image capture camera or the like is positioned and in conjunction with which there is provided a serial array of air plenums for effectively creating an air bearing or air layer upon which the conveyor belt and the articles, pieces, or units of mail are conveyed in a relatively frictionless manner. The incoming pieces, articles, or units of mail are therefore able to be conveyed in a smooth, jitter-free, and stabilized manner whereby scanning, imaging, and reading of the address information contained upon the articles, pieces, or units of mail, as the articles, pieces or units of mail are conveyed past the camera view port, are able to be accurately, clearly, and completely achieved.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A mail article transportation and stabilization system, for use in conjunction with a camera-based scanning system whereby clear, accurate, and complete scanning, imaging, and reading of address information, contained upon a plurality of mail articles, can be achieved, comprising:
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a housing comprising a front surface;
a camera fixedly disposed within said housing and comprising a camera view port defined within said front surface of said housing and across which a plurality of mail articles are to be serially conveyed;
a conveyor belt for serially conveying the plurality of mail articles across said camera view port of said camera in a longitudinal direction such that information contained upon the plurality of mail articles can be scanned, imaged, and read by said camera; and
air plenum means defined within said housing for generating air streams defining an air bearing layer upon which said conveyor belt, and the plurality of mail articles being conveyed by said conveyor belt, can be conveyed in a substantially smooth, frictionless, and jitter-free manner such that said camera can scan, image, and read the information contained upon the plurality of mail articles in an accurate, clear, and complete manner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 18)
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10. A mail article transportation and stabilization system, for use in conjunction with a camera-based scanning system whereby clear, accurate, and complete scanning, imaging, and reading of address information, contained upon a plurality of mail articles, can be achieved, comprising:
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a housing comprising a front surface;
a camera fixedly disposed within said housing and comprising a camera view port defined within said front surface of said housing and across which a plurality of mail articles are to be serially conveyed in a longitudinal direction such that information contained upon the plurality of mail articles can be scanned, imaged, and read by said camera; and
air plenum means defined within said housing for generating an air bearing layer upon which the plurality of mail articles being conveyed can be conveyed in a substantially smooth, frictionless, and jitter-free manner such that said camera can scan, image, and read the information contained upon the plurality of mail articles in a clear, accurate, and complete manner. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 15, 16, 17)
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19. A method for transporting mail articles, in order to obtain clear, accurate, and complete scanning, imaging, and reading of address information contained upon a plurality of mail articles, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly disposing a camera within a housing such that a camera view port is defined within a front surface of said housing;
serially conveying a plurality of mail articles along a flow path which extends across said camera view port of said camera such that information contained upon the plurality of mail articles can be scanned, imaged, and read by said camera; and
generating air streams from said housing for defining an air bearing layer upon which the plurality of mail articles can be conveyed in a substantially smooth, frictionless, and jitter-free manner such that said camera can scan, image, and read the information contained upon the plurality of mail articles in a clear, accurate, and complete manner. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification