Video coding system

• US 5,697,504 A
• Filed: 12/27/1994
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hiramatsu, Ryosuke, Yoneda, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Milef, Boris
• Application Number:
  US08/364,252
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 209/546, 209/584, 209/900, 382/101, 382/102, 382/100, 382/137, 382/138, 382/311
• US Class Current: 209/546
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/20 Arrangements for facilitating the visual reading of addresses, e.g. display arrangements coding stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/987 with the intervention of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

The video coding system picks up the whole image of postal matter, inputs the picked image to a character/code & image reader to read a user code on the postal matter, prints bar code information corresponding to the read result on the postal matter, and sorts the postal matter according to the bar code information. In this system, a display device displays the whole image of postal matter from which the user code cannot be read, and user code candidate characters, together with a user code input area for inputting the user code, an image of a specific user code location, and images of a plurality of user code candidate areas. An operator inputs the user code, which the character/code & image reader failed to read, in the user code input area while visually checking the displayed whole image and the images of the user code candidate areas. The input user code is stored in a memory.

Claims

1. A video coding system comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining an image of a postal matter having a specific user code area which is able to include a user code representing an address;

recognizing means for recognizing said user code of said postal matter from said image obtained by said obtaining means, wherein said postal matter is rejected as a rejected postal matter when said recognizing means has not recognized said user code completely;

receiving means for receiving information pieces from said recognizing means when said recognizing means incompletely recognizes said user code of said postal matter, said information pieces including;

whole image information representing a whole image of said rejected postal matter,

attribute information including not less than zero candidate character obtained as a result of said incomplete recognition of said rejected postal matter,

specific code location information representing said specific user code area of said rejected postal matter, and

candidate area information representing a candidate area for said user code of said rejected postal matter other than said specific user code area;

display means for displaying display items in response to said whole image information, attribute information, specific code location information, and candidate area information respectively received by said receiving means, said display items including;

a whole view of said whole image of said rejected postal matter,

a code area view of said specific user code area extracted from said whole view,

a candidate area view of said candidate area extracted from said whole view, and

a user code input area containing said candidate character; and

inputting means for inputting a prescribed character to said user code input area displayed at said displaying means so as to provide a corrected user code, an input operation of said prescribed character by said inputting means being performed with reference to visual information obtained from at least one of said whole view, code area view, and candidate area view respectively displayed at said displaying means.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for storing said corrected user code provided by said inputting means, together with said whole image information and said candidate area information respectively received by said receiving means with respect to said rejected postal matter.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

means for adding to said postal matter a particular code corresponding to one of said corrected user code stored by said storing means and said user code successfully recognized by said recognizing means.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said displaying means includes means for arranging said display items such that a location of said user code input area is adjacent to a location of said candidate area view.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said displaying means includes means for arranging said display items such that a size of said candidate area view is not less than a size of a portion of said whole view corresponding to said candidate area view.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a location of said specific user code area on said postal matter is preselected as a zip code location often used for postal matters other than said rejected postal matter.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a location of said candidate area on said postal matter is preselected as an outside address location often used for postal matters other than said rejected postal matter.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said candidate area information included in said information pieces received by said receiving means has first and second candidate areas for said user code of said rejected postal matter,

wherein a first location of said first candidate area on said postal matter is preselected for an outside address often used for postal matters other than said rejected postal matter, and

wherein a second location of said second candidate area on said postal matter is preselected for one of a stamp and a print of an organization relating to said outside address.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said displaying means includes:

first showing means for showing images of said first and second candidate areas in said whole view of said rejected postal matter; and

second showing means for showing said image of said first candidate area in said candidate area view.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said inputting means inputs one character of said user code to said user code input area displayed by said displaying means when said recognizing means fails to recognize only said one character of said user code of said rejected postal matter, and

wherein said inputting means inputs full characters relating to unrecognized characters of said user code to said user code input area when said recognizing means fails to recognize at least two characters of said user code of said rejected postal matter, said full characters containing said at least two unrecognized characters as well as not less than zero character displayed in said candidate area view.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for blinking at least one input area of said user code input area, said at least one input area being provided for inputting a prescribed character of said user code not recognized by said recognizing means; and

means for stopping a state of blinking said input area to which said prescribed character has been input by said inputting means.

12. A video coding system for processing postal matters that each have a specific place where a user code relating to an address can be written, said system comprising:

information reading means for reading information provided on each of said postal matters, said information reading means including;

a user code recognizer for recognizing said user code so as to provide a recognized user code, for separating from said postal matters a rejected postal matter from which said user code cannot be recognized completely and for providing incompletely unrecognized user codes, and

an output stage for outputting image data of said rejected postal matter containing an image of the specific place where the user code can be written and user code candidate data containing said incompletely recognized user codes provided by said user code recognizer;

receiving means for receiving from said output stage of said information reading means said user code candidate data as well as said image data of said rejected postal matter containing an image of said specific place on said postal matters where said user code can be written, wherein said image data of said rejected postal matter received by said receiving means includes data of a whole image of said rejected postal matter;

display means for displaying data items in response to said user code candidate data and said image data of said rejected postal matter received by said receiving means, said display means including;

a first display area for displaying at least one character corresponding to said incompletely recognized user code provided by said user code recognizer, and an input place for inputting at least one other character corresponding to an unrecognized part of said user code, and

a second display area, aligned with said first display area, for displaying said image of said specific place where said user code can be written,

a third display area for displaying a prescribed image showing a prescribed portion of said rejected postal matter including an area other than said specific place where said user code can be written, wherein said prescribed place is predetermined as a common place containing address information of said postal matters,

a fourth display area for displaying said whole image of said rejected postal matter; and

inputting means for inputting, at said input place of said first display area, said at least one character of said unrecognized part of said user code based on a content of said image displayed at said second display area.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said display means includes means for superimposing said fourth display area on a frame enclosing said prescribed image of said third display area.

14. An apparatus for processing postal matters that each have a specific place where a user code relating to an address can be written, said apparatus comprising an information reader for reading information provided on each of said postal matters and for outputting image data of a rejected postal matter and user code candidate data containing incompletely recognized user codes from said rejected postal matter, and a receiver for receiving, from said information reader, said user code candidate data as well as said image data of said rejected postal matter containing an image of said specific place on said postal matters where said user code can be written, wherein said image data of said rejected postal matter received by said receiver includes data of a whole image of said rejected postal matter, said apparatus comprising:

display means for displaying data items in response to said user code candidate data and said image data of said rejected postal matter received by receiver, said display means including;

a first display area for displaying at least one character corresponding to said incompletely recognized user codes, and an input place for inputting at least one other character corresponding to an unrecognized part of said user code, and

a second display area, aligned with said first display area, for displaying said image of said specific place where said user code can be written,

a third display area for displaying a prescribed image showing a prescribed portion of said rejected postal matter including an area other than said specific place where said user code can be written, wherein said prescribed place is predetermined as a common place often containing an address information of said postal matters, and

a fourth display area for displaying said whole image of said rejected postal matter; and

inputting means for inputting, at said input place of said first display area, said at least one character of said image displayed at said second display area.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said display means includes means for superimposing said fourth display area on a frame enclosing said prescribed image of said third display area.

16. A video coding system for processing postal matters that each have a specific place where a user code relating to an address can be written, said system comprising:

information reading means for reading information provided on each of said postal matters, said information reading means including;

a user code recognizer for recognizing said user code so as to provide a recognized user code, for separating from said postal matters a rejected postal matter from which said user code cannot be recognized completely and for providing incompletely recognized user codes, and

an output stage for outputting image data of said rejected postal matter and user code candidate data containing said incompletely recognized user codes provided by said user codes recognizer;

receiving means for receiving from said output stage of said information reading means said user code candidate data as well as said image data of said rejected postal matter containing an image of said specific place on said postal matters where said user code can be written, said received image data including data of a whole image of the rejected postal matter;

display means for displaying data items in response to said user code candidate data and said image data of said rejected postal matter received by said receiving means, said display means including;

a first display area for displaying at least one character corresponding to said incompletely recognized user code provided by said user code recognizer, and an input place for inputting at least one other character corresponding to an unrecognized part of said user code, and

a second display area, located adjacent to said first display area, for displaying said image of said specific place where said user code can be written, and

a third display area for displaying said whole image of said rejected postal matter; and

inputting means for inputting, at said input place of said first display area, said at least one character of said unrecognized part of said user code based on a content of said image displayed at said second display area.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said display means includes means for superimposing said third display area on a frame enclosing a prescribed image.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said display means has a fourth display area for displaying a prescribed image showing a prescribed place of said rejected postal matter other than said specific place, and

wherein said prescribed place is predetermined as a common place often containing an address information of postal matters other than said rejected postal matter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said prescribed image includes an area for describing address information.

20. An apparatus for processing postal matters that each have a specific place where a user code relating to an address can be written, said apparatus including an information reader for reading information provided on each of said postal matters and for outputting image data of a rejected postal matter and user code candidate data containing incompletely recognized user codes from said rejected postal matter, and a receiver for receiving from said information reader said user code candidate data as well as said image data of said rejected postal matter containing an image of said specific place on said postal matters where said user code can be written, said image data received by said receiver including data of a whole image of said rejected postal matter, said apparatus comprising:

display means for displaying data items in response to said user code candidate data and said image data of said rejected postal matter received by said receiver, said display means including;

a first display area for displaying at least one character corresponding to said incompletely recognized user code, and an input place for inputting at least one other character corresponding to an unrecognized part of said user code, and

a second display area, located adjacent to said first display area, for displaying said image of said specific place where said user code can be written, and

a third display area for displaying said whole image of said rejected postal matter; and

inputting means for inputting, at said input place of said first display area, said at least one character of said unrecognized part of said user code based on a content of said image displayed at said second display area.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said display means includes means for superimposing said third display area on a frame enclosing a prescribed image.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said display means has a fourth display area for displaying a prescribed image showing a prescribed place of said rejected postal matter other than said specific place, and

wherein said prescribed place is predetermined as a common place often containing an address information of postal matters similar to said rejected postal matter.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said prescribed image includes an area for describing address information.