Mail processing systems and methods

• US 6,539,098 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DMT Solutions Global Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mailcode, Inc.
• Inventors: Baker, Christopher A., Baker, Peter N., Moon, Alexander, Wolverton, Jennifer
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancuso, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, MARTIN E
• Application Number:
  US09/405,599
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 382/101, 382/102, 345/956, 345/961, 345/978, 364/188, 704/200, 209/584, 209/900
• US Class Current: 382/101
• 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

Abstract

A mail sorter (22) includes an imaging device (60) to generate a plurality of images each corresponding to one of the plurality of mail pieces (36). The mail sorter (22) performs a character recognition routine on each of the images to sort a number of the mail pieces (36) and identify one of the mail pieces as being unsortable by the routine. An operator input processing subsystem (24) includes a number of stations (74). These stations (74) each include a display and a voice input device. The subsystem (24) responds to the mail sorter (22) to route the images to the stations (74). One of the stations (74) is operable to display one of the images on its corresponding display device and receive vocal input from an operator with its corresponding voice input device in response to viewing the image. The subsystem (24) executes a voice recognition routine to determine address information from the vocal input and provides this information to the mail sorter (22) to sort a corresponding one of the mail pieces (36).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a) performing optical character recognition on a mail piece;

b) determining if the optical character recognition recognized some but not all of the characters on the mail piece;

c) if the optical character recognition recognized only some of the characters on the mail piece, prompt user for a vocal input of unrecognized mail piece address data;

providing a first vocal input to the processing system;

determining a first character representation corresponding to a first part of an address of a mail piece being processed by the system;

establishing a number of options with the system for a second character representation corresponding to a second part of the address, the options being determined in accordance with a relationship between the first part of the address and the second part of the address;

selecting one of the options for the second character representation in accordance with a second vocal input to the system;

generating a third character representation with the system in response to a third vocal input, the third character representation corresponding to a third part of the address of a mail piece being processed by the system;

providing a number of selections for a fourth character representation corresponding to a fourth part of the address, the selections being determined in accordance with a relationship between the third part of the address and the fourth part of the address;

and selecting one of the selections for the fourth character representation in accordance with a fourth vocal input to the system;

d) if the optical character recognition recognized none of the characters on the mail piece, prompt the user to vocally input a complete subset of address data required for sorting the mail piece;

e) provide vocal input of the complete subset of address data required for sorting the mail piece.