JP3088038B2 - Mail sorting device and mail sorting method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an address reading apparatus used in an address reading / sorting machine for reading an address such as an address written on a mail to be conveyed and performing sorting using the read address. The present invention relates to an apparatus and a mail sorting method .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The mail sorting business can be roughly classified into a dispatching job, which is a sorting job for sending collected mail to a post office of a destination, and a sorting job, for delivering an arrived mail. There are some delivery segment services. Conventionally, the postal sorting service has been largely automated by a postal code automatic reading sorting machine, but the automation of the delivery sorting service has been delayed.

However, in recent years, in addition to the function of the automatic postal code sorting machine, the prefecture name, town name,
Directly address the address, that is, the address, such as the kanji of the street code
An address reading / sorting machine (mail sorting apparatus) has been developed which automates the sorting of mail to the delivery district level by reading with R (automation of delivery sorting work ) .

However, an address reading device used in such an address reading / sorting machine detects and extracts characters of kanji and kana, such as a prefecture name, a municipal name, a company name, a full name, etc .; Detecting and extracting block numbers and delimiters (chome, number, number,-, ..., etc.)
The recognition process is performed in a one-stage configuration. As described above, since the detection and recognition are performed in a one-stage configuration, at the time of detection and recognition,
They always assume both kanji and numbers. For this reason, there are disadvantages that processing becomes complicated and performance is reduced.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As described above, in the present invention, when an address written in a postal matter is read and classified, when an address in which kanji and numbers are mixed is read, processing is performed. or become complicated, intended to eliminate the disadvantage that the performance deteriorates, in which classified by reading the address, which is described in the mail, a city block the city name following characters
A mail sorting device and mail zone that can be recognized as numbers , simplify processing, and improve performance
It aims to provide a minute method .

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a mail sorting apparatus, comprising: a feeding means for feeding mail having an address written thereon;
A photoelectric conversion unit that optically scans the postal matter supplied by the supply unit and performs photoelectric conversion to obtain a pattern signal of an address portion; and a standard corresponding to a block / number.
A block / number dictionary that stores patterns and this block / number
It is provided separately from the dictionary, and has a name for prefectures and municipalities.
A municipal name dictionary that stores corresponding standard patterns and the light
From the pattern signal of the address part obtained by the
First detection and extraction for detecting and extracting character information for each character
Detecting means and detecting and extracting by the first detecting and extracting means.
The above-mentioned character information is stored in the above-mentioned municipal name dictionary.
First Recognition for Recognizing Municipal Names Using Standard Patterns
Means and the municipal name recognized by this first recognition means.
Identifying means to identify a character string as a block / number in an address
And the pattern of the address portion obtained by the photoelectric conversion means.
Block / number based on the specific content of the above specific means from the traffic signal
A second detection extraction unit for extracting a character;
The above-mentioned block and number detected and extracted by the
Second recognition means for recognizing using the standard pattern stored in the block / number dictionary , and recognition of the first recognition means
Result and the recognition result recognizing address recognition means address by the second recognizing means, based on the recognition result in the address recognition unit, partitioning the mailpiece for each address, composed of a division unit for integration Have been. Mail sorting method of this invention
The law establishes a first step of providing mailed mail.
And the mail supplied by this first step
Addressing part by optically scanning the object and performing photoelectric conversion
A second step of obtaining a minute pattern signal;
1 from the pattern signal of the address part obtained by the step
Third step of detecting and extracting character information for each character
And the above sentence detected and cut out by the third step
A standard putter for character information corresponding to prefectures and municipalities
Recognize municipal names using a municipal name dictionary that stores
The fourth step, and the fourth step
The character string following the name of the city, town, and village
5th step and the above 2nd step
The fifth step from the pattern signal of the address
Sixth scan the hands of cutting out a city block, numbers based on the specific content of at
And the upper part detected and cut out by the sixth step.
The blocks and numbers are provided separately from the municipal name dictionary,
Blocks and numbers that store standard patterns corresponding to blocks and numbers
A seventh step of recognizing by using the character dictionary;
The recognition result in the step and the recognition result in the seventh step
An eighth step of recognizing the address by using the
Based on the recognition result in the step above, mail the above mail
Ninth step of classifying and accumulating
is there.

[0007]

[Action] The present invention, in the above-described configuration, a city block
-Blocks that store standard patterns corresponding to numbers-Numeric characters
Book and this block / number dictionary are provided separately,
A city that stores standard patterns corresponding to prefecture and municipal names
It has a town name dictionary and supplies a mail with an address written by a supply means, and optically scans the supplied mail with a photoelectric conversion means and photoelectrically converts the mail to a pattern of an address part. Get the signal and the resulting pattern of the address part
Detects and extracts character information for each character from the signal.
The detected character information is recorded in the municipal name dictionary.
The first recognition of municipalities using the remembered standard patterns
A character string that is recognized by the knowledge means and follows the recognized city name
Is identified by the identification means and the block / numerical part in the address.
From the pattern signal of the address part obtained by the
Blocks and figures are extracted based on the specific content of the above specific means
Then, the above- explained block and the number extracted from the detection
Using the standard pattern stored in the number dictionary , the second
Recognizing by the recognizing means, the recognizing result of the first recognizing means and the
The address is recognized by the address recognition means based on the recognition result of the second recognition means, and based on the recognition result, the mail is classified and accumulated for each address. This departure
Ming will supply the mailing with the address and this supply
Optical scanning of the above mail items
The pattern signal of the address part is obtained from the obtained address part.
Character information for each character from the minute pattern signal
Extraction, this detection
And the city that stores the standard pattern corresponding to the city name
Recognize municipalities using the village name dictionary,
Identify the character string following the town name as the block / number in the address
Then, from the obtained pattern signal of the address part,
Block out blocks and numbers based on the content, and
The above-mentioned block / number is provided separately from the above-mentioned municipal name dictionary.
City that stores standard patterns corresponding to the blocks and numbers
Recognition using the ward / numerical dictionary, and the recognition result of the above municipalities
The address is recognized based on the recognition result of
Based on the recognition result of the above, the mail is classified by address,
It is intended to be integrated.

[0008]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an automatic mail sorting machine as an address reading sorting machine according to the present invention, which has the following configuration. That is, postal matters P, such as postcards and postal letters, are set in the supply unit (supply means) 1 in a lump and in a standing position. The postal matter P... Of the supply unit 1 is sequentially taken out and conveyed one by one from the foremost postal matter P by the take-out unit 2 and attached to the postal matter P by the reading unit 4 arranged in the middle of the take-in conveyance path 3. The postal code and address information (address information) are read. The reading section 4 is a photoelectric conversion section (photoelectric conversion means) 4a for photoelectrically converting the postal code and address information on the postal matter P, and recognizes a character pattern in accordance with the output of the photoelectric conversion section 4a to obtain a postal code, It is a well-known device comprising a determination unit 4b for determining address information. Next, the postal matter P that has passed through the reading unit 4 is separated via the transport path 3 into a sorting unit (sorting unit) 11.
To be transported.

The sorting section 11 is provided with a plurality of sorting transport paths 5 vertically provided by a gate mechanism section (not shown).
a, .about.5 g can be selectively sorted based on the read result of the postal code and address information.

A plurality of pockets (collection boxes) 6 are respectively provided along the lower surfaces of the sectioned transport paths 5a to 5f.
Are arranged in a plurality of stages (A-stage, up to G-stage), and the postal matter P sent to the sorting transport paths 5a, 5g is placed in a predetermined pocket 6 based on the reading result of the reading unit 4. It is being sorted and collected. Note that the transport paths 3, 5a,
, A transport detector group (not shown) for detecting the transport of the mail P on the transport path is provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, address information (address) and the like are described on the surface of the mail P. The address information is composed of a plurality of lines of character information. In such a postal matter P, an address such as “prefecture name”, “ward, city name”, “town name”, “street address”, “company name”, and “name” to be read as address information (Minato-ku Shibaura 3
29-41) are described. In addition, the supply unit 1
An operator panel 7 as an operation panel is provided at the upper part of the printer.

FIG. 4 shows an electric circuit. That is, the control section 21 reads out the section designation data corresponding to the postal code and the address information supplied from the discriminating section 4b by using the section designation table stored in the memory 22, and reads out the read section. The mail P is transported to the pockets 6,... Corresponding to the designated data (addresses of the pockets 6,...). For example, by outputting a division gate control signal in response to a conveyance detection signal from a conveyance detector (not shown) in the middle of the conveyance path 3, the driver 23 is used to control the division gates 9,. It has become. The memory 22 stores the postal codes, the addresses of the pockets 6,... Corresponding to each piece of address information (division designation data) as the division designation table. Further, the control section 21 controls the entire transport system by driving a transport mechanism section 26 such as the transport path 3 by a driver 25. Next, the photoelectric conversion unit 4 of the reading unit 4
a and the determination unit 4b will be described with reference to FIG.

That is, the photoelectric conversion section 4a obtains a pattern signal by optically scanning the postal matter P and photoelectrically converting the same. For example, a light source for irradiating light on the postal matter P, and It comprises a self-scanning CCD image sensor or the like which receives the reflected light and converts it into an electric signal.

The output of the photoelectric conversion unit 4a is supplied to a determination unit 4b. The discrimination section 4b includes an address line detection section 31 and a kanji / kana detection section (first detection extraction section).
Stage) 32, Kanji / Kana recognition unit (first recognition means, specific hand
Section) 33, dictionary (municipal name dictionary) 34, block / numerical check
Unit (second detection cutout means) 35, block / number recognition unit
(First recognition means) 36, dictionary (block / number dictionary) 3
7 and an address recognition unit (address recognition means) 38 .

The address line detector 31 is connected to the photoelectric converter 4a.
The address line is detected from the pattern signal supplied from the device, and a binarized signal of only the detected address line is output as the address line disconnection result.

The kanji / kana checking section 32 includes an address line checking section 3.
The character information of each character is detected and cut out using the binarized signal of only the address line supplied from 1 and is detected and cut out, for example, as shown in FIG. ing. In this case, the two-digit number is cut off to one character, but there is no problem since the kanji and the processing are specified.

The kanji / kana recognition section 33 recognizes the character information supplied from the kanji / kana checking section 32 using a standard pattern corresponding to the kanji / kana in the dictionary 34 and specifies a municipal name or the like. It is. The dictionary 34 stores standard patterns corresponding to kanji and kana used for prefecture names, municipalities names, company names, and names.

The block / number checking unit 35 applies numbers and separating characters (chome, number, number,-,-) to the character string after the town name specified by the recognition result of the kanji / kana recognition unit 33.
, Etc.), character information for each character is detected and cut out. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, detection and cutout are performed. In this case, the kanji is cut off into two characters, side and creation, but there is no problem because the numbers and the processing are specified. The block / number recognition unit 36 recognizes the character information supplied from the block / number checking unit 35 using a standard pattern corresponding to the block / number in the dictionary 37. The dictionary 37 stores numbers and delimiters (chome,
A standard pattern corresponding to the block / number (number, number,-,-, etc.) is stored.

The address recognition unit 38 is a kanji / kana recognition unit 33
The prefecture name, municipal name, company name, and name are determined based on the kanji and kana recognized by
Based on the municipal name, the company name, the name, and the block / number recognized by the block / number recognition unit 36, the section designation data corresponding to the address, that is, the data indicating the pockets 6,... Is what you do. As shown in FIG. 1, the address line detection section 31 includes an address line detection section 41,
It comprises a binarization circuit 42 and a selection circuit 43.

The address line detecting section 41 detects an area in which address information (address) is described from the information described in the mail P, based on the shape, position, etc. of the area. The coordinate value of the region is output. The binarization circuit 42 binarizes the output of the photoelectric conversion unit 4a. The selection circuit 43 outputs a binarized signal from the binarization circuit 42 corresponding to the area of the address line detected by the address line detection unit 41.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be described. For example, when the start switch (not shown) is turned on, the control unit 21 drives and controls the transport mechanism unit 26, so that the postal matter P accumulated in the supply unit 1 is taken out one by one by the take-out unit 2, It is transported on the transport path 3. During this transport, the address information on the mail P is read by the reading unit 4. Then, the control section 21 reads the section designation data corresponding to the address information supplied from the reading section 4, and controls the transport of the mail P to the pockets 6,... Corresponding to the section designation data.

Then, the control section 21 responds to the read section designation data and the detection signal of the transport detector to set the section gate 9.
, The postal matter P is accumulated in the pockets 6 corresponding to the address information. The reading unit 4
The reading of address information by the following will be described.

That is, the pattern signal from the photoelectric conversion unit 4a is supplied to an address line detection unit 41 and a binarization circuit 42. The address line detection unit 41 has address information (address) described in the form and position of the area from among the information described in the mail P based on the pattern signal from the photoelectric conversion unit 4a. The detected area is detected, and the coordinate value of the detected area is output to the selection circuit 43. The binarization circuit 42 binarizes the output from the photoelectric conversion unit 4a and outputs the output to the selection circuit 43.

Thus, the selection circuit 43 selectively outputs the output from the binarization circuit 42 corresponding to the coordinate information supplied from the address line detection section 41 to the kanji / kana detection section 32.
And the block / number recognition unit 36.

The kanji / kana detection section 32 is provided with a selection circuit 43.
The character information for each character is detected and cut out using the binarized signal of only the address line supplied from, and is output to the kanji / kana recognition unit 33.

The kanji / kana recognition section 33 recognizes the supplied character information using a standard pattern corresponding to kanji / kana in the dictionary 34 and outputs the recognition result to the address recognition section 38. In addition, the kanji / kana recognition unit 33 specifies a municipal name or the like based on the recognition result, and outputs a coordinate value of a character string following the specified municipal name or the like to the block / numeral check unit 35.

Thus, the block / number checking section 35 uses the binary signal of the character string following the municipal name specified by the kanji / kana recognition section 33 in the address line supplied from the selection circuit 43. The character information for each character is detected and cut out and output to the block / number recognition unit 36. Block / number recognition unit 36
Recognizes the supplied character information using a standard pattern corresponding to the block / number of the dictionary 37, and outputs the recognition result to the address recognition unit 38.

As a result, the address recognizing unit 38 determines the prefecture name, the municipal name, the company name, and the full name based on the kanji / kana recognized by the kanji / kana recognition unit 33, and determines the determined prefecture, municipal name. Based on the company name and name and the block / number recognized by the block / number recognizing section 36, section designation data corresponding to the address, that is, data indicating the pockets 6,...

As described above, the prefecture or town name of the address,
Detection and extraction of kanji and kana characters such as company names and names,
Recognition processing and detection and extraction of block numbers and delimiters (chome, number, number,-,-, etc.) such as ~ chome ~ number ~ are separated, and the recognition processing is separated into a two-stage configuration. Things.

Thus, when reading an address in which kanji and numbers are mixed, the kanji / kana check-off section and the kanji / kana recognition section can perform processing by assuming only kanji / kana. The number checker and the block / number recognition unit only use the block,
Since the processing can be limited to numbers, the processing can be simplified and the performance can be improved.

[0032]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
In reading and categorizing addresses written on mail , characters after the municipal name are recognized as blocks and numbers.
Thus, it is possible to provide a mail sorting apparatus and a mail sorting method which can simplify processing and improve performance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an address reading device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration of a mail sorting machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of description of address information in the mail in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an entire configuration of the automatic mail sorting machine shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view showing a processing result of a kanji / kana checking section of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view showing a processing result of a block / numerical check section of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Supply part, P ... Mail, 2 ... Extraction part, 3 ... Extraction conveyance path, 4 ... Reading part, 4a ... Photoelectric conversion part, 4b ... Judgment part, 5
a, ... sectioned transport path, 6, ... pocket, 7 ... operator panel, 9 ~ ... sectioned gate, 11 ... sectioned section, 21 ... control section, 22 ... memory, 23, 25 ... driver, 26 ... transport mechanism section , 31 ... address line checking section, 32 ... Kanji / Kana checking section, 33 ... Kanji / Kana recognition section, 34, 37 ... Dictionary, 35
… Block / number checking section, 36… Block / number recognition section, 38…
Address recognition unit.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A supply means for supplying a postal matter on which an address is described, and a photoelectric element which optically scans the postal matter supplied by the supply means and performs photoelectric conversion to obtain a pattern signal of an address part. Conversion means and blocks / numbers storing standard patterns corresponding to blocks / numbers
The character dictionary is separated from the block / number dictionary,
Name of the municipality that stores the standard pattern corresponding to the name of the municipality
The dictionary and the pattern signal of the address part obtained by the photoelectric conversion means.
The first detection that detects and cuts out character information for each character from the issue
Output cut-out means, and the above-mentioned detected and cut out by the first detection cut-out means.
The standard pattern stored in the municipal name dictionary
String following the first recognition means for recognizing the city name with over emissions, the recognized city name in the first recognition means
Means for specifying the address as a block / numeral part in the address, and the pattern signal of the address part obtained by the photoelectric conversion means.
Block and number based on the specific content of the above specific means
A second detecting and extracting means for extracting, and the above-mentioned detecting and extracting by the second detecting and extracting means.
A second recognition unit for recognizing the block / number using the standard pattern stored in the block / number dictionary; a recognition result of the first recognition unit;
Recognizing address recognition means Mailing by the recognition result, based on the recognition result in the address recognition unit, partitioning the mailpiece for each address, postal items, characterized by comprising a dividing means for integration, the Sorting device. 2. A first method for supplying mail having an address written thereon.
And on the postal matter supplied by this first step
By optically scanning and performing photoelectric conversion, the address
A second step of obtaining a turn signal and a pattern of an address portion obtained by the second step
The third method of detecting and extracting character information for each character from a signal
And the character information detected and cut out by the third step.
The standard pattern corresponding to the broadcast to prefectures and municipalities name
Recognize municipal names using the stored municipal name dictionary.
And the sentence following the municipal name recognized by this fourth step
Fifth step to identify the character string as a block / number in the address
And the pattern of the address portion obtained in the second step.
From the signal, the city based on the specific content in the fifth step
A sixth step of cutting out the ward / numeral, and the above-mentioned block / section detected and cut out by the sixth step.
Numbers are provided separately from the municipal name dictionary, and block / number
A block / number dictionary that stores standard patterns corresponding to characters
A seventh step of recognizing by using the recognition result in the fourth step and the seventh step.
Eighth Step of Recognizing an Address Based on the Result of Recognition
And the mail based on the recognition result in the eighth step.
A ninth step of sorting and accumulating articles for each address, and a mail sorting method, characterized by comprising: