CA2369773C - Method and apparatus for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes Download PDFInfo
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- CA2369773C CA2369773C CA2369773A CA2369773A CA2369773C CA 2369773 C CA2369773 C CA 2369773C CA 2369773 A CA2369773 A CA 2369773A CA 2369773 A CA2369773 A CA 2369773A CA 2369773 C CA2369773 C CA 2369773C
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06V—IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G06V30/00—Character recognition; Recognising digital ink; Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
- G06V30/10—Character recognition
- G06V30/12—Detection or correction of errors, e.g. by rescanning the pattern
- G06V30/127—Detection or correction of errors, e.g. by rescanning the pattern with the intervention of an operator
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06V—IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G06V30/00—Character recognition; Recognising digital ink; Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
- G06V30/10—Character recognition
- G06V30/26—Techniques for post-processing, e.g. correcting the recognition result
- G06V30/262—Techniques for post-processing, e.g. correcting the recognition result using context analysis, e.g. lexical, syntactic or semantic context
- G06V30/274—Syntactic or semantic context, e.g. balancing
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06V—IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G06V30/00—Character recognition; Recognising digital ink; Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
- G06V30/10—Character recognition
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes which identify the addresses up to part of a larger street or a few small streets, in the case of non-unambiguous read results of the OCR unit. If the street read by the OCR unit does not correspond to the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded postcode, the following steps are carried out: - inputting of one or two extraction codes which identify the distribution point, - repeated video coding of the postcode by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding if, in the case of the comparison of the extraction code(s) with the postcode video-coded first, these do not match one another, - comparison of the two video-coded postcodes, and if they correspond, the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as incorrect.
Description
Description Method and apparatus for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes Systems for the automatic reading of addresses (OCR) are well known in the field of letter processing and are described e.g. in DE 195 31 392. Processing rates of 10 letters per second, i.e. 36,000 letters per hour, or more can be achieved with modern OCR letter sorting installations. However, the recognition reliability varies greatly with the script and overall quality of the address information applied to the surface of the letters. In the case of successful recognition, the relevant letter can be provided with a machine-readable bar code. This bar code allows further mechanical processing up to an arbitary desired sorting order. In particular, the use of bar codes enables the letters to be sorted up to the sorting level of the mail delivery, in which letters are sorted in accordance with the order of their distribution by the deliverer.
Since the recognition rates of the automatic reading systems vary greatly, it is necessary to assist the latter by various forms of manual intervention.
In this case, the entered address is coded and converted into a machine-readable sorting bar code, which is applied to the dispatch, by means of a directory.
To that end, in video coding systems, video images of the dispatches are presented to operators for coding purposes. This can be done online and offline. In online video coding systems (OVS), the video image is shown to the operator, while the physical dispatch is held in delay paths. In these delay paths, the dispatch is normally kept in motion for a time duration which suffices for the OVS operator to input the required sorting information for the relevant image. The customary delay paths allow a delay of between 10 and 30 seconds. The longer the delay path, the greater the costs and also the requirements for maintenance and the physical size of the installation.
When using OVS, the available time often suffices only for careful inputting of the postcode (PC).
In offline coding systems, as described in US-A 49 92 649, dispatches with addresses that are not recognized are provided with an additional item of information, a tracking identification (TID). The dispatches that are not recognized are stored externally, while the images of these dispatches are presented to operators for coding purposes, there not being any temporal restrictions. The dispatches are subsequently presented to TID readers. The TID is linked with the entered address information. On the basis of this, it is also possible to apply a customary bar code sorting information item to the dispatch, so that the relevant dispatch can be processed like customarily OCR-read dispatches. Although the offline video coding method represents an effective method for coding all address constituents, capacities for the further processing of dispatches provided with non-read addresses and correspondingly complex logistics are additionally demanded.
In order to shorten the reading times further, WO 97/49503 proposed that the image of each complete address information item that is not unambiguously recognized within a specific time by means of video coding is fed with the information about recognized address parts that is obtained during the video coding to the OCR unit for a further automatic evaluation for address interpretation purposes.
This method is used in the case of addresses in which only the place of destination is also applied as a readable postcode (e.g. German Postleitzahl) on the dispatch surface.
However, there are also countries in which further parts of the address are represented in the postcode, e.g. a number of small streets, medium-sized streets or parts of larger streets. If the result of the OCR
reading process is not unambiguous, then the corresponding image with the address is transmitted to a video coding station for the purpose of video coding.
The invention specified in the independent claims 1 and 7 is based on the object of providing, in the context of postcodes used which identify the addresses up to part of a larger street or a few small streets, a method and an apparatus which ensure that the address is determined as quickly and as unambiguously as possible in an interactive reading process with an OCR
unit and at least one video coding station.
If the read result of the OCR unit is not unambiguous, then firstly the postcode is video-coded. Then, with this postcode, the street(s) or the street region is determined is a corresponding database and compared with the street read by the OCR unit. In the case of correspondence, the video-coded postcode is accepted, and, in the case of non-correspondence, the video coding of an extraction code (AKS code) of the image is effected by one or two operators. The AKS data of the first operator are then compared with the streets/
street regions derived from the video coded postcode in the OCR unit. If they match one another, the postcode is accepted; if not, the AKS data are video-coded by a different operator and compared with the streets/street regions derived from the postcode in the OCR unit. If they match this time, the postcode is accepted; if not, the postcode is video-coded by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding.
The two postcodes are then compared and, in the case of correspondence, the postcode situated on the dispatch is identified as incorrect and, in the case of non-correspondence, the AKS code or codes is or are compared with the streets/street region derived from the postcode video-coded for the second time in the OCR
unit. If the codes match in the case of a comparison, then the postcode video-coded for the second time is accepted. Thus, this method rapidly and reliably determines the address or the postcode even in the case of an address which cannot be read by the OCR unit.
In order to determine the correct postcode in the case of a postcode which is situated on the dispatch and has been classified as incorrect, it is advantageous to perform additional reading processes in the OCR unit with: that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is shortened by one position and with the different AKS codes. An incorrect postcode may be either an incorrectly chosen postcode or a postcode written unclearly or confusedly in a number of positions. If the read results are not unambiguous, then further reading processes are performed in the OCR
unit with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is additionally shortened by a further position and with the different AKS codes.
This additional position-shortening and reading in the OCR unit is continued until the read result is unambiguous or only a few candidates remain, the correct one of which is selected by means of selection coding.
It is advantageous, in the case of an incorrect postcode, for the additional reading processes in the OCR unit with a shortened postcode using the AKS codes, to begin the shortening with the least significant position. If no unambiguous result is obtained, the postcode is additionally shortened by the next less-significant position, etc.
This order of shortening was chosen on the basis of a statistical error frequency, according to which the most frequent errors occur in the least significant position of the postcodes, the second most frequent errors occur in the second least-significant position, etc.
In a further advantageous refinement, in the case of a postcode which relates only to the part of a larger street, during the validation of the video-coded postcode with the read result of the OCR unit, comparison is additionally effected as to whether the house number specified in the read/partly read address is situated within the house number range determined from the postcode.
It is also advantageous to input the first two letters of the street name and also the house number as the extraction code.
- 5a -In accordance with one aspect of this invention, there is provided a method for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes which identify the addresses up to part of a larger street or a few small streets, in which the images of the dispatch surfaces having the addresses are recorded, stored and fed to an OCR unit for the reading of addresses and generation of corresponding address codes, and in which, in the case of a non-unambiguous read result of the OCR
unit, the relevant image with the address is fed to at least one video coding station for the video coding of the postcode, the following steps being carried out if the street read by the OCR unit does not correspond to the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded postcode: communication of the relevant image to one or two video coding stations for the inputting of a respective extraction code which identifies the distribution point, comparison of the extraction code(s)/AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode in the OCR unit, acceptance of the postcode if these match one another in the case of a code comparison, the second AKS
coding being effected only if no accepted postcode is determined by means of the first AKS coding, communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the repeated video coding of the postcode by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding if, in the case of the comparison of the AKS code(s) with the postcode video-coded first, these do not match one another, comparison of the two video-coded postcodes, and if they correspond the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as incorrect, and if they do not correspond:
comparison of the AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode video-coded for the second time in the OCR unit until the codes match one another in the case of a code comparison and thus acceptance of the ti - 5b -postcode video-coded for the second time, and if the codes do not match one another, the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as an incorrect postcode.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, there is provided an apparatus for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes which identify the addresses up to part of a larger street or a few small streets, having an automatic address reading system which has the following elements: an apparatus for obtaining images of dispatches, an OCR unit for the automatic evaluation of the images of the dispatch surfaces, said images having the address information, video coding stations for the video coding of the images of the dispatch surfaces, said images containing the address information, a controller for controlling the sequence in the OCR unit, the video coding stations, and also the data exchange, which is designed in such a way that after addresses have not been able to be read unambiguously in a first reading attempt in the OCR unit, firstly the corresponding images of the dispatch surfaces with these addresses are transmitted to the video coding stations for the video coding of the postcodes, the following steps being carried out if the street read by the OCR unit does not correspond to the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded postcode: communication of the relevant image to one or two video coding stations for the inputting of a respective extraction code which identifies the distribution point, comparison of the extraction code(s)/AKS
code(s) with the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode in the OCR unit, acceptance of the postcode if these match one another in the case of a code comparison, the second AKS coding being effected only if no accepted postcode is determined by means of the first AKS coding, communication of the relevant image to a video coding - 5c -station for the repeated video coding of the postcode by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding if, in the case of the comparison of the AKS
code(s) with the postcode video-coded first, these do not match one another, comparison of the two video-coded postcodes, and if they correspond the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as incorrect, and if they do not correspond: comparison of the AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode video-coded for the second time in the OCR unit until the codes match one another in the case of a code comparison and thus acceptance of the postcode video-coded for the second time, and if the codes do not match one another, the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as an incorrect postcode.
The invention is explained in more detail below in an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing.
In the figures:
FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic illustration of an apparatus for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes, FIGS 2a-d show the method sequence using a flow diagram, FIGS 3a-d show a diagrammatic illustration of the method sequence in the case of a postcode which is classified as incorrect.
FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic illustration of a letter distribution installation with which the method according to the invention can be carried out. The OCR
letter sorter 100 comprises a feed device 110, which progressively removes dispatches from a magazine and transports them at approximately 10 dispatches per second to a high-resolution video scanner 120. The dispatches are subsequently transported in a delay path 121. The dispatches usually have address information on their surface. In an OCR unit 130, the address information of the images of the dispatches which were obtained by the video scanner 120 is evaluated. In the case of a complete evaluation, a bar code printer 150 is activated and the dispatch is provided with a corresponding bar code for the subsequent sorting into sorting compartments 160. The OCR unit 130 comprises one or more microprocessors 131 with associated memory 132 for storing images of the dispatches. Furthermore, the OCR unit comprises an address database 134 with postcodes, city names and street names and possibly further address-related information. During the evaluation of the images having address information, a feature-controlled reduction of the entry obtained from the address database 134 is effected, so that a type of part-dictionary is produced. Credibilities are assigned in individual entries, so that a number of data of correctly recognized addresses are produced during the evaluation. The apparatus furthermore contains an image controller 170 and also a number of video coding stations 200, which are connected to the image controller 170 directly or by a local area network (LAN) 171. If the OCR evaluation of an image was not unambiguous, i.e. successful, this image is transferred from the OCR unit 130 to the image controller 170, which, on the one hand, controls the TID bar code printer 151 and, on the other hand, transmits the corresponding image to one of the video coding stations 200. The TID bar code printer 151 applies to the corresponding dispatch an identification code TID which makes it possible, at a later point in time, to link the evaluated address information with the physical dispatch. In this case, the images are preferably evaluated offline, although in principle, with a sufficiently long delay time, an online evaluation through video coding is also possible. In the latter case, the TID can also be applied to the dispatches at a later point in time, i.e. if the video coding has not led to a complete evaluation within a specific pre-determined time.
In order to carry out the method explained in more detail below, the image controller 170 is designed in such a way that address information that is not completely evaluated by the video coding is fed, using the results of the video coding in the OCR unit 130, to a further automatic address evaluation.
The recorded and stored image of the respective dispatch with the address, containing a postcode which identifies the place of destination and the street, the part of a street in the case of large streets, or a plurality of small streets, is fed to the OCR unit 130 for a first automatic reading attempt 300. In this example, said postcode is a 6-position code in canonical form with the following character sequence ANA NAN, where A is a letter (alphabetical character) and N is a number (numerical character).
The concrete embodiment of the postcode is not, of course, restricted to this example.
If the address can be read unambiguously in the OCR
unit 130 in the first reading attempt 300, the recognition task is achieved. If not, the postcode is video-coded 310. Afterward, the street read by the OCR
unit 130 is compared 320 with the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode. This is also advantageously effected in the OCR unit 130. If the details match one another, then the video-coded postcode is accepted. If not, an extraction code (AKS
code) , comprising the first two letters of the street name and the house number, is generated 330 from the image with the address at a video coding station 200.
These AKS data are then compared 340 with the streets/street region derived from the video-coded postcode with the aid of the address database. If they match, i.e. if the first two letters input in the course of the AKS coding correspond to the first two letters of the street determined from the postcode or to one of the streets determined from the postcode and if the house number, if appropriate, lies in the range of numbers of the street determined from the postcode, the postcode is accepted. If not, a further AKS coding of the same address is performed 350 at another video coding station 200 and these AKS data are likewise compared 360 with the streets/street region derived from the postcode. In the case of correspondence, the postcode is accepted; in the case of no correspondence, the postcode is coded 370 a second time by a different operator than in the case of the first video coding of the postcode at a video coding station. Next, the two postcodes are compared 380. If they correspond, then a coding error is not present, so that the postcode situated on the dispatch must have been written incorrectly (illegible or confusable characters) In this case, the least significant position is removed from the postcode and is fed together with the AKS data of the first AKS video coding to the OCR unit 130 for a further reading attempt. If the attempt is not successful, another reading attempt is performed 390 with the reduced postcode and the AKS data of the second AKS video coding. If this reading attempt does not produce an unambiguous result either, then the next less-significant position is additionally removed from the postcode and further reading attempts are performed 400 with the AKS data, as described, in the OCR unit 130. This procedure (reduction of that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street region by a further position and new reading attempts) is performed until the address is read unambiguously or until only a few candidates remain, from which the correct address is then selected 410 simply and quickly by means of selection coding, e.g. by clicking on the correct street name.
If no correspondence could be noted in the case of the comparison of the two postcodes 380, then the first AKS
data are compared 420 with the streets/street region derived from the subsequently video-coded postcode (2nd postcode). If they match, the 2nd postcode is accepted;
if not, the second AKS data are compared 430 with the streets/street region derived from the second postcode.
If the data match, the video-coded 2nd postcode is accepted. If there is no correspondence present, then the above-described process of performing further reading attempts in the OCR unit 130 with the AKS codes and the shortened postcodes is performed. In this case, the procedure begins with the first postcode 440, and if the address is not identified unambiguously, with the second, subsequently video-coded postcode of the relevant dispatch 450.
The method is additionally explained briefly in FIGS
3a-d.
In accordance with FIG. 3a, the following address details are situated on the dispatch:
167 Hunt Street Ajax, ON LIS 1P6 (Postcode) With the postcode LIS 1B6, Karl Street was found as an entry in the address database 134. In the course of the AKS coding of the address situated on the dispatch, the operator entered: 167 HU. As can be seen, these details do not match Karl Street. Since it has already been determined in previous steps that the postcode is incorrect, in accordance with FIG. 3b the last position of the postcode is removed and corresponding entries are sought in the address database 134 with the postcode LIS 1P and the AKS code 167 HU. In this case, the four entries specified were found which, however, do not correspond to Hunt Street. Therefore, a further position was removed from the postcode. With the shortened postcode LIS 1 and the AKS data, the entries specified in FIG. 3c were found in the now larger search space in the address database 134. Since no unambiguous assignment was made during the complete reading process, rather the two variants Hunt Street and Hubert Street were determined as the most likely solutions, in a final step a selection coding was effected, in which, as illustrated in FIG. 3d, the complete address label and the two variants to be selected are presented to the operator on the screen.
By actuating the key for the number 1, he then selects the correct street (Hunt Street) very quickly.
Since the recognition rates of the automatic reading systems vary greatly, it is necessary to assist the latter by various forms of manual intervention.
In this case, the entered address is coded and converted into a machine-readable sorting bar code, which is applied to the dispatch, by means of a directory.
To that end, in video coding systems, video images of the dispatches are presented to operators for coding purposes. This can be done online and offline. In online video coding systems (OVS), the video image is shown to the operator, while the physical dispatch is held in delay paths. In these delay paths, the dispatch is normally kept in motion for a time duration which suffices for the OVS operator to input the required sorting information for the relevant image. The customary delay paths allow a delay of between 10 and 30 seconds. The longer the delay path, the greater the costs and also the requirements for maintenance and the physical size of the installation.
When using OVS, the available time often suffices only for careful inputting of the postcode (PC).
In offline coding systems, as described in US-A 49 92 649, dispatches with addresses that are not recognized are provided with an additional item of information, a tracking identification (TID). The dispatches that are not recognized are stored externally, while the images of these dispatches are presented to operators for coding purposes, there not being any temporal restrictions. The dispatches are subsequently presented to TID readers. The TID is linked with the entered address information. On the basis of this, it is also possible to apply a customary bar code sorting information item to the dispatch, so that the relevant dispatch can be processed like customarily OCR-read dispatches. Although the offline video coding method represents an effective method for coding all address constituents, capacities for the further processing of dispatches provided with non-read addresses and correspondingly complex logistics are additionally demanded.
In order to shorten the reading times further, WO 97/49503 proposed that the image of each complete address information item that is not unambiguously recognized within a specific time by means of video coding is fed with the information about recognized address parts that is obtained during the video coding to the OCR unit for a further automatic evaluation for address interpretation purposes.
This method is used in the case of addresses in which only the place of destination is also applied as a readable postcode (e.g. German Postleitzahl) on the dispatch surface.
However, there are also countries in which further parts of the address are represented in the postcode, e.g. a number of small streets, medium-sized streets or parts of larger streets. If the result of the OCR
reading process is not unambiguous, then the corresponding image with the address is transmitted to a video coding station for the purpose of video coding.
The invention specified in the independent claims 1 and 7 is based on the object of providing, in the context of postcodes used which identify the addresses up to part of a larger street or a few small streets, a method and an apparatus which ensure that the address is determined as quickly and as unambiguously as possible in an interactive reading process with an OCR
unit and at least one video coding station.
If the read result of the OCR unit is not unambiguous, then firstly the postcode is video-coded. Then, with this postcode, the street(s) or the street region is determined is a corresponding database and compared with the street read by the OCR unit. In the case of correspondence, the video-coded postcode is accepted, and, in the case of non-correspondence, the video coding of an extraction code (AKS code) of the image is effected by one or two operators. The AKS data of the first operator are then compared with the streets/
street regions derived from the video coded postcode in the OCR unit. If they match one another, the postcode is accepted; if not, the AKS data are video-coded by a different operator and compared with the streets/street regions derived from the postcode in the OCR unit. If they match this time, the postcode is accepted; if not, the postcode is video-coded by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding.
The two postcodes are then compared and, in the case of correspondence, the postcode situated on the dispatch is identified as incorrect and, in the case of non-correspondence, the AKS code or codes is or are compared with the streets/street region derived from the postcode video-coded for the second time in the OCR
unit. If the codes match in the case of a comparison, then the postcode video-coded for the second time is accepted. Thus, this method rapidly and reliably determines the address or the postcode even in the case of an address which cannot be read by the OCR unit.
In order to determine the correct postcode in the case of a postcode which is situated on the dispatch and has been classified as incorrect, it is advantageous to perform additional reading processes in the OCR unit with: that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is shortened by one position and with the different AKS codes. An incorrect postcode may be either an incorrectly chosen postcode or a postcode written unclearly or confusedly in a number of positions. If the read results are not unambiguous, then further reading processes are performed in the OCR
unit with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is additionally shortened by a further position and with the different AKS codes.
This additional position-shortening and reading in the OCR unit is continued until the read result is unambiguous or only a few candidates remain, the correct one of which is selected by means of selection coding.
It is advantageous, in the case of an incorrect postcode, for the additional reading processes in the OCR unit with a shortened postcode using the AKS codes, to begin the shortening with the least significant position. If no unambiguous result is obtained, the postcode is additionally shortened by the next less-significant position, etc.
This order of shortening was chosen on the basis of a statistical error frequency, according to which the most frequent errors occur in the least significant position of the postcodes, the second most frequent errors occur in the second least-significant position, etc.
In a further advantageous refinement, in the case of a postcode which relates only to the part of a larger street, during the validation of the video-coded postcode with the read result of the OCR unit, comparison is additionally effected as to whether the house number specified in the read/partly read address is situated within the house number range determined from the postcode.
It is also advantageous to input the first two letters of the street name and also the house number as the extraction code.
- 5a -In accordance with one aspect of this invention, there is provided a method for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes which identify the addresses up to part of a larger street or a few small streets, in which the images of the dispatch surfaces having the addresses are recorded, stored and fed to an OCR unit for the reading of addresses and generation of corresponding address codes, and in which, in the case of a non-unambiguous read result of the OCR
unit, the relevant image with the address is fed to at least one video coding station for the video coding of the postcode, the following steps being carried out if the street read by the OCR unit does not correspond to the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded postcode: communication of the relevant image to one or two video coding stations for the inputting of a respective extraction code which identifies the distribution point, comparison of the extraction code(s)/AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode in the OCR unit, acceptance of the postcode if these match one another in the case of a code comparison, the second AKS
coding being effected only if no accepted postcode is determined by means of the first AKS coding, communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the repeated video coding of the postcode by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding if, in the case of the comparison of the AKS code(s) with the postcode video-coded first, these do not match one another, comparison of the two video-coded postcodes, and if they correspond the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as incorrect, and if they do not correspond:
comparison of the AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode video-coded for the second time in the OCR unit until the codes match one another in the case of a code comparison and thus acceptance of the ti - 5b -postcode video-coded for the second time, and if the codes do not match one another, the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as an incorrect postcode.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, there is provided an apparatus for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes which identify the addresses up to part of a larger street or a few small streets, having an automatic address reading system which has the following elements: an apparatus for obtaining images of dispatches, an OCR unit for the automatic evaluation of the images of the dispatch surfaces, said images having the address information, video coding stations for the video coding of the images of the dispatch surfaces, said images containing the address information, a controller for controlling the sequence in the OCR unit, the video coding stations, and also the data exchange, which is designed in such a way that after addresses have not been able to be read unambiguously in a first reading attempt in the OCR unit, firstly the corresponding images of the dispatch surfaces with these addresses are transmitted to the video coding stations for the video coding of the postcodes, the following steps being carried out if the street read by the OCR unit does not correspond to the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded postcode: communication of the relevant image to one or two video coding stations for the inputting of a respective extraction code which identifies the distribution point, comparison of the extraction code(s)/AKS
code(s) with the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode in the OCR unit, acceptance of the postcode if these match one another in the case of a code comparison, the second AKS coding being effected only if no accepted postcode is determined by means of the first AKS coding, communication of the relevant image to a video coding - 5c -station for the repeated video coding of the postcode by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding if, in the case of the comparison of the AKS
code(s) with the postcode video-coded first, these do not match one another, comparison of the two video-coded postcodes, and if they correspond the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as incorrect, and if they do not correspond: comparison of the AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode video-coded for the second time in the OCR unit until the codes match one another in the case of a code comparison and thus acceptance of the postcode video-coded for the second time, and if the codes do not match one another, the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as an incorrect postcode.
The invention is explained in more detail below in an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing.
In the figures:
FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic illustration of an apparatus for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes, FIGS 2a-d show the method sequence using a flow diagram, FIGS 3a-d show a diagrammatic illustration of the method sequence in the case of a postcode which is classified as incorrect.
FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic illustration of a letter distribution installation with which the method according to the invention can be carried out. The OCR
letter sorter 100 comprises a feed device 110, which progressively removes dispatches from a magazine and transports them at approximately 10 dispatches per second to a high-resolution video scanner 120. The dispatches are subsequently transported in a delay path 121. The dispatches usually have address information on their surface. In an OCR unit 130, the address information of the images of the dispatches which were obtained by the video scanner 120 is evaluated. In the case of a complete evaluation, a bar code printer 150 is activated and the dispatch is provided with a corresponding bar code for the subsequent sorting into sorting compartments 160. The OCR unit 130 comprises one or more microprocessors 131 with associated memory 132 for storing images of the dispatches. Furthermore, the OCR unit comprises an address database 134 with postcodes, city names and street names and possibly further address-related information. During the evaluation of the images having address information, a feature-controlled reduction of the entry obtained from the address database 134 is effected, so that a type of part-dictionary is produced. Credibilities are assigned in individual entries, so that a number of data of correctly recognized addresses are produced during the evaluation. The apparatus furthermore contains an image controller 170 and also a number of video coding stations 200, which are connected to the image controller 170 directly or by a local area network (LAN) 171. If the OCR evaluation of an image was not unambiguous, i.e. successful, this image is transferred from the OCR unit 130 to the image controller 170, which, on the one hand, controls the TID bar code printer 151 and, on the other hand, transmits the corresponding image to one of the video coding stations 200. The TID bar code printer 151 applies to the corresponding dispatch an identification code TID which makes it possible, at a later point in time, to link the evaluated address information with the physical dispatch. In this case, the images are preferably evaluated offline, although in principle, with a sufficiently long delay time, an online evaluation through video coding is also possible. In the latter case, the TID can also be applied to the dispatches at a later point in time, i.e. if the video coding has not led to a complete evaluation within a specific pre-determined time.
In order to carry out the method explained in more detail below, the image controller 170 is designed in such a way that address information that is not completely evaluated by the video coding is fed, using the results of the video coding in the OCR unit 130, to a further automatic address evaluation.
The recorded and stored image of the respective dispatch with the address, containing a postcode which identifies the place of destination and the street, the part of a street in the case of large streets, or a plurality of small streets, is fed to the OCR unit 130 for a first automatic reading attempt 300. In this example, said postcode is a 6-position code in canonical form with the following character sequence ANA NAN, where A is a letter (alphabetical character) and N is a number (numerical character).
The concrete embodiment of the postcode is not, of course, restricted to this example.
If the address can be read unambiguously in the OCR
unit 130 in the first reading attempt 300, the recognition task is achieved. If not, the postcode is video-coded 310. Afterward, the street read by the OCR
unit 130 is compared 320 with the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode. This is also advantageously effected in the OCR unit 130. If the details match one another, then the video-coded postcode is accepted. If not, an extraction code (AKS
code) , comprising the first two letters of the street name and the house number, is generated 330 from the image with the address at a video coding station 200.
These AKS data are then compared 340 with the streets/street region derived from the video-coded postcode with the aid of the address database. If they match, i.e. if the first two letters input in the course of the AKS coding correspond to the first two letters of the street determined from the postcode or to one of the streets determined from the postcode and if the house number, if appropriate, lies in the range of numbers of the street determined from the postcode, the postcode is accepted. If not, a further AKS coding of the same address is performed 350 at another video coding station 200 and these AKS data are likewise compared 360 with the streets/street region derived from the postcode. In the case of correspondence, the postcode is accepted; in the case of no correspondence, the postcode is coded 370 a second time by a different operator than in the case of the first video coding of the postcode at a video coding station. Next, the two postcodes are compared 380. If they correspond, then a coding error is not present, so that the postcode situated on the dispatch must have been written incorrectly (illegible or confusable characters) In this case, the least significant position is removed from the postcode and is fed together with the AKS data of the first AKS video coding to the OCR unit 130 for a further reading attempt. If the attempt is not successful, another reading attempt is performed 390 with the reduced postcode and the AKS data of the second AKS video coding. If this reading attempt does not produce an unambiguous result either, then the next less-significant position is additionally removed from the postcode and further reading attempts are performed 400 with the AKS data, as described, in the OCR unit 130. This procedure (reduction of that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street region by a further position and new reading attempts) is performed until the address is read unambiguously or until only a few candidates remain, from which the correct address is then selected 410 simply and quickly by means of selection coding, e.g. by clicking on the correct street name.
If no correspondence could be noted in the case of the comparison of the two postcodes 380, then the first AKS
data are compared 420 with the streets/street region derived from the subsequently video-coded postcode (2nd postcode). If they match, the 2nd postcode is accepted;
if not, the second AKS data are compared 430 with the streets/street region derived from the second postcode.
If the data match, the video-coded 2nd postcode is accepted. If there is no correspondence present, then the above-described process of performing further reading attempts in the OCR unit 130 with the AKS codes and the shortened postcodes is performed. In this case, the procedure begins with the first postcode 440, and if the address is not identified unambiguously, with the second, subsequently video-coded postcode of the relevant dispatch 450.
The method is additionally explained briefly in FIGS
3a-d.
In accordance with FIG. 3a, the following address details are situated on the dispatch:
167 Hunt Street Ajax, ON LIS 1P6 (Postcode) With the postcode LIS 1B6, Karl Street was found as an entry in the address database 134. In the course of the AKS coding of the address situated on the dispatch, the operator entered: 167 HU. As can be seen, these details do not match Karl Street. Since it has already been determined in previous steps that the postcode is incorrect, in accordance with FIG. 3b the last position of the postcode is removed and corresponding entries are sought in the address database 134 with the postcode LIS 1P and the AKS code 167 HU. In this case, the four entries specified were found which, however, do not correspond to Hunt Street. Therefore, a further position was removed from the postcode. With the shortened postcode LIS 1 and the AKS data, the entries specified in FIG. 3c were found in the now larger search space in the address database 134. Since no unambiguous assignment was made during the complete reading process, rather the two variants Hunt Street and Hubert Street were determined as the most likely solutions, in a final step a selection coding was effected, in which, as illustrated in FIG. 3d, the complete address label and the two variants to be selected are presented to the operator on the screen.
By actuating the key for the number 1, he then selects the correct street (Hunt Street) very quickly.
Claims (8)
1. A method for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes which identify the addresses up to part of a larger street or a few small streets, in which the images of the dispatch surfaces having the addresses are recorded, stored and fed to an OCR unit (130) for the reading of addresses (300) and generation of corresponding address codes, and in which, in the case of a non-unambiguous read result of the OCR unit (130), the relevant image with the address is fed to at least one video coding station (200) for the video coding of the postcode (310), the following steps being carried out if the street read by the OCR unit (130) does not correspond to the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded postcode:
- communication of the relevant image to one or two video coding stations for the inputting of a respective extraction code (330, 350) which identifies the distribution point, - comparison of the extraction code(s)/AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region (340, 360) derived from the postcode in the OCR unit (130), acceptance of the postcode if these match one another in the case of a code comparison, the second AKS coding (350) being effected only if no accepted postcode is determined by means of the first AKS coding (330), - communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the repeated video coding (370) of the postcode by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding (310) if, in the case of the comparison of the AKS code(s) with the postcode video-coded first, these do not match one another, - comparison of the two video-coded postcodes (380), and if they correspond the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as incorrect, and if they do not correspond:
- comparison of the AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region (420, 430) derived from the postcode video-coded for the second time in the OCR unit until the codes match one another in the case of a code comparison and thus acceptance of the postcode video-coded for the second time, and if the codes do not match one another, the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as an incorrect postcode.
- communication of the relevant image to one or two video coding stations for the inputting of a respective extraction code (330, 350) which identifies the distribution point, - comparison of the extraction code(s)/AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region (340, 360) derived from the postcode in the OCR unit (130), acceptance of the postcode if these match one another in the case of a code comparison, the second AKS coding (350) being effected only if no accepted postcode is determined by means of the first AKS coding (330), - communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the repeated video coding (370) of the postcode by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding (310) if, in the case of the comparison of the AKS code(s) with the postcode video-coded first, these do not match one another, - comparison of the two video-coded postcodes (380), and if they correspond the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as incorrect, and if they do not correspond:
- comparison of the AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region (420, 430) derived from the postcode video-coded for the second time in the OCR unit until the codes match one another in the case of a code comparison and thus acceptance of the postcode video-coded for the second time, and if the codes do not match one another, the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as an incorrect postcode.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, having the following steps in the case of postcodes classified as incorrect:
- performance of additional reading processes in the OCR unit (130) with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is shortened by one position and with the AKS codes (390) and, in the case of non-unambiguous read results:
- performance of further reading processes in the OCR
unit (130) with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is additionally shortened by a further position and with the AKS codes (400), the additional position-shortening and the reading processes being performed until the read result is unambiguous or only a few candidates remain, the correct one of which is selected by means of selection coding.
- performance of additional reading processes in the OCR unit (130) with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is shortened by one position and with the AKS codes (390) and, in the case of non-unambiguous read results:
- performance of further reading processes in the OCR
unit (130) with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is additionally shortened by a further position and with the AKS codes (400), the additional position-shortening and the reading processes being performed until the read result is unambiguous or only a few candidates remain, the correct one of which is selected by means of selection coding.
3. The method as claimed in claims 1 and 2, the following steps being carried out if the street read by the OCR unit (130) does not correspond to the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded postcode:
- communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the inputting of an extraction code (330) which identifies the distribution point, - comparison in the OCR unit (130) of whether the street(s) or street regions derived from the video-coded first postcode corresponds (340) to the extraction code data, the video-coded postcode being accepted in the case of correspondence and, in the case of non-correspondence:
- communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the repeated inputting of an extraction code which identifies the distribution point by another operator (350), - comparison in the OCR unit (130) of whether the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded first postcode corresponds (360) to the extraction code data, the video-coded first postcode being accepted in the case of correspondence and, in the case of non-correspondence:
- communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the repeated video coding of the postcode (370) by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding (310) and comparison of the two coding results of the video-coded postcodes, and, if they correspond, the following steps are effected:
- performance of additional reading processes in the OCR unit with that part of the video-coded postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is shortened by one position and with the extraction codes (390) and, in the case of non-unambiguous read results, performance of further reading processes in the OCR
unit with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is additionally shortened by a further position and with the extraction codes (400), these processes being continued until the read result is unambiguous or only a few candidates remain, the correct one of which is selected by means of selection coding, and, if the two video-coded postcodes do not correspond, the following steps being performed:
- comparison in the OCR unit of whether the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode video-coded first corresponds (420) to the first extraction code data, the video-coded postcode being accepted in the case of correspondence and, in the case of non-correspondence:
- comparison in the OCR unit of whether the street(s) or street region derived from the subsequently video-coded postcode corresponds (430) to the second extraction code data, the video-coded second postcode being accepted in the case of correspondence and, in the case of non-correspondence:
- performance of additional reading processes in the OCR unit (130) with that part of the postcode which identifies the street(s) or street part, was video-coded first and is shortened by one position and with the extraction codes and, in the case of non-unambiguous read results, performance of further reading processes with that part of the postcode which identifies the street(s) or street part, was video-coded first and is additionally shortened by a further position and with the extraction codes until the read result is unambiguous or only a few candidates remain, the correct one of which is selected by means of selection coding, and if the address cannot be determined unambiguously:
- performance of these additional reading processes in the OCR unit (130) with the second, subsequently video-coded postcode and the extraction codes until unambiguous address determination (450).
- communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the inputting of an extraction code (330) which identifies the distribution point, - comparison in the OCR unit (130) of whether the street(s) or street regions derived from the video-coded first postcode corresponds (340) to the extraction code data, the video-coded postcode being accepted in the case of correspondence and, in the case of non-correspondence:
- communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the repeated inputting of an extraction code which identifies the distribution point by another operator (350), - comparison in the OCR unit (130) of whether the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded first postcode corresponds (360) to the extraction code data, the video-coded first postcode being accepted in the case of correspondence and, in the case of non-correspondence:
- communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the repeated video coding of the postcode (370) by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding (310) and comparison of the two coding results of the video-coded postcodes, and, if they correspond, the following steps are effected:
- performance of additional reading processes in the OCR unit with that part of the video-coded postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is shortened by one position and with the extraction codes (390) and, in the case of non-unambiguous read results, performance of further reading processes in the OCR
unit with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is additionally shortened by a further position and with the extraction codes (400), these processes being continued until the read result is unambiguous or only a few candidates remain, the correct one of which is selected by means of selection coding, and, if the two video-coded postcodes do not correspond, the following steps being performed:
- comparison in the OCR unit of whether the street(s) or street region derived from the postcode video-coded first corresponds (420) to the first extraction code data, the video-coded postcode being accepted in the case of correspondence and, in the case of non-correspondence:
- comparison in the OCR unit of whether the street(s) or street region derived from the subsequently video-coded postcode corresponds (430) to the second extraction code data, the video-coded second postcode being accepted in the case of correspondence and, in the case of non-correspondence:
- performance of additional reading processes in the OCR unit (130) with that part of the postcode which identifies the street(s) or street part, was video-coded first and is shortened by one position and with the extraction codes and, in the case of non-unambiguous read results, performance of further reading processes with that part of the postcode which identifies the street(s) or street part, was video-coded first and is additionally shortened by a further position and with the extraction codes until the read result is unambiguous or only a few candidates remain, the correct one of which is selected by means of selection coding, and if the address cannot be determined unambiguously:
- performance of these additional reading processes in the OCR unit (130) with the second, subsequently video-coded postcode and the extraction codes until unambiguous address determination (450).
4. The method as claimed in claims 2 and 3, in which the respective video-coded part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part is first shortened by the least significant position and if no unambiguous result is then obtained upon repeated reading in the OCR unit (130), it is additionally shortened by the next less-significant position.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the postcode relates only to the part of a large street, in which case, during the validation of the video-coded postcode with the read result of the OCR unit (130), comparison is additionally effected as to whether the house number specified in the read/partly read address is situated within the house number range determined from the postcode.
6. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the first two letters of the street name and the house number are input as the AKS code.
7. An apparatus for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes which identify the addresses up to part of a larger street or a few small streets, having an automatic address reading system which has the following elements:
- an apparatus for obtaining images of dispatches (120), - an OCR unit (130) for the automatic evaluation of the images of the dispatch surfaces, said images having the address information, - video coding stations (200) for the video coding of the images of the dispatch surfaces, said images containing the address information, - a controller (170) for controlling the sequence in the OCR unit (130), the video coding stations, and also the data exchange, which is designed in such a way that - after addresses have not been able to be read unambiguously in a first reading attempt (310) in the OCR unit (130), firstly the corresponding images of the dispatch surfaces with these addresses are transmitted to the video coding stations (200) for the video coding of the postcodes, the following steps being carried out if the street read by the OCR unit (130) does not correspond to the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded postcode:
- communication of the relevant image to one or two video coding stations for the inputting of a respective extraction code (330, 350) which identifies the distribution point, - comparison of the extraction code (s) /AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region (340, 360) derived from the postcode in the OCR unit (130), acceptance of the postcode if these match one another in the case of a code comparison, the second AKS coding (350) being effected only if no accepted postcode is determined by means of the first AKS coding (330), - communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the repeated video coding (370) of the postcode by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding (310) if, in the case of the comparison of the AKS code(s) with the postcode video-coded first, these do not match one another, - comparison of the two video-coded postcodes (380), and if they correspond the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as incorrect, and if they do not correspond:
- comparison of the AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region (420, 430) derived from the postcode video-coded for the second time in the OCR unit until the codes match one another in the case of a code comparison and thus acceptance of the postcode video-coded for the second time, and if the codes do not match one another, the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as an incorrect postcode.
- an apparatus for obtaining images of dispatches (120), - an OCR unit (130) for the automatic evaluation of the images of the dispatch surfaces, said images having the address information, - video coding stations (200) for the video coding of the images of the dispatch surfaces, said images containing the address information, - a controller (170) for controlling the sequence in the OCR unit (130), the video coding stations, and also the data exchange, which is designed in such a way that - after addresses have not been able to be read unambiguously in a first reading attempt (310) in the OCR unit (130), firstly the corresponding images of the dispatch surfaces with these addresses are transmitted to the video coding stations (200) for the video coding of the postcodes, the following steps being carried out if the street read by the OCR unit (130) does not correspond to the street(s) or street region derived from the video-coded postcode:
- communication of the relevant image to one or two video coding stations for the inputting of a respective extraction code (330, 350) which identifies the distribution point, - comparison of the extraction code (s) /AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region (340, 360) derived from the postcode in the OCR unit (130), acceptance of the postcode if these match one another in the case of a code comparison, the second AKS coding (350) being effected only if no accepted postcode is determined by means of the first AKS coding (330), - communication of the relevant image to a video coding station for the repeated video coding (370) of the postcode by a different operator than in the case of the first postcode video coding (310) if, in the case of the comparison of the AKS code(s) with the postcode video-coded first, these do not match one another, - comparison of the two video-coded postcodes (380), and if they correspond the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as incorrect, and if they do not correspond:
- comparison of the AKS code(s) with the street(s) or street region (420, 430) derived from the postcode video-coded for the second time in the OCR unit until the codes match one another in the case of a code comparison and thus acceptance of the postcode video-coded for the second time, and if the codes do not match one another, the postcode situated on the dispatch is classified as an incorrect postcode.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, the controller (170) being designed in such a way that the following steps are additionally carried out in the case of postcodes which are recognized as incorrect:
- performance of additional reading processes in the OCR unit (130) with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is shortened by one position and with the AKS codes and, in the case of non-unambiguous read results:
- performance of further reading processes in the OCR
unit (130) with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is additionally shortened by a further position and with the AKS codes, the position-shortening and the reading processes being performed until the read result is unambiguous or only a few candidates remain, the correct one of which is selected by means of selection coding.
- performance of additional reading processes in the OCR unit (130) with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is shortened by one position and with the AKS codes and, in the case of non-unambiguous read results:
- performance of further reading processes in the OCR
unit (130) with that part of the postcode which identifies the streets/street part and is additionally shortened by a further position and with the AKS codes, the position-shortening and the reading processes being performed until the read result is unambiguous or only a few candidates remain, the correct one of which is selected by means of selection coding.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE10104655A DE10104655A1 (en) | 2001-02-02 | 2001-02-02 | Method and device for reading postal addresses with postal codes |
| DE10104655.3 | 2001-02-02 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2369773A1 CA2369773A1 (en) | 2002-08-02 |
| CA2369773C true CA2369773C (en) | 2010-03-23 |
Family
ID=7672585
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2369773A Expired - Fee Related CA2369773C (en) | 2001-02-02 | 2002-01-31 | Method and apparatus for reading dispatch addresses with postcodes |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP1229484B1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2369773C (en) |
| DE (2) | DE10104655A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2004022253A1 (en) * | 2002-09-03 | 2004-03-18 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Method and device for reading the addresses of mailings |
| JP6480985B2 (en) * | 2017-07-03 | 2019-03-13 | ファナック株式会社 | NC program converter |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE19624977A1 (en) * | 1996-06-22 | 1998-01-02 | Siemens Ag | Process for processing mail |
-
2001
- 2001-02-02 DE DE10104655A patent/DE10104655A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2002
- 2002-01-23 EP EP02001549A patent/EP1229484B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2002-01-23 DE DE50212552T patent/DE50212552D1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2002-01-31 CA CA2369773A patent/CA2369773C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP1229484A1 (en) | 2002-08-07 |
| EP1229484B1 (en) | 2008-07-30 |
| DE50212552D1 (en) | 2008-09-11 |
| DE10104655A1 (en) | 2002-08-29 |
| CA2369773A1 (en) | 2002-08-02 |
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