EP0701227A1 - Method and device for the verification of delivering a thing - Google Patents

Abstract

The system provides a receipt for the posted item using a video camera (38) positioned above the item reception point and an electrophotographic printer (40) for recording an image of the scanned item or the scanned item address on the receipt. Pref. a pattern recognition system is used to isolate the area of the image provided by the camera holding the address data, the obtained data pref. provided on a display for verification by the user before the receipt is printed.

Description

The invention relates to a method for creating a receipt for the delivery of an object and a device for carrying out this method, which is particularly suitable for the automatic processing of mail items of the "registered mail" type.

There is often a need to deliver items, particularly valuables, to an institution for safe custody or shipping. With the posting, the responsibility for this item is transferred to the institution, which must therefore provide the consignor with proof of the posting. So far, this has been done manually, i.e. an employee of the institution receives the item and issues a receipt. Usually, a count number is assigned, which is noted both on the item and on the receipt. Services of the type mentioned are labor-intensive and, since they are carried out by people, are not always error-free. For example, there could be a mix-up if there is a large crowd at the delivery counter.

The service mentioned is to be provided by post offices, for example, when it comes to handling registered mail items. A device for automatic mail processing is already known from EP 0 264 502 A1. This device enables the self-service processing of almost all postal transactions, with the exception of the delivery of registered mail items. This is because it is necessary to issue a receipt to the consignor. However, the known device can only print receipts for paid postal charges.

US Pat. No. 3,689,155 A describes a device for the automatic processing of registered mail items, in which a photograph of every item taken is taken in a post-processing process after the actual delivery. A photographed object is only shown on an internal mailing slip, but not on the posting receipt. The consignor has no control over the quality of the recording, nor can he influence its creation. He only receives a written posting receipt.

The first part of the object of the invention consists in specifying a method with which the automatic creation of a document for the delivery of an object into a self-operated acceptance device for such objects is made possible. The second part of the task is to propose a device for the automatic processing of mail items of the "registered mail" type, in which the method according to the invention is used.

The first part of the task is solved by the features of claim 1 and the second part of the task by the features of claim 5.

In solving the first part of the task, the invention is based on the consideration that, in the case of an unattended delivery, a delivered item or, in the case of items to be shipped, the addressee of this item can only be reliably identified on the basis of a receipt if the receipt Falsification-proof, ie without any action on the part of the consignor. This is possible in a particularly simple manner if an electrophotographic photograph is automatically produced from the object, which is used to create the document. The item is initially temporarily withdrawn from the access of the seller. Only after the Document is created, the final interrogation takes place and thus the final withdrawal of the item from the access area of the seller. This ensures that the posting process can be canceled until the document is created and the item can be made available to the seller again. In order to give the consignor a possibility of checking what is depicted on the document, the information intended for depiction on the document is displayed on a display device in a further process step before the document is created. The receipt is only created when the consignor issues a release signal, for example by pressing a button. This allows the consignor to check whether the object or the title block can really be identified using the electrophotographic image or whether the title block can be read. The subject could have been confiscated in a position in which the title block cannot be detected by the electrophotographic device. After the receipt has been created or issued to the seller, the item can no longer be accessed. This prevents any possibility of fraudulently bringing the object and the document to itself.

In the simplest case, the photograph of the object is completely shown on the document. In the simplest case, this shows the photograph of the object completely on the document. This shows a photograph of the object, which can be supplemented by printed information about the date and time of posting, the location, an indication identifying the device to be received and a count number of the process.

In a development of the method according to the invention, a text field located on the object is isolated with the aid of a pattern recognition method and only this is mapped on the document. This has the advantage that the Labeling of this field is legible on the receipt even if the item delivered is large compared to the title block. Since labeling fields generally have to comply with certain formal requirements, it is not difficult to recognize them. A typical example of such a text field is the address field on mail items.

It is particularly advantageous to convert the characters on the title block into digital data with the aid of a character recognition method, with the aid of which the lettering is printed on the document. The advantage can be seen in the fact that the document then only contains printed information without image information which interferes with legibility. In addition, the digital data can be further processed in data processing systems, e.g. to create lists or statistics.

The determination of the object weight can be provided as a further method step. If this weight is also used in the creation of the receipt, the consignor is given the opportunity to check whether the item has remained complete. At the same time, the weight can be used to calculate storage or shipping charges.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims and the following description, which, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, explains a device for carrying out the above-described method, which is particularly suitable for the automatic processing of mail items of the "registered mail" type.

Fig 1

eine Vorrichtung zur automatischen Bearbeitung von Postsachen in einer schematischen Seitenansicht

Fig 2

eine Draufsicht auf das Bedienfeld der in Fig. 1 gezeigten Vorrichtung.

It shows:

Fig. 1

a device for automatic processing of mail items in a schematic side view

Fig. 2

a plan view of the control panel of the device shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1, a device for the automatic processing of mail items, in particular of the 'registered' shipping type, is generally designated by 10. This comprises a box-shaped housing 12 and a desk-shaped attachment 14 with a control panel 16. In the front wall 18 of the housing 12, an opening 20 is made, on the lower edge 22 of which a flap 24 is articulated. This flap is shown in dashed lines in its position closing the opening 20 and in dashed lines in its open position and is designated by 24 '.

A support plate 26 projects vertically from the lower edge of the flap 24 in the direction of the interior of the housing. A conveyor belt 28 is arranged below the support plate 26, the transport direction of which runs horizontally from the front wall 18 into the interior of the housing. The conveyor belt 28 ends above a receptacle 30. It is mounted on a scale 32 and is driven by a motor 34. The flap 24 can be locked in its closed position by an electromagnetically actuated latch 36. A video camera 38 is arranged in the top of the housing 12 so that its recording area coincides with the support plate 26.

A graphics-capable printer 40 is installed in the attachment 14, the paper output of which opens into an output opening 42 in the control panel 16. The printer can be used as a single sheet printer with a paper magazine or - as symbolically shown in Fig. 1 - as a continuous paper printer with a Roll of paper can be formed without this being of importance for the invention.

A keyboard 44, a display device 46 and a credit card reader 48 are also built into the control panel 16. An input opening for coins and banknotes can also be provided.

A data processing device 50 is installed in the housing 12 and is used to control the device 10. The scale 32, the drive motor 34, the latch 36, the video camera 38, the printer 40, the keyboard 44, the display device 46 and the credit card reader 48 are electrically connected to this. Furthermore, a fee table is stored in the data processing system 50.

A posting process for a registered mail item is described below. For this purpose, the deliverer opens the flap 24 and places the mail item - this can be a letter or a parcel - on the support plate 26 so that the address field points upward. Then he closes the flap 24 again. As a result, the mail item comes to rest on the conveyor belt 28. The scale 32 detects the presence of a mail item and reports this to the data processing system 50. The data processing system then actuates the latch 36, so that the flap 24 can no longer be opened. At the same time, the weight of the mail item is saved. Via information on the display device 46, the consignor is now asked to enter the desired shipping method via the keyboard 44. This can be a simple registered letter, a registered letter with a return receipt or a value mail. The data processing device 50 now checks whether the desired shipping method for a mail item with the determined weight is possible. If this is not the case, the data processing system 50 suggests a permissible shipping method via a display on the display device 46. The consignor can confirm this using a keyboard or cancel the posting process. In the latter case, the data processing system 50 releases the latch 36 so that the mail item can be removed from the device 10.

In the case of a permissible type of dispatch, the video camera 38 is switched on and the image of the postal matter recorded by it, depending on the method used, is displayed as a whole, the address field or the inscription on the address field on the display device 46. At the same time, the postage to be paid is displayed, which the data processing system 50 has calculated from the desired shipping method and the weight on the basis of the fee table.

The consignor is now asked to check whether the illustration clearly shows the object or the address field. If this is not the case or if the consignor is not ready to pay the postage requested, he can cancel the process by pressing a 'cancel' button, whereupon the latch 36 is released as described above. On the other hand, if the seller confirms the notification, he is prompted to insert his credit card into the credit card reader 48 for debiting the requested amount or, if the design of the device 10 permits this, to pay the amount in cash. A receipt is printed thereon, which contains the image previously displayed on the display device 46, a posting number, place and time of posting, an indication identifying the device 10 and a postage indicium. The document is conveyed out of the delivery opening 42 and thus handed over to the seller. The motor 34 is then switched on, whereupon the item of mail is conveyed from the conveyor belt 28 into the receiving container 30.

The device 10 can be equipped in a manner known per se with a franking device which allows a franking to be applied to the mail item. It is also possible to send shipping documents such as Print a return receipt or a parcel card in the same way as the receipt and attach it to the mail item via a transport channel (not shown).

Instead of a receptacle, the device can also be equipped with an opening in the rear wall or in the floor through which the items of mail are conveyed away. Finally, it is also possible to equip the delivery opening 20 with a drawer instead of a flap, in which the item of mail to be delivered is to be placed.

A device of the type described can also be used to deliver valuables for safe custody to a bank or a hotel reception. A confirmation of receipt can be created in the same way as a postal delivery slip. Any custody fees can be calculated and collected in the same way as postage.

Claims (5)

Procedure for creating a receipt for the delivery of an item with the procedural steps: - interrogation of the item in a container that temporarily withdraws the item from the supplier's access, Creating an electrophotographic photograph of the object, the photograph being represented by electrical data from a video camera, - Displaying the information provided for the creation of a document on a display device on the basis of the electrical data and releasing this information after a release signal given by the consignor, - generation of a document with an image of information identifying the object or the addressee on the document using the imaging, - Final withdrawal of the item from the supplier's access area. Method according to Claim 1, in which a text field located on the object is isolated from the electrical data representing the electrophotographic imaging using a pattern recognition method and only this text field is depicted on the document. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, in which at least the characters on the title block are converted into digital data by means of a font recognition method, with the aid of which this label is printed on the document. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the weight of the object is determined in a further method step and used in the preparation of the document. Device for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 3 and claim 4 for the automatic processing of mail items of the 'registered mail' type, comprising - a housing (12) with an opening (20) for the postal items, a closure (24, 36) for the opening (20) which can be controlled by a control (50), - a weighing station (32), a device for manual entry (44) of at least one desired shipping method, - a computing device (50) for calculating the postage from the weight and shipping method in accordance with a fee table stored in the computing device, a video camera (38) for the pictorial detection of the mail item, the image of the mail item being represented by electrical data, - a display device (46) for displaying information provided for the creation of a receipt based on the electrical data and at least the postage to be paid, - a release button to release the printing of a delivery receipt and shipping documents, - A printing device (40) for creating a delivery receipt and shipping documents depending on the shipping method under the control of the video camera (38).

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