EP2077529A1 - Delivery station and method for franking and processing post - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves recording an image of surfaces of postal items (60, 60', 60'', 60''') in an image detection unit (50) by cameras (51, 51'). The image of the surfaces of the postal items is transmitted to an image processing unit (52), which produces image files (80, 81) with corresponding low and high resolutions from the recorded image. The image file (80) is saved in a memory (54) during transmission of the image file (81) to an image recognition unit (53), which reads information from the image file (81) by an image detection procedure. An independent claim is also included for a delivery station for processing of postal items.

Description

The invention relates to a method for processing mailpieces in a delivery station, in which mailpieces are automatically franked. The method provides that an image of at least one surface of the mailpiece is taken with an image acquisition unit having at least one camera.

The invention further relates to an associated delivery station for processing and franking mailpieces.

In addition to the application of postage stamps such as stamps, it is known in the field of postage stamping to use franking machines which can be used by a user to provide larger quantities of mailpieces with a franking mark. However, the purchase of a franking machine is often avoided, in particular by customers with little or irregular incidence of mailpieces to be franked.

Customers can also submit a larger quantity of unfranked mail in a branch of a transport and delivery service. The delivery company carries out a franking of the shipments, whereby franking machines can also be used. However, customers are bound to deliver consignments to specified opening hours of branches of the delivery company.

In the postal sector, there is therefore a need for a mailing station, in which customers larger quantities of unfranked mail can be delivered, the device automatically franks the shipments. The device could be placed in public areas to provide customers with 24-hour service. In this case, such a device requires a method for the automatic determination of a postage amount or postage due required for a shipment.

Such a consignment station for letter mail is for example from the German patent application DE 10 2005 006 005 A1 known. The document discloses a mailing station, in which a mail item is transferred from an acceptance means into a housing which is inaccessible to a customer. Within the housing, measurement values for the weight and the dimensions of the mail item are taken up by measuring devices and from this a postage fee to be paid is determined. The postage is billed to a customer and the shipment is automatically postage paid within the post office.

Furthermore, it is known in the field of mailing processing stations to use cameras to determine the orientation and dimensions of a mailpiece. For example, the European patent application discloses EP 1 306 813 A2 a method and a device for the automated determination of postal charges, in which images of a mail item are taken from different perspectives in an image generation device, the dimensions of the mail item being determined in three dimensions from the images.

The inclusion of measurements of the weight and dimensions of a mailing is required to determine the required postage. In addition, however, a consignment station may also include other functions. For example, the detection of barcodes on postal items may be provided by barcode readers. The inclusion of an image of at least one surface of a mailpiece may also be used to display to a customer the corresponding image on a screen at the delivery station display. This is useful, for example, when ordering registered mail from the consignment post.

Furthermore, it is possible to supply a recorded image of a mailpiece to a subsequent image recognition process in order, for example, to read out address data. It is also possible to store an image of each mail item that has been processed by the consignment station for a possible consignment tracking by a customer or the operator of the consignment station.

However, known methods and devices for the automated processing and franking of mailpieces in a delivery station are not suitable for facilitating the said functions image recognition, display of an image of a mail item on a control unit and / or mailing tracking in a simple manner. The object of the invention is therefore to provide a method and a device which meets these requirements.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method having the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous developments of the method will become apparent from the dependent claims 2-8. The object is further achieved by a consignment station according to claim 9. Advantageous embodiments of this device will become apparent from the dependent claims 10-15.

The inventive method for processing mailpieces in a delivery station provides that mail items are franked automatically in the delivery station, wherein in an image acquisition unit with at least one camera an image of at least one surface of the mailpiece is received. The image of the at least one surface of the mailpiece is transmitted to an image processing unit, which generates from the recorded image a first image file with a low resolution of ≤1024 x 768 and a second image file with a high resolution of ≥2125 x 1771. The first image file is then stored in a memory, while the second image file is stored an image recognition unit is transmitted, which reads information from the second image file with an image recognition process. For example, the image recognition unit reads out address data from the second image file.

In one embodiment of the invention, the first image file is transmitted from the memory to an operating unit of the consignment station and displayed on a screen of the operating unit. This takes place, for example, as soon as a call signal is sent to the memory by the operating unit. The call signal can be triggered by a user of the consignment station on the control unit.

In this case, a copy of the first image file is preferably displayed on the screen of the operating unit and the first image file is deleted from memory after a predefined period of time. Preferably, the first image file is in jpeg format.

The invention further comprises a mailing station for processing mailpieces which comprises a franking unit for automated franking of the mailpieces and an image acquisition unit with at least one camera for receiving an image of at least one surface of the mailpiece. The delivery station has an image processing unit with means for generating a first image file with a low resolution of ≤1024 x 768 and a second image file with a high resolution of ≥2125 x 1771 from the image of the at least one surface of the mailpiece. The delivery station further comprises means for storing the first image file in a memory and means for transferring the second image file to an image recognition unit, wherein the image recognition unit is adapted to read information from the second image file with an image recognition process.

The store may be located at or away from the consignment station. The image recognition unit may also be located in the delivery station or away from it. The memory is preferably in connection with a Screen of a control unit of the consignment station, wherein the consignment station has means for transmitting the first image file from the memory to the screen and means for displaying the first image file on the screen. The operating unit has means for triggering and transmitting a call signal to the memory, wherein these means are preferably activated by a user of the delivery station via an input means.

It has also proven to be expedient that the franking unit of the delivery station, viewed in the transport direction of the mailing, is arranged behind the image acquisition unit.

The invention has the advantage, for a mailing station for the processing and franking of mailpieces, that two image files for different uses can be generated in one process, the image files each having to fulfill different requirements. The first image file with the low resolution and thus small file size is suitable for display on a screen and for temporary storage, since due to the low resolution, no high storage capacities are required. Recorded images can thus be stored and used even after the delivery of a postal item for a longer period. Even if an image file is never needed, however, storing it does not require much effort. However, the first image file would be unsuitable for image recognition because its resolution is too low. If, however, only a single image file of sufficiently high resolution was generated by the image processing unit of a camera so that it can be supplied to image recognition, the storage of these files with corresponding file sizes would require high storage capacities. Especially if image files are never needed, the cost of storage has major disadvantages.

Further advantages, features and expedient developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.

From the pictures shows:

Fig. 1

an embodiment of the delivery station according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of the image acquisition and image processing according to the invention.

In Fig. 1 is a possible embodiment of the delivery station according to the invention shown. The delivery station 10 is a self-service machine to which customers can deliver mailpieces 60 such as mail or goods shipments. Preferably, these are registered customers who can identify themselves, for example, via a customer card on an operating unit 70 of the machine, so that the billing of the services provided by the consignment station can be carried out at the customer in a simple manner. Among the services of the machine is in particular the franking of mail with the required postage. The machine automatically determines the format of a consignment, calculates the correct postage fee and prints it on the consignment as a franking mark. The machine can also be made available to non-registered customers, if appropriate billing procedures are integrated. In addition to mail and consignments, for example, postal delivery orders, registered mail, COD shipments or an address check can be carried out by the delivery station 10.

Several delivery stations are preferably connected to a backend system, which handles at least the operation of the machines and the billing of services at the customer. The operation of the machines includes, for example, the maintenance, the setting of collection containers for receiving mail items and the demand-based collection of delivered items. The backend systems may also take over customer identification and legitimization, determination of delivery limits, and tracking of delivered shipments.

In order to be able to be used outdoors, a consignment station 10 is expediently designed burglar-proof and weather-resistant. A post office usually includes a housing inaccessible to a customer. As soon as the customer has introduced the mail items into the apparatus via an acceptance opening 11 and the measuring and franking process has begun, there is no possibility for him to access the mailpieces. For this purpose, the receiving opening can be closed, for example, with a flap or a roller blind, wherein the measuring and franking process can not be started until the receiving opening has been closed. However, the device is accessible to service personnel who have access to the various technical components. For this purpose, one or more closable flaps or doors may be provided, which release access to the technique of the device.

Inside the device 10 are facilities for measuring and franking mailings. These are, for example, a scale 20, a dimension measuring device 30, an image acquisition unit 50 and a franking unit 40. These components inside the device 10 are shown in FIG Fig. 1 represented by dashed lines. A mailing 60 preferably passes through said components in succession. However, individual components may also be combined, such as the scale 20 and the dimension measuring device 30. At the same time, the weight and dimensions of a mail piece 60 are determined.

The device is also accessible to employees of the operator of the device, which remove delivered mail and forward them to the transport and delivery process. For pickup and subsequent transport, the delivered mail items 20 are preferably collected in one or more containers 12, which are also accessible through a closable flap 13. It can be provided that the device performs a level control of the respective collection container. Are the Container is filled to a predetermined level, the operator of the device is notified that an emptying must be done. Furthermore, the acceptance of further transmissions on the device can be denied.

The device according to Fig. 1 has an acceptance means 11 for accepting mailpieces 60. This is preferably a singler, which feeds a stack of mailpieces individually into the device. The singler can be a device known from the prior art, which allows a single feed. The customer places a stack of items, for example, in an acceptance opening 11 and closes a cover flap, behind which thereupon the collection of the shipments takes place. Individual consignments can also be received via the collection in the device. The device may further include, like conventional mailboxes, a slot for inserting individual mailings.

The items can be delivered standing upright, whereby they are also pulled upright and transported edgewise through the various functional components of the consignment station. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the mailpieces are transported lying horizontally, wherein they are already horizontally placed by a user or rotated inside the device 10.

After the singulation of the items, a mail item 60 passes through the apparatus 10 by means of one or more means of transport, not shown. The means of transport are, for example, conveyor belts and rollers which guide a shipment through various measuring devices and subsequently through a pressure arrangement. The various measuring devices determine at least the weight and dimensions of the shipment. The determination of the individual measured values can take place simultaneously or successively by different measuring devices.

The weight of a mail item 60 is preferably determined via a dynamic scale 20, via which a mailpiece is moved by the transporting means. The determined value for the weight of the consignment is fed to a processing unit of the consignment station and processed by this. The computing unit can be, for example, a PC with a processor, a memory, a plurality of hard disks and removable media. The PC also has a network connection, for example in the form of Fast Ethernet.

Length, width and height of a mail item can be determined in known manner with one or more measuring devices and also fed to the arithmetic unit. The measuring devices for determining the length, width and height of a mail item 60 are referred to below in their entirety as a dimension measuring device 30. Such a dimension measuring device 30 can thus consist of one or more measuring devices. The dimension measuring device can be located in the transport direction of the mail item in front of or behind the balance 20. In the in Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the invention, it is located behind the balance 20th

In Fig. 2 an embodiment of the image capture according to the invention and subsequent image processing is shown schematically. Also in this embodiment, the scale 20 is located in front of a dimension measuring device 30. The mail items pass through said measuring devices in this embodiment standing upright, so that they in Fig. 2 are shown in a plan. In order for the consignment station to achieve a high throughput of mailpieces, it is possible for one mail item in each case to be located in a functional area of the machine. A mail item 60 is thus located in the area of the scale 20, while the dimensions of a next item 60 'can already be determined in the area of the dimension measuring apparatus 30. A further mail item 60 "is located in the area of an image acquisition unit 50, while a further mail item 60 '" may already be in the area of a franking unit 40 in which a postage indicium is printed on the mail item 60'".

Preferably, the image acquisition in the image capture unit 50 takes place before the franking in the franking unit 40, so that there are no franking marks on the recorded images. However, it can also be done before or during the determination of the weight and / or the dimensions of the mailpieces.

The image capture unit 50 has at least one camera, which is, for example, a CCD camera. If mail items are sorted into the delivery station, so that their address surface is always aligned to the same side, only one camera is required to record an image of this address page. If the items are transported upright, the camera will be located at the corresponding side of the item and will take a picture of the item as soon as a sensor system reports the presence of a program in the camera area. If the items are transported horizontally, the camera is equivalent to above or below the item. Such CCD cameras and associated sensors for receiving fast-moving mail items are known from the prior art.

Even if the delivery station carries out a sorting of mixed introduced mailpieces, so that they pass through the image acquisition unit 50 in an orientation in which their address page is always aligned the same, only one camera is required. Furthermore, it is possible to rotate a mail item and run again through the image capture unit 50 if the address page was not in the correct orientation in front of a camera during the first pass. On the other hand, if the mail items unsorted to the image acquisition unit, as in the embodiment of Fig. 2 , two cameras 51 and 51 'are provided, so that either an image can be taken from both sides of a mail item 60 ".

Regardless of which procedure is selected within the consignment station, at least one image of the address side of the mailpiece lies after passage of the mailpiece 60 "through the image capture unit 50 in front. This image is transmitted by the camera to an image processing unit 52. There is the possibility that this image processing unit 52 is already integrated in the camera. The camera preferably records the image as an event to the arithmetic unit of the consignment station and each image is assigned a unique identification.

The image processing unit 52 generates from the image of the mailpiece 60 "two image files, with different resolutions, which are used differently, the files have correspondingly different file sizes due to the different resolutions, a first low resolution image file 80 is stored in a memory 54 Resolution of this file is lower than 1024 x 768, which is, for example, given by an image file in jpeg format Typical file sizes for such an image file are on the order of about 50-300 kilobytes The memory may be self-evacuated or removed at the delivery station 10 If it is located remotely from the consignment station, it is preferably a central repository in which image files of mail items are generated that have been generated by several consignment stations that are connected to a common backend lddatei 80 are stored in a local memory of the delivery station, while a copy of the image file is transmitted to a central memory of the backend system.

The image processing unit 52 also generates a second higher resolution image file 81, the resolution of this file being higher than 2125 x 1771. Typical file sizes for such an image file are on the order of about 5 -8 megabytes. Due to the high resolution, it is suitable for a subsequent image recognition process in an image recognition unit 53 to which the second image file 81 is supplied. In the image recognition 81 information is read from the second image file, wherein it may be, for example, address data in the information. The image recognition unit 53 can also be located locally within the delivery station 10 or away from it, for example in a backend.

The data read out in the image recognition unit 53 can be used in a variety of ways. For example, an address recognition may be performed to apply a sort code to the transmission in which the address data is encrypted. Further, address data may be used in addition to the weight, dimensions of a mailpiece, and a customer's wishes for postage determination. If a postage rebate is granted by the operator of the posting station or by a postal company when mail items are sorted according to address areas, sorting can be checked on the basis of the address data read out.

The second high resolution image file 81 is used for this image recognition, and then preferably deleted. The first low resolution image file 80, on the other hand, is saved in memory 54 and may be used for various purposes. For example, it can be displayed to a customer on a screen 71 of the operating unit 70 of a delivery station 10 if the customer requests such a display. This is the case, for example, when signing up for registered mail. If the customer desires a write-in power for a transmission, a corresponding call signal is sent from the operating unit 70 to the memory 54 and the first image file 80 is displayed on a screen 71 of the control unit. The customer can now specify a sender and / or recipient address to the address image manually via an input means 72 such as a keyboard or a touch screen. The address is stored to the image in another memory and the customer a receipt printed on the delivery of the letter. In addition to the sender and the recipient of the shipment, the document contains the date of posting. It may further be provided to also print the first image file 80 on the document.

Even after displaying the first image file 80 on the screen 71, the file is preferably not deleted from the memory 54. The screen is thus transmitted to the display only a copy of the first image file. The file 80 is preferably held in the memory 54 for a predefined period of time and only at Expiration of this time interval automatically deleted. Since this image file has only a low resolution, a large number of these files can be stored without requiring high storage capacities. The image file is deleted, for example, only when the time interval has elapsed, in which the operator of the delivery station 10 offers a track-and-trace. Therefore, if a shipment tracking is offered for 90 days after the delivery, the first image file 80 may be automatically deleted after 90 days in this case. Preferably, before the deletion, a check of the shipment status, so that image files of shipments to which a shipment tracking is already running, may not be deleted, but kept for a further time interval until the tracking process is completed.

If the first image file 80 of a shipment is never needed because a customer does not require any enrollment service or shipment tracking, it will also be deleted after the predefined time period. Due to their low resolution and therefore file size, the storage of the file has no serious disadvantages for the overall process.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Consignment station, self-service machine

11

Acceptance opening, withdrawal, separator

12

Clippings

13

Flap, door

20

Libra

30

dimension measuring apparatus

40

franking unit

50

Image capture unit

51.51 '

camera

52

Image processing unit

53

Image recognition unit

54

Storage

60,60 ', 60' ', 60' ''

Mailing, letter

70

operating unit

71

screen

72

Input device, keyboard, touch screen

80

Image file 1, low resolution

81

Image file 2, high resolution

Claims (15)

Method for processing mailpieces (60; 60 ';60'';60''') in a delivery station (10) in which mailpieces (60; 60 ';60'; 60 ''') are automatically franked, in which an image of at least one surface of the mail item (60; 60 ';60'';60''') is recorded in an image acquisition unit (50) with at least one camera (51; 51 '),
characterized,
in that the image of the at least one surface of the mail item (60; 60 '; 60 ";60''') is transmitted to an image processing unit (52) which extracts from the recorded image a first image file (80) with a low resolution of ≤1024 x 768 and a second image file (81) with a high resolution of ≥2125 x 1771, whereupon the first image file (80) is stored in a memory (54), while the second image file (81) is transmitted to an image recognition unit (53) which reads out information from the second image file (81) using an image recognition method. Method according to claim 1,
characterized,
in that the first image file (80) is transmitted from the memory (54) to an operating unit (70) of the delivery station (10) and displayed on a screen (71) of the operating unit (70). Method according to claim 2,
characterized,
in that the first image file (80) is displayed by the memory (54) on a screen (71) of the operating unit (80) as soon as a call signal is sent to the memory (54) by the operating unit (80). Method according to claim 3,
characterized,
that the call signal by a user of the delivery station (10) on the control unit (70) is triggered. Method according to claim 2,
characterized,
that a copy of the first image file (80) on the screen (71) of the operating unit (80) is displayed. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized,
that the first image file (80) in the jpeg format or an equivalent compressed format. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6,
characterized,
that the first image file (80) after a predetermined period from the memory (54) is deleted. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7,
characterized,
in that the image recognition unit (53) reads out address data from the second image file (81). Dispatch station for processing mailpieces (60, 60 ', 60 ", 60"') comprising a franking unit (40) for automated franking of the mailpieces (60; 60 '; 60 ", 60"') and an image acquisition unit ( 50) with at least one camera (51; 51 ') for receiving an image of at least one surface of the mail item (60; 60'; 60 ''; 60 '''),
characterized,
in that the delivery station (10) has an image processing unit with means for generating a first image file (80) with a low resolution of ≤1024 x 768 and a second image file (81) with a high resolution of ≥2125 x 1771 from the image of the at least one surface of the mailpiece (60; 60 ';60'';60'''), wherein the delivery station (10) further comprises means for storing the first image file (80) in a memory (54) and Means for transmitting the second image file (81) to an image recognition unit (53), wherein the image recognition unit (53) is adapted to read information from the second image file (81) with an image recognition method. Consignment station according to claim 9,
characterized,
that the memory (54) in the delivery station (10) or away is from this. Consignment station according to one of claims 9 and 10,
characterized,
that the image detection unit (53) in the delivery station (10) or away is from this. A consignment station according to any one of claims 9 to 11,
characterized,
that the memory (54) in conjunction with a screen (71) of a control unit (70) of the delivery station (10), wherein the delivery station (10) means for transferring averaging the first image file (80) from the memory (54) on the screen (71) and means for displaying the first image file (80) on the screen (71). Consignment station according to claim 12,
characterized,
in that the operating unit (70) has means for triggering and transmitting a call signal to the memory (54). Consignment station according to claim 13,
characterized,
in that the means for triggering a call signal can be activated by a user of the delivery station (10) via an input means (72). A consignment station according to any one of claims 9 to 14,
characterized,
behind the image capture unit (50) is arranged seen that the franking unit (40) in the transport direction of the mail item (60 '''60;60';60;'').

Images