JPH0212370A - Mail processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase a retrieving speed and to simplify the hardware constitution for a mail processor by retrieving the greater part of house numbers of simple forms via the hardware and the house numbers of complicated forms via the software respectively. CONSTITUTION:A reading device 14 is connected to a bus 11 via a control part 12 and an interface circuit 13. At the same time, a RAM 15, a ROM 16 and a recognizing circuit 17 are connected to the bus 11. Then the formats of house numbers are decided and these house numbers are retrieved via the hardware with the greater part of house numbers of simple formats and via the software with the house numbers of complicated formats respectively. Thus the retrieving speed is increased together with simplification of the hardware constitution for a mail processor.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a mail processing device that reads and discriminates the address attached to, for example, foreign mail.

(Prior Art) As is well known, the conventional method of reading an address attached to a piece of mail and searching an address dictionary for the house number included in the address does not use hardware, but only software. Two methods have been developed: a method for making a discrimination using a computer, and a method for making a high-speed discrimination using hardware.

However, in the above-described search method using only software, the search time increases as the address dictionary to be searched becomes larger in size.

In addition, when searching using hardware, as the formats of house numbers to be searched become more diverse, it becomes difficult to make the hardware compatible with all formats.
The problem was that the hardware configuration was complicated.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) This invention solves problems related to a decrease in search speed in software-based searches and a complicated hardware configuration in hardware-based searches. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mail processing device that can increase the search speed and prevent the hardware configuration from becoming complex.

[Configuration of the Invention (Means for Solving Problems) This invention provides a reading means for reading address information attached to a mail piece, and a format of the read address information and the house number included in the address information. a first search means for searching the house number by software; a second search means for searching the house number by hardware; and a first search means for searching the house number according to the determined format. or a control means for causing the second search means to search.

(Operation) The present invention determines the format of the address information attached to the mail piece and the house number included in the address information by the determination means, and the house number is retrieved by the first search means according to the determined format. By controlling by the control means whether the search is performed by software or by the hardware by the second search means, most of the simple format house numbers can be retrieved by the hardware, and the complex format house numbers can be retrieved by the hardware. By searching using software, we aim to speed up the search and simplify the hardware configuration.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, a reading device 14 is connected to a bus 11 via a control unit 12 and an interface circuit 13, and a RAM 15, a ROM 16, and a recognition circuit 17 are connected to the bus 11.
is connected.

The control unit 12 controls the entire device and performs software searches for character recognition processing, word recognition processing, category discrimination processing, and address recognition processing, and the reading device 13 performs software searches for character recognition processing, word recognition processing, category discrimination processing, and address recognition processing. is read optically.

Further, the RAM 15 stores address information read by the reading device 14, and is used as a work memory in various processing operations to be described later. The ROM 16 also stores a character dictionary, a word dictionary, an address dictionary, a postal code corresponding to a house number, etc., which are used in various processes to be described later.

Furthermore, when the house number is in a simple format, the recognition circuit 17 searches for the postal code corresponding to the house number, and is configured by hardware.

FIG. 2 shows an example of address information attached to a mail piece.

HN in the figure is called a house number, and the postal code is determined by this house number HN, other state names, city names, and street names.

That is, “CA, LOS ANGELES.

In the case of ``HANOVERST'', the postal code corresponding to the house number is determined as shown in Figure 3.For example, in the case of house number 12700'' (even number), the postal code corresponding to the house number is ``90049-''.
3740"12701" (odd number) "90049-"
3739''.

By the way, there are various formats of house numbers, as shown in Figure 4, and these formats are shown in Figure 4 (a) -
It is roughly divided into a simple type shown in (d) and a complicated type shown in (e,) and (f) of the same figure.

The figure (a) is called the N type, and is similar to the above-mentioned "1" type.
It is a house number consisting only of numbers, such as ``2700''.

The figure (b) is called the AN type, for example “
It is a house number made up of alphabets and numbers, such as "A100".

This house number is searched with priority given to the alphabet.

The figure (C) is called the NA type, for example “
It is a house number made up of numbers and alphabets, such as ``100A''.

This house number is searched with priority given to numbers.

The house number shown in FIG. 4(d) is called the N, -N2 type, and is composed of numbers connected by hyphens, such as "100-10".

The house number shown in FIG. 4(e) is called the N1AN2 type, and is composed of numbers, alphabets, and numbers connected by hyphens, such as "100-A-101."

FIG. 6(f) is called the AHN1A2 N2 type, and has a house number composed of alphabets, numbers, alphabets, and numbers, such as "AI 0B20."

In addition, in the same figure, "type name" includes "N type" to "AlNl".
A2N2 type" is set, N, N, %N2
The numbers that make up the house number are set for “A%
The alphabet forming the house number is set in "Al5A2".

FIG. 5 shows the structure of the house number address dictionary stored in the ROM 16.

This address dictionary is divided into hardware search and software search. Of these, the number of entries in the hardware search entry group HE in which dictionaries for hardware searches are stored is managed by the number of hardware search entries HEN.

Further, the number of entries in the software search entry group SE in which a dictionary for software searches is stored is managed by the number of software search entries SEN.

In the above configuration, regarding the house number search operation,
This will be explained with reference to FIG.

First, when the address information attached to the mail piece is read by the reading device 14, this address information is stored in the RAM 15 via the interface circuit 13 (step 5TI).
). Regarding the address information stored in this RAM 15,
Character extraction processing is performed to extract character information one character at a time (step 5T2), and character recognition processing is performed on this extracted character information using the character dictionary stored in the ROM 16. (Step 5T3). In this character recognition process, for example, a plurality of character candidates similar to the extracted character and the degree of similarity of the character candidates are output.

When this character recognition process is performed on all the character information constituting the address information, a category determination process is performed on a series of character information separated by blanks, periods, etc. (step 5T4).

In other words, in this category discrimination process, whether a series of character information is composed only of numbers or alphabets, or a combination of numbers and alphabets, and if it is a combination of numbers and alphabets, , numbers, and alphabets are determined. Therefore, in this category discrimination process, if the house number is the type N to A)
N) It is possible to determine which format of the A2N2 type it belongs to.

Thereafter, word recognition processing is performed to determine the meaning of the series of recognized characters using the word dictionary stored in the ROM 16, and the similarity of the words is determined (step 5T5).

When this word recognition process is performed, an address recognition process is performed using the address dictionary stored in the ROM 16 (step 5T6). In this address recognition process, the "state name, city name, and street name" in the address information are recognized as well as the house number. In this house number recognition, first, the format of the house number determined in the category determination process is determined,
Although the search is performed using hardware, it is determined whether the search is performed using software (step 5T7). That is,
The format determined in the category discrimination process is N
Type, AN type, NA type, N2, and N2 types are searched by hardware using the recognition circuit 17 (step 5T8). In addition, the format is NIAN type 2,
A, NlA2 N2! ! If so, it is searched by the software (step 5T9).

Once the address information and the house number constituting the address information are retrieved in this manner, the postal code corresponding to this house number is retrieved as described above (step 5TIO).

According to the embodiment described above, the format of the house number is determined, and if the house number is in a simple format, the search is performed using hardware, and if the house number is in a complex format, the search is performed using software. Therefore, the majority of house numbers in simple formats can be searched quickly using hardware, and those in complex formats can be searched quickly.
Since the search is performed by software, it is possible to prevent the hardware configuration from becoming complicated.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the search for the number 1 number is performed as follows.
Although the search is performed using /1-ware or software depending on the format, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to apply the present invention to, for example, the search of POBOX (Personal Office Box) and the like.

Further, in the above embodiment, character recognition processing, word recognition processing, category discrimination processing, and address recognition processing are performed by the control unit 12, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, these processing may be performed by separate control means. It may also be done by

It goes without saying that various other modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, the format of the address information attached to the mail piece and the house number included in this address information is determined by the determining means, and the format of the determined format is Accordingly, by controlling whether the house number is searched by software or hardware, most simple house numbers can be searched by hardware, and complex house numbers can be searched by software. By searching by , it is possible to provide a mail processing device that can increase the search speed and simplify the hardware configuration.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of address information, FIG. 3 is a diagram shown to explain the relationship between house number and postal code, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of address information. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the format of a house number, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the structure of an address dictionary, and FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the present invention in detail. 12... Control unit, 13... Reading device, 15...
RAM, 16...ROM, 17...recognition circuit. Applicant's representative Patent attorney ± 8 Takehiko N Figure 2 (a) (d) Figure (b) (e) (C) (f)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A reading means for reading address information attached to a postal item, a determining means for determining the format of the read address information and a house number included in the address information, and a software-based search for the house number. a first search means; a second search means for searching the house number using hardware; and a first search means for searching the house number using hardware;
A mail processing device comprising: a search means or a control means for causing a search by a second search means.