JPH09164370A - Mail processing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently forward mail to a remover by judging the mail to be forwarded or not based on the forwarding information registered in a data base and forwarding only the mail to be forwarded. SOLUTION: The remover information consisting of the forwarding origin, address and new address of the mail to a remover is previously inputted to an address information data base 103. The address information is read out from a mail 100 and coded in an address coding part 101, the address code is retrieved from the data base 103, and the mail 100 is judged to be forwarded or not. When the mail is to be forwarded, a forwarding address is coded in a forwarding judging and processing part 102. The address is read out in a picture reading part 104 and processed in a mail processing part 105.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mail processing apparatus for reading address information and the like written on a mail and performing processing such as sorting and moving.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A system for mechanically supporting mail sorting work in a post office has been put into practical use. This system mechanically recognizes a part of the postal code or address written in the mail and automatically sorts the mail based on this recognition information.

However, the systems currently put into practical use can sort only up to the post office or the person in charge of delivery, and the subsequent sorting work is still done manually. On the other hand, a system that automatically performs the final sorting work can be considered. Here, the final sorting work refers to the work of rearranging the mail items in the order of delivery by the delivery person.

On the other hand, transfer processing is one of the operations that occur in the mail sorting operation. This is because, for example, among postal items sent to an address (person, company, etc.) whose address has changed, such as relocation, the postal item with the address before the address change is delivered to the address after the address change. It is processed as described above.

As a concrete example of the transfer process, the move process is taken up by the worker who is rearranging at the time of the delivery order rearranging work which is the final stage of the sorting work. Specifically, the worker determines whether or not each piece of mail is subject to relocation processing, based on relocation information recorded in the form of his / her own memory or memo. If the result of this determination is that the postal matter is subject to relocation processing, information (address) of the relocation destination is written in the postal matter, and the postal matter is processed so as to be transferred to the relocation destination.

[0006]

When a system for automatically sorting the final sorting work is realized as described above, it is necessary to introduce the above-mentioned transfer processing into this system. In the current transfer processing, all of the processing for determining whether the target mail item is the transfer target and for the transfer target are manually performed.

Therefore, it is possible to support the transfer process by digitizing the transfer information and utilizing it in the system.

Regarding the transfer processing of the postal matter, JP-A-6-
No. 114337 (Postal processing device) discloses a method for automatically recognizing a move notice sent to the post office and automatically registering it in the move information database. However, regarding move processing using the move information database, it is disclosed. It has not been.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mail processing apparatus that can support the transfer work of mail to a relocated person and can efficiently transfer the mail.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the mail processing apparatus of the present invention basically comprises a destination code generating means for reading address information from a mail and coding it, and a relocation person. With respect to the mail related to the mail, a database storing relocation person information including a transfer source, an address, and a transfer destination, and the destination code generated by the destination code generating means are searched in the database, and the mail generating the destination code is transferred. Transfer determination processing means for determining whether or not it is a target, and generating a destination code of the transfer destination if the mail piece is a transfer processing target, and the destination code generation means or the destination code generated by the transfer determination processing means. And a postal matter processing means for processing the corresponding postal matter.

Here, the transfer determination processing means searches the database with the destination code generated by the destination code generating means, displays a plurality of transfer destination candidates, and displays the transfer destination candidates among the displayed transfer destination candidates. And means for selecting and inputting an appropriate transfer destination.

Further, the transfer judgment processing means searches the database with the destination code generated by the destination code generation means, and judges whether or not there is only one transfer destination candidate having the same transfer source and destination. If present, the destination code of the transfer destination can be generated and the mail processing means can be caused to process it.

Further, the transfer determination processing means may replace the destination code generated by the destination code generation means with the destination code from the bar code reading means for reading the destination bar code attached to the mail to store the database. It can be configured to search.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

In all the drawings for explaining the embodiments, parts having the same function are designated by the same reference numerals, and the repeated description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a mail processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

The mail processing apparatus according to this embodiment reads a destination information (destination address) from the mail 100 and encodes it, and a destination code generation unit 101 from a transfer source, an address, and a transfer destination for a mail related to a relocation person. The destination information database (hereinafter abbreviated as a database) 103 that stores the relocation information, and the database 103 is searched by the destination code generated by the destination code generation unit 101, and the mail 100 that generated the destination code is the transfer processing target. It is determined whether or not, and the transfer determination processing unit 102 that generates the destination code of the transfer destination when the mail item is a transfer processing target, and the information such as the destination address and address described in the mail item 100 is provided to the worker. Generated by the destination code generation unit 101 or the transfer determination processing unit 102, and an image reading unit 104 for reading and displaying for confirmation Based on the destination code, and a mail processing unit 105 for processing the mailpieces 100 corresponding.

Here, the destination code generation unit 101 includes an image reading unit 1001, a character recognition unit 1012, a code generation processing unit 1013, a bar code reader 1014, and a destination code input unit 1015. By reading the information such as the address described in (1) as image information and inputting this into the character recognition unit 1012, the destination address is recognized, and the character recognition result is further input into the code generation processing unit 1013. A corresponding destination code is automatically generated from the destination address described in the postal matter 100.

When the written characters are unclear and cannot be recognized, the operator can input the destination code using the character code input unit 1015.

Further, when the barcode of the destination code is printed on the postal matter 100, the destination code can be input by reading the barcode with the barcode reader 1014.

The image reading unit 1011 can also be used as the image reading unit 104.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a schematic processing procedure in the mail processing apparatus having the configuration shown in FIG.
First, in step 201, the destination code generation unit 101 generates the destination code of the postal matter 100.

The following three can be considered as specific examples of this processing.

1) The address information is attached to the mail item 100 in advance in a mechanically readable form such as a bar code, and this is recognized by the bar code reader 1014. 2) It is written on the mail item 100. The destination information (address, address letter) is recognized by the character recognition unit 1012. 3) The operator reads the destination information (address, address letter) written on the postal matter 100, and manually from the address code input unit 1015. As a processing example of the destination code generation unit 101 for inputting, a method of combining the above three may be considered. For example, first apply the method of 1) above, if this recognition fails, apply the method of 2) above, and if the recognition still fails, generate the destination code by the method of 3) above. It is a thing.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the processing result of step 201. Here, the destination information 3 on the postal matter 100 is shown.
01 or based on the bar coded destination information 302,
The destination code 303 is generated. The destination code 303 in this example is composed of two pieces of address information 3a and address information 303b. The address information 303a is shown as an address character string, but it is also possible to use a code such as a postal code that can identify an address having the same content.

Further, although the content of the destination code 303 is composed of two pieces of address information 303a and address information 303b, it is conceivable that it is composed of only the address information 303a. In step 201, it is not necessary to generate all the destination codes 303. In the processing result example of FIG. 3, the address information 3
03a could be generated, but the address information 303b could not be generated.

Next, at step 202, it is judged whether the information corresponding to the destination code generated at step 201 is the transfer judgment processing target. When the determination result is true, step 203 is executed, and when it is false, step 204 is executed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of processing in step 202. The destination information database 103 is composed of three types of information regarding transferees: transfer source information 103a, address information 103b, and transfer destination information 103c. Step 2
In 02, the following two comparisons are performed.

1) Address information 30 in the destination code 303
3a and transfer source information 303a, 2) comparison of destination information 303b and destination information 303b in destination code 303, and in the above two comparisons, information on the destination information database 103 side includes information on the destination code 303 side or Matches and transfer destination information 103c
Is stored, it is determined that the transfer determination process is performed in step 202, and the determination result is true.

In the example of FIG. 4, the destination information database 10
Since the information 103x and 103y in 3 includes the destination code 303 and the transfer destination information 103c exists,
As a result of step 202, a result of "true" is given.

In the destination information database 103,
The destination information regarding all the destinations may be stored, or only the destination information regarding those that need the transfer process may be stored.

Next, in step 203, transfer determination processing is performed. As a result, the destination information for processing the postal matter 100 is determined. That is, the destination code generated in step 201 or the destination information database 10
The destination code generated based on 3 is determined.

Next, in step 204, based on the destination code generated in step 203, the postal matter 10
Process 0. In this case, the destination code is Step 20.
If the determination result of 2 is false, it is the destination code generated in step 201, and if the determination result of step 202 is true, it is the destination code determined in step 203.

The following three can be considered as specific examples of the processing on the mail 100.

1) The sorting process is performed. 2) The destination information is converted into a machine-readable format such as a bar code and attached to the mail item 100. 3) As a result of step 203, the mail item 100 is transferred. When it becomes a target, information indicating that it is a transfer process target and information related to the transfer process are attached to the postal matter 100, as shown in FIG.
Is a flowchart showing a detailed processing procedure of the transfer determination processing in step 203. First, in step 501, it is determined whether or not only one piece of transfer information (transfer destination) can be determined. If the determination result is true, step 203 is ended, and if false, step 502 is executed.

In the example of FIG. 4, since two pieces of information 103x and 103y among the information registered in the database 103 include the destination code 303, only one cannot be determined and the determination result is false. If the information registered in the database 103 includes information that exactly matches the destination code 303, the determination result is true.

For example, the address information 303a is "○○ prefecture △△
City XX Town 1-2 "and destination information 303b is" AA AA
If it is "A", 103x of the information registered in the destination information database 103 is completely matched, and the determination result is true. If the determination result is true, the address information 303a in this case. Is determined as the only transfer destination, and the mail processing in step 204 is performed based on the confirmed information.

In the destination information database 103,
When there is information that completely matches the destination code 303, the determination result is “true”. However, even when the information partially matches, the determination result may be “true”.
For example, information indicating that a mail sent to a certain address is transferred to another address is stored in the destination information database 103 regardless of the contents of the address, and the transfer source information 103a and the destination code are stored. This is a case where the determination result is "true" even when only the address information 303a of 303 matches.

Next, in step 502, the mail 1
It is acquired using the image reading unit 104 of the address description surface of 00. If the image of the address description surface of the postal matter 100 is acquired when the address code is generated in step 201, step 502 can be omitted.

Next, in step 503, an image of the postal matter 100, a destination code, and a transfer destination candidate are displayed on a display device (described later in FIG. 6).

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the device configuration of the transfer determination processing unit 102. The transfer determination processing unit 102 includes a display device 102a, an input device 102b, and a control device 102c that controls them.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of execution of step 503. The following three pieces of information are displayed in the postal image area 701, the destination code area 702, and the transfer candidate area 703 of the display device 102a.

1) Postal image area 701: Step 502
Alternatively, the image of the address description surface of the postal matter 100 acquired in step 201, 2) address code area 702: address code 303 generated in step 201, 3) transfer candidate area 703: address information database 103
Information that includes the destination code 303 (103x and 103y in this example) among the contents of 4), 4) The message "transfer information exists" between the postal image area 701 and the destination code area 702, In the example of FIG. 7, only the transfer source information 103a and the destination information 103b are displayed in the transfer candidate area 703, but in addition to this, related information such as the transfer destination information 103c may also be displayed. Good.

Next, in step 504, the information corresponding to the postal matter 100 is selected from the transfer candidate area 703. The operator operates the mail image area 70 on the display device 102a.
Looking at the image of No. 1 and the image of the destination code area 702, the corresponding information is selected from the transfer candidate area 703. The selection is performed by the input device 102b.

In the example of FIG. 7, since the second line (103x) in the transfer candidate area 703 is the relevant information,
Select this. If applicable, transfer candidate area 7
If it is not 03, "Not applicable" is selected. If "N / A" is selected, the mail processing in Step 204 is performed based on the destination code 303 generated in Step 201, and if other than "N / A" is selected, the transfer corresponding to the selected transfer candidate is performed. Based on the information of the destination information 103c,
The postal matter processing in step 204 is performed.

In the example of FIG. 7, when the second line (103x) in the transfer candidate area 703 is selected, the transfer destination information 103c in 103x, that is, "○ Δ prefecture × Δ city Δ × town 1" is the destination. It becomes an address.

The above-mentioned processing example is the destination code generation unit 1.
Although the transfer determination process is performed after the destination code is generated in 01, in addition to this, the destination code generation unit 10
It is also possible to perform the transfer determination process during the process of 1. Hereinafter, a processing example of performing the transfer determination processing during the processing of the destination code generation unit 101 will be described.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the destination code generation unit 101 when the transfer determination process is performed during the processing of the destination code generation unit 101. The image reading unit 801 and the destination recognition unit 8 are shown in FIG.
02 and a destination input unit 803, and the destination input unit 803
The transfer determination processing unit 102a is incorporated in the.

In this configuration, the image reading unit 801 reads the image of the mail piece 100, and the destination recognition unit 802 character-recognizes the destination based on the image. If it cannot be recognized, the destination is input manually in the destination input unit 803. The transfer determination processing unit 10 is included in the destination input unit 803.
2a is provided, and transfer determination processing is performed at the time of inputting the destination.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an outline of the processing in the configuration of FIG. 8, which corresponds to the details of the destination code generation processing (step 201) in FIG.

Here, first, in step 901, the image of the address description surface of the postal matter 100 is read by the image reading unit 80.
Obtain from 1.

Next, in step 902, the destination is confirmed from the postal image acquired in step 901. For example, as indicated by 303 in FIG. 3, the address and the address are confirmed as the destination.

Next, in step 903, it is determined whether the confirmation of the destination has succeeded. If the result is “true”, the process is terminated, and if it is “false”, step 904 is executed.

The criteria for this processing vary depending on the processing contents of the entire mail processing system.

The following are examples of true determination criteria.

1) Recognize all addresses and addresses, 2) Recognize addresses and surnames of destinations, 3) Recognize addresses, 4) Recognize even town names of addresses. In this example, if addresses can be recognized, step 9
Consider the determination result of 03 as "true".

Next, in step 904, the destination input unit 803 performs destination input processing 803.

FIG. 10 is a detailed block diagram of the destination input unit 803, which comprises a display device 803a, an input device 803b, and a control device 803c for controlling them.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the details of step 904 (destination input processing). First, in step 1101, the display device 803a displays step 90.
The image of the postal matter 100 acquired in 1 is displayed.

Next, at step 1102, the operator inputs the destination information from the input device 803b while looking at the mail image displayed on the display device 803a.

Next, in step 203a, transfer determination processing is performed using the transfer determination processing unit 102a. The content of this process is basically the same as that of step 203 in FIG. 2, but is different in that it is executed in the destination input process (step) 904.

For example, in step 1102, if "address = xxx prefecture ΔΔ city xx town 1-2" is input, the transfer determination process (step) 203 is performed immediately after the input.
Since transfer information cannot be determined in step 501, transfer candidates are displayed on the display device 803a in step 503. That is, the device (80
3a to 803c), the transfer determination process is performed as it is.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is automatically determined whether or not each mail piece is a transfer processing target based on the transfer processing target information registered in the database in advance, and the transfer processing target is determined. The operator (post office worker) performs the transfer determination process only for those determined to be. Therefore, the operator only needs to determine the forwarding process for the mail items that may be subject to the forwarding process, and it is not necessary to determine the forwarding process for all the mail items, and the forwarding process for the person who has moved It can be processed efficiently.

If the transfer destination can be uniquely determined,
The destination barcode is generated based on the information and the transfer process is performed, so that the operator does not need to perform the determination process, and
It is not necessary for the operator to directly write the forwarding address information to the postal matter, and it is possible to support the work of forwarding the postal matter to the relocated person and to efficiently transfer the postal matter. can get.

As described above, the invention made by the present inventor is:
Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and it is needless to say that various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0066]

According to the present invention, it is automatically determined whether each mail piece is a transfer processing object based on the transfer processing object information registered in the database in advance, and it is determined that the mail piece is a transfer processing object. Since the operator performs the transfer determination process only for the items, the operator only needs to determine the transfer process only for the postal items that may be the transfer process target, and makes the transfer process determination for all the postal items. There is no need to do so, and transfer processing for a person who has moved can be processed efficiently.

If the transfer destination can be uniquely determined,
The destination barcode is generated based on the information and the transfer process is performed, so that the operator does not need to perform the determination process, and
It is not necessary for the operator to directly write the forwarding address information to the postal matter, and it is possible to support the work of forwarding the postal matter to the relocated person and to efficiently transfer the postal matter. can get.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a mail processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a schematic processing procedure in the mail processing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of destination code generation.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for determining whether or not a transfer determination processing target.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of transfer determination processing.

FIG. 6 is a device configuration diagram of a transfer determination processing unit.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a screen display during transfer determination processing.

FIG. 8 is a block configuration diagram of a destination code generation unit.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a destination code generation unit.

FIG. 10 is a block configuration diagram of a destination input unit.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a procedure of destination input processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 ... Destination code generation unit, 102 ... Transfer determination processing unit,
103 ... Destination information database, 104 ... Image reading unit,
105 ... Postal processing unit, 303 ... Destination code.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A destination code generation means for reading address information from a mail item and encoding the same, a database storing relocation person information including a transfer source, an address, and a transfer destination for a mail item relating to a relocation person, and the destination code generation. By searching the database with the destination code generated by the means, it is determined whether or not the mail piece that generated the destination code is a transfer processing target, and if it corresponds to the transfer processing target mail, a transfer destination destination code is generated. And a postal matter processing means for processing a corresponding postal matter based on the destination code generating means or the destination code generated by the forwarding judgment processing means. . 2. The transfer determination processing means searches the database with the destination code generated by the destination code generation means, and displays a plurality of transfer destination candidates,
The mail processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for selecting and inputting an appropriate transfer destination from the displayed transfer destination candidates. 3. The transfer determination processing means searches the database by the destination code generated by the destination code generation means, and determines whether or not there is a single transfer destination candidate whose transfer source and destination match. And if it exists,
The mail processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for generating a destination code of the transfer destination and causing the mail processing means to process the address code. 4. The transfer judgment processing means replaces the destination code generated by the destination code generating means with the destination code from the barcode reading means for reading the destination barcode attached to the mail, and stores the database in the database. The mail processing device according to claim 1, wherein the mail processing device is searched.