JPH1099789A - Article processing system and postal item processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lessen the fatigue of an operator which is increased by direct viewing of humanly unreadable images. SOLUTION: This postal item sorting system 1 comprises a postal item sorting machine 3 and a video coding device 5. In case address information fails to be recognized in the reading section 13 of this postal item sorting machine 3, the display and manual input of the address information are executed by the video coding device 5. At the time of this display, the display at the video coding disk 23 of the video coding device 5 is stopped according to the state of the postal items (the fold of the postal items, the postal items reversed in the front and rear, etc.) by the effect of a force rejection device 33.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper sheet processing apparatus and a mail processing apparatus for reading information such as the address of a paper sheet, especially a mail, and manually inputting the address and the like in accordance with the read result. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional sheet processing apparatus, for example, in a mail processing apparatus, there is a system including a mail sorting machine and a video coding apparatus. The mail sorting machine is roughly divided into a mail supply section, a take-out section, a transport section, a reading section, and a sorting section. Also, the video coding device
It is roughly composed of a plurality of coding desks having a display unit and an input unit, and an image storage and distribution unit.

In such a system, mail is first supplied to a supply of a mail sorting machine. The mail supplied from the supply unit is taken out one by one at the take-out unit, and is pinched and conveyed by a conveyance unit constituted by a belt or the like. A reading unit is arranged in the transport unit, and optically reads the address of the mail to be transported. The sorting section sorts the postal matter, for example, for each address according to the result of reading the address.

[0004] Here, an input process in a video coding device is performed for a mail whose address cannot be read by the reading unit. That is, if the address cannot be read, the sorting process cannot be performed by the sorting machine. Therefore, the image on the surface of the mail sent from the mail sorting machine is temporarily stored in the image storing and distributing unit because the address cannot be read by the video coding device, and the image is distributed to one of a plurality of coding desks. The information is displayed on the display unit, and is used by the operator to input an address from the input unit. According to the input address, when the mail is re-supplied to the mail sorting machine, the mail is sorted to the normal sorting position of the sorting section.

[0005]

In such a conventional paper sheet processing apparatus, an image of a mail which could not be read by a mail sorting machine is displayed on a display unit of a video coding desk. Also in the case of reading (reading by an operator), it is often difficult to determine the address from the state of the mail.

When such an image is visually observed by the operator, there is a problem that the operator has to perform an input operation within a predetermined time, so that the operator is tired and the work efficiency is not improved.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sorting apparatus for reading the identification information from an article on which the identification information is described and classifying the article according to the identification information. And a display input device for displaying at least the identification information and inputting the identification information when the identification information cannot be read by the sorting device. Storage means for storing the state of the article, and a forced reject means for stopping the display of the identification information of the article on the display input device when the state of the article stored in the storage means indicates a predetermined state. And an article processing system comprising:

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sorting machine which reads address information from a mail on which address information is described, and sorts the mail according to the address information. And a video coding device for displaying at least the address information and inputting the address information when the address information cannot be read by the mailing machine. Storage means for storing the status of the postal matter, and forced rejection means for stopping the display of the postal matter on the video coding device when the status of the postal matter stored in the storage means indicates a predetermined state. A mail processing apparatus characterized by the following.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a supply means for supplying mail having address information described therein, and the address information of the mail supplied by the supply means is read and classified. Reading means for generating information; a plurality of sorting ports; a sorting means for sorting the postal matter into any of the sorting ports based on the sorting information generated by the reading means; A sorter comprising first information output means for outputting information indicating the state of the mail and an entire image of the mail when the address information cannot be read, and the first output means of the sorter Display means for receiving and displaying the entire image of the postal matter output in step (a), input means for inputting the address information based on the overall information of the postal matter displayed on the display means, Enter the above information And a video coding apparatus comprising: a video coding apparatus comprising: And a compulsory reject means for deciding to cancel the display on the mail.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the compulsory rejecting means includes a step of displaying on the display means when the information indicating the state of the postal matter includes information relating to a bent state of the postal matter. 4. The mail processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processing is stopped.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the invention, when the forcible rejecting means includes information relating to a reversed state of the mail as information indicating the state of the mail, The mail processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display is stopped.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect, the compulsory rejecting means includes a step of, when the information indicating the status of the postal matter includes information relating to the absence of the information on the postal matter, 4. The mail processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display of the message is stopped.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a supply means for supplying a mail having address information described therein, and reading and sorting the address information of the mail supplied by the supply means. Information, and a reading means for outputting the sorting information, the OCR information, and the entire image information; and a plurality of sorting ports. The mail is sent to the sorting port based on the sorting information generated by the reading means. Sorting means for sorting into any of the above, printing means for printing a code on the mail when the address information cannot be read by the reading means, information on the code printed by the printing means and the reading means A first output means for outputting the OCR information and the full-screen image information output from the printer, and the full-screen image information among the information output by the first output means of the sorter. Display means for displaying, input means for inputting the address information based on the image information displayed on the display means, correspondence of the input information from the input means with the code output from the first output means And a video coding apparatus comprising: a second output means for outputting to the sorting machine side; and a video coding apparatus comprising: a video coding apparatus configured to output the OCR output from the first output means. A mail rejecting unit for determining, based on the information, a display rejection unit for halting the display of the entire image information of the postal matter on the display unit.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the eighth aspect, the OCR information includes information relating to the presence / absence of a bent mail item, and the forcible rejecting means includes:
8. The mail processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display on the display unit is stopped when the information indicates the bending.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the ninth aspect, the OCR information includes information relating to whether or not the mail is upside down, and the forcible rejecting means includes:
8. The mail processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display on the display unit is stopped when the R information indicates that the mail is upside down.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the tenth aspect, the OCR information includes information relating to presence / absence of information on the surface of the postal matter, and the compulsory rejecting means includes a step of: 8. The mail processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display on the display means is stopped when it indicates that there is no mail.

In the article processing system and the mail processing apparatus of the present invention, when the information cannot be read by the sorting apparatus or the sorting machine, the state of the article or the mail is checked. By doing so, the display on the display input device or the video coding device can be restricted, and thereby the fatigue of the operator can be reduced.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is an overall view of the mail sorting system of the present invention. The mail sorting system 1 includes a mail sorting machine 3 and a video coding device 5.

The mail sorting machine 3 is provided with a supply unit 7,
A plurality of mails are supplied from the supply unit 7 by the operator in a standing position with their addressing faces aligned. The postal matter supplied by the supply unit 7 is taken out by the take-out unit 9 one by one. The mail taken out by the take-out unit 9
The sheet is nipped and transported by a transport section 11 composed of a pair of opposed belts.

A reading section 13 is arranged along the transport section 11. The reading unit 13 irradiates the mail to be conveyed with light and obtains the reflected light, thereby recognizing information such as characters of a mail address and a zip code written on the mail (hereinafter referred to as mail address information). Is what you do.

The postal matter from which information has been read by the reading unit 13 is conveyed through the lower conveying unit 15 to the step pass unit 17 arranged on the opposite side of the supply unit 7. The dividing section 19 is composed of a plurality of stages, and a plurality of divided openings are arranged for each stage. These sorting ports are set for each address and each postal code. The step pass section 17 is for sorting mail items to each section of the sorting section 19, and sorting information is generated based on the read result of the reading section 13 for the mail pieces sorted to each of these sections. Based on
It is divided and accumulated at each division port by a gate (not shown).

Reference numeral 21 denotes a bar code printing / reading unit, which converts a result of reading by the reading unit 13 into a bar code and prints it on mail. Further, the barcode printing unit 21 prints input information converted into a barcode based on an input result from the video coding device 5 described later on a mail, and management information on a mail whose address information cannot be read. Prints an ID code, and reads and recognizes a bar code and an ID code.

The video coding apparatus 5 includes a plurality of video coding desks (hereinafter referred to as VCDs) 23 each having a display unit and an input unit, and an interface for transmitting information between the VCDs 23 and the mail sorting machine 3. And an image storage / distribution device and a forced reject device (details will be described later).

The video coding apparatus 5 displays an image of the mail on one of the VCDs 23 when the address information described on the mail is not recognized by reading by the reading unit 13 of the mail sorting machine 3. Then, based on this display, the address information is input by the operator.

Next, the configuration of the video coding apparatus 5 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a video coding apparatus according to the present invention. The video coding device 5 includes a video coding device interface device 25 (hereinafter, referred to as a VCSI / F device 25), a barcode device interface device 27 (hereinafter, referred to as a BCSI / F device 27), and a storage / distribution device 2.
9, a disk array 31, a forced reject device 33, and the VCD 23 described above. In addition, originally VC
Although a plurality of D23s are provided, only one is described here.

The VCSI / F unit 25 is a mail sorting machine 3
This is an interface between the reading unit 13 and the video coding device 5, and obtains information of a mail image from the mail sorting machine 3.

The BCSI / F unit 27 is a mail sorting machine 3
It is an interface between the inside bar code printing / reading unit 21 and the video coding device 5, and sends out input information to the mail sorting machine 3 based on the information input from the VCD 23 or reads out the bar code printing / reading unit 21. ID
The code is sent from the mail sorting machine 3 to the VCD 23.

The storage / distribution device 29 receives an entire image of a postal matter (hereinafter referred to as a rejected postal matter) that could not be read by the reading unit 13 of the mail sorting machine 3 and OCR information at the time of reading. Is connected to the disk array 31 to temporarily store the entire image and the OCR information in the disk array 31.

The forced reject device 33 is connected to the VCSI / F
This determines whether or not to transmit the entire image to the VCD 23 based on the OCR information obtained from the device 25. Next, the configuration of the reading unit 13 of the mail sorting machine 3 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the reading unit according to the present invention.

The reading unit 13 includes a photoelectric conversion unit 35, an address area detection unit 37, a line detection unit 39, a character detection unit 41, a character recognition unit 43, an address recognition unit 45, a block character detection unit 47, and a block character recognition unit 49. , An answer editing unit 51 and a discrimination control unit 53.

The reading section 13 first irradiates the surface of the conveyed mail with a light source (not shown), obtains the reflected light, and converts the reflected light into an electric signal by the photoelectric conversion section 35. In addition, similarly, the presence / absence of phosphorescence is detected by irradiating ultraviolet light, and a signal related to the phosphorescence is transmitted to the destination area detecting unit 37.

The address area detecting section 37 projects the signal converted by the photoelectric conversion section 35 to detect a range in which the address is described as an address area and sends it to the line detecting section 39. Further, it also sends out OCR information (described later) obtained when the address area is detected and the entire mail image obtained from the photoelectric conversion unit 35. The OCR information and the entire image are sent to the answer editing unit 51.

The line detecting section 39 detects and cuts out character lines from the address area detected by the address area detecting section 37 line by line.
The character detector 41 cuts out the characters in the line for each character.
Note that the character detection unit 41 does not detect a block such as a street, a number, or a number in the address.

The character recognition unit 43 is a character dictionary (not shown).
And recognizes the character extracted by the character detection unit 41 using a method such as the composite similarity method. In the character recognition unit 43, the address recognition unit 4 lists a plurality of character candidates.
5 to send character candidates.

The address recognition unit 45 is an address dictionary (not shown).
The address recognition is performed by collating the character candidates listed in the character recognizing unit 43 with the address dictionary, and is sent to the answer editing unit 51 via the block character detecting unit 47 and the block character recognizing unit 49. Send out the recognition result. Also, an address recognition unit 45
Also sends the OCR information (described later) obtained at the time of address recognition to the answer editing unit 51.

The block character detecting section 47 detects a block in which a block such as a street, a number, or a number is represented by a numeral. The characters detected by the block character detection unit 47 are recognized by the block character recognition unit 49.

The answer editing unit 51 receives the address recognition result of the address recognition unit 45 and the block recognition result of the block character recognition unit 49 and determines the address. If the address is determined here (that is, the address is recognized), the information on the address is transmitted to the sorting mechanism 55, and the sorting mechanism 55 receives the step path unit 17 and the sorting described with reference to FIG. The gate provided at the mouth is controlled so that sorting into the sorting mouth and accumulation according to the address are performed.

If the address is not determined by the answer editing unit 51 (that is, the address cannot be recognized), the answer editing unit 51 outputs the full image of the postal matter obtained from the photoelectric conversion unit 35 and the address area detecting unit 37. Then, the OCR information obtained from the address recognition unit 45 and the recognition result information up to the middle of the answer editing unit 51 are transmitted to the discrimination control unit 53.

The discrimination control unit 53 sends the full image of the postal matter and the OCR information to the VCSI / F unit 25 of the video coding device 5 using the full image, the OCR information and the partial recognition result information obtained from the answer editing unit 51. Is what you do.

Here, with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, the OCR information and address recognition section 4 in the address area detection section 37 described above.
5 will be described. FIG. 5 to FIG.
It is a figure showing an example of a reject mail.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a bent postal matter. The address area detecting section 37 informs the OCR information that the whole picture of the postal matter obtained from the photoelectric conversion section 35 is abnormal when the whole image is not square. And

In this shape detection method, for example, since the entire image is obtained by receiving the reflected light as described above, a portion having no postal matter (the postal matter is bent at a position where it should be bent and the postal matter should be located) Part) is a black image.
Based on this, in the present invention, the black pixel portion is added line by line from the image of the leading end of the postal matter, and if the addition result exceeds a predetermined value, it is detected as a folded state of the postal matter. .

FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a postal matter which is upside down. The address area detecting section 37 cannot detect a postage stamp or a stamp to be described or affixed to the surface of the postal matter. Is set as OCR information.

As a method of detecting the front and back sides, most stamps currently used emit phosphorescence. Paying attention to this, the postal matter is irradiated with ultraviolet light, the reflected light is received, and the presence or absence of phosphorescence is detected to detect whether the postal matter is facing up or down. Here, since the signal regarding the presence or absence of phosphorescence is obtained from the photoelectric conversion unit 35, it can be determined from this.

As described above, the destination area detecting section 37 also detects the abnormality of the postal matter in the state shown in FIGS. FIG. 7 is a drawing showing a mail with faint characters written thereon. However, the address recognition unit 45 cannot recognize the mail at all as a result of address recognition (that is, in the case of a mail with blurred characters). , The preceding character recognition unit 43
In the case of (2), if binarization is performed with a predetermined threshold value, information is lost, and in the case of a mail where characters are crushed, it is impossible to recognize as characters.)

Here, three types of cases have been described as abnormal states, but the present invention is not limited to these. Next, the operation of the mail sorting system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the processing of the forced rejection device of the present invention.

In the mail sorting system 1 shown in FIG. 2, mail is first supplied from the supply unit 7 of the mail sorting machine 3. The mail supplied here is taken out one by one by the take-out unit 9, and the address information is read by the reading unit 13.

The postal matter from which the address information has been read arrives at the code printing / reading unit 21 through the lower transport path 15.
When the address information is completely recognized by the reading unit 13, that is, when the address is completely recognized by the answer editing unit 51 based on the processing of the photoelectric conversion unit 35 to the block character recognition unit 49, the address information is encoded. The lever code printing / reading unit 21 prints a bar code on the mail.

The postal matter on which the barcode is printed passes through the step-pass section 17 under the control of the sorting mechanism section 55 and is sorted and collected into the sorting ports corresponding to the address information among the sorting ports constituting the sorting section 19. Is done.

If the address information is not read by the reading unit 13, an ID code as a management code is printed on the mail by the code printing / reading unit 21 and is accumulated in a reject section (not shown). You. Further, the entire image of the postal matter and O in the address area detection unit 37 and the address recognition unit 45 are displayed.
The three types of information, the CR information and the partial recognition result information, are sent to the VCSI / F device 2 via the discrimination control unit 53 of the reading unit 13.
5 is transmitted. Further, the code printing / reading unit 21
The information of the D code is transmitted to the BCSI / F device 27.

The three types of information obtained by the VCSI / F device 25 are temporarily stored by the storage / distribution device 29 and the disk array 31. VCD2 in the storage and distribution device 29
When distributing an image or the like to the third device, information is first entered into the forced reject device 33.

The forced reject device 33 operates as shown in the flowchart of FIG. That is, first, it is determined whether the first hierarchy has been recognized (step 1). This first
A hierarchy is a city or a ward, and if it can be recognized, there is a high possibility that other parts can be recognized. In such a case, three types of information are transmitted to one of the plurality of VCDs 23 (step 2). As a result, the entire image of the postal matter is displayed on the display unit of the VCD 23, and is used by the operator for inputting address information from the input unit (step 3).

The address information input by the VCD 23 is BCS
The mail is sent to the I / F device 27 and transmitted to the code printing / reading unit 21 of the mail sorting machine 3 in association with the ID code. The code printing / reading unit 21 reads the ID code printed earlier when the postal matter accumulated in the reject sorting port is resupplied from the mail sorting machine 3, and inputs the ID code with the VCD 23 in accordance with the ID code. A bar code obtained by coding the address information thus obtained is printed on the mail, and the sorting and accumulation processing in the sorting unit 19 is performed.

If the first level cannot be recognized in step 1, it is determined based on the OCR information whether or not the mail is bent (step 4). If it is not bent, it is determined whether or not the front and back of the mail are reversed (step 5). Here, if the front and back are not reversed, it is determined whether the address is faint or crushed (whether the address cannot be read at all) (step 6). If it is determined in step 6 that there is no blurring or crushing of the address, the process proceeds to step 2 where the address is provided for processing in the VCD 23.

In steps 4 to 6, if the mail is bent, the front and back of the mail are reversed, or the address is blurred or crushed (the address cannot be read at all), the forced rejection processing is performed separately. And does not transmit data to the VCDs 23 (step 7).

As described above, when the state of the mail is poor, V
Since the screen is displayed on the CD 23, the rejection process is performed without performing the input operation, and the process is manually performed later, the process can be performed without fatigue of the operator who performs the input operation within a predetermined time, and the processing efficiency is improved. I do.

[0057]

As described above, according to the present invention,
If the identification information given to the item or the address information given to the postal item is unreadable, display and manual input of images that would not be clearly readable by the operator due to the condition of the item or postal item are stopped. Therefore, fatigue is reduced for the operator, and the processing efficiency is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing processing of a forced rejection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall view of a mail sorting system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a video coding apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a reading unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a bent postal matter;

FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a postal matter that is upside down.

FIG. 7 is a drawing showing a postal matter in which written characters are blurred.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 mail sorting system 3 mail sorting machine 5 video coding device 13 reading unit 23 video coding desk (VCD) 33 compulsory reject device 37 address area detection unit 45 address recognition unit

Claims (10)

[Claims] A sorting device for reading the identification information from the article on which the identification information is written and classifying the article according to the identification information; and at least when the identification information cannot be read by the sorting apparatus, A display input device for displaying identification information and inputting the identification information, a storage unit for storing a state of the article which cannot be read by the sorting device; An article processing system, comprising: a forced rejection unit that stops displaying the identification information of the article on the display input device when the state of the article indicates a predetermined state. 2. A sorting machine which reads the address information from a mail in which the address information is described, and sorts the mail according to the address information. When the sorter fails to read the address information, A mail coding apparatus for displaying at least the address information and inputting the address information; a mail processing apparatus comprising: a storage means for storing a status of a mail which cannot be read by the sorting machine; And a forcibly rejecting means for stopping the display of the postal matter on the video coding device when the status of the postal matter stored in the postal matter indicates a predetermined state. 3. A supply unit for supplying a postal matter on which address information is described, a reading unit for reading the address information of the postal matter supplied by the supply unit and generating sorting information,
A sorting means comprising a plurality of sorting ports, wherein the mailing material is sorted into any of the sorting ports based on the sorting information generated by the reading means, and the address information cannot be read by the reading means. A first output means for outputting information indicating the state of the mail and an overall image of the mail, and a mail output from the mail output by the first output means of the sorter. Display means for receiving and displaying the whole image; input means for inputting the address information based on the whole information of the mail displayed on the display means; and outputting the input information from the input means to the sorting machine. And a video coding device comprising: a video coding device comprising: a mail output device configured to display on the display device based on information indicating the state output from the first sorting device; Suspension Mail processing apparatus characterized by having a forced reject means determined. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the forcible rejecting means stops displaying on the display means when the information indicating the state of the mail includes information relating to the bent state of the mail. Mail handling equipment. 5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the forced rejecting means stops displaying on the display means when the information indicating the state of the mail includes information relating to the upside down state of the mail. A mail processing apparatus as described. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forcible rejecting means stops displaying on the display means when the information indicating the status of the postal matter includes information relating to the absence of the information on the postal matter. 3. The mail processing apparatus according to 3. 7. A supply means for supplying a mail having address information described therein, and the address information of the mail supplied by the supply means is read to generate sorting information, and the sorting information and OCR information are generated. Reading means for outputting image information of the entire surface, a plurality of sorting ports, and sorting means for sorting the postal matter into any of the sorting ports based on the sorting information generated by the reading means; Means for printing a code on the mail when the address information cannot be read by the means; information on the code printed by the printing means; the OCR information output from the reading means; A sorter comprising: a first output means for outputting the image data; a display means for displaying the entire image information among the information output by the first output means of the sorter; Input means for inputting the address information based on the obtained image information, and a second means for outputting the input information from the input means to the sorting machine in association with the code output from the first output means. A mail processing apparatus comprising: a video coding apparatus comprising: an output means; and a mail processing apparatus, comprising: a video coding apparatus configured to output a postal mail at the display means based on the OCR information output from the first output means. A mail processing apparatus, comprising: forced rejection means for deciding to stop displaying the entire image information of the article. 8. The OCR information includes information on the presence or absence of a bent mail item, and the compulsory reject means includes:
8. The mail processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display on the display unit is stopped when the OCR information indicates the bending. 9. The OCR information includes information on whether or not the mail is upside down, and the compulsory rejecting means performs the display when the OCR information indicates that the mail is upside down. 8. The mail processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display on the means is stopped. 10. The OCR information includes information on presence / absence of information on a mail surface, and the forced rejecting means includes:
8. The mail processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display on the display unit is stopped when the OCR information indicates that the mail has no information.