JPS6122713Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a letter coding device that reads written information from letters sent sequentially and then codes them.

Broadly speaking, letter sorting methods can be broadly divided into direct sorting methods and indirect sorting methods, and both include single-seat key typing, double-seat key typing, and optical character recognition (hereinafter referred to as OCR). In the direct sorting method, information such as the address, name, and postal code obtained from the addressee of the letter (generally, it is often just the postal code, so hereafter referred to as the postal code) is read by a worker called a key presser or read using OCR. The method used in Japan is to classify the letters directly after reading them, and the method used in Japan can be called a direct classification method using OCR.

On the other hand, the indirect sorting method is also called the coded sorting method, in which the postal code is read and deciphered by a keystroker or OCR, and then converted into a symbol, and a code mark is printed on the letter using a medium such as phosphorescence, fluorescence, or black ink. It is possible to classify the symbols fully automatically by reading the symbols again with an inexpensive symbol reader (code reader), or by encoding them.
This method is widely used in Europe and the United States, and has various advantages, such as being able to be used offline by separating the areas to be used and the areas to be classified.

This proposal corresponds to the two-seat type of the indirect sorting method of the letter sorting method mentioned above, and this method also includes one in which the letter is presented directly in front of the person typing the key, and the other in which the addressee of the letter is first imaged with a camera or the like. There are systems that are displayed on the display of a television receiver, etc., and then read and typed by the person typing the key, but this proposal falls under the latter method, and is a coding system that belongs to a system generally called a video coding system. It is related to the device.

The general structure and operation of a video coding desk will now be explained using the block diagram shown in FIG. In the figure, thick lines represent the flow of letters, and thin lines represent the flow of signals. The letters are supplied one by one from the supply section 1 with the address side aligned, the postal code is read by the reading section 2, and the image is displayed in the image distribution section 5 on a plurality of display sections 6a, 6b, 6c... 6i, and keystrokers 7a, 7b, 7c...7i
The keyboards 8a, 8b, 8c...
...The key is pressed to 8i. The keystroke signal organizing unit 9 recognizes which letter has been pressed for the signal pressed on the keyboard, determines the coding order, and transfers the letter temporarily stored in the letter temporary storage unit 3 to the coding unit. Code in step 4. At the same time, the image distribution section 5 is notified of the display section on which the keystroke has been completed, and a new image is distributed to that display section.

This type of system is different from what is generally called a coding system, which has been in practical use for a long time and presents the letter itself directly in front of the key presser. Because the keys can be isolated from each other by distance, the person typing the key can be protected from noise, heat, and dust generated by transport equipment, letters, etc., improving the working environment, or the system can be computerized and the mechanism can be improved. Because it is simple and economical, it has attracted particular attention in recent years in foreign countries, and is being introduced to replace conventional coding desks. Furthermore, even if postal codes are read using OCR, it is economically impossible to read them completely when classifying letters. There is a tendency for this video coding system method to be adopted.

Conventionally, as a method for temporarily storing letters in this video coding system, the methods shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 have been proposed. The one in Figure 2 is mainly a loop-shaped transport section 1 as a temporary storage system for letters.
3 is used. That is, the letters sent out one by one from the supply section 10 have their postal codes read by the reading section 11, and then enter the conveyance section 12, for example, A.
If a key is pressed by a key presser (not shown) whose image has been read up to the point, the key will move straight ahead.
It is coded in the coding section 14, but if the key is not pressed, it is sent to the loop-shaped conveyance section 13, joins the conveyance section 12 again at point B, and returns to A.
If the key is pressed up to the point, it will go straight and be coded.
If no key is pressed here, the key is again sent to the loop-shaped conveyance section 13. The drawback of this method is the convergence at point B. In other words, the letters sent from the loop-shaped transport section 13 and the letters sent from the supply section 10 are sent from the loop-shaped transport section 13 in consideration of preventing them from overlapping at point B. Since priority is given to letters in the order of conveyance, in the case of merging, the letters sent from the supply section 10 are caused to be rejected by the removal section 15,
Alternatively, operations such as stopping the supply itself have to be performed, which has the disadvantage that the processing efficiency of the system is significantly reduced.

On the other hand, the system shown in FIG. 3 uses a long conveyance section 23 as a temporary storage system, and if the postal code of the letter read by the reading section 22 is pressed up to point C, for example, the code is coded by the coding section 24. However, if the key is not pressed, it is accumulated in the exclusion accumulation section 25 without being coded. The length of the transport section depends on the reading keystroke speed, transport speed,
This is determined by the number of key-pressing seats, etc., but it is usually around 10 meters long, making it a fairly large device.
It is not suitable for small post office buildings, and if there are many letters that take time to read and type, that is, letters that are difficult to read, the proportion of letters that are rejected to the rejection box 25 without being coded increases, and as a result, the number of letters that are rejected by the person who typed the keys increases. had the disadvantage of always feeling psychological pressure.

This project solves the above-mentioned shortcomings of the temporary storage method of letters in conventional video coding systems, does not reduce processing efficiency, is relatively small, does not put psychological pressure on the key presser, and can store letters easily. This provides a method with a low rejection rate.

The configuration of the letter temporary storage type coding device of the video coding system proposed in this proposal will be explained using FIG. The present invention includes a supply section 31 that supplies letters one by one, a reading section 32 that reads the postal code of the letters sent from the supply section 31, a first conveyance section 33 that conveys the read letters, and a first conveyance section 33 that conveys the read letters. A second conveyance section 34 that follows the second conveyance section 33 is provided in parallel with the second conveyance section 34, and separately stores and codes each letter branched from a branch point 39 to the first conveyance section. Individual temporary storage units 35a, 35b, 3 for sending out letters when they become ready for printing
5c...35i, a merging section 40 of those two branches, a coding section 36 that prints a code on a letter at the next stage, and an elimination section 37 for letters that cannot be coded. and a storage section 38 for letters that have been coded.

Hereinafter, details of the structure, operation, and effects of the embodiment of the present invention will be explained using FIGS. 5, 6, and 7.

In FIG. 5, letters are fed into the supply section 31 with the sides on which the postal codes are written aligned, and are picked up by a suction belt (not shown) and sent one by one to the conveyance section. The conveying section is composed of belts, rollers, etc., and the letter is conveyed while being sandwiched between the two belts.
After the postal code is read at step 2, the postal code is directly sent to the first conveyance section 33. In this embodiment, in order to improve the accuracy of supplying letters, the supply section 31 is provided on a 45° inclined substrate 41, and the supplied letters are placed on a connecting substrate 42 that connects a horizontal substrate 43 and the inclined substrate 41. It is conveyed within the provided conveyance section and sent to the reading section 32 provided on the horizontal substrate. Now, it continues through the first conveyance section, and when the postal code of the letter is entered by the key presser until point D, it passes through the second conveyance section 34 and is converted into a letter by the coding section 36. The code will be printed. Letters that have not been pressed by the time point D are stored in the first letter individual temporary storage section 35a at the branch section 39, as shown in FIG.
It is stored through steps a and 39b and waits for it to be pressed. Since the letters are supplied one after another from the supply section, some letters are not pressed until the point D due to the length of the transport section or due to variations in the reading speed of the key press, but these letters are not pressed until the point D. 3
The letters 35c, . . . are individually stored one after another in the first letter individual temporary storage section 35i.

When the letter stored in the letter individual temporary storage section presses a postal code by the person to whom the letter is assigned, the letters search for an empty space in the second transport section 34 and join again. This empty space occurs automatically because letters that are sent one after another are stored in the letter individual temporary storage unit without being pressed until point D, and the processing capacity of the system does not decrease. do not have. It would also be effective to control the keystroker so that once he processes the assigned letter, the next letter is automatically assigned, regardless of whether that letter is ejected from the temporary storage, and within a certain time. There is no psychological pressure, such as an increase in the number of letters to be rejected if they are not processed. Naturally, there will be cases where all letters are likely to be stored in the temporary storage section, but in this case, the letter will be stored in the (i-1)th or (i-2)th temporary storage section. If this happens, the supply can be temporarily stopped to automatically create a vacant space.

FIG. 7 is a detailed plan view of one temporary letter storage section, in which letters 52 are branched into the temporary letter storage section by a roller 51 that pushes out a belt 50 in response to a branch signal.
is guided to a groove-shaped letter conveyance path, which has a belt 53 on the bottom and guides 54 and 55 on the sides. In front of this groove-shaped conveyance path is a stopper 56 that normally functions to stop the advance of the letter.
is provided, whereby the letter is stopped within the conveyance path. When a key press signal is issued and it becomes possible to merge with the main conveyance section, the stopper 56 retreats to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line, and at the same time, the roller 57, which is being driven in the direction of the arrow, starts conveying from the outside of the side plate 55. The letter pops out into the path and is sandwiched between the roller 58, which is constantly rotating in the direction of the arrow at a fixed position, and by applying force in the direction of travel of the letter, the letter is released to the confluence section 40a and is transferred to the main conveyor. Join the club.

In this way, according to the present invention, the reduction in processing efficiency seen in the letter temporary storage type coding device of the conventional video coding system,
It is possible to realize an extremely practical coding device that eliminates many drawbacks such as increased device size.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of a video coding system, Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of a video coding system.
3 is a schematic diagram of a conventional letter temporary storage type coding device of a video coding system, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a letter temporary storage type coding device of a video coding system according to the present invention. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the temporary letter storage section of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a detailed plan view of one temporary letter storage section of Fig. 6. It is a diagram. The main symbols used in the drawings are as follows. 31... Supply section, 32... Reading section, 33... First transport section, 34... Second transport section, 35a, 3
5b to 35i... Letter temporary storage section, 36... Coding section, 37... Letter eliminating section that cannot be coded, 38... Coding completed letter storage section, 39
...Divergence, 40...Confluence.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In the device that reads and codes written information on letters that are sent sequentially, there is a supply section that supplies letters one by one, and a device that writes information on the surface of the letters that are sent from this supply section. A reading section that reads the information contained in the information, a first conveying section that conveys the letter read by this reading section, and a letter that can be coded at the end of this first conveying section. A branching section that branches the missing letters, a second conveyance section that conveys the branched letters as letters that can be coded at this branching section, and a coding section that is parallel to this second conveyance section. a plurality of temporary storage sections for individually temporarily storing letters that have not been made available for coding; and a confluence section for letters from the second transport section and letters from the temporary storage section. , a coding section provided after the merging section, and an uncodable letter removal section and a coding completed letter storage section provided after the coding section. ing device.