An apparatus is disclosed which is configured to perform or control obtaining or causing obtaining at least one image of at least a part of an object; obtaining or causing obtaining information representative of a distance between at least one feature of the object present in the image and at least one reference feature of the object present in the image; generating or causing generating a string of characters based on the obtained information, the string of characters comprising at least a first portion representative of the distance between the at least one feature of the object present in the image and the at least one reference feature of the object present in the image; associating or causing associating information representing the string of characters with process information of the object.

A mail processing system utilizes a conveyor to shingle or de-shingle mailpieces as they move through the processing system and utilizes belts to move the mailpieces. A first shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece to overlap with a second mailpiece to create shingled mailpieces. A second shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece away from a second mailpiece to de-shingle them to create singulated mailpieces. A camera takes images of the mailpieces in the conveyor and image analysis software is used to determine dimensional aspects of the mailpieces that are used to control the belt speeds to move mailpieces with respect to each other. A mail processing system may include a mail processing station that scans addresses, applies postage and/or weighs the mailpieces. Mail may be de-shingled prior to being weighed and then re-shingled for subsequent processing, or mail may be shingled prior to passing through a scale if weighing is not necessary.

A mail processing system utilizes a conveyor to shingle or de-shingle mailpieces as they move through the processing system and utilizes belts to move the mailpieces. A first shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece to overlap with a second mailpiece to create shingled mailpieces. A second shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece away from a second mailpiece to de-shingle them to create singulated mailpieces. A camera takes images of the mailpieces in the conveyor and image analysis software is used to determine dimensional aspects of the mailpieces that are used to control the belt speeds to move mailpieces with respect to each other. A mail processing system may include a mail processing station that scans addresses, applies postage and/or weighs the mailpieces. Mail may be de-shingled prior to being weighed and then re-shingled for subsequent processing, or mail may be shingled prior to passing through a scale if weighing is not necessary.

In one aspect, a computerized method useful for printed text recognition (PTR) on physical mail envelopes addressed to a user includes the step of scanning a physical mail item to obtain a digital image of the address-side of the physical mail item. The method includes the step of identifying that at least one of a return address region or a recipient address region of the address-side of the physical mail item. The method includes the step of determining that the at least one of the return address region or a recipient address region comprises a printed text. The method includes the step of providing a data store of known senders to the recipient address. The data store of known senders comprises a data store of return address information in a known sender printed samples and a data store of receiver address information in the known sender printed samples. The method includes the step of providing a data store of a receiver's identity and address. The method includes the step of creating a first training set including the historical data store of known senders. The method includes the step of training the neural network in a first stage using the first training set. The method includes the step of creating a second training set for a second stage of training including the data store of a receiver's identity and address. The method includes the step of training the neural network in a second stage using the second training set. The method includes the step of integrating the neural network into an PTR functionality.

In one aspect, a computerized method useful for printed text recognition (PTR) on physical mail envelopes addressed to a user includes the step of scanning a physical mail item to obtain a digital image of the address-side of the physical mail item. The method includes the step of identifying that at least one of a return address region or a recipient address region of the address-side of the physical mail item. The method includes the step of determining that the at least one of the return address region or a recipient address region comprises a printed text. The method includes the step of providing a data store of known senders to the recipient address. The data store of known senders comprises a data store of return address information in a known sender printed samples and a data store of receiver address information in the known sender printed samples. The method includes the step of providing a data store of a receiver's identity and address. The method includes the step of creating a first training set including the historical data store of known senders. The method includes the step of training the neural network in a first stage using the first training set. The method includes the step of creating a second training set for a second stage of training including the data store of a receiver's identity and address. The method includes the step of training the neural network in a second stage using the second training set. The method includes the step of integrating the neural network into an PTR functionality.

Embodiments of a system and method for sorting and delivering articles in a processing facility based on image data are described. Image processing results such as rotation notation information may be included in or with an image to facilitate downstream processing such as when the routing information cannot be extracted from the image using an unattended system and the image is passed to an attended image processing system. The rotation notation information may be used to dynamically adjust the image before presenting the image via the attended image processing system.

Embodiments of a system and method for sorting and delivering articles in a processing facility based on image data are described. Image processing results such as rotation notation information may be included in or with an image to facilitate downstream processing such as when the routing information cannot be extracted from the image using an unattended system and the image is passed to an attended image processing system. The rotation notation information may be used to dynamically adjust the image before presenting the image via the attended image processing system.

Three-dimensional (3D) depth imaging systems and methods are disclosed for assessing an orientation with respect to a container. A 3D-depth camera captures 3D image data of a shipping container. A container feature assessment application determines a representative container point cloud and (a) converts the 3D image data into 2D depth image data; (b) compares the 2D depth image data to one or more template image data; (c) performs segmentation to extract 3D point cloud features; (d) determines exterior features of the shipping container and assesses the exterior features using an exterior features metric; (e) determines interior features of the shipping container and assesses the interior features using an interior features metric; and (f) generates an orientation adjustment instruction for indicating to an operator to orient the 3D-depth camera in a second direction for use during a shipping container loading session, wherein the second direction is different than the first direction.

In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises one or more processors and one or more memories communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, cause: capturing a digital image of one or more contents of the item of mail using the image capture device; extracting, by an image processing device, information from one or more of the image of the item of mail or the image of the one or more contents of the item of mail, the extracted information comprising identifying data and characteristic data; based, at least in part, on the characteristic data, determining a priority level for the item of mail; causing displaying, on a client computing device, a graphical user interface comprising the identifying data and the priority level for the item of mail.

Method and system for identifying an empty region in a label and placing a content thereon is provided. The method includes processing an image of the label to extract label attribute and the content to retrieve content attribute. Label attribute includes at least one of dimensions of the label, at least one pre-existing content on the label, dimensions associated with pre-existing content, and location of pre-existing content on the label. The content attribute includes a type of content, dimensions of content, a preferred label location associated with content. The method further includes determining at least one empty region within the label, based on extracted label attribute and the retrieved content attribute. Each of the at least one empty region may be configured to accommodate the content. The method further includes inserting the content into one of the at least one empty region based on a predefined rule.