Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.

Siemens Dematic Postal Automation, L.p.

Linda J Kessler

Ben F Bruce

Shahrom Kiani

Gert Seidel

Brenda J Bishop-Jones

A method of processing an image containing written information according to the invention includes the steps of scanning a surface of an object to obtain an image of the surface represented by image data, analyzing the image data to determine locations of one or more regions with written indicia on the surface, where indicia may include logos, stamps, meter marks, alphanumeric information, labels or other distinctive marks, creating one or more sub-images substantially limited to the dimensions of the indicia-bearing regions, transmitting the sub-images from a first computer or process used to create the sub-images to a second computer or process, and further analyzing the sub-images at the second computer or process, such as by OCR, to decode the written indicia in the sub-images. By transmitting the sub-images, preferably in combination with position data indicating where each sub-image was on the original image, the scanned written indicia can be decoded automatically or manually without having to transmit the original image from one computer or process to another. This is particularly important when the image data is a grayscale or color image that is much larger than a black and white (binary) image of the same dimensions.

Method and system for image processing

The invention provides a method of processing an information form such as a postal change of address form. Such a form includes various data elements, such as a name of a person submitting the form and the information on which action is to be taken. In the case of mail forwarding, these data elements would include, for example, the name of the person that wishes mail to be redirected, an old address to which mail for that person was previously sent, and a new address to which mail for that person should be sent. Such a method includes the steps of scanning a sheet having written information thereon reflecting the data elements to obtain an image, processing the image with character recognition logic to obtain text data corresponding to the written information, analyzing the text data with a computer to determine a scanning error probability therein, if the scanning error probability exceeds a predetermined limit, attempting to correct such error by editing of the text data by at least one of a computer using predetermined correction criteria and a human operator viewing the text data, checking one or more elements of the text data (such as a new address and an old address) against a first database of valid data elements (e.g., a postal address database), if the element is found in the first database, updating a second database such as a National Change of Address (NCOA) database to include at least new or revised text data, and rejecting the text data and aborting updating the second database for such text data that cannot be corrected. The invention further provides a system for processing a series of change of information forms such as COA forms, which system is capable of carrying out the foregoing process.

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Washington, DC, United States of America

Linda J Kessler