System and method for extracting a computer readable code from a captured image of a distribution item

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12169757-B2
Application number	US-202318355673-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2023
Priority date	Dec 4, 2020
Publication date	Dec 17, 2024
Grant date	Dec 17, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for extracting a computer readable code from a captured image of a mailpiece or parcel using downsampling and edge detection. The system can include a reader configured to capture an image of an item having a computer readable code positioned thereon and a processor in data communication with the reader. The processor can generate captured image data of the item including the computer readable code, downconvert the captured image data to generate a downconverted image data and detect an edge of the computer readable code. The processor can also identify a position of the computer readable code in the downconverted image data and store or process only the identified computer readable code.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for processing items, the system comprising:
a reader configured to capture an image of an item, the item comprising a computer readable code and additional item information positioned thereon, the additional item information spaced apart and different from the computer readable code; and
one or more processors in data communication with the reader and configured to:
obtain a captured image of the item, the captured image including the computer readable code, the computer readable code storing retrievable information associated with the item;
downconvert the captured image to generate a downconverted image of the item, the downconverted image being smaller in size than the captured image;
detect an edge of the computer readable code in the downconverted image;
identify a region of the computer readable code in the downconverted image, comprising images of the computer readable code and the additional item information, based at least in part on the detected edge of the computer readable code in the downconverted image; and
store or process only the identified region of the computer readable code such that the additional item information is not stored or processed.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a memory configured to receive the captured image from the reader and store the received captured image, at least one of the one or more processors configured to receive the captured image from the reader or retrieve the captured image from the memory, to obtain the captured image.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein, prior to the storing or processing, at least one of the one or more processors is further configured to upconvert the downconverted image to the original captured image and store or process only a portion of the original captured image corresponding to the identified region of the computer readable code in the downconverted image.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein in downconverting the captured image at least one of the one or more processors is further configured to downconvert a resolution of the captured image from a higher resolution to a lower resolution at a downconversion ratio.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the one or more processors is further configured to select the downconversion ratio to detect the edge in a lower resolution image.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more processors is further configured to:
select a portion of the captured image representing only the computer readable code from the downconverted image based on the identified region of the computer readable code in the downconverted image; and
store or process only the selected portion of the captured image representing only the computer readable code.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein in detecting the edge of the computer readable code, at least one of the one or more processors is further configured to detect a border between a white space and the computer readable code, and determine the detected border as the edge of the computer readable code.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more processors is configured to downconvert the captured image at a downsampling ratio sufficient to enable the at least one of the one or more processors to detect the edge of the computer readable code in the downconverted image.

9. A system for processing items, the system comprising:
a reader configured to capture an image of an item, the item comprising a computer readable code positioned thereon, the computer readable code comprising a barcode including a plurality of bars and the captured image data comprising binary data of the item;
one or more processors in data communication with the reader and configured to:
obtain a captured image of the item, the captured image including the computer readable code;
downconvert the captured image of the item to generate a downconverted image of the item, the downconverted image comprising the computer readable code, the downconverted image being smaller in size than the captured image;
detect a border between a white space and a beginning or ending bar of the plurality of bars, and determine the detected beginning or ending bar as an edge of the barcode;
identify a region of the computer readable code in the downconverted image based at least in part on the detected edge of the computer readable code in the downconverted image; and

store or process only the identified region of the computer readable code.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identified region of the computer readable code has an analog format, and wherein at least one of the one or more processors is further configured to convert the identified region of the computer readable code into digital data and store or process the digital data.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the one or more processors is further configured to:
store a relationship between a region of the computer readable code in the captured image and the identified region of the computer readable code in the downconverted image; and
obtain digital values of the region of the computer readable code in the captured image based on the relationship and the converted digital data of the identified region of the computer readable code.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the relationship comprises a downsampling ratio.

13. A method of extracting a computer readable code from a captured image of an item, the method comprising:
capturing, at a reader, an image of an item, the item comprising a computer readable code and additional item information positioned thereon, the additional item information spaced apart and different from the computer readable code, the computer readable code storing retrievable information associated with the item;
storing, at a memory, the captured image;
obtaining, at a one or more processors, the captured image of the item either from the reader or the memory, the captured image of the item including the computer readable code;
downconverting, at the one or more processors, the captured image of the item to generate a downconverted image of the item, the downconverted image being smaller in size than the captured image;
detecting, at the one or more processors, an edge of the computer readable code in the downconverted image;
identifying, at the one or more processors, a region of the computer readable code in the downconverted image, comprising images of the computer readable code and the additional item information, based at least in part on the detected edge of the computer readable code; and
storing or processing, at the one or more processors, only the identified region of the computer readable code such that the additional item information is not stored or processed.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, prior to the storing or processing:
upconverting the downconverted image to the original captured image; and
storing or processing only a portion of the original captured image corresponding to the identified region of the computer readable code in the downconverted image.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the downconverting comprises downconverting a resolution of the captured image from a higher resolution to a lower resolution at a downconversion ratio.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the downconverting comprises selecting the downconversion ratio to detect the edge in a lower resolution image.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
selecting a portion of the captured image representing only the computer re

Assignees

• United States Postal Service

Inventors

• Simpson Ryan J

Classifications

• G06T7/13

  Edge detection · CPC title

• G06T7/73

  using feature-based methods · CPC title

• G06K7/1413

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• G06T3/4023

  based on decimating pixels or lines of pixels; based on inserting pixels or lines of pixels · CPC title

• G06K7/1452

  detecting bar code edges · CPC title