Automated Mail Routing via Image Recognition and Text Decomposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large organizations face challenges in efficiently routing communications, especially when entities within the organization have similar addresses, leading to difficulties in adapting communication hubs to changes in entity locations, functions, or operations, and in properly distributing communications with insufficient or erroneous address information.
Innovation Solution
The development of apparatus and methods that utilize computer-readable code and media to process mail items by identifying the correct entity within an organization through image recognition, text string decomposition, and library vector matching, allowing for accurate routing of mail items to their intended destinations even with incomplete or incorrect addressing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple communication hubs are used to service subsets of entities, then the organization can distribute communications more effectively, but the complexity of managing and adapting hubs to changes in entity locations and functions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated routing system with image recognition and text processing capabilities as an intermediary between the mail item and the communication hubs. This intermediary automatically analyzes addressing information, decomposes text strings, and determines the correct destination, eliminating the need for manual hub management and reducing complexity while maintaining efficient communication distribution
Solution Approach 2:
The routing system performs self-service by automatically processing mail items through image capture, text string decomposition, library vector matching, and destination determination without human intervention. The system adapts to changes in entity locations and functions autonomously, reducing the management burden while maintaining productivity
2Loss of information
If the organization maintains current information about hub addresses for entities, then public and internal users can locate entities, but the information becomes outdated when entity locations or functions change
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by capturing images and extracting text strings from mail items before routing decisions are made. By processing the addressing information in advance and matching it against the library of entity characteristics, the system ensures accurate routing even when entity locations or functions have changed, preventing information obsolescence
Solution Approach 2:
The routing system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the image recognition and text decomposition results are continuously compared against the library vectors. This feedback loop allows the system to adapt to changes in entity characteristics and maintain accurate routing information without requiring manual updates
3Ease of operation
If mail items with insufficient or erroneous address information are routed using traditional methods, then routing decisions can be made, but errors in distribution increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial or excessive action by performing multiple layers of analysis on the mail item addressing information. It captures images, decomposes text strings into components, compares each component against library vectors, and uses weighted scoring to determine the best match. This excessive processing ensures accurate routing even when addressing information is insufficient or erroneous, overcoming the limitations of traditional routing methods
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus, methods, media and code for routing a mail item part are provided. A receiver device may electronically receive: an indication that a first mail item part of a mail item is a check; an indication that a second mail item part of a mail item is a payment coupon; and an indication that a third mail item part of a mail item is a message. A processor device may: route the first mail item part and the second mail item part to a first destination; and route the third mail item part to a second destination that corresponds to terms in the message.