Abstract: Image acquisition apparatus (1) for acquiring images of mailpieces (P), the apparatus comprising a housing (3) inside which the following are placed: a first camera (4) co-operating with a first lighting system (8) emitting light radiation at a certain wavelength suitable for exciting a fluorescent mark to acquire an image of the surface of a mailpiece through a first window (5); a second camera (6) co-operating with a second lighting system (9) emitting light radiation in the visible light domain to acquire an image of the surface of a mailpiece through a second window (7); and means (10) for preventing light interference, which means are concave in shape and are disposed between the first window and the second window, the second lighting system (9) being disposed in the cavity of said means (10) for preventing light interference.

Abstract: A method of detecting bunched-together overlapping postal items includes the steps of moving the postal items on edge above a camera, forming grayscale images including the bottom sides of the postal items, and analyzing the image for the purpose of detecting the presence of any overlapping postal items. The method further includes the steps of transforming each grayscale image into a binary image that causes a boundary defined by a “pale” zone to appear that represents the bottom side of at least one postal item and that extends between two “dark” zones, the boundary having a “right” first profile and a “left” second profile, and the method further includes the step of analyzing the right and left profiles for the purpose of detecting any profile discontinuity that is indicative of the presence of overlapping postal items.

Abstract: An image acquisition system for identifying signs on mailpieces wherein each mailpiece is moved by being nipped between a conveyor and a housing wall that is provided with a longitudinal slot, comprises, inside the housing, an illumination module having two lighting units that are symmetrical about the slot for the purpose of illuminating a surface defined by the slot, and a camera for forming an image of said illuminated surface, polarization optical means also being disposed between said illumination module and said illuminated surface, and a polarization optical filter being disposed between said camera and said surface. The slot is closed by a flush transparent rigid wall against which each mailpiece is pressed.

Abstract: Image acquisition apparatus (1) for acquiring images of mailpieces (P), the apparatus comprising a housing (3) inside which the following are placed: a first camera (4) co-operating with a first lighting system (8) emitting light radiation at a certain wavelength suitable for exciting a fluorescent mark to acquire an image of the surface of a mailpiece through a first window (5); a second camera (6) co-operating with a second lighting system (9) emitting light radiation in the visible light domain to acquire an image of the surface of a mailpiece through a second window (7); and means (10) for preventing light interference, which means are concave in shape and are disposed between the first window and the second window, the second lighting system (9) being disposed in the cavity of said means (10) for preventing light interference.

Abstract: The read head (1) for a postal sorting installation serves to pick up a digital image of each postal object using a high-resolution camera (3) providing a multiple level gray scale. The read head also has a low-resolution color camera (4), the two cameras (3, 4) being placed in such a manner as to acquire simultaneously two superposable digital images of each postal object. The superposable high-resolution gray scale image and low-resolution color image are intended to be combined in order to provide a high-resolution color image.

Abstract: A method of detecting bunched-together overlapping postal items includes the steps of moving the postal items on edge above a camera, forming grayscale images including the bottom sides of the postal items, and analyzing the image for the purpose of detecting the presence of any overlapping postal items. The method further includes the steps of transforming each grayscale image into a binary image that causes a boundary defined by a “pale” zone to appear that represents the bottom side of at least one postal item and that extends between two “dark” zones, the boundary having a “right” first profile and a “left” second profile, and the method further includes the step of analyzing the right and left profiles for the purpose of detecting any profile discontinuity that is indicative of the presence of overlapping postal items.

Abstract: The system comprises a high resolution camera (1) mounted above a conveyor plane (4) along which objects are displaced, thereby enabling the top face of each object to be observed. The camera (1) is fitted with an objective lens system (5) having a motor-driven focusing system that operates in association with a pickup (8) that produces a signal (S) representative of the vertical profile of the top face of each object relative to the conveyor plane. The profile signal serves to produce positioning references (C) for the focusing mechanism in order to take account of variations in the height of the top face of each object while that object is moving beneath the objective lens system of the camera. Such an image acquisition system is employed to read addresses automatically from postal packets for the purpose of performing automatic sorting.

Abstract: The apparatus of the invention for discriminating mail in a paper envelope from mail in a plastics envelope makes use of a pneumatic technique. In particular, the apparatus comprises a pneumatic system suitable for deforming the envelope to be inspected by applying suction and for measuring variation in pressure associated with said deformation, whereby the inspected envelope is detected as being a paper envelope or as being a plastics envelope. This pneumatic detector may be associated with a detector operating by means of an optical effect for the purpose of controlling a labelling device in equipment for processing flat articles.