Abstract: A camera assembly is disclosed which may be implemented on a mail processing system for photographing flats mail items. In one embodiment, the assembly includes lighting components (e.g., light emitting diodes) which are capable of projecting light toward a mail item in a viewing station at a specific angle, which angle may be adjusted to reduce the amount of specular reflection from an item toward a camera. The lighting components may reside in a nose unit which may be easily attached to and detached from the housing for ease of maintenance. The nose unit may be attachable to the housing in a manner which seals the camera and lighting components off from the operating environment, such that airborne dust and debris does not enter the housing or nose unit and damage the camera or lighting components.

Abstract: A method for automatically detecting nuclear material using radiographic images of a cargo container includes receiving a plurality of radiographic images of the cargo container and aligning the plurality of images with respect to each other to produce registered images. The method also includes segmenting the registered images using the atomic number and other edge/texture information in order to locate one or more regions of interest within the registered images and estimating atomic number information for each of a predetermined number of portions of the registered images. The method includes assigning a threat level and a confidence value to regions of interest identified as a potential threat and evaluating the regions of interest identified as potential threats using material context information and adjusting, based on the evaluation, the threat level values and confidences of the regions of interest identified as potential threats.

Abstract: A non-contact sensing system for detecting a double feed condition of mail. The non-contact sensing system generally includes a mail sorting machine that routes and moves the mail, a non-contact sensor, and a controller. The non-contact sensor is positioned proximate to the conveyor and generates a signal that is indicative of the thickness of the mail. The controller receives the signal from the non-contact sensor and generates an output signal that indicates a double feed condition.

Abstract: A camera assembly is disclosed which may be implemented on a mail processing system for photographing flats mail items. In one embodiment, the assembly includes lighting components (e.g., light emitting diodes) which are capable of projecting light toward a mail item in a viewing station at a specific angle, which angle may be adjusted to reduce the amount of specular reflection from an item toward a camera. The lighting components may reside in a nose unit which may be easily attached to and detached from the housing for ease of maintenance. The nose unit may be attachable to the housing in a manner which seals the camera and lighting components off from the operating environment, such that airborne dust and debris does not enter the housing or nose unit and damage the camera or lighting components.