Abstract: Described is an image processing system which is operative to automatically determine a quadrilateral object such as a character frame, page mark, or position correction mark only with a mouse click. A field is automatically specified by displaying a scanned image of a form including a black frame on a display, clicking within a character frame at the left end for each recognition field, and clicking within a character frame at the right end of the same field. In this case, a field position/size determination program scans the image in the vertical and horizontal directions from the two clicked points to detect the inner wall of the black frame, and produces a histogram by establishing rectangles between two character frames to automatically detect the number of character frames in the field and the thickness of the black line between the character frames.

Abstract: A method for checking a security imprint in a postage meter machine having a microprocessor includes the steps of encoding data for a security mark pixel image and inserts the encoded data into the remaining, fixed and variable pixel image data during printing. The method includes steps for forming a mark symbol sequence from an encoded combination number which is composed of at least a first number (sum of all postage values since the last reloading date), an optional second number added to said first number, a third number (postage value) and a fourth number (of the serial number), and for enabling a check of the security imprint by a postal authority. Manipulations can be recognized using further data stored and/or calculated in a remote data center. An arrangement conducting a for check includes a mark reader composed of a CCD line camera, a D/A converter, a comparator and an encoder which are connected via an input/output unit to an input unit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for detecting and sorting a document containing an address change request from a group of documents. The apparatus includes a document transport for conveying the document along a selected path of movement. An image scanner positioned along the selected path is provided for reading an image of the document or of a selected area on the document. The image scanner provides density levels corresponding to discrete areas on the document. An image processor determines a set of density levels corresponding to a test line passing through the selected area on the document. Density level transitions are detected along the selected line when two adjacent areas on the document have substantially different density levels. If a sufficient number of density level transitions are detected along the selected line, the document is sorted from the group of documents.