Advanced Package Processing System [APPS] MTAC – August 2004

Agenda System Description Deployment Status Bundle Processing –Machine Recognition Characteristics –Sample Image Review (not in handouts) –Federal Register Notice Future Initiatives

APPS Mail Characteristics

APPS Deployment Status 74 Machines, 70 sites First Article Test completed May ‘04 Deployment from Aug ‘04 to Oct ‘05

Bundle Processing on APPS APPS uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to read both OEL and address block information to sort the mail Current read rates for OEL bundles is around 80% Read failures occur due to: –The address block is obscured by opaque strapping material –The address block is obscured by opaque shrink wrap –The OCR fails to correctly decode the OEL

Image Capture Gray Scale Image – 5,807Kb Binary Image – 201Kb OCR decodes Binary Image

Clear Strapping Examples Strap flush with surfaceStrap spaced away from surface

Federal Register Notice Recommends placing the address label in one of the four corners of the mailpiece Where the label WILL be covered - Proposed DMM Changes  Clear strapping (less than 70% haze)  Clear shrinkwrap (less than 70% haze)  An optional bundle label: Includes the OEL, the words “OPTIONAL BUNDLE LABEL”, and the City, State, and ZIP Code

OCR Decoding Challenge APPS OCR Result Mis-segmented Characters, not Identified as “*” “SORT” read as “SORF” Due to touching “*”

Future OEL improvements These are NOT in the proposed DMM changes  Add a bar code to the package and / or OEL label  Use of OCR-friendly fonts for OEL data  Add redundant single-character indication of OEL type  Eliminate dashes ( - ) in OEL, which can appear to touch when printed poorly  Separate fill characters with spaces, to eliminate near-touching

APPS Recommended Address Font Recommendations same as Flats OCR Optimization Use point font size Recommended Fonts: Arial Lucida FAX Arial BlackLucida Sans CopperplateOCR-A Courier OCR-B MT Courier NewSF Sans Serif HelveticaTahoma Avoid narrow type & script fonts

APPS Point of Contact For questions regarding APPS processing contact: Scott Bombaugh Manager, Material Handling Technology USPS Engineering (703)