US 12,296,363 B2
Vision-enhanced photocell system for package sorting
George Coupar, Leesburg, VA (US); Jeffrey A. Fox, Alexandria, VA (US); James Whipple, Greenbelt, MD (US); and Gabriel DiFurio, Stevenson, VA (US)
Assigned to UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE, Washington, DC (US)
Filed on Feb. 13, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/440,023.
Application 18/440,023 is a continuation of application No. 18/182,680, filed on Mar. 13, 2023, granted, now 11,911,799.
Application 18/182,680 is a continuation of application No. 16/578,689, filed on Sep. 23, 2019, granted, now 11,602,773, issued on Mar. 14, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/735,539, filed on Sep. 24, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0181499 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B07C 3/14 (2006.01); B07C 3/12 (2006.01); B65B 57/12 (2006.01); B65G 43/08 (2006.01)
CPC B07C 3/14 (2013.01) [B07C 3/12 (2013.01); B65B 57/12 (2013.01); B65G 43/08 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0285 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0208 (2013.01); B65G 2203/041 (2013.01); B65G 2203/044 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensing system for detecting delivery items, the sensing system comprising:
a hardware processor that is operably connected to a light detector and a camera positioned at a sensing location along a moving surface that moves a delivery item that is on the moving surface, the hardware processor configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving a light status signal from the light detector, the light status signal having a first state when a light beam directed across the moving surface is detected at the light detector, which indicates absence of the delivery item, and a second state when the light beam is not detected at the light detector, which indicates presence of the delivery item;
receiving image data from the camera, the image data including images at the sensing location; and
modifying the light status signal based on the image data when the light status signal and the image data disagree on a number of the delivery items.