Reading addresses accurately and efficiently is imperative for any successful address-based sorting or warehouse operation. Optical character recognition (OCR) has recently supplanted manual processing, but until now, implementation has been time-consuming and complex. Prime Vision is solving this with Address Vision, a standardised OCR product that harnesses the latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and hardware to offer high read rates, straightforward set up and easy customisation for operations of any size.
Why OCR is important
Postal and parcel services rely on address-based sorting to ensure packages and letters are delivered to the correct destination, while fulfilment companies can, among other things, use it to streamline the pre-sorting of parcels. OCR allows both processes to be completed quickly and precisely. Address Vision enables printed or handwritten text to be automatically recognised and interpreted, using images from cameras, region-of-interest identification and AI to extract critical information for subsequent sorting processes.
The operational benefits of such a system are far reaching. It improves the efficiency of processes, speeding up operations and improving throughput. Additionally, it reduces manual handling and coding, which are both time consuming and error prone. By streamlining and improving the accuracy of the entire address reading process, Address Vision quickly adds value to sorting or warehouse operations, ensuring a rapid return on investment (ROI).
Flexible product choices
However, for many businesses, OCR implementation has been challenging or inaccessible due to the time and investment required to achieve a reliable, bespoke system. Address Vision changes this, providing a standardised product adept at reading addresses with four separate service levels for streamlined specification and installation.
Base level is an OCR system that can accurately read postcodes from standard while fulfilment companies can use it to streamline the pre-sorting of parcels. Plus builds on this functionality by offering a full address reading capability. Next up is Extended, which adds support for free format addressing, deformable packaging materials, reading reject classification and address database updates. Ultimate is bespoke, offering unparalleled read rates and the highest automation, providing excellent suitability for exceptional cases and large-scale operations.
Standardisation does not come at the cost of capability though. Address Vision allows sorting centres to take advantage of advanced computing, vast networks, versatile frameworks, deep learning and self-improvement – essentially all the functionality associated with state-of-the-art AI.
Making OCR more accessible
Besides its standardisation, what is novel about Address Vision is that all levels are based on the same generic product. Modern advancements in AI frameworks and software engineering have allowed different functionality to be incorporated as plug-and-play micro services. This ensures that any installation can be quickly and simply scaled, customised or upgraded. Consequently, customers can expect accelerated delivery and implementation, adding value to installations and making OCR more accessible than ever before.
Address Vision seamlessly integrates with existing sorting centre infrastructure from other vendors. In terms of hardware, the system requires cameras to capture images and adequate processing power. The inherent flexibility of the product and Prime Vision’s extensive integration experience with postal and parcel customers globally ensures that Address Vision is universally applicable.
A global expert in automation and computer vision solutions to postal and parcel services, Prime Vision has been at the forefront of OCR technology for decades, specialising in both handwritten and machine printed text. The company offers some of the lowest error rates in the industry, with its bespoke systems regularly achieving read rates of over 90%.