JP7305723B2 - Sorting device, sorting method and sorting program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sorting device, a sorting method and a sorting program.

In recent years, expectations have been high for a technology called a digital twin that reproduces a real environment in a digital virtual space for analysis and prediction. With the development of digital twin computing, the range of human activities expands into the virtual world. For example, the digital world optimizes the information that individuals receive.

On the other hand, in the real world, information is exchanged via mail (see Patent Document 1). In the real world, the exchange of private information between individuals has been reduced due to the shift to the digital world. It is assumed that there will be polarization in writing, etc. Also, in the real world, lifestyles are diversifying, such as non-settlement and multi-site living.

JP 2006-195895 A

However, in the conventional technology, the exchange of information via mail may become inefficient. For example, when a non-settled or multi-location user is away from home for a long period of time, the chances of checking the mailbox are reduced. This can lead to delays in reviewing important documents and flooding mailboxes with uninteresting advertisements and leaflets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to efficiently exchange information through mail.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the sorting apparatus according to the present invention provides an acquisition unit that acquires an image of mail that has been posted in a mailbox, and an image that analyzes the acquired image. and a classification control section for classifying the mail into a predetermined division according to the result of the classification.

According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently exchange information via mail.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the sorting device. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the sorting device. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of the sorting device. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining processing of the display control unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining processing of the notification unit. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the sorting processing procedure. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a computer that executes a sorting program.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited by this embodiment. Moreover, in the description of the drawings, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[Overview of sorting device]
1 and 2 are diagrams for explaining the outline of the sorting apparatus of this embodiment. The sorting apparatus of the present embodiment uses images of mails posted in mailboxes to sort unnecessary mails such as advertisements and fliers that are uninteresting to the user and specific important mails. Specifically, the sorting apparatus uses images of the mail items to determine the importance/unnecessity of the mail items, and performs control for sorting the mail items into predetermined sections inside the mailbox.

In the following description, mail is not limited to items delivered by a post office, but refers to items posted in a mailbox, including advertisements, leaflets, etc., as well as mail services by courier companies and the like.

Here, in each mailbox of the housing complex illustrated in FIG. 1, a camera is installed at a predetermined position, for example, vertically or horizontally inside the mailbox, and photographs the mail when it is posted. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the sorting device acquires the photographed image and distinguishes between unnecessary mail items and important mail items based on the image. Further, the discriminating device controls so that the mail items are sorted into sections according to the discrimination result. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the sorting device moves the posted mail in parallel and drops it in a predetermined compartment according to the determination result, thereby controlling it so that it is accommodated in an appropriate compartment. As a result, the user of the mailbox can reliably confirm important mail without being confused with unnecessary mail. The installation position and the number of installed cameras for photographing mail are not particularly limited.

Also, the sorting device notifies the user if there is an important mail item, as shown in FIG. This allows the user to easily and quickly confirm important mail items.

[Configuration of sorting device]
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of the sorting device. As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the sorting apparatus 10 is implemented by a general-purpose computer such as a personal computer, and includes an input section 11 , an output section 12 , a communication control section 13 , a storage section 14 and a control section 15 .

The input unit 11 is implemented using an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, and inputs various instruction information such as processing start to the control unit 15 in response to input operations by the operator. The output unit 12 is implemented by a display device such as a liquid crystal display, a printing device such as a printer, or the like.

The communication control unit 13 is implemented by a NIC (Network Interface Card) or the like, and controls communication between an external device and the control unit 15 via a network. For example, the communication control unit 13 controls communication between the control unit 15 and the control mechanism of the mailbox 1 to be sorted, which will be described later.

The storage unit 14 is implemented by a semiconductor memory device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a flash memory, or a storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk. Note that the storage unit 14 may be configured to communicate with the control unit 15 via the communication control unit 13 .

In the present embodiment, the storage unit 14 stores in advance, for example, information on the mailbox 1 used for sorting processing, which will be described later, information on the notification destination of the user of the mailbox 1, notification conditions, and the like.

The control unit 15 is implemented using a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or the like, and executes a processing program stored in a memory. Thereby, the control unit 15 functions as an acquisition unit 15a, a determination unit 15b, a classification control unit 15c, a notification unit 15d, and a notification unit 15e, as illustrated in FIG. It should be noted that these functional units may be implemented in different hardware, respectively or partially. For example, the notification unit 15d and the notification unit 15e may be implemented in a device separate from other functional units. Also, the control unit 15 may include other functional units.

The acquisition unit 15a acquires an image of the mail posted in the mailbox 1. FIG. For example, in the mailbox 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, when mail is detected to be posted, the mail is photographed by cameras installed on the left and right inside the mailbox. In that case, the acquisition unit 15 a acquires the photographed image of the mail via the communication control unit 13 .

The discrimination unit 15b discriminates at least one of unnecessary mail and important mail by analyzing the acquired image. Specifically, the discrimination unit 15b discriminates a postal matter having a predetermined shape as at least one of an unnecessary postal matter and an important postal matter. For example, the discrimination unit 15b discriminates mail having a predetermined shape as unnecessary mail. Specifically, the discrimination unit 15b discriminates, for example, a piece of paper that is not enclosed in a sealed letter as an unnecessary postal item such as an advertisement or leaflet. A folded piece of paper, a letter with no address written on it, or the like may be determined as unnecessary mail.

Alternatively, the discrimination unit 15b may discriminate a postal matter having a predetermined shape as an important postal matter. For example, the discrimination unit 15b may discriminate a sealed letter as an important mail item.

Note that the discriminating unit 15b distinguishes, for example, mail having a thickness within a predetermined value range, mail having a specific shape such as a sealed portion on at least one side, or the amount of stamps attached. and distinguish it as an envelope.

The discriminating unit 15b can discriminate between unnecessary mail and important mail by learning the characteristics of each shape as described above. Note that the discrimination unit 15b is not limited to the discrimination based on the learning of shape features. For example, the discriminating unit 15b may discriminate between unnecessary mail and important mail according to a shape that satisfies a preset condition. good.

Alternatively, the discrimination unit 15b discriminates a mail item indicating predetermined information as at least one of an unnecessary mail item and an important mail item. For example, the discrimination unit 15b discriminates mail indicating predetermined information as important mail. For example, the determination unit 15b identifies a sealed letter in which a predetermined sender specified in advance by the user is described, or a sealed letter in which an address including specific characters such as a company name is described, and identifies important mail. distinguish between things. Postal matters with specific characters such as "personal letter" and "specific mail" or specific images such as characters or logos of local governments may be identified and determined as important postal matters.

The discrimination unit 15b may discriminate both unnecessary mail and important mail, discriminate only unnecessary mail, or discriminate only important mail. good. In either case, it suffices if the discriminated mail can be separated from the other mail. For example, postal items that are not determined to be unnecessary or important, such as mail items that arrive in bundles, are sorted as other mail items.

Further, the determination unit 15b may separate mail items showing predetermined information from mail items having a predetermined shape. For example, the discrimination unit 15b may further discriminate mails indicating predetermined information among mails discriminated as unnecessary mails as important mails and separate them from the unnecessary mails. In other words, the discrimination unit 15b may discriminate a specific leaflet as an important postal item without treating all advertisements and leaflets as unnecessary mail. For example, flyers with images of specific items such as PCs, home electric appliances, sweets, etc. specified in advance by the user and letters indicating the name of the item are described may be discriminated as important mail and sorted.

Alternatively, the discrimination unit 15b may discriminate a postal matter indicating predetermined information as an unnecessary postal matter. For example, if the mail cannot be determined as unnecessary mail only by the shape, the determination unit 15b may determine the mail as unnecessary by using character or image information such as the address and the sender. For example, the discriminating unit 15b may discriminate a postal item on which characters, an image, or the like indicating a predetermined sender's name specified in advance by the user is described, and discriminate it as an unnecessary postal item.

The sorting control unit 15c sorts the postal matter into a predetermined division according to the determined result. Here, FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the processing of the classification control unit. The sorting control unit 15c classifies the determined mail into the section corresponding to the determination result among the sections such as "important", "unnecessary", and "others" set in advance inside the mailbox 1, as shown in FIG. The control unit of the mailbox 1 is controlled through the communication control unit 13 so that the mail is stored in the mailbox.

Note that the compartments of the mailbox 1 are not limited to the compartments illustrated in FIG. For example, there may be two partitions, one of "unnecessary" or "important" and the other. In this case, the classification control unit 15c picks up only the mail items determined to be unnecessary or important and stores them in the corresponding section, thereby separating them from the other mail items.

Returning to the description of FIG. The notification unit 15d notifies the user of the mailbox 1 when an important mail item has been posted. For example, the notification unit 15d sends a message to a predetermined notification destination such as a user's e-mail address set in advance to notify that an important postal item has been posted. At that time, the notification unit 15d may also notify the date and time of posting. In addition, the notification unit 15d may attach a photographed image of the mail. The user may be allowed to set in advance the notification conditions such as the content to be notified.

Here, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the processing of the notification unit. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the notification unit 15d notifies the user of the mailbox 1 that a preset specific mail item has been posted. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the sender, destination name, mailing date and time, and the image of the mail are notified.

The notification unit 15e notifies the sender or the user of the mailbox 1 when unnecessary mail is posted. For example, when a postal item with an incorrect address is posted, the notification unit 15e emits an alarm sound, lights an alarm lamp, or ejects the posted postal item to the outside from a posting port or a predetermined discharge port. The sender may be notified by In that case, the notification section 15e controls the control section of the mailbox 1 via the communication control section 13 to execute the notification as described above. Alternatively, the notification unit 15e may notify the user of the mailbox 1 in the same manner as the notification unit 15d when predetermined conditions are met, such as when a predetermined number or more of unnecessary mail items have been posted. good.

[Sorting procedure]
Next, an example of sorting processing by the sorting device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the sorting processing procedure. The flowchart of FIG. 6 is started, for example, when an input instructing the start of the sorting process is received.

First, the acquisition unit 15a acquires an image of a mail item posted in the mailbox 1 (step S1). Next, the determination unit 15b analyzes the acquired image (step S2).

Then, the discriminating unit 15b discriminates mail having a predetermined shape as, for example, unnecessary mail (step S3, Yes→S6). For example, the discriminating unit 15b discriminates a piece of paper that is not enclosed in a sealed letter as an unnecessary postal item such as an advertisement or leaflet. Alternatively, the discriminating unit 15b discriminates a folded piece of paper, a sealed letter with no address, etc., as unnecessary mail.

Next, the discriminating unit 15b discriminates mail indicating predetermined information as, for example, important mail (step S3, No→step S4, Yes→S5). For example, the determination unit 15b identifies a sealed letter in which a predetermined sender specified in advance by the user is described, or a sealed letter in which an address including specific characters such as a company name is described, and identifies important mail. distinguish between things. Alternatively, the discriminating unit 15b identifies mail on which specific characters such as "personal letter" and "specific mail" are written, and discriminates the mail as an important mail. On the other hand, the discriminating unit 15b discriminates mail items that do not indicate predetermined information as unnecessary mail items (step S4, No→S6).

Then, the classification control unit 15c classifies the postal matter into a predetermined division according to the determined result (step S7). For example, the classification control unit 15c stores the discriminated mail in a section corresponding to the discrimination result among the sections such as "important", "unnecessary", and "others" set in advance inside the mailbox 1. It controls the controller of the mailbox 1 via the communication controller 13 . This completes a series of sorting processes.

[effect]
As described above, in the sorting device 10 of the above-described embodiment, the acquisition unit 15a acquires the image of the postal matter posted in the mailbox 1. FIG. Further, the discrimination unit 15b discriminates at least one of unnecessary mail and important mail by analyzing the acquired image. Also, the sorting control unit 15c sorts the postal items into predetermined divisions according to the determined result.

As a result, even if the user of mailbox 1 is absent from home for a long period of time due to non-settled residence or multi-location life, and has limited opportunities to check mailbox 1, important mail is mixed with unnecessary mail. Therefore, it is possible to check the important postal matter without fail. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently exchange information via mail.

Specifically, the discrimination unit 15b discriminates a postal matter having a predetermined shape as at least one of an unnecessary postal matter and an important postal matter. As a result, for example, it is possible to easily separate advertisements and leaflets that are not of interest to the user as unnecessary mail.

Further, the discrimination unit 15b discriminates a mail item indicating predetermined information as at least one of an important mail item and an unnecessary mail item. As a result, for example, the user of the mailbox 1 can reliably check the mail that has been determined to be important without overlooking it.

Further, the determination unit 15b may separate mail items showing predetermined information from mail items having a predetermined shape. For example, from unnecessary mails, mails showing predetermined information are discriminated as important mails and separated from the unnecessary mails. This makes it possible, for example, to sort out specific advertisements and leaflets that are of interest to the user.

Also, the notification unit 15d notifies the user of the mailbox 1 when an important mail item has been posted. This allows the user to easily and quickly confirm important mail items.

In addition, the notification unit 15e notifies the sender or the user of the mailbox 1 when unnecessary mail is posted. This makes it possible to avoid situations where the mailbox 1 is overflowing with unnecessary mail.

[System configuration, etc.]
Each component of each device illustrated is functionally conceptual, and does not necessarily need to be physically configured as illustrated. In other words, the specific form of distribution and integration of each device is not limited to the one shown in the figure, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in arbitrary units according to various loads and usage conditions. Can be integrated and configured. Furthermore, all or any part of each processing function performed by each device is realized by a CPU or GPU and a program analyzed and executed by the CPU or GPU, or as hardware by wired logic can be realized.

Further, among the processes described in this embodiment, all or part of the processes described as being automatically performed can be performed manually, or the processes described as being performed manually can be performed manually. All or part of this can also be done automatically by known methods. In addition, information including processing procedures, control procedures, specific names, and various data and parameters shown in the above documents and drawings can be arbitrarily changed unless otherwise specified.

[program]
It is also possible to create a program in which the processing executed by the sorting apparatus described in the above embodiment is described in a computer-executable language. For example, it is also possible to create a program in which the processing executed by the sorting apparatus 10 according to the embodiment is described in a computer-executable language. In this case, the same effects as those of the above embodiments can be obtained by having the computer execute the program. Further, such a program may be recorded in a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded in this recording medium may be read by a computer and executed to realize processing similar to that of the above embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a computer that executes a sorting program. Computer 1000 includes, for example, memory 1010 , CPU 1020 , hard disk drive interface 1030 , disk drive interface 1040 , serial port interface 1050 , video adapter 1060 and network interface 1070 . These units are connected by a bus 1080 .

The memory 1010 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 1011 and a RAM 1012 . The ROM 1011 stores a boot program such as BIOS (Basic Input Output System). Hard disk drive interface 1030 is connected to hard disk drive 1031 . Disk drive interface 1040 is connected to disk drive 1041 . A removable storage medium such as a magnetic disk or an optical disk is inserted into the disk drive 1041, for example. A mouse 1051 and a keyboard 1052 are connected to the serial port interface 1050, for example. For example, a display 1061 is connected to the video adapter 1060 .

Here, the hard disk drive 1031 stores an OS 1091, application programs 1092, program modules 1093 and program data 1094, for example. Each piece of information described in the above embodiment is stored in the hard disk drive 1031 or the memory 1010, for example.

Also, the sorting program is stored in hard disk drive 1031 as program module 1093 in which instructions to be executed by computer 1000 are described, for example. Specifically, the hard disk drive 1031 stores a program module 1093 that describes each process executed by the sorting apparatus 10 described in the above embodiment.

Data used for information processing by the sorting program is stored as program data 1094 in the hard disk drive 1031, for example. Then, the CPU 1020 reads out the program module 1093 and the program data 1094 stored in the hard disk drive 1031 to the RAM 1012 as necessary, and executes each procedure described above.

Note that the program module 1093 and program data 1094 related to the sorting program are not limited to being stored in the hard disk drive 1031. For example, they are stored in a removable storage medium and read by the CPU 1020 via the disk drive 1041 or the like. may be Alternatively, the program module 1093 and program data 1094 related to the sorting program are stored in another computer connected via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network), and sent via the network interface 1070. It may be read by CPU 1020 .

Although the embodiments to which the invention made by the present inventor is applied have been described above, the present invention is not limited by the descriptions and drawings forming a part of the disclosure of the present invention according to the embodiments. That is, other embodiments, examples, operation techniques, etc. made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention.

1 mailbox 10 sorting device 11 input unit 12 output unit 13 communication control unit 14 storage unit 15 control unit 15a acquisition unit 15b determination unit 15c classification control unit 15d notification unit 15e notification unit

Claims (6)

an acquisition unit that acquires an image of a mail item posted in a mailbox;
By analyzing the acquired images, mail items having a thickness within a predetermined value range, mail items having a sealed portion on at least one side, or mail items including affixed stamp amounts are identified. a discriminating unit that discriminates at least one of unnecessary mail and important mail according to the identification result ;
a sorting control unit that sorts the postal matter into a predetermined section according to the determined result;
A sorting device comprising: 2. The sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discriminating unit discriminates mails indicating predetermined information as at least either important mails or unnecessary mails. 2. The sorting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit for notifying a user of said mailbox when an important mail item has been posted. 2. The sorting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit for notifying a person who posted or a user of said mailbox when unnecessary mail has been posted. A sorting method performed by a sorting device,
an acquisition step of acquiring an image of the mail that has been posted in the mailbox;
By analyzing the acquired images, mail items having a thickness within a predetermined value range, mail items having a sealed portion on at least one side, or mail items including affixed stamp amounts are identified. a discrimination step of discriminating at least one of unnecessary mail and important mail according to the identification result ;
a sorting control step of sorting the postal matter into a predetermined section according to the determined result;
A sorting method characterized by including a capturing step of capturing an image of a piece of mail placed in a mailbox;
By analyzing the acquired images, mail items having a thickness within a predetermined value range, mail items having a sealed portion on at least one side, or mail items including affixed stamp amounts are identified. a determination step of determining at least one of unnecessary mail and important mail according to the identification result ;
a classification control step of classifying the postal matter into a predetermined section according to the determined result;
A sorting program for executing on a computer.

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