METHOD FOR PROVIDING SORTING INFORMATION FOR POSTAL SORTING ITEMS

The present invention discloses a method for providing sorting information (6) for postal items (2), such as letters, brochures, parcels and the like, each postal item (2, 2a, 2b, 2c) comprising an address information (4), comprising the steps of: a) providing an overhead positioned camera (8); said camera (8) being capable of taking images of the postal items (2, 2a, 2b); b) providing an image recognition means (14) in order to extract the address information (4) from the postal item (2, 2a, 2b); c) providing a process control (16) being enabled to assign the sorting information (6) to the postal item (2, 2a, 2b) in response to the extracted address information (4); d) forming a stack (20) of postal items (2, 2a, 2b) wherein the postal items (2, 2a, 2b) are oriented to allow reading the respective address information (4) from the overhead positioned camera (8) wherein the stack (20) of postal items (2, 2a, 2b) is positioned in a determined area of view (24) with respect to the camera (8) ; e) disposing at least one optical mark (28) adjacent to the determined area of view (24); f) removing the postal item (2a) on top of the stack (20) and occlude the at least one optical mark (28) temporarily for the camera (8) during the movement for removing; g) detecting that the at least one optical mark (28) has been occluded temporarily by an evaluation of the images taken by the camera (8); and h) in response to the detection deducting that the successive postal item (2b) is now present on the top of the stack (20), taking a new image of the successive postal item (2b) and extracting the address information (4) from this new image and assigning the respective sorting information (6) to the successive postal item (2b).