The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reading address
fields on mail items when the address field cannot be automatically read.
Herein, when an address field cannot be read, a signature of the surface
of the mail piece where the address field is believed to be is made. The
signature is derived from a scanning the surface and forming a grid
pattern of the larger typographical fields. A database is queried to
determine if a match exists between the signature and another signature.
If a match is found, the information is imported into the automatic
reading process, the information assisting in the reading of the address
field. If no match is found, the scanned image is manually encoded and
this information is used.
