A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING ITEMS OF MAIL

摘要

A postage stamp (30) or an equivalent printed marking has a code, preferably includes two or more machine readable bar codes (27) and (29) mutually at right angles and printed on the surface of the postage stamp or on an envelope, provides the data necessary for processing a mail item. The code may be a visible printing or an invisible marker such as a fluorescent dye. These code parts are machine readable in either direction of scanning whereby one or other of the code parts (27) and (29), can be uniquely identified by the reading apparatus as well as the direction of scan. This arrangement provides that during the scanning process, the orientation of the postage stamp on a postal item in one of four possible orientations for each face, can be determined as well as the value.