An image-based postal barcode decoder with missing bar correction

In this paper, we propose an image-based postal barcode decoding algorithm. The proposed algorithm is capable of correcting missing bars in a symbol. Postal barcodes in general belong to bar length modulated symbology. Usually, postal barcodes use a check digit to detect errors. It is possible for some postal code symbologies not only to detect errors, but also to correct them by using the uniqueness of the pattern of a digit. In this paper, we present a general method of correcting errors caused by missing bars. In order to validate our method, a POSTNET (Postal Numeric Encoding Techniques) decoder is implemented. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can correct one missing bar in a digit, and at most ten missing bars in a POSTNET symbol.