Deployment of wide field of view (WFOV) cameras as replacements for the aging and obsolete wide area barcode readers (WABCRs) started in 2003. The WFOV camera system replaces WABCRs on all existing DBCS, DIOSS, and carrier sequence barcode sorter (CSBCS) machines. This camera system will be able to read information- based indicia (IBI) codes as well as Postal Numeric Encoding Technique (POSTNET) and PLANET barcodes currently being read by the WABCR. The WFOV camera system demonstrated a significant improvement over the WABCR in reading POSTNET and PLANET barcodes. Deployment of over 9,000 WFOV cameras was completed in November 2003.

     The flat mail Video Coding System (VCS) provides the same capability for flats as it does for letters, keeping OCR rejects in the automated mailstream. Address images of the rejected mailpieces are captured at the flat sorter and sent to the VCS where a keyer views and processes the images online. The VCSs were initially installed in the processing plants. However, recent advances in the technology have made it possible to key images more efficiently off-site at the remote encoding centers (RECs). Consequently, plants have relocated their video coding operation to the RECs, thereby reducing costs.

     The Flats Remote Encoding System (FRES) will be deployed in 2004, to further improve the efficiency of the AFSM 100 REC keying operation. It will reduce the number of keyers required, and manage and balance their workload.

     For flats that are not prebarcoded by the mailer, the currently deployed technology requires retranslating the address at each subsequent distribution operation. Flat ID Code Sort (FICS), development, which was completed in 2003, applies an identification (ID) tag to each nonbarcoded flat and saves the address coding result from the OCR or the REC. In subsequent operations, FICS

reads the ID tag and sorts the mail using the saved ZIP Code information. By eliminating multiple keyings of the same images at the REC, FICS will enable the Postal Service to further automate flat sorting operations. Additionally, FICS will allow us to support future efforts in flat delivery point sequencing and intelligent mail initiatives such as making information about mail status available to our customers in programs such as the CONFIRM program. Starting in April 2004, FICS will be deployed to all AFSM 100 machines.

     The flat sorting machine (FSM) 1000 can process mail, such as newspapers and polywrapped material, that cannot be handled by our primary flat sorter, the automated flat sorting machine (AFSM) 100. Deployment of automated flats feeders and optical character readers (AFF/OCR) on the FSM 1000s was completed in 2003. The AFF/OCR modification provides higher machine throughputs and lower staffing requirements. With these upgrades installed, the system is now referred to as the upgraded flat sorting machine (UFSM) 1000. During 2004, we expect to begin deploying OCR improvements that will further enhance machine performance.

     During 2003, in-plant and first article tests were conducted for the AFSM 100 feeder enhancement destacking retrofit (FEDR) with successful results. This program is expected to improve throughput by 4.6 percent. Deployment of 1,627 FEDRs to replace feeders on 534 AFSM 100s began in August 2003 and is scheduled for completion in May 2004.

     During 2003, the Postal Service began a research and development program to improve flats preparation and provide automated induction for the AFSM 100. Field testing of the system will take place in 2004.