System and method for narrowcasting item tracking

• US 20040031846A1
• Filed: 08/14/2002
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Burgess, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,350,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00024 Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0004 Determining the location of mailpieces outside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00588 Barcode

Abstract

Using a unique, mailer applied PLANET bar code offered by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), a mail tracking system automatically sends an electronic message to the mailer once mail passes through mail processing machines at each USPS facility. The message to the mailer preferably includes the location of the mail, the time and date the mail is in the USPS facility, and optionally the destination of the mail.

Claims

7. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for tracking items, said method steps comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique code to an item;

sending said unique code associated with a sender ID to a database, wherein said sender ID is uniquely associated with a sender;

applying said unique code to said item;

reading said unique code at at least one item handling facility;

querying said database to determine which sender ID is associated with said read code;

sending data associated with said item from said at least one item handling facility to said database; and

sending said data associated with said item from said database to said sender.

1. A method for tracking items, comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique code to an item;

sending said unique code associated with a sender ID to a database, wherein said sender ID is uniquely associated with a sender;

applying said unique code to said item;

reading said unique code at at least one item handling facility;

querying said database to determine which sender ID is associated with said read code;

sending data associated with said item from said at least one item handling facility to said database; and

sending said data associated with said item from said database to said sender.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said unique code is a two-dimensional bar code.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said database is co-located with said at least one handling facility.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said steps of sending are accomplished using the Internet.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of querying is accomplished over one of a local area network and the Internet.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said steps of sending data are accomplished over one of a local area network and the Internet.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said unique code is a two-dimensional bar code.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein said database is co-located with said at least one handling facility.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein said steps of sending are accomplished using the Internet.

11. A method according to claim 7, wherein said step of querying is accomplished over one of a local area network and the Internet.

12. A method according to claim 7, wherein said steps of sending data are accomplished over one of a local area network and the Internet.

13. A system for tracking items, comprising:

means for assigning a unique code to an item;

means for sending said unique code associated with a sender ID to a database, wherein said sender ID is uniquely associated with a sender;

means for applying said unique code to said item;

means for reading said unique code at at least one item handling facility;

means for querying said database to determine which sender ID is associated with said read code;

means for sending data associated with said item from said at least one item handling facility to said database; and

means for sending said data associated with said item from said database to said sender.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein said database is co-located with said at least one handling facility.

15. A system according to claim 12, wherein said means for sending said unique code to said database uses the Internet.

16. A system according to claim 12, wherein said means for querying uses either a local area network, the Internet, or both.

17. A system according to claim 12, wherein said means for sending data from said database to said sender uses the Internet.

13-1. A system according to claim 12, wherein said unique code is a two-dimensional bar code.