Method for tracking and notification or recipient-initiated mail items

• US 20040199656A1
• Filed: 02/02/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Pintsov, Leon A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00435 Details specific to central, non-customer apparatus, e.g. servers at post office or vendor
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00443 Verification of mailpieces, e.g. by checking databases
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0058 Printing of code

Abstract

A method in which the creation of identifier information is done by the recipient in a convenient fashion and communicated to the mailer. A recipient, such as a business or consumer who orders mail items of value, i.e., merchandise, documents, etc., from a mailer would give the mailer the recipient'"'"'s electronic address and the recipient'"'"'s delivery and handling preferences for the ordered merchandise. The electronic address and delivery and handling preferences of the recipient may be given to the mailer in plain language or in codified or encrypted form. This invention takes into account recipient'"'"'s desires and preferences by entering information about the recipient'"'"'s desires and preferences into a computerized actionable form.

Claims

1. A method for tracking and notification of recipient initiated mail items, which comprises the steps of:

(a) selecting by a recipient a mailer-defined description of an item of value that is in the possession of the mailer;

(b) selecting a unique electronic address of the recipient;

(c) creating by the recipient a unique identifier for the item of value;

(d) creating a description of recipient'"'"'s delivery preferences;

(e) combining the information selected and created in steps A-D in a information record;

(f) communicating the information record to the mailer;

(g) creating a physical representation of the information record;

(h) applying the physical representation of the information record to a mail item;

(i) capturing information from the physical representation of the information record within a carrier system;

(j) creating location information regarding the presence of the mail item at a specified location within the carrier system; and

(k) communicating the captured information and location information to the recipient and to the mailer.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

creating information for handling of the mail item for third parties.

3. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein the third party is a Governmental Customs Office.

4. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein the third party is an escrow agent.

5. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the description of the item is uniquely indicative of the item.

6. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the identifier is known by the recipient system.

7. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the recipient uses the identifier to integrate information from the carrier system to recipient internal applications.

8. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the location information includes the date and time the mail item is at the specified location.

9. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the location information includes the date and time the mail item is delivered to the recipient.

10. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the captured information is communicated to the mailer via e-mail.

11. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the captured information is communicated to the recipient via e-mail.