System and method for tracking of mail using a universal coding system

• US 20040260665A1
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Daryl
• Granted Patent: US 8,005,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00443 Verification of mailpieces, e.g. by checking databases
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00588 Barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0297 including a machine-readable marking, e.g. a bar code digitally marked record carriers in general G06K19/00

Abstract

A method of tracking trays through a delivery system. The method comprises: generating an enhanced label, the enhanced label comprising a routing code and a label unique identifier, the enhanced label being applied to the tray; associating a tray with a container, the container having a container unique identifier; and receiving a load container scan, the load container scan associating the container unique identifier with the enhanced label.

Claims

1. A method of tracking a tray of items, comprising:

generating an enhanced label, the enhanced label comprising a routing code and a label unique identifier, the enhanced label being applied to the tray;

associating a tray with a container, the container having a container unique identifier; and

receiving a load container scan, the load container scan associating the container unique identifier with the enhanced label.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a load vehicle scan, the load vehicle scan associating the container unique identifier with a vehicle identifier and a load time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an unload vehicle scan, the unload vehicle scan associating the container unique identifier with a vehicle identifier and an unload time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an unload container scan, the unload container scan associating the container unique identifier with an unload container time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the label unique identifier comprises at least one of a machine identifier, a label source, a holdout identifier, a serial number, and a label type.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing code comprises at least one of a ZIP code, a content identifier number, a DOD code, and an MPC code.

7. A system for tracking a tray of items, comprising:

a memory;

a database;

a processor coupled to the memory and the database, the processor configured to;

generate an enhanced label for affixing to the tray, the enhanced label comprising a routing code and a label unique identifier;

receive data from a load container scan, where the data includes the label unique identifier, the routing code, and a container unique identifier of a container;

associate the label unique identifier and the routing code with the container unique identifier.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a load vehicle scan, the load vehicle scan associating the container unique identifier with a vehicle identifier and a load time.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an unload vehicle scan, the unload vehicle scan associating the container unique identifier with a vehicle identifier and an unload time.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an unload container scan, the unload container scan associating the container unique identifier with an unload container time.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the label unique identifier comprises at least one of a machine identifier, a label source, a holdout identifier, a printer port identifier, a serial number, and a label type.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the routing code comprises at least one of a ZIP code, a content identifier number, a DOD code, and an MPC code.

13. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a set of instructions for tracking a tray of items, which when executed perform stages comprising:

generating an enhanced label for affixing to the tray, the enhanced label comprising a routing code and a label unique identifier;

receiving data from a load container scan, where the data includes the label unique identifier, the routing code, and a container unique identifier of a container;

associating the label unique identifier and the routing code with the container unique identifier.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions for receiving a load vehicle scan, the load vehicle scan associating the container unique identifier with a vehicle identifier and a load time.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions for receiving an unload vehicle scan, the unload vehicle scan associating the container unique identifier with a vehicle identifier and an unload time.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions for receiving an unload container scan, the unload container scan associating the container unique identifier with an unload container time.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the label unique identifier comprises at least one of a machine identifier, a label source, a holdout identifier, a printer port identifier, a serial number, and a label type.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the routing code comprises at least one of a ZIP code, a content identifier number, a DOD code, and an MPC code.