Mail processing system for determining mail entity defects and correcting mail entity defects

• US 20060079991A1
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Obrea, Andrei, Pintsov, Leon A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,991,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• 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

Abstract

A method for providing a mailer with detailed information regarding the mailer'"'"'s preparation of mail entities and the post'"'"'s processing of mail entities. The foregoing allows the mailer to improve subsequent preparation of mail entities to make it easier for the post to process and deliver mail in a timely manner. The invention also allows the post and the mailer to distinguish between mailer'"'"'s processing defects and errors caused by faulty postal equipment.

Claims

1. A method for providing a Mailer, Post or Recipient with detailed information regarding attributes of mail entities, said method comprising the steps of:

(A) capturing values of attributes on a mail entity;

(B) capturing unique identity information present on a mail entity;

(C) detecting values of attributes which are outside of expected ranges;

(D) classifying the attributes which are outside of expected ranges; and

(E) communicating the attributes which are outside of expected ranges to the mailer using the unique identity information as a reference.

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

applying by the mailer the classified attributes to correct information on future mail entities.

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

communicating by the Post the classified attributes to the Recipient.

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

communicating by the Post the mail entity attributes to the Mailer.

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

communicating by the Post the mail entity attributes to the Recipient.

6. The method claimed in claim 5, further including the step of:

communicating by the Recipient to the Post corrections to the attributes.

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

communicating by the Recipient to the Mailer corrections of the attributes.

8. The method claimed in claim 1 wherein step A further comprising the steps of:

observing an attribute at a first point in time; and

observing the attribute at a second point in time.

9. The method claimed in claim 8, wherein step C further including the step of:

comparing the value of the attribute at the second point in time with the value of the attribute at the first point in time.

10. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein step C further includes the step of:

deciding whether or not the detected values of the attributes are within a expected range.

11. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein if the detected value is not within the specified range then a change in value of the mail entity attribute will be stored and/or communicated.

12. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein if the detected value is within the specified range then a change in value of the mail entity attribute will:

not be noted and not communicated;

or

be noted and not communicated;

or

not be noted and communicated.

13. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the steps of:

creating an expectation for the value of the attribute at a future point in time; and

observing a value of the attribute at the future point in time.

14. The method claimed in claim 13, further including the steps of:

comparing the expected value of the attribute with the observed value of the attribute.

15. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the steps of:

creating an expectation for a range of values for the attribute at a future point in time; and

observing a value of the attribute at the future point in time.

16. The method claimed in claim 15 further including the steps of:

comparing the expected range of values of the attribute with the observed value of the attribute.

17. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the attribute represents spacing between recorded lines of material recorded on the mail entity.

18. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the attribute represents skewing of material recorded on the mail entity.

19. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the attribute represents a skew angle or angles of material recorded on the mail entity.

20. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the attribute represents position of recorded material recorded on the mail entity.