Method for predicting when mail is received by a recipient

• US 20060210073A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Norris, James R Jr., Miller, Kenneth G., Winkelman, John H., Rojas, John W., Tsipenyuk, Alla
• Application Number:
  US11/373,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20060210073A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• 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 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/402 Agent or workforce management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

A method utilizing a computer to predict what volumes of mail will arrive at a given destination on a given date. The method is accomplished by: utilizing the composition of a mailing campaign that contains a plurality of mailing shipments that contain a plurality of containers containing a plurality of mail pieces; making a prediction curve for each container when the shipment is inducted at a carrier facility; and building a mailing campaign prediction based upon the container predictions; wherein each shipment prediction curve is added to the mailing campaign prediction at the date when the shipment is inducted at the carrier facility.

Claims

1. A method utilizing a computer to predict what volumes of mail will arrive at a

given destination on a given date, comprising the steps of:

utilizing the composition of a mailing campaign that contains a plurality of mailing shipments that contain a plurality of containers containing a plurality of mail pieces;

making a prediction curve for each container in the shipments, wherein the shipments are inducted at a plurality of carrier facilities at different times; and

building a mailing campaign prediction based upon the container prediction curves;

wherein each container prediction curve is added to the mailing campaign prediction.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the container prediction curve is made on or before the induction of each of the containers at the plurality of carrier facilities.

3. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the container prediction curve for each container is added to a mailing campaign prediction curve.

4. The method claimed in claim 3, wherein the container prediction curve for each container is added to a mailing campaign prediction curve at a known or anticipated carrier facility induction date.

5. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the prediction curve for each container is determined by the induction date/time of the mail, the induction carrier facility, sort level of the mail, the mail type, the mail form and the mail campaign size.

6. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of making a prediction curve, for each container further including the steps of:

aggregating historical mail piece data in order to determine delivery distribution patterns.

7. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the mailing campaign prediction is used for marketing mail.

8. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the mailing campaign prediction is used for transactional mail.

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

predicting a delivery pattern for specific carrier facilities.

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

predicting a delivery pattern for one or more of the carrier induction facilities.

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

predicting a delivery pattern for one or more of the carrier processing facilities.

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

predicting a delivery pattern for specific types of mail.

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

making a historical comparison on different mailing predictions over time.

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

making a prediction model that will generate container level predictions for the containers in each of the shipments in the mailing campaign.

15. The method claimed in claim 14, wherein the prediction model is used to build delivery patterns for one or more of the containers under different seasonal conditions.

16. The method claimed in claim 14, wherein the prediction model is used to build delivery patterns for one or more of the carrier facilities under different seasonal conditions.

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

applying a code to one or more mail pieces that identifies the mail piece.

18. The method claimed in claim 17, further including the step of:

receiving the date and time that the carrier scanned the codes.

19. The method claimed in claim 18, further including the step of:

using the date and time the carrier scanned the code to validate the container prediction curve.

20. The method claimed in claim 18, further including the step of:

using the date and time the carrier scanned the code to modify the container prediction curve.

21. The method claimed in claim 17, further including the step of:

receiving the date and time that each carrier facility processed the, shipment, container, or mail piece.

22. The method claimed in claim 21, further including the step of:

correlating the time, facility, operation performed, the codes applied to the mail pieces and the date and time that the mail piece was scanned

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

applying a code to one or more mail pieces that identifies an offer contained in the mail piece.

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

applying a code to one or more mail pieces that identifies a document contained in the mail piece.