Apparatus for processing postal logistics using radio frequency identification and method using the same

• US 20070050312A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Park, Jeong-Hyun, Park, Jong-Heung
• Application Number:
  US11/317,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050312A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/402
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for processing postal logistics using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and a method using the same. The postal logistics processing apparatus includes a postal matter receipt system for registering receipt information of received postal matter, and issuing an RFID tag corresponding to the postal matter receipt information; a postal matter collection system for reading the RFID tag for the postal matter when the postal matter is transported from the postal matter receipt system, and automatically sorting the postal matter; and a postal matter delivery system for receiving the postal matter from the postal matter collection system, reading the RFID tag for the postal matter, and delivering the postal matter to a corresponding postal destination.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing postal logistics using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), the apparatus comprising:

a postal matter receipt system for registering receipt information of received postal matter, and issuing an RFID tag corresponding to the postal matter receipt information;

a postal matter collection system for reading the RFID tag for the postal matter when the postal matter is transported from the postal matter receipt system, and automatically sorting the postal matter; and

a postal matter delivery system for receiving the postal matter from the postal matter collection system, reading the RFID tag for the postal matter, and delivering the postal matter to a corresponding postal destination.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an information processing system for receiving the issued RFID and the reading result from each of the postal matter receipt system, the postal matter collection system and postal matter delivery system in real-time, and confirming transportation information with respect to the postal matter; and

a postal logistics system for receiving the issued RFID, the reading result and the transportation information via the information processing system, and managing the whole field of the postal matter.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

a real-time monitoring system for receiving the transportation information transported from the information processing system in real-time, and displaying the received transportation information so as to monitor the transportation information in real-time.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the postal matter receipt system comprises:

an RFID processing unit for issuing the RFID tag for the received postal matter, outputting an RFID label corresponding to the issued RFID tag, and transmitting the issued result to the postal logistics system;

a received postal matter contract unit for contracting the RFID tag for the received postal matter and the RFID tag for the container, and transmitting the contracted information to the postal logistics system; and

a received postal matter sending unit for recognizing postal matter sending information corresponding to the RFID tag for the postal matter, and transmitting the sending information to the postal logistics system.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claims 1, wherein the postal matter collection system comprises:

an arrival processing unit for analyzing the RFID tag for the postal matter, recognizing the postal matter arrival information, and transmitting the arrival information to the postal logistics system;

a postal matter automatic sorting unit for automatically sorting the postal matter on the basis of the arrival information recognized through the arrival processing unit, and displaying the sorted information;

an arriving postal matter contraction unit for automatically contracting the postal matter sorted through the postal matter automatic sorting unit; and

an arriving postal matter sending unit for sending the postal matter automatically contracted through the arriving postal matter contraction unit.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the postal matter delivery system comprises:

a delivery postal matter arrival processing unit for analyzing the RFID tag for the postal matter transmitted through the postal matter collection unit, and determining whether the postal matter is mistaken-arrived/non-arrived or mis-sent/non-sent;

a delivery postal matter sorting unit for automatically sorting delivery postal matters for each postman when the postal matter has normally arrived according to the determination result;

a delivery postal matter overall-recognition unit for performing overall recognition of the automatically sorted postal matter; and

an delivery postal matter upload unit for receiving the delivery postal matter overall-recognition information through the delivery postal matter overall-recognition unit, and uploading the delivery postal matter overall-recognition information to the postal logistics system.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the delivery postal matter overall-recognition unit is composed of a portable radio frequency identification (RFID) apparatus.

8. A method for processing postal logistics using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), the method comprising the steps of:

a) registering receipt information of postal matter in response to receipt of postal matter, and issuing an RFID tag for the postal matter;

b) reading the RFID tag for the postal matter when the postal matter is transported, and automatically sorting the postal matter; and

c) receiving the sorted postal matter, reading the RFID tag for the sorted postal matter, and delivering the postal matter to a corresponding postal destination.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising:

a step of receiving the transportation information transported from the information processing system in real-time, and displaying the received transportation information so as to monitor the transportation information in real-time.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the step a) comprises:

a-1) issuing the RFID tag for the received postal matter;

a-2) outputting an RFID label corresponding to the issued RFID tag, and attaching the RFID label to the corresponding to postal matter;

a-3) uploading the RFID tag issued result to a postal e-logistics system;

a-4) automatically contracting the RFID tag for the received postal matter and the RFID tag for the container so as to generate contracted information;

a-5) uploading the contracted information to the postal logistics system;

a-6) recognizing postal matter sending information corresponding to the RFID tag for the postal matter; and

a-7) uploading the postal matter sending information to the postal logistics system.

11. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the step b) comprises:

b-1) analyzing the RFID tag for the postal matter, and recognizing postal matter arrival information;

b-2) uploading the arrival information to the postal logistics system;

b-3) automatically sorting the postal matter on the basis of the arrival information, and displaying the sorted information;

b-4) automatically contracting the sorted postal matter; and

b-5) sending the contracted postal matter.

12. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the step c) comprises:

c-1) analyzing the transmitted RFID tag for the postal matter, and determining whether the postal matter has normally arrived;

c-2) automatically sorting delivered postal matters for each postman when the postal matter has normally arrived;

c-3) performing overall recognition of the automatically sorted postal matter so as to generate the overall recognition information for the postal matter; and

c-4) uploading the overall recognition information for postal matter to the postal logistics system.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said step c-3) for performing overall recognition of the automatically sorted postal matter is performed using a portable radio frequency identification (RFID) apparatus.

14. A method for processing postal logistics using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), the method comprising the steps of:

a) inputting a container identification number (ID) to an RFID tag for a container;

b) storing a zip code of a container requesting office and information of a sending office in the RFID tag for the container when the container is requested from a container requesting office, attaching an office nametag corresponding to the RFID tag for the container, and attaching the office nametag to the container;

c-3) storing vehicle information in an RFID tag for the transportation vehicle, wherein the transportation vehicle transports the container to the container requesting office; and

c-4) loading the container to the transportation vehicle, recognizing the vehicle information and the loaded container information, and uploading the recognized information to the postal logistics system.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising:

c-5) recognizing the RFID tag for the transportation vehicle and the RFID tag for the container when the container arrives at the container requesting office via the transportation vehicle, and uploading the recognized information to the postal logistics system; and

c-6) comparing -sending items of the container with arrival items of the container, removing the office nametag when the sending items match with the arrival items, and resetting the information of the RFID tag for the container in order to reuse the container.

16. A method for processing postal logistics using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), the method comprising the steps of:

a) inputting a container identification number (ID) to an RFID tag for a container;

b) generating container office nametag information which includes a zip code of a container requesting office and a zip code of a container sending office when the container is requested from a container requesting office, and uploading the container office nametag information to an office nametag management apparatus or a postal e-logistics system;

c) storing the office nametag information in the RFID tag for the container, printing the office nametag, and attaching the office nametag to the container;

d) determining whether the container has normally arrived at the container requesting office, and removing the office nametag when the container has normally arrived; and

e) deleting the office nametag information stored in the RFID tag for the container.