SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHIPPING A MAIL PIECE HAVING POST OFFICE BOX RECOGNITION

• US 20070250326A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kadaba, Nagesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/408
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/14 using light-responsive detecting means for information carriers G06K7/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00508 Printing or attaching on mailpieces printing mechanisms B41J; security printing B41M3/14; marking methods B41M5/00; inks C09D11/00; record carriers with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00

Abstract

This application discloses a method and system for facilitating the delivery of a mail piece bearing a post office box identifier to a United States Postal Service Branch, for final delivery to a post office box. The system facilitates the delivery by scanning the mail piece and obtaining the mail piece'"'"'s destination information. If the destination information includes a post office box identifier, e.g., P.O. Box #1234, the system determines a street address of the post office location containing P.O. Box #1234. The street address is determined using the zip code contained within the destination information. Once the street address is determined, a new label, bearing the street address of the USPS branch location is affixed to the mail piece so that the mail piece can be delivered to the consignee.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating the delivery of a mail piece bearing a post office box identifier, said method comprising the steps of:

scanning said mail piece to obtain destination information;

determining whether said destination information includes a post office box identifier;

if said mail piece includes said post office box identifier, determining a street address of a post office location containing said post office box; and

affixing said street address of said post office location to said mail piece.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said post office box identifier is visible on said mail piece.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said post office box identifier is in a machine readable format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein affixing said street address comprises generating a first label including said street address and attaching said first label to said mail piece, and further comprising generating a second label including the post office box identifier and attaching the second label to the mail piece.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein affixing said street address comprises generating a label including said street address and said post office box identifier and attaching said label to said mail piece.

6. The method claim 1, further comprising delivering said mail piece to said post office location.

7. The method claim 4, further comprising placing said mail piece into said post office box.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said destination information is located on a delivery label attached to said mail piece.

9. A mail delivery system for facilitating the delivery of a mail piece bearing a post office box identifier, said mail delivery system comprising:

a mail piece scanning apparatus configured to determine destination information located on said mail piece;

an post office box recognition system connected in communication with said mail piece scanning apparatus, configured to determine if a post office box identifier is included within said destination information;

wherein said post office box identifier identifies a post office box;

a post office box conversion system configured to determine a street address of a post office location containing said post office box;

an addressing system configured to address said mail piece with at least said street address of said post office location containing said post office box.

10. The mail delivery system of claim 9 wherein said addressing system including an apparatus selected from a label generator, a printer, or an RFID encoder.

11. The mail delivery system of claim 9 wherein said post office recognition system is configured to recognize a zip code included within said destination address.

12. The mail delivery system of claim 9 wherein said post office box conversion system determines said street address of said post office location using said post office box identifier and said zip code.

13. The mail delivery system of claim 9 wherein said destination information is located on a delivery label attached to said mail piece.

14. The mail delivery system of claim 9 wherein said label further includes said post office box identifier, in addition to said street address of said post office location.

15. A method of delivering a mail piece to a post office box comprising the steps of:

a first party taking possession of said mail piece;

wherein said mail piece includes designation information in the form of a post office box identifier;

scanning said mail piece to obtain said destination information;

determining if the destination information contains a post office box identifier;

if said destination information contains a post office box identifier, associating said post office box identifier with a street address of a post office location containing said post office box; and

printing a label containing said post office location'"'"'s street address.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of affixing said label to said mail piece.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of delivering said mail piece to said street address of said post office location.

18. The method claim 17 further comprising placing said mail piece into said post office box.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said destination information is contained on a delivery label affixed to said mail piece.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said first party is a commercial carrier.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said commercial carrier and the postal service each charge for delivering said mail piece to said post office box.