Apparatus and methods for processing mailpiece information in a mail processing device using sorter application software

• US 20080086233A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• 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: Brandt, Bruce, Fadely, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/223
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/18 Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks applying data to information carriers G06K1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/22 by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

Apparatus and methods consistent with the present invention provide for processing mailpiece information in a mail processing device using sorter application software. In one embodiment, a mail processing device uses the sorter application software to communicate with an identification code server. In this embodiment, different types of mail processing devices can use the common sorter application software to communicate with the same or different identification code servers.

Claims

1-70. -70. (canceled)

71. A method of processing mailpiece information in a mail processing device using sorter application hardware, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first prompt from an operator of the mail processing device;

initiating a connection between the mail processing device and an identification code server, via the sorter application hardware, in response to the first prompt;

processing mailpiece information between the mail processing device and the identification code server, via the sorter application hardware;

receiving a second prompt from the operator of the mail processing device; and

terminating the connection between the mail processing device and the identification code server, in response to the second prompt.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the identification code server is a PICS server.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein the identification code server is a SICS server.

74. The method of claim 71, wherein the mail processing device is a bar code sorter.

75. The method of claim 71, wherein the first prompt is a start-run message.

76. The method of claim 71, wherein the second prompt is an end-run message.

77. The method of claim 71, wherein the processing step further comprises the substeps of:

transmitting information from the mail processing device to the identification code server; and

receiving information from the identification code server at the mail processing device.

78. The method of claim 71, wherein the mail processing device is a Mail Processing Bar Code Sorter.

79. The method of claim 71, wherein the mail processing device is a Delivery Bar Code Sorter.

80. The method of claim 71, wherein the mail processing device is a Carrier Sequence Bar Code Sorter.

81. The method of claim 71, wherein the mail processing device is an Output Subsystem/Bar Code Sorter.

82. The method of claim 71, wherein the mailpiece information includes an identification code.

83. The method of claim 71, wherein the mailpiece information includes a postal code.

84. The method of claim 82, wherein the an identification code is an ID tag.

85. The method of claim 83, wherein the postal code is a POSTNET code.

86. The method of claim 71, further comprising the step of:

passing a parameter from the sorter application hardware to the identification code server to indicate a mail processing device type.

87. The method of claim 71, wherein the sorter application hardware is on a network.

88-104. -104. (canceled)

105. A computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for processing mailpiece information in a mail processing device using sorter application hardware, the computer readable code comprising:

a receiving module configured to receive a first prompt from an operator of the mail processing device;

an initiating module configured to initiate a connection between the mail processing device and an identification code server, via the sorter application hardware, in response to the first prompt;

a processing module configured to process mailpiece information between the mail processing device and the identification code server, via the sorter application hardware;

a receiving module configured to receive a second prompt from the operator of the mail processing device; and

a terminating module configured to terminate the connection between the mail processing device and the identification code server, in response to the second prompt.

106-140. -140. (canceled)