System and method for delivering digitized mail

• US 20080158615A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Parkos, Arthur J., Sansone, Ronald P., Carella, Paul P., Chen, Chao
• Granted Patent: US 8,793,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/14 using light-responsive detecting means for information carriers G06K7/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for optimizing the process of digitizing and delivering physical mail based upon selective scanning are described and in certain illustrative examples, an intelligent agent computer system is employed for making selective scanning decisions in the process of digitizing and delivering physical mail.

Claims

1. A method for processing incoming mail using an incoming mail sorter comprising:

receiving a mail piece having an envelope;

scanning an image of the envelope;

determining an intended recipient of the mail piece;

assigning a unique code to the mail piece;

sending the envelope image in order to obtain a disposition decision including whether or not to digitally process the mail piece;

obtaining a disposition decision regarding the mail piece; and

processing the mail piece in accordance with the disposition decision.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the possible disposition decisions include discard the mail piece in the trash, physically deliver the mail piece and electronically deliver the mail piece.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the possible disposition decisions include redirecting the physical mail piece physically to a new location or a new recipient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the possible disposition decisions include a broadcast electronic delivery to at least two recipients.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the disposition decision depends on the schedule of the intended recipient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the disposition decision depends on a pre-determined disposition for an expected mail piece.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the disposition decision is received from an Intelligent Agent system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving disposition decision feedback information from the recipient and updating the Intelligent Agent based upon the feedback.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the unique code is unique to a particular company location during a particular period of time.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the mail piece pending receipt of the disposition decision.

11. A method for automatically processing incoming mail disposition decisions for a recipient using an incoming mail sorter and an intelligent agent computer system comprising:

developing a mail piece disposition ontology having a set of mail piece envelope attribute variables including visual cues based upon an ethnography study;

receiving mail piece disposition data including manual incoming mail dispositions associated with particular mail pieces having particular attribute values;

refining an automated decision algorithm in the intelligent agent system using the disposition data; and

applying the automated decision algorithm to suggest automated disposition decisions based upon mail piece envelope attribute data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the automated decision algorithm includes a Bayesian network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

receiving the mail piece disposition decision data includes utilizing a system for determining if a user opened a mail piece.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving disposition decision accuracy feedback from the recipient.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

modifying the automated decision algorithm based upon the decision accuracy feedback from the recipient.