INTELLIGENT BARCODE SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A computerized method comprising:
- sorting mail, wherein sorting mail for a mail piece comprises;
reading an encoded value located on the mail piece;
decoding the encoded value to determine an identification of a class of the mail piece; and
performing the following operation in response to determining that the mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece;
determining a final disposition of the mail piece using the identification of the class of the mail piece derived from the encoded value; and
disposing of the mail piece in accordance with the determined final disposition.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods using intelligent barcodes for processing mail, packages, or other items in transport are provided. Systems and methods allowing end-to-end visibility of a mail stream by uniquely identifying and tracking mail pieces are also provided. Systems and methods include the use of standardized intelligent barcodes on mail pieces, a seamless process for mail acceptance, continuous mail piece tracking, and feedback on mail quality in real time. In one embodiment, systems and methods using intelligent barcodes allow a mailing service to provide enhanced acceptance, sorting, tracking, address correction, forwarding, and delivery services. In another embodiment, systems and methods using intelligent barcodes allow a mailing service to identify a mail piece as undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) and determine a final disposition for the mail piece. In yet another embodiment, systems and methods using intelligent barcodes allow mailers more visibility into the mail stream and information on the quality of their mailings.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A computerized method comprising:
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sorting mail, wherein sorting mail for a mail piece comprises; reading an encoded value located on the mail piece; decoding the encoded value to determine an identification of a class of the mail piece; and performing the following operation in response to determining that the mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece; determining a final disposition of the mail piece using the identification of the class of the mail piece derived from the encoded value; and disposing of the mail piece in accordance with the determined final disposition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform operations comprising:
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sorting mail, wherein sorting mail for a mail piece comprises; reading an encoded value located on the mail piece; decoding the encoded value to determine an identification of a sender of the mail piece, an identification of a recipient of the mail piece, and an identification of a class of the mail piece; and determining whether the mail piece is a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece using the identification of the recipient of the mail piece within the encoded value and an identification of a delivery point for the mail piece; performing the following operations in response to determining that the mail piece is a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece; retrieving a name of the recipient of the mail piece using the identification of the recipient of the mail piece within the encoded value; retrieving a return address of the sender of the mail piece using the identification of the sender of the mail piece within the encoded value; confirming that the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece, using the name of the recipient of the mail piece; and determining final disposition of the mail piece using the identification of the class of the mail piece within the encoded value and; disposing of the mail piece in accordance with the determined final disposition. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus comprising:
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a database configured to store a number of entries, wherein each entry of the number of entries includes a name of a recipient of mail and an identification associated with the name of the recipient; and a mail sorter configured to read an encoded value located on a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece, the encoded value comprising an identification of the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece and an identification of a class of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece, wherein the mail sorter is configured to retrieve, from the database, a name of the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece from an entry of the number of entries that includes the identification of the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece, wherein the mail sorter is configured to confirm that the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece, using the name of the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece, and wherein the mail sorter is configured to determine a final disposition of the confirmed undeliverable as addressed mail piece using the identification of the class within the encoded value. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification