Presort Scheme Optimizer and Simulator

• US 20130124255A1
• Filed: 11/11/2011
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Patterson, Celeste, Sundaram, Harish C.
• Application Number:
  US13/294,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20130124255A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A system and method configured for determining optimal mail sorting of a mailing is disclosed. The method may comprise determining a number of mail pieces to be sent in the mailing, selecting an initial scheme for sorting the mailing based on the number of mail pieces, and simulating a mail sorting based on the initial scheme and obtaining efficiency statistics of the simulated mail sorting. After the selected initial scheme is simulated, the method may further comprise generating an updated scheme, in response to the efficiency statistics being less than optimal, by revising the initial scheme. The method includes simulating a mail sorting based on the updated scheme, revising and simulating schemes until efficiency statistics are optimal. The initial scheme may be based on historical schemes for mailings of similar number of mail pieces, selected by an operator from historical schemes for mailings, or a customized scheme for the mailing.

Claims

1. A method comprising;

determining, by a computer-based system configured for determining optimal mail sorting of a mailing, a number of mail pieces to be sent in the mailing;

selecting, by the computer-based system, an initial scheme for sorting the mailing based on the number of mail pieces;

simulating, by the computer-based system, a mail sorting based on the initial scheme and prior mailings;

obtaining, by the computer-based system, efficiency statistics of the simulated mail sorting on the prior mailings;

generating, by the computer-baaed system and in response to obtaining sub-optimal efficiency statistics, an updated scheme by revising the initial scheme;

simulating, by the computer-based system, the mail sorting based on the updated scheme;

revising and simulating, by the computer-based system, schemes until efficiency statistics are optimal; and

setting, by the computer-based system, the updated scheme as an actual scheme, in response to achieving, optimal mailing discounts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial scheme is based on historical schemes for mailings of about the same number of mail pieces.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial scheme is selected by an operator from historical schemes for mailings.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial scheme is a customized scheme for the mailing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the updated scheme comprises revising zip code ranges into different groupings.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the updated scheme comprises revising configurable parameters such as range of schema and mail pieces per bin.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimal mailing discounts comprises optimizing the number of bins for the mailing discounts.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the updated scheme comprises merging one or more of bundles of mailings into at least one merged mailing.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more of the bundles of mailings is evaluated in regards to postage cost to determine an optimal combination of bundles of mailings.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the combination of bundles of mailings is combined based on one of a 5-digit zip code, a 3-digit zip code, area distribution center code, or mixed area distribution center code.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual scheme works on both Siemens and NPI presort equipment.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising testing mailing schemes by simulating using historical data from multiple previous days.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising retaining small mailing batches until a later day if the small mailing batches have a number of mailings below a threshold volume.

5. (canceled)

15. A presort mailing machine comprising:

a processor configured for determining optimal mail sorting of a mailing,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor,

the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

determining, by the processor, a number of mail pieces to be sent in the mailing;

selecting, by the processor, an initial scheme for sorting the mailing based on the number of mail pieces; and

simulating, by the processor, a mail sorting based on the initial scheme and prior mailings, and obtaining efficiency statistics of the simulated mail sorting on the prior mailings;

generating, by the processor and in response to obtaining sub-optimal efficiency statistics, an updated scheme by revising the initial scheme;

simulating, by the processor, the mail sorting based on the updated scheme;

revising and simulating, by the computer-based system, schemes until efficiency statistics are optimal; and

setting, by the processor, the updated schema as an actual scheme in response to achieving optimal mailing discounts.

17. The presort mailing machine of claim 15, wherein the generating the updated scheme comprises revising zip code ranges into different groupings.

18. The presort mailing machine of claim 15, wherein the generating the updated scheme comprises revising configurable key parameters such as range of schema and mail pieces per bin.

16. (canceled)

19. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computer based system for determining optimal mail sorting of a mailing, cause the computer based system to perform operations comprising:

determining, by the computer-based system, a number of mail pieces to be sent in the mailing;

selecting, by the computer-based system, an initial scheme for sorting the mailing based on the number of mail pieces; and

simulating, by the computer-based system, a mail sorting based on the initial scheme and prior mailings, and obtaining efficiency statistics of the simulated mail sorting on the prior mailings;

generating, by the computer-based system and in response to obtaining sub-optimal efficiency statistics, an updated scheme by revising the initial scheme;

simulating, by the computer-based system, the mail sorting based on the updated scheme;

revising and simulating, by the computer-based system, schemes until efficiency statistics are optimal; and

setting, by the computer-based system, the updated scheme as an actual scheme in response to achieving optimal mailing discounts.

20. (canceled)