Method and apparatus for a mail processing system

• US 5,001,648 A
• Filed: 04/25/1990
• Issued: 03/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Differential Weighing Inc
• Original Assignee: M.A.I.L. Code, Inc.
• Inventors: Baker, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US07/514,193
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 177/4, 177/25.15, 364/464.02, 364/464.03, 364/466
• US Class Current: 705/407
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00362 Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00467 Transporting mailpieces postal sorting B07C
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0037 Calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00483 Batch processing of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0058 Printing of code
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00701 Measuring the weight of mailpieces

Abstract

Mail handling or processing systems are disclosed wherein the entire lot or batch of mail pieces is loaded into a bin for processing. Each mail piece is individually removed by an operator while the computer monitors the weight of the bin and simultaneously produces serial numbers for affixing to each mail piece. In an alternative embodiment a postage meter provides postage imprinting and labelling for each mail piece removed. By monitoring the tare weight difference of the bin prior to and after removal of each mail piece, the mail piece weight is determined from the difference between the two tare weights. The weight of each mail piece is required in order to determine postage cost or mail charges for each mail piece.

After all pieces of mail are removed from the bin, an operator can optionally key the system to produce a postal service form complying with manifest mailing requirements. The computer also produces a manifest including serial numbers and mail charges related to each serial number marked mail piece and a manifest summary.

In an alternate embodiment, the bin is loaded one by one with each mail piece while a computer simultaneously monitors the weight of the bin as each mail piece is added, serial numbers are produced for affixing to each mail piece, and the computer links each serial number with a weight deviation thereby calculating mail charges for each mail piece and storing the information for reproduction in summary form in a mailing manifest.

Claims

1. An apparatus for weighing mail pieces and producing a weight manifest, said apparatus comprising:

means for weighing a plurality of mail pieces at one time;

means for detecting in connection with said means for weighing an initial stabilized weight state, a first subsequent stabilized weight state in response to a change in the number of mail pieces, and a second subsequent stabilized weight state in response to a further change in the number of mail pieces;

first difference means for calculating in response to the occurrence of said first subsequent stabilized weight state a first weight value equal to the absolute difference between said initial and said first subsequent stabilized weight state;

second difference means for calculating in response to the occurrence of said second subsequent stabilized weight state a second weight value equal to the absolute difference between said first subsequent stabilized weight state and said second subsequent stabilized weight state; and

means for producing a manifest including said first and second weight values.

2. The apparatus for weighing mail pieces of claim 1 wherein said means for producing a manifest includes means for generating and printing on said manifest a unique serial number for said first and second weight values and a postage cost corresponding to said first and second weight values.

3. The apparatus for weighing mail pieces of claim 2 including means for inputting a mail classification code when said first or second weight values are in excess of a predetermined weight, and printing means for printing said unique serial number and said mail classification code on a stick-on label.

4. The apparatus for weighing mail pieces of claim 2 including means for inputting an optional mail classification code for said first or second difference weights if said first or second weight values are in excess of a predetermined weight, and printing means for printing said unique serial number and said optional mail classification code on said mail piece.

5. The apparatus for weighing mail pieces of claim 2 wherein said means for weighing is a load cell.

6. The apparatus for weighing mail pieces of claim 5 wherein said means for detecting, said first difference means, and said second difference means are components of a computer system having RAM, ROM, A/D converter, a printer, a display, and an operator input device.

7. An apparatus for producing a mail piece weight manifest comprising:

a container containing said mail pieces;

means from which said container containing mail pieces is readily removeable, for producing a weight signal corresponding to the weight of said container containing mail pieces;

means for producing piece weight connected to said means for producing a weight signal, said means for producing piece weight responding to said weight signal when said weight signal changes from an initial stable state to a successive stable state and producing a weight difference signal at an output in response to the occurrence of each successive stable state; and

means responsive to said weight difference signal for producing a manifest, said means responsive to said weight difference signal responding to said weight difference signal and creating a manifest documenting the magnitude of each weight difference signal produced by said means for producing a piece weight.

8. The apparatus for producing a weight manifest of claim 7 wherein said means for producing a weight signal is a load cell.

9. The apparatus for producing a weight manifest of claim 8 wherein said means for producing piece weight and said means responsive to said weight difference signal are portions of a computer system including RAM, ROM, a CRT display, an operator interface, and a printer.

10. An apparatus for weighing mail pieces and producing a weight manifest including mail piece weight and corresponding postage charges, said apparatus comprising:

means for supporting a plurality of mail pieces;

a strain gage attached to said means for supporting, said strain gage producing at an output a weight signal corresponding to forces acting on said strain gage;

digital analysis means connected to said strain gage output, said digital analysis means including means for monitoring said weight signal and means for detecting a first and subsequent stabilized weight states, said means for detecting producing at an output a weight difference signal and corresponding postage cost signal corresponding to the absolute difference between each subsequent stabilized weight state detected by said means for detecting and an immediately preceding stabilized weight state wherein each subsequent stabilized weight state corresponds to a change in the number of mail pieces situated on said means for supporting; and

printer means responsive to said weight difference signal and said postage cost signal for printing a manifest entry including said weight difference entry, a serial number and a postage cost entry.

11. An apparatus for weighing mail pieces and producing a weight manifest including mail piece weight, said apparatus comprising:

a bin containing mail pieces;

weighing means attached to said bin and producing at an output a weight signal proportional to the weight of said bin containing mail pieces;

stable weight detecting means responsive to said weight signal and producing at an output in response to a change in the number of mail pieces contained in said bin a piece weight signal corresponding to the weight difference calculated between a present stabilized weight signal and an immediately preceding stabilized weight signal; and

a printer responsive to said piece weight signal, said printer printing a mail piece weight corresponding to each piece weight signal as received thereby producing a weight manifest.

12. An apparatus for preparing an object weight manifest comprising:

weighing means for weighing a bin containing objects, said weighing means producing at an output an analog weight signal proportional to the weight of said bin including objects contained within said bin;

digital analysis means including an A/D converter means for converting said analog weight signal into digital values, memory means for storing said digital values, said digital analysis means producing at an output a difference signal for each occurrence of a subsequent stable weight signal, said difference signal corresponding to the absolute difference between a present stable weight signal and an immediately preceding stable weight signal wherein said difference signal corresponds to a change in the number of mail objects in said bin; and

first printer means connected to said digital analysis means and responsive to said difference signal for printing a weight manifest.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said digital analysis means includes means for inputting a zone code, said digital analysis means requesting operator input by way of a visual signal produced when said weight signal changes by more than a predetermined limit.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said digital analysis means is a digital computer including an A/D converter, RAM, ROM, and a printer interface.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 including second printer means responsive to said print signal for printing a classification code and a serial number on a label.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 including second printer means responsive to said print signal for printing a classification code and a serial number on objects removed from said bin.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, 15, or 16 wherein said weighing means is a load cell having said bin attached thereto.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said bin is removably attached to said load cell.

19. A method for producing a weight manifest comprising the steps of:

situating all objects to be weighed into a weighing bin connected to a weighing device, said weighing device producing at an output a signal proportional to the weight of the bin including the objects therein;

monitoring said signal until said signal stabilizes;

removing an object from within the bin;

monitoring said signal and detecting removal of a first one of said objects from said bin;

determining the weight of the removed object and correlating it with a unique serial number;

monitoring said signal and detecting removal of a second one of said objects in said bin;

determining the weight of the second removed object and correlating it with a second unique serial number; and

printing a manifest entry including the determined weights and correlated unique serial numbers.

20. The method of claim 19 including after each determining step, the step of printing said serial number on a label, and affixing said label to said removed object.

21. The method of claim 19 including the step of converting said signal into binary data with an A/D converter and converting said binary data into a weight value and printing said weight value and a corresponding postage cost for said weight value on a printer.

22. An apparatus for weighing mail pieces and determining postage cost for each mail piece comprising:

means for weighing a plurality of mail pieces at one time;

means for automatically detecting in connection with said means for weighing an initial stabilized weight state, a first subsequent stabilized weight state in response to a change in the number of mail pieces, and a second subsequent stabilized weight state in response to a further change in the number of mail pieces;

first difference means for calculating in response to the occurrence of said first subsequent stabilized weight state a first weight value equal to the absolute difference between said initial and said first subsequent stabilized weight state and printing a postage label in response thereto; and

second difference means for calculating in response to the occurrence of said second subsequent stabilized weight state a second weight value equal to the absolute difference between said first and said second subsequent stabilized weight state, said second difference means including means for determining postage cost in response to calculation of said second weight value and means for printing a postage label including a postage cost in response to determination of said postage cost.

23. The apparatus for weighing mail pieces of claim 22 including means for inputting an optional mail classification code for said first or second difference weights if said first or second difference weights are in excess of a predetermined weight.

24. The apparatus for weighing mail pieces of claim 22 wherein said means for weighing is a load cell.

25. The apparatus for weighing mail pieces of claim 24 wherein said means for detecting, said first difference means, and said second difference means are components of a computer system having RAM, ROM, A/D converter, a printer, a display, and an operator input device.

26. The apparatus for weighing mail pieces of claim 25 including means for changing postage rates for producing said postage label when said first or second difference weights are in excess of a predetermined weight.

27. An apparatus for weighing and determining postage for mail pieces comprising:

a container containing mail pieces;

means from which said container containing mail pieces is readily removeable, for continuously producing a weight signal corresponding to the weight of said container containing mail pieces;

means for automatically producing piece weight connected to said means for producing a weight signal, said means for automatically producing piece weight responding to said weight signal when said weight signal changes from an initial stable signal level to a successive stable signal level and producing a weight difference signal at an output in response to the occurrence of each successive stable signal level; and

means responsive to said weight difference signal for determining a postage cost and producing a corresponding postage cost signal; and

means for producing a mailing label including postage cost in response to said postage cost signal.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said means for producing a weight signal is a load cell.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said means for producing piece weight and said means responsive to said weight difference signal are portions of a computer system including RAM, ROM, a CRT display, an operator interface, and a printer.

30. An apparatus for weighing mail pieces and printing on each mail piece a postage cost for said mail piece, said apparatus comprising:

means for supporting a plurality of mail pieces;

a strain gage attached to said means for supporting, said strain gage producing at an output a weight signal corresponding to forces acting on said strain gage;

digital analysis means connected to said strain gage output, said digital analysis means including means for monitoring said weight signal and means for automatically detecting a first and subsequent stabilized weight states, said means for detecting producing at an output a series of postage cost signals, each postage cost signal corresponding to the absolute difference between each subsequent stabilized weight state detected by said means for detecting and an immediately preceding stabilized weight state and wherein each subsequent stabilized weight state corresponds to a change in the number of mail pieces situated on said means for supporting; and

postage cost means responsive to said postage cost signal for producing a postage label.

31. An apparatus for weighing mail pieces and producing a postage label for each of said mail pieces including appropriate postage charges, said apparatus comprising:

a bin containing mail pieces;

weighing means attached to said bin and producing at an output a weight signal proportional to the weight of said bin containing mail pieces;

stable weight detecting means responsive to said weight signal and automatically producing at an output in response to a change in the number of mail pieces contained in said bin a piece weight signal corresponding to the weight difference between a present stabilized weight signal and an immediately preceding stabilized weight signal; and

a printer responsive to said piece weight signal, said printer printing a postage label including postage costs corresponding to each piece weight signal received by said printer.

32. An apparatus for automatically producing postage cost labels for objects of assorted weights comprising:

weighing means for weighing a bin containing said objects, said weighing means producing at an output an analog weight signal proportional to the weight of said bin including said objects contained within said bin;

digital analysis means including an A/D converter means for converting said weight signal into digital values, memory means for storing said digital values, said digital analysis means producing at an output a difference signal for each occurrence of a subsequent stable weight signal, said difference signal corresponding to the absolute difference between a present stable weight signal and an immediately preceding stable weight signal wherein said difference signal corresponds to a change in weight of said bin in response to a change in the number of mail objects contained in said bin; and

first printer means connected to said digital analysis means and responsive to said difference signal for printing a postage cost label.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said digital analysis means is a digital computer including an A/D converter, RAM, ROM, and a printer interface.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said weighing means is a load cell having said bin attached thereto.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said bin is removably attached to said load cell.

36. A method for weighing objects and producing a postage label for each of said objects comprising the steps of:

situating said objects to be weighed into a weighing bin connected to a weighing device, said weighing device producing at an output a signal proportional to the weight of the bin including the weight of said objects;

monitoring said signal until said signal stabilizes and storing said signal as an initial stable signal state;

removing a first object from within said bin;

monitoring said signal and automatically detecting removal of said first object from said bin by monitoring said signal and detecting a first stable signal state;

automatically determining the weight of said first object and printing a postage label including postage cost for said first object based upon the difference between said initial stable signal state and said first stable signal state;

removing a second object from said bin;

monitoring said signal and detecting removal of a second object from within said bin by monitoring said signal and detecting a second stable signal state; and

automatically determining the weight of said second object by determining the difference between first stable signal state and said second stable signal state and printing a postage label including postage cost for said second object based upon its weight.

37. The method of claim 36 including after each automatically determining step, the step of affixing said postage label to said removed object.