Method for coding mailing items

• US 6,260,762 B1
• Filed: 07/14/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Lohmann, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US09/308,413
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/494, 235/462, 235/462.13, 235/462.01, 235/462.08, 235/462.09, 235/462.15, 209/584
• US Class Current: 235/462.08
• 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: 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 2017/0058 Printing of code
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00588 Barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00685 Measuring the dimensions of mailpieces

Abstract

A method for coding mailing items, in which a determination of the surface available for applying an unambiguous code to arriving mailing items is conducted and an application of the unambiguous code with a number of code signs that is adapted to the respectively determined surface available for coding is performed.

Claims

1. A method for coding mailing items, comprising the following steps:

a) determining the surface area available for applying an unambiguous code to arriving mailing items; and

b) applying the unambiguous code with a number of code signs, the number being adapted to the respectively determined surface area available for applying the coding.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

adapting a number of redundancy signs contained in the code to the respectively determined surface available for coding.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

testing the unambiguousness of a selected identification code (ID code);

storing a statistic on the frequency of varied lengths of the remaining available codes dependent on the ID codes of mailing items processed during a fixed time period, which affects the number of code signs in the ID code to be applied;

determining whether all the mailing items that have accumulated during the fixed time period with an ID code can be distinguished clearly.