Carrier route optimization system

• US 6,445,975 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LSC Communications LLC (LSC Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RR Donnelley & Sons Company
• Inventors: Ramsey, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACKEY, PATRICK HEWEY
• Application Number:
  US09/454,097
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 209/583, 209/584, 700/225, 700/223, 700/226, 700/227, 700/224, 270/52.02
• US Class Current: 700/226
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/03 indicating an entity which is measured, estimated, evaluated, calculated or determined but which does not constitute an entity which is adjusted or changed by the control process per se
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4311 Making personalised books or mail packets according to personal, geographic or demographic data
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/412 of user, e.g. user code
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/42 Route, path
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/02 Associating,collating or gathering articles from several sources

Abstract

A method and system for collating and binding signatures includes a plurality of signature feeders responsive to a signature feed control signal. Coded data is stored on a magnetic disk. The coded data is representative of like groups of signatures and unlike groups of signatures. Apparatus transfers the coded data to a printer which prints related mailing information on the groups of like signatures.

Claims

1. A method of making versions of the same book using customized data and for providing mailing information for each of the respective book versions, the method comprising:

providing recorded data for all of the versions of the book and the customer'"'"'s mailing information for each book;

sorting the recorded data into ranked order by the number of common insert signatures to define respective versions of the book, each version having the same signatures therein;

providing at least one non-customized bindery line with signature feeders for feeding signatures at least one of the higher rank order for a book versions;

providing a customized bindery line with signature feeders for feeding selectively signatures of lower order rank for different orders and different versions of the the book;

collating and forming for the higher rank customer a higher ranked book version on the non-customized bindery line and providing carrier route information for each of the customer books;

collating and forming for lower rank customers, lower ranked book versions on the non-customized bindery line and providing carrier route information for each customer book; and

sorting the book versions based on the mailing information into respective bundles for a postal service.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 comprising:

providing a computer system for determining the rank;

operating the computer to sort the recorded data and assigning a rank to each customer'"'"'s order; and

operating the computer to divert each high rank order to one of several non-customized bindery lines each of which is associated with one of the high ranks.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 comprising:

transferring mailing address information for each customer order to the bindery line being used to make the customer'"'"'s version of the book; and

printing the customized mailing address information and providing it on the customer'"'"'s version of the book.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 comprising:

operating the same signature feeders of the non-customized bindery line for each customer order of its associated rank order and collating identical versions of the book using all of the signature feeders for said non-customized bindery line.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 comprising:

providing a customized bindery line having signature feeders some of which are used for making a first version of the book and other signature feeders that are used only for making another version of the book; and

collating different versions of the book according to the rank order for each version.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sorting of the recorded data into ranked order by the number of common inserts comprises:

sorting the recorded data into rank order to provide several of the highest orders with the most common inserts;

forming non-customized bindery lines using the number of signature feeders needed to feed the signatures required for an associated high rank order; and

forming at least one customized line having selectively operated signature feeders with the signature feeders being selectively operated to feed a signature to collate each of several lower order rank versions of the book.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 comprising:

collating the signatures on the non-customized bindery line over a shorter conveyor run than a longer conveyor run for customized bindey line.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 comprising:

determining whether certain digits of a mailing address of a book version about to be assembled match the same digits of a mailing address of version of the books then being collated; and

combining matched certain digit mail address book versions into bundles.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 comprising:

determining bundle sizes based on existing postal rates for such bundle sizes of books having certain matched postal address digits; and

entering such determine bundle size information into the computer for use in forming such sized bundles of books to the post office.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 comprising:

printing a mail distribution change indicator mark on a cover page of each book version unless a change of digits for the mailing address is detected.

11. A collating and bindery system comprising:

a computer control system for operating a plurality of binder lines;

a storage media in the computer control system having stored information data for each customer as to the insert signatures to be in a book version for each customer and for applying each customer'"'"'s mailing address to its book version;

a plurality of non-customized bindery lines for collating a version of the book having the same insert signatures and having a collating conveyor carrying the signatures over a collating conveyor run of a predetermined length;

at least one customized bindery line for collating each of several versions of the book with each of the several versions formed by selecting and collating some different signatures fed from some of the signature feeders but not fed from others of the signature feeders and causing the selected signatures to travel over a longer conveyor run than the predetermined length of conveyor run for the non-customized bindery line;

the computer control system forming ranked orders for each customer data based on the number of common insert signatures for that customer'"'"'s book with each rank order defining a respective version of the book with the same insert signatures therein;

the computer control system sending the highest rank order customer data to an associated non-customized bindery line for feeding and collating signatures for that rank order into a first version of the book and for providing mailing address information on the first version of the each customer book being assembled; and

the computer control system sending lower rank orders for customers to the customized bindery line and selecting only those signature feeders needed for these respective book versions and providing mailing addresses on each customer book versions being assembled on the customized bindery line.

12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 comprising:

a transfer apparatus for transferring coded data for each customer'"'"'s mailing information to a printing station; and

a printer at the printing station for printing the mailing information for the respective customer order being collated.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 comprising:

a printer for printing a mail distribution change indicator mark on a version of a book.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 comprising:

a printer apparatus for printing personalized information in the customer'"'"'s version of the book and providing coordinated mailing information for that customer on its version of the book.