Line of travel sequence transformation in mail processing applications

• US 6,598,748 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Laybourn, Robert W., Mileaf, Daryl S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beauchaine, Mark J
• Application Number:
  US09/855,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 209/542, 209/900, 209/552, 209/584, 209/539, 209/540, 209/541, 209/545
• US Class Current: 209/542
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/008 Means for collecting objects, e.g. containers for sorted mail items pile receivers in general B65H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/02 Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4311 Making personalised books or mail packets according to personal, geographic or demographic data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

A method and system for re-sequencing mail prepared in enhanced carrier route line of travel (ECR-LOT) format into carrier walk sequence (CWS) format within a flat bundle collator (FBC) system. The mail items in LOT are separated into subsets, one subset being in the same order as CWS, and another subset being in reverse order to CWS. All items from all groups are then merged into a stream of items in CWS for delivery by mail carriers.

Claims

1. A method of collating a plurality of items into a final sequenced set of the items in preparation for delivery to predetermined delivery points, some items being pre-sequenced according to a prioritized order reflecting the delivery points, and other items being in a different order than the prioritized order, comprising the steps of:

forming a single input stream of the items;

transporting the items from the input stream to a staging station;

sampling items in the input stream to determine if the sampled items are part of the pre-sequenced prioritized order or are in said different order;

sorting the pre-sequenced items in the prioritized order at the staging station into one or more subsets of items re-sequenced into an intermediate order, as an intermediate step to achieving said final sequenced set;

rearranging the items in the different order into a repaired sequence reflecting the prioritized order, and inserting items of the repaired sequence into one or more subsets at the staging station;

merging all items output from the staging station into a single output stream from the respective subsets of items into said final sequenced set; and

collecting portions of the output stream of items consistent with the sequence of the final sequenced set to form batches of items in the prioritized order reflecting a preferred sequence of the delivery points.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the different order has delivery points that partially overlap delivery points in the prioritized order such that some items in the different order are sequenced corresponding to some of the delivery points of items in the prioritized order.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein some of the items in the different order are sequenced in an ascending order relative to delivery points in the prioritized order.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein some of the items in the different order are sequenced in a descending order relative to delivery points in the prioritized order.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the different order is a random order.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of rearranging comprises the steps of:

1) determining which items in the input stream are in order with the prioritized order, and which are in reverse order with respect thereto;

2) separating the in-order items and reverse-order items into separate subsets of items in the staging station; and

3) recombining the subsets in the staging station into one sequenced group of items in the prioritized order.

7. A system for collating a plurality of items into a final sequenced set of the items in preparation for delivery to predetermined delivery points, some items being pre-sequenced according to a prioritized order reflecting the delivery points, and other items being in a different order than the prioritized order, comprising:

means for forming a single input stream of the individual items;

means for transporting the items from the input stream to a staging station;

means for sampling items in the input stream to determine if the sampled items are part of the pre-sequenced prioritized order or are in said different order;

means for sorting the pre-sequenced items in the prioritized order at the staging station into a plurality of subsets of items re-sequenced into an intermediate order, as an intermediate step to achieving said final sequenced set;

means for rearranging the items in the different order into a repaired sequence reflecting the prioritized order, and inserting items of the repaired sequence into one or more subsets at the staging station;

means for merging all items output from the staging station into a single output stream from the respective subsets of items into said final sequenced set; and

means for collecting portions of the output stream of items consistent with the sequence of the final sequenced set to form batches of items in the prioritized order reflecting a preferred sequence of the delivery points.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the different order has delivery points that partially overlap delivery points in the prioritized order such that some items in the different order are sequenced corresponding to some of the delivery points of items in the prioritized order.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein some of the items in the different order are sequenced in an ascending order relative to delivery points in the prioritized order.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the items in the different order are sequenced in a descending order relative to delivery points in the prioritized order.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the different order is a random order.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for rearranging comprises:

1) means for determining which items in the input stream are in order with the prioritized order, and which are in reverse order with respect thereto;

2) means for separating the in-order items and reverse-order items into separate subsets of items in the staging station; and

3) means for recombining the subsets in the staging station into one sequenced group of items in the prioritized sequence.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising the further step of:

collecting portions of the output stream of the mail items in delivery point sequence and reversing the order thereof into batches of mail items in carrier walk sequence (CWS).

14. A method of collating a plurality of mail items into a final sequenced set of the items for delivery to predetermined delivery points, some of said mail items being pre-sequenced in delivery point sequence (DPS) of selected carrier routes, and other mail items being in a different order from the delivery point sequence, comprising the steps of:

a) feeding the mail items from a single input stream to a staging station;

b) sampling each mail item in the input stream to determine if the mail item is in the delivery point sequence, or a different order;

c) sorting the mail items at the staging station into one or more of subsets of mail items re-sequenced into an intermediate order, as an intermediate step to achieving said final sequenced set, said staging station having a plurality of storage units X₁ to X_n, wherein n is the total number of storage units, said storage units temporarily storing said items in said subsets by;

1) inserting each mail item into any selected one of said storage units X₁ to X_n in accordance with an insertion plan consistent with an extraction plan for the mail items from those storage units for achieving the delivery point sequence (DPS) of the final sequenced set of mail items;

2) rearranging the mail items in the different order into delivery point sequence (DPS) in the staging station by inserting those mail items into one or more selectable storage units; and

3) selectively extracting the mail items from any selected one of the storage units X₁ to X_n according to said extraction plan; and

d) merging the extracted mail items into a single output stream from the respective subsets of mail items into said final sequenced set in delivery point sequence (DPS).

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the different order is in enhanced carrier route line of travel (LOT), as defined by the United States Postal Service (USPS), such that some of the mail items therein are sequenced corresponding to some of the delivery points of mail items in the delivery point sequence (DPS).

16. The method of claim 15 wherein LOT is determined as a function of block face identity, and direction of carrier walk sequence (CWS) in that block, said block face identity representing a side of a street on a carrier delivery route.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of rearranging comprises the steps of:

1) determining which items in the input stream are in order with CWS, and which are in reverse order with respect thereto;

2) separating the in-order items and reverse-order items into separate subsets of items in the staging station; and

3) recombining the subsets in the staging station into one sequenced group of items in CWS.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the different order is a random order.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the segment for sampling includes:

marking each mail item with a code that identifies prospective delivery points for the mail item and a relative order of delivery;

a segment for reading the code of each item in the input stream;

a segment for comparing the code to delivery points in a carrier walk sequence (CWS) of the selected carrier route; and

a segment for determining from the comparison which items are in the delivery point sequence (DPS) for the selected carrier route and which items are in the different order.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the code includes the carrier route zip code, a block face designation for the side of a street for each delivery point, and the delivery point for the mail item.

21. A system for collating a plurality of mail items into a final sequenced set of the items for delivery to predetermined delivery points, some of said mail items being pre-sequenced in delivery point sequence (DPS) of selected carrier routes, and other mail items being in a different order from the delivery point sequence, comprising:

a) means for feeding the mail items from a single input stream to a staging station;

b) means for sampling each mail item in the input stream to determine if the mail item is in the delivery point sequence, or a different order;

c) means for sorting the mail items at the staging station into one or more subsets of mail items re-sequenced into an intermediate order, as an intermediate step to achieving said final sequenced set, said staging station having a plurality of storage units X₁ to X_n, wherein n is the total number of storage units, said storage units temporarily storing said items in said subsets by the combined operation of;

1) means for inserting each mail item into any selected one of said storage units X₁ to X_n in accordance with an insertion plan consistent with an extraction plan for the mail items from those storage units for achieving the delivery point sequence (DPS) of the final sequenced set of mail items;

2) means for rearranging the mail items in the different order into delivery point sequence (DPS) in the staging station by inserting those mail items into selectable storage units; and

3) means for selectively extracting the mail items from any selected one of the storage units X₁ to X_n according to said extraction plan; and

d) means for merging the extracted mail items into a single output stream from the respective subsets of mail items into said final sequenced set in delivery point sequence (DPS).

22. The system of claim 21 further comprising:

means for collecting portions of the output stream of the mail items in delivery point sequence and reversing the order thereof into batches of mail items in carrier walk sequence (CWS).

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the different order is in enhanced carrier route line of travel (LOT), as defined by the United States Postal Service (USPS), such that some of the mail items therein are sequenced corresponding to some of the delivery points of mail items in the delivery point sequence (DPS).

24. The system of claim 23 wherein LOT is determined as a function of block face identity, and direction of carrier walk sequence (CWS) in that block, said block face identity representing a side of a street on a carrier delivery route.

25. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

1) means for determining which items in the input stream are in order with CWS, and which are in reverse order with respect thereto;

2) means for separating the in-order items and reverse-order items into separate subsets of items in the staging station; and

3) means for recombining the subsets in the staging station into one sequenced group of items in CWS.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein the different order is a random order.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein the means for sampling includes:

means for marking each mail item with a code that identifies prospective delivery points for the mail item and a relative order of delivery;

means for reading the code of each item in the input stream;

means for comparing the code to delivery points in a carrier walk sequence (CWS) of the selected carrier route; and

means for determining from the comparison which items are in the delivery point sequence (DPS) for the selected carrier route and which items are in the different order.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the code includes the carrier route zip code, a block face designation for the side of a street for each delivery point, and the delivery point for the mail item.

29. A computer program embodied in a machine-readable medium for collating a plurality of mail items into a final sequenced set of the items for delivery to predetermined delivery points, some of said mail items being pre-sequenced in delivery point sequence (DPS) of selected carrier routes, and other mail items being in a different order from the delivery point sequence from items fed from a input stream to a staging station, the program comprising:

a) a segment for sampling each mail item in the input stream to determine if the mail item is in the delivery point sequence, or a different order;

b) a segment for sorting the mail items at the staging station into one or more subsets of mail items re-sequenced into an intermediate order, as an intermediate step to achieving said final sequenced set, said staging station having a plurality of storage units X₁ to X_n wherein n is the total number of storage units, said storage units temporarily storing said items in said subsets by instructions from the program for;

1) inserting each mail item into any selected one of said storage units X₁ to X_n in accordance with an insertion plan consistent with an extraction plan for the mail items from those storage units for achieving the delivery point sequence (DPS) of the final sequenced set of mail items;

2) rearranging the mail items in the different order into delivery point sequence (DPS) in the staging station by inserting those mail items into selectable storage units; and

3) selectively extracting the mail items from any selected one of the storage units X₁ to X_n according to said extraction plan.

30. The computer program of claim 29 wherein the instruction for rearranging comprises:

1) a segment for determining which items in the input stream are in order with CWS, and which are in reverse order with respect thereto;

2) a segment for separating the in-order items and reverse-order items into separate subsets of items in the staging station; and

3) a segment for recombining the subsets in the staging station into one sequenced group of items in CWS.

31. A computer program embodied in a digital signal for collating a plurality of mail items into a final sequenced set of the items for delivery to predetermined delivery points, some of said mail items being pre-sequenced in delivery point sequence (DPS) of selected carrier routes, and other mail items being in a different order from the delivery point sequence from items fed from a input stream to a staging station, the program comprising:

a) a segment for sampling each mail item in the input stream to determine if the mail item is in the delivery point sequence, or a different order;

b) a segment for sorting the mail items at the staging station into one or more subsets of mail items re-sequenced into an intermediate order, as an intermediate step to achieving said final sequenced set, said staging station having a plurality of storage units X₁ to X_n, wherein n is the total number of storage units, said storage units temporarily storing said items in said subsets by instructions from the program for;

1) inserting each mail item into any selected one of said storage units X₁ to X_n in accordance with an insertion plan consistent with an extraction plan for the mail items from those storage units for achieving the delivery point sequence (DPS) of the final sequenced set of mail items;

2) rearranging the mail items in the different order into delivery point sequence (DPS) in the staging station by inserting those mail items into selectable storage units; and

3) selectively extracting the mail items from any selected one of the storage units X₁ to X_n according to said extraction plan.

32. The computer program of claim 31 wherein the instruction for rearranging comprises:

1) a segment for determining which items in the input stream are in order with CWS, and which are in reverse order with respect thereto;

2) a segment for separating the in-order items and reverse-order items into separate subsets of items in the staging station; and

3) a segment for recombining the subsets in the staging station into one sequenced group of items in CWS.

33. A method of converting a group of mail items in enhanced line of travel sequence (LOT) into a group of items in carrier walk sequence (CWS) comprising the steps of:

a) feeding a single input stream of mail items in the LOT group into a staging station;

b) determining which items in the stream are in order with the order of CWS, and which are in reverse order with respect thereto;

c) separating the in-order items and reverse-order items into separate subsets of items in the staging station; and

d) recombining the subsets in the staging station into one sequenced group of items in CWS.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the in-order items are staged in a first vertical stack in descending order from bottom to top of the first stack;

and the reverse order items are staged in a second vertical stack in ascending order from bottom to top of the stack, said step of recombining merging the first and second stacks into a third vertical stack in descending order from bottom to top in said CWS.