Method for distributing documents

• US 6,665,586 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Printer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Printer, Inc.
• Inventors: Ball, Craig W., Huff, Bryan Conrad, Thompson, Samuel Adams IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Application Number:
  US10/235,882
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 700/226, 700/227, 700/236, 705/26, 705/29
• US Class Current: 700/226
• 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 2017/00427 Special accounting procedures, e.g. storing special information
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00483 Batch processing of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0062 Label

Abstract

A method of printing and distributing time sensitive documents. The method of printing includes receiving an intended delivery location with each of a plurality of documents, determining a time required to deliver each document to the intended delivery location, determining a desired date of receipt and printing each document to allow for the time required to deliver each document on the desired date of receipt. Moreover, each document can be printed in-line with a corresponding shipping label. The documents and shipping labels may be customer specific. The shipping labels can also be secured to the documents, by stapling, binding, gluing or any other means, in-line to avoid many problems.

Claims

1. A method for distributing time-sensitive documents, comprising:

receiving shipping data from a customer, the shipping data having a plurality of records, each of the plurality of records including at least a recipient field, a recipient address field, a recipient zip code field, and at least one variable recipient field to be used for customizing a document in a manner independent of recipient name, recipient address, and recipient zip code;

determining a carrier service level for each record;

receiving an intended delivery time associated with each record;

determining an intended time of shipment for documents associated with each record based on the carrier service level for each record and the intended delivery time associated with each record;

prioritizing the plurality of records based on the intended time of shipment;

printing a customized document incorporating customized information based on the at least one variable recipient field for each record;

shipping the customized document at the intended time of shipment using the associated carrier service level;

the printing and shipping occurring consecutively and without delay such that shipping occurs immediately after printing.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the intended delivery time is a particular date.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping data is from a text file.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping data is from a database file.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising printing a shipping label associated with each customized document inline with each customized document such that each shipping label and associated Customized document are readily physically associated.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the shipping label associated with each document is secured to the customized document.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein a staple is used to secure the shipping label to the customized document.