Systems and methods for allocating excess space associated with mailings

• US 6,895,302 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Provost, Christina, Liberty, Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Application Number:
  US10/655,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 700/220, 700/222, 700/223, 270/58.31, 270/58.32
• US Class Current: 700/220
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 1/10 Machines for both collating or gathering and interposing inserts
• 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 2511/40 Identification
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2553/43 Bar code reader
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00467 Transporting mailpieces postal sorting B07C
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00491 Mail/envelope/insert handling system

Abstract

Systems and methods for selecting information to be included with a primary component. In some cases, the insert information can be advertisements or offers, and the insert information can be included with a primary component or printed on a primary component. Such primary components can be, for example, a scheduled bill or other planned mailing. In particular cases, the systems can include a multi-bay insert holder, a primary component, and an associated primary component holder. A microprocessor associated with a computer readable medium is included with instructions executable by the microprocessor to: determine the excess space associated with a primary component; identify at least one insert information compatible with the excess space that is to be associated with the primary component; and send a control signal to the insertion system. Various methods are also disclosed for associating insert information with primary components.

Claims

1. A system for allocating an excess space associated with a primary component, the system comprising:

an insertion system;

a primary component; and

a microprocessor associated with a computer readable medium, wherein the computer readable medium comprises instructions executable by the microprocessor to;

determine the excess space associated with the primary component;

identify at least one information insert compatible with the excess space that is to be associated with the primary component; and

send a control signal to the insertion system, wherein the control signal indicates the at least one information insert.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the information insert is a white space insert.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary component is selected from a group consisting of:

an account statement;

a bill; and

an appointment notification.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the information insert is an advertisement.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information insert is a weight space insert.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the insertion system is a multi-bay insertion system, and wherein one of the bays of the multi-bay insertion system includes the weight space insert.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises instructions executable by the microprocessor to:

access a priority definition, wherein identifying the at least one information insert compatible with the excess space that is to be associated with the primary component is based at least in part on the priority definition.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the priority definition includes one or more elements selected from a group consisting of:

a relationship between the primary component and one or more information inserts;

a relationship between an entity associated with the primary component and entities associated with one or more information inserts; and

an amount of excess space required by one or more information inserts.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises instructions executable by the microprocessor to:

provide an output indicating the excess space associated with the primary component;

receive a request in response to the output indicating the excess space associated with the primary component, wherein identifying the at least one information insert compatible with the excess space that is to be associated with the primary component is based at least in part on the request.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the request is a first request from a first entity, and wherein the computer readable medium further comprises instructions executable by the microprocessor to:

receive a second request from a second entity in response to the output indicating the excess space associated with the primary component; and

select between the first request from the first entity and the second request from the second entity to identify a selected request, wherein identifying the at least one information insert compatible with the excess space that is to be associated with the primary component is based at least in part on the selected request.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first request from the first entity indicates a first amount to be exchanged for use of the excess space, wherein the second request from the second entity indicates a second amount to be exchanged for use of the excess space, and wherein selecting between the first request from the first entity and the second request from the second entity to identify a selected request comprises comparing the first amount to be exchanged for use of the excess space and the second amount to be exchanged for use of the excess space.

12. A method for allocating excess space associated with a primary component, the method comprising:

determining the excess space associated with the primary component;

accessing a priority definition, wherein the priority definition includes information relevant to one or more information inserts;

based at least in part on the priority definition, identifying at least one of the one or more information inserts compatible with the excess space; and

associating the at least one of the one or more information inserts with the primary component.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the excess space comprises excess white space.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the priority definition includes one or more elements selected from a group consisting of:

a relationship between the primary component and one or more information inserts;

a relationship between an entity associated with the primary component and entities associated with one or more information inserts; and

an amount of excess space required by one or more information inserts.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the primary component is selected from a group consisting of:

an account statement;

a bill; and

an appointment notification.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the excess space comprises excess weight space.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the excess space comprises excess white space.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying a universe of potential excess space customers.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying a universe of potential information inserts.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

providing an output advertising the excess space associated with the primary component;

receiving a request in response to the output advertising the excess space associated with the primary component, wherein identifying the at least one information insert compatible with the excess space that is to be associated with the primary component is based at least in part on the request.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the request is a first request from a first entity, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second request from a second entity in response to the output advertising the excess space associated with the primary component; and

selecting between the first request from the first entity and the second request from the second entity to identify a selected request, wherein identifying the at least one information insert compatible with the excess space that is to be associated with the primary component is based at least in part on the selected request.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first request from the first entity indicates a first amount to be exchanged for access to the excess space, wherein the second request from the second entity indicates a second amount to be exchanged for access to the excess space, and wherein selecting between the first request from the first entity and the second request from the second entity to identify a selected request comprises comparing the first amount to be exchanged for access to the excess space and the second amount to be exchanged for access to the excess space.

23. A method for incorporating a customized information insert into an excess space, the method comprising:

providing a control interface, wherein the control interface is operable to receive a request to associate an information insert into a defined excess space;

determining an actual excess space compatible with the information insert;

based at least in part on the request, associating the information insert with the primary component; and

requesting a payment amount in association with the information insert.