Method and system for accepting non-toxic mail that has an indication of the mailer on the mail

• US 7,003,471 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Sansone, Ronald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reagan, James A
• Application Number:
  US10/015,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20030110048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 705/406, 705/408, 705/410, 705/44, 705/67, 455/411, 455/67.2, 700 90- 93, 702/108, 702/127, 340/5.8, 340/5.81
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00467 Transporting mailpieces postal sorting B07C
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00483 Batch processing of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00709 Scanning mailpieces

Abstract

A system that determines if mail contains life-harming materials before the mail enters the interior of a receptacle, i.e., mail box. This invention accomplishes the foregoing by issuing stamps that uniquely identify the stamp and identify the mailer to whom the stamp was issued; having a scanner at a receptacle read the stamp and send the unique identifying code contained in the stamp to a data center that checks if the stamp is genuine; and stores the stamps unique code before mail is permitted to enter the interior of the receptacle.

Claims

1. An incoming mail monitoring system, said system comprises:

a sticker that is issued to mailers that is placed on mail to identify the mailer to whom the sticker was issued;

a receptacle that reads and stores the identifying information contained in the sticker before the mail enters the interior of the receptacle;

a data center that receives information contained in the sticker and the receptacle to determine if the mailer is permitted to enter mail into the interior of the receptacle;

a scanner that reads the sticker;

wherein the scanner captures and interprets the information contained in the sticker;

wherein the scanner is located in a control chamber;

wherein the control chamber has a locked door for isolating suspect mail;

wherein the interior of the receptacle comprises an inner chamber that receives mail from the control chamber that is not suspected of having life-harming material; and

wherein the inner chamber has a locked door in which when open mail may be removed from the inner chamber.

2. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the sticker comprises:

a label that has a code that uniquely identifies the person that was issued the label.

3. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the sticker comprises:

a label that has a code that uniquely identifies the entity that was issued the label.

4. The system claimed in claim 3, wherein the label contains a area in which a postage stamp may be affixed.

5. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the sticker comprises:

a stamp that has a code that uniquely identifies the stamp.

6. The system claimed in claim 1, further including:

a slot for depositing mail into the control chamber.

7. The system claimed in claim 6, further including:

means for closing the slot when the mail in the control chamber is suspected of containing life-harming substances.

8. The system claimed in claim 6, further comprising means for indicating a message indicating the status of the receptacle.

9. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the data center correlates recipient address of the mail with information contained in the sticker.

10. The system claimed in claim 9, wherein the receptacles further comprises:

means for noting location of the receptacle.

11. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the receptacle further comprises:

means for noting time and date that the mail was deposited in the receptacle.