Systems for preparing presentation instruments for distribution

• US 7,344,062 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tunink, Corey D., Smith, Scott J., Nowlin, Jeffrey G., Greene, Jay E. III, Casto, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US10/985,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20050150942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/470, 235/462.13, 235/454, 270 5204- 5205
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00459 Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00483 Batch processing of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00491 Mail/envelope/insert handling system

Abstract

A system for processing presentation instruments that includes a presentation instrument reservoir, a presentation instrument reader, a distribution stock holder, a distribution stock reader, two or more motor systems for advancing distribution stock and presentation instruments, and attaching the presentation instruments to the distribution stock when codes printed on the instruments and stock match each other. In some cases, the motor systems can interface to an interface controller via a serial interface, and the interface controller can be coupled to a process control computer via an Ethernet connection. In some cases, distribution stock is blank and has no readable code, in which case the blank stock is automatically advanced to a reject bin without interrupting the operation of system.

Claims

1. A system for processing presentation instruments, the system comprising:

a presentation instrument reservoir;

a distribution stock;

a distribution stock reader for reading a code on the distribution stock in order to match the distribution stock with a presentation instrument from the presentation instrument reservoir, and for sensing the absence of the code on the distribution stock;

a mechanism for extracting a presentation instrument from the presentation instrument reservoir and for associating the presentation instrument with the distribution stock to create a populated distribution stock if there is a match from reading the code on the distribution stock, and for leaving the distribution stock unpopulated if there is no code on the distribution stock;

a reject bin for receiving the unpopulated distribution stock having no code thereon; and

a sorter for receiving the distribution stock from the mechanism and automatically directing the distribution stock to a mailing reservoir if populated with a presentation instrument, and for automatically directing the distribution stock to the reject bin, if unpopulated, so that the operation of the system is not interrupted by the unpopulated distribution stock having no code thereon.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a folder, wherein the folder is operable to accept the distribution stock from the mechanism and provide the distribution stock to the sorter; and

a blower coupled to the folder, wherein the blower causes the distribution stock to be oriented in a stackable position for the sorter.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a presentation instrument reader for reading a code on the presentation instrument so that the code on the presentation instrument may be compared to the code on the distribution stock.

4. A system for processing presentation instruments, the system comprising:

a presentation instrument reservoir;

an unpopulated distribution stock;

a distribution stock reader for reading a code on the distribution stock in order to match the distribution stock with a presentation instrument from the presentation instrument reservoir, and for sensing the absence of a code on the distribution stock; and

a mechanism for extracting a presentation instrument from the presentation instrument reservoir and for associating the presentation instrument with the unpopulated distribution stock to create a populated distribution stock if there is a match from reading the code on the distribution stock, and for leaving the distribution stock unpopulated if there is no code on the distribution stock;

a folder, wherein the folder is operable to accept the distribution stock from the mechanism;

a blower coupled to the folder, wherein the blower causes the distribution stock to be oriented in a stackable position; and

a sorter for receiving the stackable distribution stock and automatically directing the distribution stock to a reject bin if unpopulated, so that the operation of the system is not interrupted by the unpopulated distribution stock having no code thereon.

5. A system for processing presentation instruments for distribution and associating each presentation instrument with a distribution stock, the system comprising:

a distribution stock reader for reading a code on the distribution stock in order to match the distribution stock with a presentation instrument and for sensing the absence of a code on the distribution stock; and

a populating subsystem associating the presentation instrument with the distribution stock to create a populated distribution stock if there is a match from reading the code on the distribution stock, and for leaving the distribution stock unpopulated if there is no code on the distribution stock;

a reject bin;

a mailing reservoir;

a sorter subsystem for automatically directing the distribution stock to the mailing reservoir if the distribution stock is populated, and automatically directing the distributions stock to the reject bin if the distribution stock is unpopulated due to the absence of a code on the distribution stock, so that the operation of the system is not interrupted due to the absence of the code on the distribution stock.

6. A system for processing presentation instruments, the system comprising:

a presentation instrument reservoir;

a presentation instrument reader for sensing an identification code on the presentation instrument;

a first motor system for moving a presentation instrument from the presentation instrument reservoir to the presentation instrument reader;

a distribution stock holder;

a distribution stock reader for sensing an identification code on the distribution stock, wherein one or more of the individual distribution stock are left blank and have no identification code thereon, in order to separate processing jobs;

a second motor system for moving a distribution stock toward the distribution stock reader;

a third motor system for advancing the distribution stock through a sorter, the sorter for automatically directing the distribution stock to a first location if the distribution stock reader senses an identification code on the distribution stock and for automatically directing the distribution stock to a second location if the distribution stock reader senses no identification code on the distribution stock so that the operation of the system is not interrupted by an individual distribution stock having no code thereon that separates jobs; and

an interface controller electrically coupled via a serial interface to the first, second and third motor systems, and electrically coupled to a controlling computer via an Ethernet interface.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a fourth motor system for advancing the distribution stock through a folder;

and

a blower coupled to the folder, wherein the blower causes the distribution stock to be oriented in a stackable position for the sorter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first, second, third and fourth motor systems each comprise at least one motor with an encoded position output.

9. The system of claim 7, the system further comprising:

a plurality of insertion holders; and

a fifth motor system for moving the presentation instrument into one of the plurality of insertion holders.

10. The system of claim 9, the system further comprising:

an insertion command, wherein the insertion command is provided from the controlling computer to the fifth motor system indicating the one of the plurality of insertion holders to direct the presentation instrument.

11. The system of claim 9, the system further comprising:

a sixth motor system for deforming the presentation instrument in the one of the plurality of insertion holders.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the fifth and sixth motor systems are electrically coupled via a serial interface to the interface controller.

13. The system of claim 11, the system further comprising:

a insertion holder full command, wherein the insertion holder full command is provided from the interface controller.

14. The system of claim 11, the system further comprising:

a deformation command, wherein the deformation command is provided to the sixth motor system, and wherein the deformation command causes the sixth motor system to deform the presentation instrument in the one of the plurality of insertion holders.

15. The system of claim 14, the system further comprising:

an insertion command, wherein the insertion command is provided from the interface controller, and wherein the insertion command causes the sixth motor system release the presentation instrument from a deformed orientation.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein the first location is a mailing locating and wherein the second location is a reject location.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the mailing location is a mailing reservoir.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the reject location is a reject bin.

19. A method for processing presentation instruments, comprising:

providing presentation instruments;

providing distribution stock;

providing a code on the distribution stock for associating an individual distribution stock to an individual presentation instrument, wherein one or more individual distribution stock are left without a code in order to separate processing jobs;

sensing the code on the distribution stock at a distribution stock reader;

populating distribution stock with associated presentation instruments at a populating subsystem in response to sensing the code;

leaving an individual distribution stock unpopulated if no code is sensed on that individual distribution stock; and

sorting the distribution stock, by automatically directing the populated distribution stock to a mailing reservoir, and automatically directing the unpopulated distribution stock to a reject bin, so that the processing of presentation instruments is not interrupted if no code is sensed on an individual distribution stock that separates jobs.