Method and system for tracing corporate mail
First Claim
1. A method for processing a mail item comprising:
- determining if the mail item is provided with tracking identification information including at least one of an identifier associated with a sender of the mail item and an identifier associated with equipment used to generate the mail item, the tracking identification information further including a unique identification number;
if the mail item is provided with tracking identification information, associating the tracking identification information with a unique aspect of the mail item;
generating a record of the association between the tracking identification information and the unique aspect of the mail item; and
providing the mail item to a carrier for delivery.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system that enables the accurate identification of the originator of a mail piece within a corporate mail room environment is provided. Each person that generates mail items is provided with tracking information to be placed on each mail item. The tracking information can include, for example, an employee identification number, an equipment identification number and a unique sequence number. When the mail item is received in the corporate mail room, the tracking information is scanned and the tracking information is associated with a unique aspect of the mail item. Utilizing the tracking information associated with each mail item, the ambiguity of origination of each mail item is removed as there is now a verifiable record of the originator and/or originating equipment.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. A method for processing a mail item comprising:
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determining if the mail item is provided with tracking identification information including at least one of an identifier associated with a sender of the mail item and an identifier associated with equipment used to generate the mail item, the tracking identification information further including a unique identification number; if the mail item is provided with tracking identification information, associating the tracking identification information with a unique aspect of the mail item; generating a record of the association between the tracking identification information and the unique aspect of the mail item; and providing the mail item to a carrier for delivery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for processing a mail item comprising:
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receiving a request for tracking identification information from a sender for the mail item; generating a postage indicium for the mail item; generating the tracking identification information, the tracking identification information including at least one of an identifier associated with the sender and an identification associated with equipment from which the request is made, the tracking identification information further including a unique identification number, at least a portion of the postage indicium being as the unique identification number; generating a record associating the identification associated with the sender and the postage indicium; storing the record; and returning the tracking identification information to the sender for affixing to the mail item. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method for processing a mail item comprising:
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receiving a request for tracking identification information from a sender for the mail item; generating the tracking identification information, the tracking identification information including a unique identifier; encrypting the tracking identification information; generating a record associating the unique identifier with an identification associated with the sender; storing the record in a database; and returning the encrypted tracking identification to the sender for affixing to the mail item. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method for processing a mail item comprising:
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generating tracking identification information for affixing to the mail item, the tracking identification information including at least one of an identifier associated with a sender of the mail item and an identifier associated with equipment used to generate the mail item, the tracking identification information further including a unique identification number and a digital signature; verifying the digital signature; if the digital signature is verified, associating the tracking identification information with a unique aspect of the mail item; generating a record of the association between the tracking identification information and the unique aspect of the mail item; and storing the record.
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59. A mail processing system for a central mail room comprising:
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a server, the server including a sequence number generator; a plurality of workstations coupled to the server, each of the plurality of workstations being operable by a sender of a mail item to request tracking identification information from the server, the tracking identification information including at least one of an identifier associated with the sender of the mail item and an identifier associated with the workstation being operated by the sender, the tracking identification information further including a unique identification number generated by the sequence number generator; and a mailing machine to process mail items for delivery to a carrier, wherein when a mail item is processed by the mailing machine, the tracking identification information affixed to the mail item is associated with a unique aspect of the mail item and a record of the association between the tracking identification information and the unique aspect of the mail item is stored in a database associated with the mailing machine, thereby allowing the sender of the mail item to be identified. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification