Method for obtaining a random sampling

• US 7,774,093 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Amonette, Thomas, Reese, Margaret
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURGESS, RAMYA PRAKASAM
• Application Number:
  US11/367,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 700/213, 700/219, 700/220, 700/223
• US Class Current: 700/213
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00435 Details specific to central, non-customer apparatus, e.g. servers at post office or vendor
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00467 Transporting mailpieces postal sorting B07C
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00483 Batch processing of mailpieces

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of obtaining a random sample. The method includes randomly selecting a sample of a mailing at a DMU. This sample is then analyzed for conformance with United States Postal Service standards.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of determining whether to obtain a sample from a plurality of delivery items, the method comprising:

determining, using a computer, at least one of the following for the plurality of delivery items;

a type of delivery item,

a number of delivery items in the plurality of delivery items, and

an entity that prepared the plurality of delivery items;

assigning, using the computer, a risk factor to the plurality of delivery items based on one of;

the type of delivery item, the number of delivery items, and the entity; and

obtaining a sample number of delivery items if the risk factor exceeds a predetermined risk level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the sample number of delivery items comprises:

determining a set of locations for the plurality of delivery items;

determining a quantity of delivery items for the sample number based on at least one of;

the type of delivery item and the number of delivery items;

specifying a location from the set of locations; and

obtaining at least a portion of the determined quantity of delivery items at the location.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of delivery items includes at least one of:

letters, flats, and packages.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the set of locations includes a production line.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the set of locations includes a staging area.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the set of locations includes a delivery vehicle.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining an amount of time available to obtain the sample number of delivery items.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein obtaining the sample number comprises:

determining a quantity of delivery items for the sample number based on at least one of;

the type of delivery item,

the number of delivery items, and

the amount of time available to obtain the sample number of delivery items.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the obtained sample number of delivery items for conformance with a standard.

10. A system for determining whether to obtain a sample from a plurality of delivery items, comprising:

a determining component that determines at least one of the following for the plurality of delivery items;

a type of delivery item,

a number of delivery items in the plurality of delivery items, and

an entity that prepared the plurality of delivery items;

a computer that assigns a risk factor to the plurality of delivery items based on one of;

the type of delivery item, the number of delivery items, and the entity; and

an obtaining component that obtains a sample number of delivery items if the risk factor exceeds a predetermined risk level.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the obtaining component comprises:

a location determining component that determines a set of locations for the plurality of delivery items;

a sample-size determining component that determines a quantity of delivery items for the sample number based on at least one of;

the type of delivery item and the number of delivery items;

a specifying component that specifies a location from the set of locations; and

a separating component that separates at least a portion of the determined quantity of delivery items from the plurality of delivery items at the location.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of delivery items includes at least one of:

a letter, a flat, and a package.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of locations includes a production line.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of locations includes a staging area.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of locations includes a delivery vehicle.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a time determining component that determines an amount of time available to obtain the sample number of delivery items.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the sample-size determining component determines a quantity of delivery items for the sample number based on at least one of:

the type of delivery item,

the number of delivery items, and

the amount of time available to obtain the sample number of delivery items.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a weighing component for determining whether a delivery item from the obtained sample number of delivery items conforms with a weight standard.

19. A computer readable medium storing instructions for controlling a computer system to perform a method of determining whether to obtain a sample from a plurality of delivery items, the method comprising:

determining at least one of the following for the plurality of delivery items;

a type of delivery item,

a number of delivery items in the plurality of delivery items, and

an entity that sent the plurality of delivery items;

assigning a risk factor to the plurality of delivery items based on one of;

the type of delivery items, the number of delivery items, and the entity that sent the plurality of delivery items;

determining whether the risk factor exceeds a predetermined risk threshold; and

providing an indication that a sample of delivery items from the plurality of delivery items should be examined if the risk factor exceeds the predetermined risk threshold.

20. A system for determining whether to obtain a sample from a plurality of delivery items, comprising:

a means for determining at least one of the following for the plurality of delivery items;

a type of delivery item,

a number of delivery items in the plurality of delivery items, and

an entity that prepared the plurality of delivery items; and

a computer for;

assigning a risk factor to the plurality of delivery items based on one of;

the type of delivery items, the number of delivery items, and the entity that prepared the plurality of delivery items, and

determining whether the risk factor exceeds a predetermined risk threshold; and

a means for obtaining a sample of delivery items from the plurality of delivery items if the risk factor exceeds the predetermined risk threshold.