Mail sorter, method, and software product for a two-step and one-pass sorting algorithm
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of sorting objects into a sequence of destination addresses, in a single pass through a sorter, the method comprising:
- sorting the objects, in a first stage of the single pass, into a plurality of batches wherein each of the batches corresponds to a group of the destination addresses;
advancing the plurality of batches from the first stage to a second stage of the single pass; and
further sorting the objects in each of the plurality of batches into the sequence of destination addresses during the second stage;
wherein the objects are mail pieces held in clamps, and wherein the mail pieces are sorted by directly manipulating the clamps instead of by directly manipulating the mail pieces.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sorter, method, and software product are used for sorting objects into a sequence of destination addresses, in at most a single pass through the sorter. In a first stage of the single pass through the sorter, the objects are sorted into a plurality of batches corresponding to groups of the destination addresses. The batches are then eventually advanced from the first stage to a second stage of the single pass through the sorter. During that second stage, objects in each of the batches are sorted into the sequence of destination addresses.
115 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A method of sorting objects into a sequence of destination addresses, in a single pass through a sorter, the method comprising:
-
sorting the objects, in a first stage of the single pass, into a plurality of batches wherein each of the batches corresponds to a group of the destination addresses; advancing the plurality of batches from the first stage to a second stage of the single pass; and further sorting the objects in each of the plurality of batches into the sequence of destination addresses during the second stage;
wherein the objects are mail pieces held in clamps, and wherein the mail pieces are sorted by directly manipulating the clamps instead of by directly manipulating the mail pieces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 24)
-
-
5. A method of sorting objects into a sequence of destination addresses, in a single pass through a sorter, the method comprising:
-
sorting the objects, in a first stage of the single pass, into a plurality of batches wherein each of the batches corresponds to a group of the destination addresses; advancing the plurality of batches from the first stage to a second stage of the single pass; and further sorting the objects in each of the plurality of batches into the sequence of destination addresses during the second stage; arranging a plurality of sorter modules in cooperative engagement with each other; wherein the plurality of sorter modules includes at least one batch sorting module that receives the objects along an unsorted path, and that sorts the objects into the batches corresponding to the groups of destination addresses during the first stage sorting, wherein the batch sorting module includes at least one first diverter path that diverts the objects from the unsorted path to a batch storage path during the first stage sorting, wherein the plurality of sorter modules also includes at least one address sorting module that receives the batches from the at least one batch sorting module via a batch output path, and wherein the at least one address sorting module includes at least one second diverter path that diverts the objects from the batch output to a final sort output path during the second stage sorting to sort the objects into the sequence of destination addresses. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
-
-
8. A mail sorter for sorting mail pieces, the sorter comprising:
-
at least one batch sorting module configured to receive the mail pieces along an unsorted path, and configured to sort the mail pieces into batches corresponding to groups of destination addresses, wherein at least one first diverter path is arranged to divert the mail pieces from the unsorted path to a batch-sorted path; and at least one address sorting module configured to receive the batches, and sort the mail pieces in each of the batches according to the destination addresses, wherein the address sorting module performs the destination address sort one batch at a time;
wherein the batch-sorted path comprises a plurality of batch stations, each of the batch stations holding the mail pieces destined for a predetermined number of consecutive destination addresses in a delivery sequence. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
13. A mail sorter for sorting mail pieces, the sorter comprising:
-
at least one batch sorting module configured to receive the mail pieces along an unsorted path, and configured to sort the mail pieces into batches corresponding to groups of destination addresses, wherein at least one first diverter path is arranged to divert the mail pieces from the unsorted path to a batch-sorted path; and at least one address sorting module configured to receive the batches, and sort the mail pieces in each of the batches according to the destination addresses, wherein the address sorting module performs the destination address sort one batch at a time, wherein a batch is received by the address sorting module after all of the mail pieces destined for the addresses corresponding to the batch have been sorted into the batch, and wherein the address sorting module includes a number of second diverter paths that at least equals a maximum number of the destination addresses per batch.
-
-
14. A mail sorter for sorting mail pieces, the sorter comprising:
-
at least one batch sorting module configured to receive the mail pieces along an unsorted path, and configured to sort the mail pieces into batches corresponding to groups of destination addresses, wherein at least one first diverter path is arranged to divert the mail pieces from the unsorted path to a batch-sorted path; and at least one address sorting module configured to receive the batches, and sort the mail pieces in each of the batches according to the destination addresses, wherein the address sorting module performs the destination address sort one batch at a time, wherein a batch is received by the address sorting module after all of the mail pieces destined for the addresses corresponding to the batch have been sorted into the batch, and wherein the batch sorting module has a number of the first diverter paths that at least equals the ratio of a number of the destination addresses per delivery route divided by the number of destination addresses per batch.
-
-
18. A mail sorter for sorting mail pieces, the sorter comprising:
-
at least one batch sorting module configured to receive the mail pieces along an unsorted path, and configured to sort the mail pieces into batches corresponding to groups of destination addresses, wherein at least one first diverter path is arranged to divert the mail pieces from the unsorted path to a batch-sorted path; and at least one address sorting module configured to receive the batches, and sort the mail pieces in each of the batches according to the destination addresses, wherein the address sorting module performs the destination address sort one batch at a time, and wherein the mail pieces are held in clamps, and wherein the mail pieces are sorted by directly manipulating the clamps instead of by directly manipulating the mail pieces. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
-
23. A software product for sorting objects into a sequence of destination addresses, in a single pass through a sorter, the software product comprising a computer readable storage medium comprising codes stored therein for execution by a processor, so that when executed the codes provide for:
-
sorting the objects, in a first stage of the single pass, into a plurality of batches wherein each of the batches corresponds to a group of the destination addresses; advancing the plurality of batches from the first stage to a second stage of the single pass; and further sorting the objects in each of the plurality of batches into the sequence of destination addresses during the second stage;
wherein the codes also provide for reading destination information from the objects prior to the first stage sorting; and
wherein the codes also provide for beginning to sort, in the first stage, the objects, while the destination information is read from at least one other of the objects, and wherein the objects are mail pieces held in clamps, and wherein the mail pieces are sorted by directly manipulating the clamps instead of by directly manipulating the mail pieces. - View Dependent Claims (29)
-
-
25. A method of sorting objects into a sequence of destination addresses, in a single pass through a sorter, the method comprising:
-
sorting the objects, in a first stage of the single pass, into a plurality of batches wherein each of the batches corresponds to a group of the destination addresses; advancing the plurality of batches from the first stage to a second stage of the single pass; and further sorting the objects in each of the plurality of batches into the sequence of destination addresses during the second stage, wherein each of the objects comprises a holder and a mail piece held in the holder, and wherein the objects are sorted by directly manipulating the holders and not directly manipulating the mail pieces. - View Dependent Claims (26, 30)
-
-
27. A mail sorter for sorting mail pieces, the sorter comprising:
-
at least one batch sorting module configured to receive the mail pieces along an unsorted path, and configured to sort the mail pieces into batches corresponding to groups of destination addresses, wherein at least one first diverter path is arranged to divert the mail pieces from the unsorted path to a batch-sorted path; at least one address sorting module configured to receive the batches, and sort the mail pieces in each of the batches according to the destination addresses, wherein the address sorting module performs the destination address sort one batch at a time; and holders for the mail pieces, and wherein the mail pieces are sorted by directly manipulating the holders and not directly manipulating the mail pieces. - View Dependent Claims (28)
-
Specification