Dual metering method for indicating the contents of mail

• US 7,949,540 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• 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): Saliard; Shannon S
• Application Number:
  US10/755,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,689 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 235/380
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00508 Printing or attaching on mailpieces printing mechanisms B41J; security printing B41M3/14; marking methods B41M5/00; inks C09D11/00; record carriers with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00629 Circuit, e.g. transponder

Abstract

A method that enables the USPS to be aware of the contents of mail and the identity of the party who licensed the postal meter that paid for the mailing. The foregoing is accomplished by placing human readable postal meter indicia on the mail that contains information that uniquely identifies the mail and the licensee of the meter in addition to incorporating a radio frequency identification tag on the mail that identifies the contents of the mail and the information that uniquely identifies the mail. Additional security will be obtained by knowing the identity of the mailer and the contents of the mailing. The radio frequency tags may be remotely read, enabling the USPS to be aware of the contents of the mail permitting different content mail to be handled differently.

Claims

1. A method for indicating the contents of mail, said method comprising:

preparing, by a metering device, a label that includes a tag portion and a postal indicia portion;

recording, by the metering device, the contents of mail and a name of a recipient of the mail in the tag portion;

affixing the label to an exterior face of mail;

reading, using a reading device, the tag to enable an entity reading the tag to know the contents of the mail;

preparing, by a data center, a list of goods that may be contained in the mail; and

accumulating, by the data center, information read from the tag to determine if goods being monitored are addressed to specific recipients.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the tag is a radio frequency identification tag.

3. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

recording information regarding a mailer of mail in the tag.

4. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

sorting the mail so that like types of content mail will be placed in the same type of mail container.

5. The method claimed in claim 4, further includes the step of placing the like types of mail in a pressurized container.

6. The method claimed in claim 4, further including the step of:

placing the like types of mail in a refrigerated container.

7. The method claimed in claim 4, further including the step of:

placing the like types of mail in a lead lined container.

8. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

identifying items in the list of goods that are going to be monitored by a Government.

9. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

determining if goods sent to a specific recipient indicate that the recipient is receiving goods that may be harmful.

10. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

determining if the goods sent to a specific recipient indicate that the recipient is receiving goods that may be illegal.

11. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

determining if the goods sent to a specific recipient indicate that the recipient is receiving goods that may be suspicious.

12. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

determining if the goods sent to a specific recipient indicate that the recipient is receiving goods that may be combined with other goods to form illegal goods.

13. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

determining if the goods sent to a specific recipient indicate that the recipient is receiving goods that may be combined with other goods to form harmful goods.

14. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

determining if the goods sent to a specific recipient indicate that the recipient should be investigated because the recipient may be receiving goods that may be combined with other goods to form goods that are suspicious.

15. The method claimed in claim 14, further including the step of:

preparing a report indicating information regarding the goods sent to recipients.

16. The method claimed in claim 14, further including the step of:

notifying the authorities of recipients who are being sent suspicious goods.

17. The method claimed in claim 15, further including the step of:

holding goods sent to recipients that may be suspicious goods.

18. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

recording information.