Adaptive information and measurement system
First Claim
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1. A method for tracking postal service performance using a computerized tracking system and tag mail pieces having machine readable indicia indicating an identification code for each tag mail piece, comprising:
- assigning delivery destinations to each tag mail piece using the computerized tracking system by querying a server with the identification code, wherein each tag mail piece is not marked with a delivery destination;
at an originating postal facility, sorting the tag mail pieces on postal mail sorting machines according to a sort scheme whereby the tag mail pieces are each grouped with mail addressed to the delivery destinations assigned to the grouped tag mail pieces;
transporting the groups of mail grouped with tag mail pieces to a destinating postal facility;
scanning each tag mail piece to determine date and time of arrival of each tag mail piece at a series of locations, which scanning is carried out at multiple locations to determine transit times between locations for each tag mail piece, wherein the multiple locations include the originating postal facility, the destinating postal facility, and the delivery destinations, wherein the tag mail pieces are scanned at the delivery destinations without being delivered to the delivery destinations;
returning the tag mail pieces from the delivery destinations to a postal facility which may be the same or different from the originating postal facility in the assigning step;
re-assigning the returned tag mail pieces to different delivery destinations to determine transit times between different locations; and
analyzing tag arrival data from the scanning step using the computerized tracking system programmed to identify tag arrival data associated with postal performance problems.
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Abstract
A method, AND apparatus are described to accurately measure the delivery performance of a postal service using without external agents in the measurement process. The invention describes a system that measures the postal logistic automatically, and continuously. The basis for measurement are tag mail pieces that circulate continuously through the postal system.
29 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for tracking postal service performance using a computerized tracking system and tag mail pieces having machine readable indicia indicating an identification code for each tag mail piece, comprising:
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assigning delivery destinations to each tag mail piece using the computerized tracking system by querying a server with the identification code, wherein each tag mail piece is not marked with a delivery destination; at an originating postal facility, sorting the tag mail pieces on postal mail sorting machines according to a sort scheme whereby the tag mail pieces are each grouped with mail addressed to the delivery destinations assigned to the grouped tag mail pieces; transporting the groups of mail grouped with tag mail pieces to a destinating postal facility; scanning each tag mail piece to determine date and time of arrival of each tag mail piece at a series of locations, which scanning is carried out at multiple locations to determine transit times between locations for each tag mail piece, wherein the multiple locations include the originating postal facility, the destinating postal facility, and the delivery destinations, wherein the tag mail pieces are scanned at the delivery destinations without being delivered to the delivery destinations; returning the tag mail pieces from the delivery destinations to a postal facility which may be the same or different from the originating postal facility in the assigning step; re-assigning the returned tag mail pieces to different delivery destinations to determine transit times between different locations; and analyzing tag arrival data from the scanning step using the computerized tracking system programmed to identify tag arrival data associated with postal performance problems. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for tracking postal service performance, comprising:
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a plurality of tag mail pieces each bearing a machine readable identification code and not bearing a delivery destination; a computerized tracking system configured to maintain a database of tracking data which reflects when each tag mail piece was scanned during a postal delivery cycle, which the computerized tracking system receives tracking data from postal mail sorting machines which scan the tag mail pieces and from manual scanning devices used to scan the tag mail pieces during postal delivery; to assign delivery destinations to each tag mail piece by querying a server with the identification code, wherein the tag mail pieces are scanned at the delivery destinations and then returned for reassignment without being delivered to the delivery destinations; and to re-assign the returned tag mail pieces to different delivery destinations to determine transit times between different locations; a communications system configured to receive the tracking data from the postal sorting machines and the manual scanning devices; and an automated analyzer configured to identify tag arrival data associated with postal performance problems. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification