Systems and methods for producing and managing a tracking label in an item delivery system

• US 8,521,658 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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: Raney, Brent A., Hamilton, Daryl S., Ferlaino, Anthony M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): LY, CHEYNE D
• Application Number:
  US10/468,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20050075997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,205 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/912, 414/265, 705/404, 705/408
• US Class Current: 705/404
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• 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 2017/00443 Verification of mailpieces, e.g. by checking databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0297 including a machine-readable marking, e.g. a bar code digitally marked record carriers in general G06K19/00

Abstract

Providing an information system in an item delivery system comprises reading a tracking indicia (410) on a unit load, updating a database (415) with first data from the tracking indicia, and updating the database with information that the unit load has been terminated. In addition, receiving (425) second data to be included in a label, and printing the label may be included.

Claims

1. A method for processing items in an item delivery system, comprising:

reading, by a scanning device, a tracking indicia on a unit load, the unit load comprising a plurality of items being transported together in a container, the plurality of items each including information specifying a unique final destination;

updating a database with first data from the tracking indicia;

based on a termination of the unit load, updating the database with information that the unit load has been terminated, the terminated state of the unit load being associated with a separation of the plurality of items from the unit load for further processing, the information that the unit load has been terminated comprising the time and location that the unit load was terminated and the quantity of items in the unit load;

based on the updating of the database with information that the unit load has been terminated;

providing a user access to the database;

receiving, from the user, label request information corresponding to at least one of the plurality of items; and

printing a label to be applied to the at least one of the plurality of items, the label comprising the label request information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking indicia includes a serial number unique to the unit load.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data includes at least one of:

a date and a time the tracking indicia is read, an ID of an operation associated with the reading of the tracking indicia, a weight of the unit load, a quantity of items associated with the unit load, a location of where the tracking indicia is read, an ID of an operator operating a device reading the tracking indicia, and an ID of a machine reading the tracking indicia.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the container is one of a mail tray, a mail sack, and a mail tub.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking indicia includes at least one of a bar code and a PLANET code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is at least one of a sender, a recipient, and an item delivery system operator.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing the label at one of a customer location, a central location, and at automated equipment in the item delivery system.

8. A system configured to process items in an item delivery system, comprising:

a device that reads a tracking indicia on a unit load, the unit load comprising a plurality of items being transported together in a container, the plurality of items each including information specifying a unique final destination;

a first updating component that updates a database with first data from the tracking indicia;

a second updating component that, based on a termination of the unit load, updates the database with information that the unit load has been terminated, the terminated state of the unit load being associated with a separation of the plurality of items from the unit load for further processing, the information that the unit load has been terminated comprising the time and location that the unit load was terminated and the quantity of items in the unit load;

an access component that, based on the updating of the database with information that the unit load has been terminated, provides a user with access to the database;

a data receiving component configured to receive label request information from the user corresponding to at least one of the plurality of items; and

a printing component configured to print a label to be applied to the at least one of the plurality of items, the label comprising the label request information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the tracking indicia includes a serial number unique to the unit load.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first data includes at least one of:

a date and a time of the tracking indicia is read, an ID of an operation associated with the reading of the tracking indicia, a weight of the unit load, a quantity of items associated with the unit load, a location of where the tracking indicia is read, an ID of an operator operating a device reading the tracking indicia, and an ID of a machine reading the tracking indicia.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the container is one of a mail tray, a mail sack, and a mail tub.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the tracking indicia includes at least one of a bar code and a PLANET code.

13. The system of claim 8, the user is at least one of a sender, a recipient, and an item delivery system operator.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the printing component is configured to print the label at least one of a customer location, a central location, and at automated equipment in the item delivery system.