Intelligent barcode systems

• US 8,598,482 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• 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: Bonnell, Clayton, Freeman, Jeffrey L., Lyons, Michael, Dearing, Stephen M., Choiniere, Margaret Louise, Hamilton, Daryl S., Patel, Himesh, Payne, David James, Sherry, Carla Fern
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph C
• Application Number:
  US12/405,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20100230328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 209/584, 209/900, 700/213, 700/221, 700/222, 700/223, 700/224, 700/225, 700/226, 700/227
• US Class Current: 209/584
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/18 Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks applying data to information carriers G06K1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

Systems and methods using intelligent barcodes for processing mail, packages, or other items in transport are provided. Systems and methods allowing end-to-end visibility of a mail stream by uniquely identifying and tracking mail pieces are also provided. Systems and methods include the use of standardized intelligent barcodes on mail pieces, a seamless process for mail acceptance, continuous mail piece tracking, and feedback on mail quality in real time. In one embodiment, systems and methods using intelligent barcodes allow a mailing service to provide enhanced acceptance, sorting, tracking, address correction, forwarding, and delivery services. In another embodiment, systems and methods using intelligent barcodes allow a mailing service to identify a mail piece as undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) and determine a final disposition for the mail piece. In yet another embodiment, systems and methods using intelligent barcodes allow mailers more visibility into the mail stream and information on the quality of their mailings.

Claims

1. A computerized method of sorting mail comprising:

reading by a processor encoded data located on the mail piece, wherein the encoded data includes a recipient, a recipient delivery point, and handling data;

decoding the encoded data to determine an identifier for a name of a recipient of the mail piece, handling instructions, and an identifier for a sender of the mail piece;

identifying an account associated with the sender of the mail piece based on the identifier of the sender;

determining by a processor that the mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed mail piece;

performing the following operation in response to determining that the mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed mail piece;

requesting payment from the sender of the mail piece according to the handling instructions;

determining a final disposition of the mail piece;

disposing of the mail piece in accordance with the determined final disposition; and

,

executing the handling instructions to deliver data associated with the undeliverable as addressed mail piece to the recipient.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein decoding the encoded data comprises decoding the encoded data to determine an identification of a recipient of the mail piece, and wherein determining a final disposition of the mail piece comprises:

retrieving a name of the recipient of the mail piece using the identification of the recipient of the mail piece from the encoded data; and

confirming that the mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed mail piece, using the name of the recipient of the mail piece.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein decoding the encoded data comprises decoding the encoded data to determine an identification of a delivery point for the mail piece and an identification of a recipient of the mail piece, and wherein determining that the mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed comprises determining whether the mail piece is undeliverable as addressed using the identification of the delivery point for the mail piece and the identification of the recipient of the mail piece from the encoded data.

4. The computerized method of claim 2, wherein retrieving the name of the recipient of the mail piece comprises performing a lookup into a database of names of recipients of the mail pieces using an identification and return address of the sender of the mail piece and the identification of the recipient of the mail piece.

5. The computerized method of claim 4, wherein the database is stored in a machine-readable medium that is remote relative to where operations of the computerized method occur.

6. The computerized method of claim 5, wherein the machine-readable medium is under the control of the sender of the mail piece.

7. The computerized method of claim 4, wherein the names of the recipients stored in the database are encrypted, and wherein retrieving the name of the recipient of the mail piece comprises decrypting the name of the recipient of the mail piece prior to confirming that the mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed mail piece.

8. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the final disposition of the mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed comprises returning the mail piece to a sender of the mail piece, forwarding the mail piece to a different address, or treating the mail piece as waste.

9. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising performing the following operation in response to determining that the mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed mail piece:

transmitting, to a mailer of the mail piece, at least one of the encoded data of the mail piece, a destination address for the mail piece, a name of a recipient for the mail piece, a delivery point bar code for the mail piece, a final disposition of the mail piece, a new destination address for the mail piece or a new destination delivery point bar code.

10. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein sorting the mail comprises sorting mail for a plurality of mail pieces, the computerized method further comprising:

sorting the plurality of mail pieces;

storing, for the number of mail pieces that are sorted and by identification of mailers of the number of mail pieces, in a machine-readable medium, data for the number of mail pieces that includes the encoded data, wherein the data for the number of mail pieces is accessible from the machine-readable medium using the encoded data, wherein the data stored in the machine-readable medium is accessible by a mail sorter at a mail sorting facility; and

updating, by mailers of the number of mail pieces, the data for the number of mail pieces stored in the machine-readable medium.

11. The computerized method of claim 10, further comprising:

retrieving the data for one of the number of mail pieces from the machine-readable medium;

performing final disposition of the one of the number of mail pieces using the retrieved data; and

sorting the one of the number of mail pieces based on the final disposition of the mail piece.

12. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising performing the following operation in response to determining that the mail piece is a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece:

applying the identification of the class of the mail piece to the mail piece, in response to a determination that the mail piece can not be confirmed as an undeliverable as addressed mail piece.

13. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising performing the following operation in response to determining that the mail piece is undeliverable as addressed:

applying the identification of the class of the mail piece to the mail piece, in response to a determination that a final disposition cannot be performed on the mail piece.

14. A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform mail sorting operations comprising:

reading encoded data located on the mail piece;

decoding the encoded data to determine an identification of a sender of the mail piece, an identification of a recipient of the mail piece, handling information, and an identifier for a sender of the mail piece;

identifying an account associated with the sender of the mail piece based on the identifier of the sender;

determining whether the mail piece is a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece using the identification of the recipient of the mail piece within the encoded data and an identification of a delivery point for the mail piece;

performing the following operations in response to determining that the mail piece is a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece;

retrieving a name of the recipient of the mail piece using the identification of the recipient of the mail piece within the encoded data;

retrieving a return address of the sender of the mail piece using the identification of the sender of the mail piece within the encoded data;

confirming that the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed mail piece, using the name of the recipient of the mail piece;

requesting payment from the sender of the mail piece according to the handling instructions; and

determining final disposition of the mail piece;

disposing of the mail piece in accordance with the determined final disposition; and

,

executing the handling instructions to deliver data associated with the undeliverable as addressed mail piece to the recipient.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein retrieving the name of the recipient of the mail piece comprises performing a lookup into a database of names of recipients of the mail pieces using the identification of the sender of the mail piece and the identification of the recipient of the mail piece.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the database is stored in a machine-readable medium that is remote relative to where operations of the computerized method occur.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-readable medium is under the control of the sender of the mail piece.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the names of the recipients stored in the database are encrypted, and wherein retrieving the name of the recipient of the mail piece comprises decrypting the name of the recipient of the mail piece prior to confirming that the candidate undeliverable as address mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed mail piece.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein retrieving the return address of the sender of the mail piece comprises performing a lookup into a database of return addresses of senders of the mail pieces using the identification of the sender of the mail piece.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein operations for sorting the mail are executed by at least one of a letter mail sorter, a mixed mail sorter, a flat mail sorter or a parcel mail sorter.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein operations for sorting the mail are executed in a single pass mail sort operation.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a database configured to store a number of entries, wherein each entry of the number of entries includes a name of a recipient of mail and an identification corresponding to encoded data associated with the name of the recipient;

a mail sorter configured to read the encoded data located on a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece, the encoded data comprising an identification of the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece, handling instructions of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece, and an identifier for a sender of the mail piece;

wherein the mail sorter is configured to use the encoded data to retrieve, from the database, a name of the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece from an entry of the number of entries that includes the identification of the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece,

wherein the mail sorter is configured to confirm that the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed mail piece, using the name of the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece,

wherein the mail sorter is configured to identify an account associated with the sender of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece based on the identifier of the sender;

wherein the mail sorter is configured to determine a final disposition of the confirmed undeliverable as addressed mail piece; and

wherein the mail sorter is configured to execute the handling instructions to request payment from the sender of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece and to deliver data associated with the undeliverable as addressed mail piece to the recipient.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the mail sorter comprises at least one of a letter mail sorter, a mixed mail sorter, a flat mail sorter or a parcel mail sorter.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein each entry of the number of entries is encrypted, and wherein the mail sorter is configured to decrypt the name of the recipient of the mail piece prior to confirmation that the candidate undeliverable as address mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed mail piece.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the mail sorter is configured to read the encoded data, to retrieve the name of the recipient, and to determine the final disposition in a single pass mail sort operation.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the final disposition of the mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed comprises returning the mail piece to a sender of the mail piece, forwarding the mail piece to a different address, or treating the mail piece as waste.

27. A computerized method of sorting mail comprising:

reading encoded data located on the mail piece, wherein the encoded data includes recipient information, sender information, and handling data;

decoding the encoded data to determine the identification of the recipient, handling instructions, and an identification of the sender of the mail piece;

wherein the handling instructions comprise;

identifying an account associated with the sender of the mail piece based on the identifier of the sender; and

requesting payment from the account associated with the sender of the mail piece;

executing the handling instructions to deliver data associated with the undeliverable as addressed mail piece to the recipient.

28. A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform mail sorting operations comprising:

reading encoded data located on the mail piece, wherein the encoded data includes recipient information, sender information, and handling data;

decoding the encoded data to determine the identification of the recipient, handling instructions, and an identification of the sender of the mail piece;

wherein the handling instructions comprise;

identifying an account associated with the sender of the mail piece based on the identifier of the sender; and

requesting payment from the account associated with the sender of the mail piece;

executing the handling instructions to deliver data associated with the undeliverable as addressed mail piece to the recipient.