Intelligent barcode systems

• US 9,012,799 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• 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, Sherry, Carla Fern, Payne, David James
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph C
• Application Number:
  US13/619,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 209/583, 209/584, 209/900, 700223-227, 382101-102
• 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 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. Systems and methods can use intelligent barcodes allow a mailing service to provide enhanced acceptance, sorting, tracking, address correction, forwarding, and delivery services. Systems and methods can use 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. Systems and methods can use intelligent barcodes allow mailers more visibility into the mail stream and information on the quality of their mailings.

Claims

1. An item sorting system comprising:

an item sorter;

a processor; and

a memory comprising instructions which when executed by the processor cause the item sorter to perform operations comprising;

sorting an item, wherein sorting comprises;

reading an encoded value located on the item;

decoding the encoded value to determine an identification of a sender of the item, an identification of a recipient of the item, a delivery point for the item, and an identification of a class of the item;

determining whether the item is a candidate undeliverable as addressed item using the identification of the recipient of the item determined from the encoded value and the identification of the delivery point for the item;

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

retrieving a name of the recipient of the item based on the identification of the recipient of the item determined from the encoded value;

retrieving a return address of the sender of the item based on the identification of the sender of the item determined from the encoded value;

confirming that the candidate undeliverable as addressed item is an actual undeliverable as addressed item, based on the name of the recipient of the item; and

sending an address correction notice to the sender of the item;

determining final disposition of the item using the identification of the class of the item determined from the encoded value; and

disposing of the item in accordance with the determined final disposition;

determining whether a previous address correction notice regarding a previous actual undeliverable as addressed item has been sent to the sender of the item, wherein the previous actual undeliverable as addressed item was determined to be associated with the same delivery point and name of the recipient as the item.

2. The item sorting system of claim 1, wherein retrieving the name of the recipient of the item comprises performing a lookup in a database of names of recipients of the items using the identification of the sender of the item and the identification of the recipient of the item.

3. The item sorting system of claim 2, wherein the database is stored in a machine-readable medium that is remote relative to where operations of the item sorter occur.

4. The item sorting system of claim 3, wherein the machine-readable medium is under the control of the sender of the item.

5. The item sorting system of claim 2, wherein the names of the recipients stored in the database are encrypted, and wherein retrieving the name of the recipient of the item comprises decrypting the name of the recipient of the item prior to confirming that the candidate undeliverable as address item is an actual undeliverable as addressed item.

6. The item sorting system of claim 1, wherein retrieving the return address of the sender of the item comprises performing a lookup into a database of return addresses of senders of the item based on the identification of the sender of the item.

7. The item sorting system of claim 1, wherein operations for sorting the item are executed by at least one of a letter mail sorter, a mixed mail sorter, a flat mail sorter or a parcel mail sorter.

8. The item sorting system of claim 1, wherein operations for sorting the item are executed in a single pass item sort operation.

9. The item sorting system of claim 1, wherein the item sorter further comprises an address correction module.

10. The item sorting system of claim 9, wherein, the address correction module is configured to, if an item is confirmed as an actual undeliverable as addressed item, query an address database by providing the name of the recipient of the actual undeliverable as addressed item to determine if the delivery point for the recipient of the actual undeliverable as addressed item has changed.

11. The item sorting system of claim 10, wherein the address database is stored in a machine-readable medium that is remote relative to where operations of the item sorter occur and is under the control of the sender of the item.

12. The item sorting system of claim 11, wherein, if the querying of the address database determines that the delivery point for the recipient of the actual undeliverable as addressed item has changed, the address correction module is configured to receive the changed address from the address database and to provide an updated delivery point to the actual undeliverable as addressed item.

13. The item sorting system of claim 12 further comprising an item forwarding module configured to receive and sort the item having the updated delivery point.

14. The item sorting system of claim 13, wherein the item forwarding module is configured to transmit, to the sender of the item, a notification of forwarding the item to the updated delivery point.

15. A method of sorting items comprising:

reading, using a scanner, an encoded value located on an item;

decoding, using a processor, the encoded value to determine an identification of a sender of the item, an identification of a recipient of the item, a delivery point for the item, and an identification of a class of the item;

determining, using a processor, whether the item is a candidate undeliverable as addressed item based on the identification of the recipient of the item determined from the encoded value and the identification of the delivery point for the item determined from the encoded value;

performing, using a processor, the following operations in response to determining that the item is a candidate undeliverable as addressed item;

retrieving a name of the recipient of the item based on the identification of the recipient of the item determined from the encoded value;

retrieving a return address of the sender of the item based on the identification of the sender of the item determined from the encoded value;

confirming that the candidate undeliverable as addressed item is an actual undeliverable as addressed item, based on the name of the recipient of the item;

sending an address correction notice to the sender of the item;

determining whether the delivery point of the actual undeliverable as addressed item has changed; and

if the delivery point of the actual undeliverable as addressed item has changed;

updating the delivery point; and

forwarding the item to the updated delivery point; and

determining, using a processor, whether a previous address correction notice regarding a previous actual undeliverable as addressed item has been sent to the sender of the item, wherein the previous actual undeliverable as addressed item was determined to be associated with the same delivery point and name of the recipient as the item.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether the delivery point of the actual undeliverable as addressed item has changed comprises querying an address database maintained by the sender of addresses corresponding to recipients of items.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the address database is stored in a machine-readable medium that is remote relative to where sorting of the item occurs.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting to the sender of the item, a notification of forwarding the item to the updated delivery point.

19. A system of sorting items comprising:

means for reading an encoded value located on an item;

means for decoding the encoded value to determine an identification of a sender of the item, an identification of a recipient of the item, a delivery point for the item, and an identification of a class of the item; and

means for determining whether the item is a candidate undeliverable as addressed item based on the identification of the recipient of the item determined from the encoded value and the identification of the delivery point for the item determined from the encoded value;

means for retrieving a name of the recipient of the item based on the identification of the recipient of the item determined from the encoded value;

means retrieving a return address of the sender of the item based on the identification of the sender of the item determined from the encoded value;

means for confirming that the candidate undeliverable as addressed item is an actual undeliverable as addressed item, based on the name of the recipient of the item;

means for sending an address correction notice to the sender of the item;

means for determining whether the delivery point of the actual undeliverable as addressed item has changed;

means for updating the delivery point if the delivery point has changed;

means for forwarding the item to the updated delivery point; and

means for determining whether a previous address correction notice regarding a previous actual undeliverable as addressed item has been sent to the sender of the item, wherein the previous actual undeliverable as addressed item was determined to be associated with the same delivery point and name of the recipient as the item.