Messaging services for the visually impaired

• US 20020143715A1
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Sansone, Ronald P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/0008 Communication details outside or between apparatus coin-freed apparatus for franking per se G07F17/26
• 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 2017/00072 Hybrid mail, i.e. mail delivered using different physical means along the mail delivery path, e.g. email and envelope
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00153 for sending information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression

Abstract

A method that enables the recipient to receive notification of the mailpieces, flats and/or packages (mail) that the recipient is going to receive prior to the delivery of the mail. The recipient is then able to inform a post or courier i.e., Federal Express®, Airborne®, United Parcel Service®, DHL®, etc. of the manner in which the recipient would like the mail delivered. The post and courier will hereinafter be referred to as “carrier”. For instance, the recipient may want the mail physically delivered to their house faster or slower, or the mail physically redirected to the recipient'"'"'s temporary address, or physically delivered to the recipient'"'"'s agent, or physically delivered to the recipient'"'"'s attorney, or physically returned to the mailer, or have the carrier open the physical mail and have the post e-mail or fax the contents of the envelope to the recipient and/or parties designated by the recipient.

Claims

1. A method that enables a recipient to inform a carrier of the manner in which the recipient would like the mail delivered, said method comprises the steps of:

depositing with the carrier mail containing the recipient'"'"'s name and physical address and the sender'"'"'s name and address;

capturing the name and physical address of the recipient and the sender;

translating the name and physical address of the recipient into a telephone number;

utilizing the telephone number of the recipient to inform the recipient of the availability of the deposited mail;

notifying the carrier of the manner in which the recipient would like the mail delivered; and

delivering mail to the recipient in the manner specified by the recipient to the carrier.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient notifies the carrier to deliver the mail to a specified name and address.

3. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient notifies the carrier to return the mail to the sender.

4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient notifies the carrier to open the mail.

5. The method claimed in claim 4, further including the steps of:

informing the carrier to e-mail the contents of the mailpiece to the recipient; and

mailing by e-mail the contents of the mailpiece to the recipient.

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

informing the carrier to e-mail the contents of the mailpiece to one or more specified e-mail addresses; and

mailing by e-mail the contents of the mailpiece to the specified e-mail addresses.

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

informing the carrier to send by facsimile the contents of the mailpiece to the recipient; and

mailing by facsimile the contents of the mailpiece to the recipient.

8. The method claimed in claim 4, further including the steps of:

informing the carrier to facsimile the contents of the mailpiece to one or more specified facsimile numbers; and

sending by facsimile the contents of the mailpiece to the specified facsimile numbers.

9. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient notifies the carrier to deliver the mail to the recipient at a different address.

10. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient notifies the carrier to deliver the mail to the recipient by a slower delivery method than that paid for by the sender.

11. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient notifies the carrier to deliver the mail to the recipient by a faster delivery method than that paid for by the sender.

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

charging the recipient for receiving notification of the availability of the deposited mail.

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

charging the recipient for delivering mail to the recipient in the manner specified by the recipient to the carrier.

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

charging the recipient for receiving notification of the availability of the deposited mail; and

charging the recipient for delivering mail to the recipient in the manner specified by the recipient to the carrier.

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

informing the sender of the delivery of the mail.

16. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient notifies the carrier to hold the mail for a specified period of time.

17. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient notifies the carrier to destroy the mail.

18. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient notifies the carrier to recycle the material comprising the mail.

19. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient is notified via e-mail of the availability of the deposited mail.

20. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient is notified via telephone of the availability of the deposited mail.

21. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient is notified via facsimile of the availability of the deposited mail.

22. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient is notified via television of the availability of the deposited mail.

23. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier is notified via e-mail of the manner in which the recipient would like the mail delivered.

24. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier is notified via facsimile of the manner in which the recipient would like the mail delivered.

25. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier is notified via telephone of the manner in which the recipient would like the mail delivered.

26. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient notifies a data center who notifies the carrier of the manner in which the recipient would like the mail delivered.

27. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient is visually impaired.