Method for generating mailpieces and storing mailpiece identification and tracking information

• US 20050171919A1
• Filed: 02/03/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Quine, Douglas B., Baker, Christopher A., Starrett, Cortland D.
• Application Number:
  US10/770,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20050171919A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/404
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A method for retrieving mail tracking details of a mailpiece sent to a recipient using a stored image of the mailpiece. A mailpiece is provided with a unique mailpiece tracking identifier and the identifier is stored in a database. An image of the mailpiece is then acquired and also stored in the database in association with the unique mailpiece tracking identifier. Mailpiece tracking details for the mailpiece are then acquired as the mailpiece is delivered to a recipient, which tracking details are stored in the database in association with the mailpiece tracking identifier and stored image. A user seeking the particular tracking details is then presented with at least one stored image of a mailpiece, and when an image is selected by a user, the user is presented with the mail tracking details that were stored in association with the selected mailpiece image.

Claims

1. A system for generating a mailpiece and storing identification and tracking information for said mailpiece, comprising:

a computer driven device for generating electronic files corresponding to a plurality of mailpieces;

a printer for generating printed documents relating to said plurality of mailpieces from said electronic files;

a mailpiece generation device for generating individual mailpieces from said printed documents;

a second computer driven device for generating PLANET CODES for each of said mailpieces;

a printer for printing a said generated PLANET CODE on a said generated mailpiece;

an imaging device for capturing an image of said generated mailpieces; and

a storage device for storing said captured images of each said mailpiece in association with mailpiece delivery tracking details received from a postal authority processing each respective mailpiece.