Systems and methods for automated reconciliation of mail entry operations

• US 7,669,764 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• 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: Jamula, Gerald J., Dearing, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US11/518,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20070080221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/383, 235/375, 235/380, 235/382, 23547201-47203
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00443 Verification of mailpieces, e.g. by checking databases

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for reconciling data associated with delivery items, such as mail. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method reconciles data associated with a delivery item shipment. The method includes the steps of receiving a first set of data associated with the shipment, and electronically receiving a second set of data associated with the shipment. The method further includes the steps of scanning the shipment during processing for scanned data associated with the shipment and determining if the first set of data matches the second set of data. If the first or second set of data matches the second set of data, the method determines if the second set of data matches the scanned data. If the first or second set of data matches the scanned data, the method indicates both the first set of data and the second set of data as valid.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for reconciling data associated with a delivery item shipment, the method comprising:

receiving, before the shipment is provided to a shipping location, a first set of data obtained from a shipping notice of a shipper, the first set of data being associated with the shipment;

electronically receiving, by a server, before the shipment is provided to the shipping location, a second set of data obtained from an electronic data file of the shipper, the second set of data being associated with the shipment;

scanning, during processing at the shipping location, the shipment for data associated with the shipment;

determining if the first set of data from the shipper matches the second set of data from the shipper;

if the first set of data matches the second set of data, determining if the first or second set of data matches the scanned data; and

if the first or second set of data matches the scanned data, indicating as valid the first set of data and the second set of data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping notice is a hard copy form.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping notice is an electronic form.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the shipment includes at least one of a shipment identifier, a business entity identifier, a destination postal code, a date, a time, or a name of a processing facility.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of scanning is performed by processing equipment that scans optically-readable codes from each delivery item included in the shipment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the optically-readable codes are at least one of a 4-state barcode, a PLANET code, or a POSTNET code.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first set of data comprises a mailer identifier, a drop-ship location, and a quantity of delivery items.

7. A system for reconciling data associated with a delivery item shipment, the system comprising:

a server adapted to store in a database a first set of data obtained from a shipping notice of a shipper before the shipment is provided to a shipping location, the first set of data being associated with the shipment, the server being further adapted to store in the database a second set of data obtained from an electronic data file of the shipper, the second set of data being associated with the shipment and received from a computer of the shipper before the shipment is provided to the shipping location; and

processing equipment adapted to scan, during processing at the shipping location, the shipment for data associated with the shipment,

wherein the server is further adapted to;

determine if the first set of data from the shipper matches the second set of data from the shipper computer,

if the first set of data matches the second set of data, determine if the first or second set of data matches the scanned data, and

if the first or second set of data matches the scanned data, indicate as valid the first set of data and the second set of data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the shipping notice is a hard copy form.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the shipping notice is an electronic form.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the data associated with the shipment includes at least one of a shipment identifier, a business entity identifier, a destination postal code, a date, a time, or a name of a processing facility.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the step of scanning is performed by processing equipment that scans optically-readable codes from each delivery item included in the shipment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the optically-readable codes are at least one of a 4-state barcode, a PLANET code, or a POSTNET code.

13. A computer-readable medium storing program instructions for reconciling data associated with a delivery item shipment according to a method, the method comprising:

receiving, before the shipment is provided to a shipping location, a first set of data obtained from a shipping notice of a shipper, the first set of data being associated with the shipment;

electronically receiving, before the shipment is provided to the shipping location, a second set of data obtained from an electronic data file of the shipper, the second set of data being associated with the shipment;

scanning, during processing at the shipping location, the shipment for data associated with the shipment;

determining if the first set of data from the shipper matches the second set of data from the shipper;

if the first set of data matches the second set of data, determining if the first or second set of data matches the scanned data; and

if the first or second set of data matches the scanned data, indicating as valid the first set of data and the second set of data.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the shipping notice is a hard copy form.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the shipping notice is an electronic form.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the data associated with the shipment includes at least one of a shipment identifier, a business entity identifier, a destination postal code, a date, a time, or a name of a processing facility.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the step of scanning is performed by processing equipment that scans optically-readable codes from each delivery item included in the shipment.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the optically-readable codes are at least one of a 4-state barcode, a PLANET code, or a POSTNET code.

20. A computer-implemented method for reconciling data associated with a delivery item shipment, the method comprising:

receiving, before the shipment is provided to a shipping location, a first set of data obtained from a shipping notice of a shipper, the first set of data being associated with the shipment, wherein the first set of data comprises a shipper identifier, a drop-ship location, and a quantity of delivery items;

electronically receiving, by a server, before the shipment is provided to the shipping location, a second set of data obtained from an electronic data file of the shipper, the second set of data being associated with the shipment;

scanning, during processing at the shipping location, the shipment for data associated with the shipment;

determining if the first set of data from the shipper matches the second set of data from the shipper;

if the first set of data matches the second set of data, determining if the first or second set of data matches the scanned data; and

if the first or second set of data matches the scanned data, indicating as valid the first set of data and the second set of data.