EP2197598B1 - Method and device for handling and transporting articles in a given order - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for processing and transporting objects, in particular postal items.

A mail item typically passes through a sorting system at least twice and is then transported to the respectively predetermined destination address. On the first pass, the destination address of the mailpiece is read. On the second pass, the read target address is determined again.

Traditionally, during the first pass, an encoding of the destination address is printed on the mailpiece. This encoding is read on the second pass. To avoid the printing of mail, is in DE 4000603 C2 proposed to measure a feature vector of the mail item during the first pass and store it together with the read target address. During the second pass, the mail item is measured again, as a result of which a further feature vector is generated. This further feature vector is compared with the stored feature vectors to find the stored feature vector of the same item. The destination address, which is stored together with the found feature vector, is used as the destination address to which the item of mail is to be transported.

This search requires many feature vectors to be compared, which is time consuming. As the number of transported mail items increases, the risk increases that the wrong feature vector is found among the stored feature vectors. Therefore, limitations of the search space have already been suggested.

A method having the features of the preamble of claim 1 and an apparatus having the features of the preamble of claim 4 are made EP 1222037 B1 known. The items are also there mail that go through sorting machines. Such a sorting machine discharges mail items into sorting outlets, which act as temporary storage. To reuse read results, a method known as "fingerprinting" is used, e.g. In DE 4000603 C2 is presented.

For each mail item, a data record is generated and stored in a central database. This record includes the read delivery address. In order to limit the search space when searching for this data record, it is stored which mail item is transported in which container. This approach requires that it is known exactly which mail item is being transported in which bin. Sometimes this can not be determined with sufficient certainty in reality.

In DE 102005040689 A1 It is proposed to identify a postal item in two steps. First, the mailpiece is registered by means of a pictorial feature and external information, e.g. In a central database. As soon as this mail item passes through a sorting installation a second time, an attempt is first made to identify this mailpiece on the basis of the pictorial feature. If this is not successful, the mail item is identified on the basis of the external feature.

Out US 20050269395 A1 For example, a method is known for checking a bar pattern on a mailpiece. In a first sorting pass, a unique identifier in the form of a bar pattern ("bar code") is printed on the mailpiece. In addition, a feature vector for the mailpiece is generated, for which purpose an image of the mailpiece is evaluated. In a database, a data record with the feature vector and the label is stored. The mail item goes through a sorting system a second time. If it is not possible in this case to read the bar pattern, a feature vector is generated again, and the mailpiece is identified on the basis of the feature vector.

The invention has for its object to provide a method having the features of the preamble of claim 1 and an apparatus having the features of the preamble of claim 4, wherein a search space restriction is performed, which does not require an identification of a container used for transport to read.

The object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim 4. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

In the method according to the invention, at least one measurable processing attribute and at least two measurable features are specified. One of the given features is a label. An article may or may not be provided with such a label. If an article is indeed marked, this designation distinguishes the article from all other processed articles.

A processing plant is used.

• Das Bearbeitungs-Attribut des Gegenstands wird gemessen, d. h. der Attributwert des Bearbeitungs-Attributs wird ermittelt.
• Zum ersten Mal wird gemessen, welchen Wert jedes vorgegebene Merkmal jeweils für den Gegenstand annimmt.
• Ein Datensatz für den Gegenstand wird erzeugt, welcher die mindestens zwei gemessenen Merkmalswerte und den gemessenen Bearbeitungs-Attributwert umfasst.
• Der Gegenstand wird in einen Zwischenspeicher verbracht.
• Anschließend wird der Gegenstand aus dem Zwischenspeicher in ein Transportmittel verbracht und im Transportmittel zur Bearbeitungsanlage transportiert.
• Nachdem der Gegenstand die Bearbeitungsanlage erreicht hat, wird erneut gemessen, welchen Wert jedes vorgegebene Merkmal für diesen Gegenstand jeweils annimmt.
• Der für diesen Gegenstand erzeugte Datensatz wird unter Verwendung der beim erneuten Messen gewonnenen Merkmalswerte ermittelt. Falls dieser Gegenstand mit einer Kennzeichnung versehen ist, die beim erneuten Messen eindeutig gelesen wird, so wird der Datensatz anhand dieser Kennzeichnung ermittelt. Ansonsten wird eine Suche mit Suchraumeinschränkung durchgeführt.
• Die Bearbeitungsanlage bearbeitet den Gegenstand. Hierfür verwendet die Bearbeitungsanlage den Bearbeitungs-Attributwert, der im ermittelten Datensatz enthalten ist.

For each item, the following steps are performed:

• The processing attribute of the object is measured, ie the attribute value of the processing attribute is determined.
• For the first time, it is measured what value each given feature assumes for each item.
• A data record for the object is generated which comprises the at least two measured feature values and the measured edit attribute value.
• The item is placed in a cache.
• Subsequently, the object is transferred from the buffer into a means of transport and transported in the means of transport to the processing plant.
• After the article has reached the processing facility, it is again measured what value each given feature for each item assumes.
• The data set generated for this item is determined using the feature values obtained on remeasurement. If this item is provided with a label that is read unambiguously when re-measuring, the record is determined based on this label. Otherwise, a search with search space restriction is performed.
• The processing facility processes the object. For this purpose, the processing system uses the processing attribute value contained in the determined data record.

For each buffer used, an item order is measured in each case. This measured item order is the order in which the items are placed in the cache.

When transporting the objects to the processing plant several loading operations are performed. In each loading process several items are spent from one of the buffers in a means of transport. This is done so that among those items that are spent in this loading process in the transport, the measured for this cache object order is maintained. The entire item order, however, can be changed by different loading operations.

The processing plant again misses every item. This remeasurement is performed in a measurement order among the objects.

As already stated, the data record for an object with identification is determined by means of the read identification.

• Mindestens ein in der Mess-Reihenfolge vorhergehender Gegenstand mit einer eindeutig lesbaren Kennzeichnung wird ermittelt.
• Mindestens ein in der Mess-Reihenfolge nachfolgender Gegenstand mit einer eindeutig lesbaren Kennzeichnung wird ermittelt.
• Für jeden dergestalt ermittelten Gegenstand wird jeweils eine Teilsequenz einer gemessenen Gegenstands-Reihenfolge ermittelt. Diese Teilsequenz umfasst den ermittelten Gegenstand mit der eindeutigen Kennzeichnung, einen Gegenstand, der in der Gegenstands-Reihenfolge dem ermittelten Gegenstand mit der eindeutigen Kennzeichnung vorausläuft, und einen Gegenstand, der in der Gegenstands-Reihenfolge dem ermittelten Gegenstand mit der eindeutigen Kennzeichnung nachfolgt.
• Der Datensatz für den Gegenstand ohne lesbare Kennzeichnung wird unter den Datensätzen derjenigen Gegenstände gesucht, die in mindestens einer ermittelten Teilsequenz enthalten sind. Die Suche wird also auf die Datensätze der Gegenstände in den Teilsequenzen eingeschränkt.
• Für die Suche nach dem Datensatz wird mindestens ein weiterer beim erneuten Messen gemessener Merkmalswert des Gegenstands ohne lesbare Kennzeichnung verwendet.

If, on the other hand, it is found when re-measuring that the item has no or no clearly legible marking a search space constraint is performed to determine the record for that item. This search space restriction includes the following steps:

• At least one object preceding in the measuring sequence with a clearly readable marking is determined.
• At least one subsequent item in the measurement order with a clearly readable label is determined.
• For each object determined in this way, a partial sequence of a measured object sequence is determined in each case. This subsequence includes the identified item with the unique identifier, an item preceding the identified item with the unique identifier in the item order, and an item following the identified item with the unique identifier in the item order.
• The data record for the object without readable marking is searched among the data records of those objects which are contained in at least one determined subsequence. The search is thus restricted to the data records of the objects in the subsequences.
• For the search for the data set, at least one further feature value of the object measured without readable marking is measured.

This solution does not use the order of the objects in the measurement order. Preferably, the search space is further restricted by taking advantage of deviations between the object order and the measurement order.

The edit attribute is, for example, a label of a destination address to which the item is to be transported or a dimension or weight of the item. The edit attribute may also be the result of an evaluation of a fare with which the item is provided.

In one embodiment, the article is provided with information to which each predetermined target point this object is to be transported. In particular, the article is a mail item or a freight consignment. In another embodiment, the item is a luggage of a traveler and is provided with information about the owner. This piece of baggage is to be transported to a destination that depends on the identity of the traveler.

Fig. 1

ein Netz mit drei Bearbeitungsanlagen;

Fig. 2

die Gegenstands-Reihenfolge, in der 29 Postsendungen in das Ausgabefach Af-A ausgeschleust werden ;

Fig. 3

die Reihenfolge, in der die 29 Postsendungen aus dem Ausgabefach Af-A in den Behälter Beh-1 verbracht werden;

Fig. 4

die Reihenfolge, in der die 29 Postsendungen aus Af-A von Fig. 3 die Sortieranlage Anl-3 durchlaufen;

Fig. 5

die ermittelten Teilsequenzen und den Suchraum für das Beispiel von Fig. 4 und die Postsendung 8;

Fig. 6

die Reduzierung der Teilsequenzen von Fig. 5 mit Hilfe der Gegenstands-Reihenfolge;

Fig. 7

die ermittelten Teilsequenzen und den Suchraum für das Beispiel von Fig. 4 und die Postsendung 27;

Fig. 8

die Reduzierung der Teilsequenzen von Fig. 7 mit Hilfe der Gegenstands-Reihenfolge.

In the following the invention will be described with reference to an embodiment. Showing:

Fig. 1

a network with three processing plants;

Fig. 2

the item order in which 29 pieces of mail are ejected into the output tray Af-A;

Fig. 3

the order in which the 29 mail items are transferred from the output tray Af-A to the container Beh-1;

Fig. 4

the order in which the 29 postal items from Af-A of Fig. 3 go through the sorting system Anl-3;

Fig. 5

the determined subsequences and the search space for the example of Fig. 4 and the mailpiece 8;

Fig. 6

the reduction of the subsequences of Fig. 5 with the help of object order;

Fig. 7

the determined subsequences and the search space for the example of Fig. 4 and the mailpiece 27;

Fig. 8

the reduction of the subsequences of Fig. 7 with the help of object order.

In the figures, material flows are shown by solid lines, data flows by dashed lines.

In the exemplary embodiment, the items to be transported are mail items. Each item of mail is provided with an identification of that delivery address to which this item of mail is to be transported. The delivery address acts as the destination of the mailing. The marking has generally been applied to the mail item before the beginning of transporting. But it is also possible that it is attached only during transport.

Each mail item goes through a sorting system at least twice. It is possible for a mail item to pass through the same sorting system several times or to pass through a sorting system three times.

During the first pass, the delivery address of each mailing item is read.

Preferably, a reading device of the sorting system used in the first pass tries to automatically determine the delivery address automatically by "Optical Character Recognition" (OCR). If this fails, a person reads the delivery address and gives at least part of the read delivery address, eg. As the postcode, a.

Each possible delivery address is assigned to a delivery area. All mail items to the same delivery area are ejected into the same output bin each time they pass. It is possible that mail items are sent to different delivery areas in the same output tray. It is possible that a mail item passes through the same sorting system several times, for example because the number of output pockets is less than the number of predetermined delivery areas. In this case, an "n-pass sequencing" is preferably carried out with n> = 2. Such a procedure is over EP 948416 B1 known. After the first pass, the mail items that the sorting system has discharged into an output tray are placed in a container. The container becomes the feeder transported the second sorting system, and the mail items are fed to the sorting system for the second pass.

It is also possible that a container with mail items, which have passed through a sorting system for the first time, is transported to another location and the mailpieces there are fed to a further sorting system. It is also possible that some mail items are transported from an output tray of the further sorting system in a container to a feeding device of another sorting system and these mail items are fed to the other sorting system.

It would be very impractical if every other sorting system again had to read the delivery address that the first sorting system has already read. The classic approach to avoid this is that the first sorting system prints a coding of the delivery address on the mailpiece, z. B. in the form of a bar pattern ("bar code"). Each additional sorting system reads this line pattern.

Often, however, it is not desired that a postal item is provided with a line pattern. An agreement by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) stipulates that cross-border mailings are not provided with a bar pattern, because different postal service providers usually use different systems of coding.

Therefore, in the embodiment, a method is used, which has become known under the name "Fingerprint" or "Virtual ID" and z. In DE 4000603 C2 and EP 1222037 B1 is described and which makes it possible that each further sorting system determines that delivery address that has read the first sorting system without a bar pattern.

• ein Strichmuster ("bar code") auf der Vorderseite der Postsendung,
• ein Strichmuster auf der Rückseite der Postsendung,
• Abmessungen der Postsendung,
• die Verteilung von Grauwerten und/oder Farbtönen auf einer Oberfläche der Postsendung,
• die Lage und Abmessung des Freimachungsvermerks (z. B. Briefmarke oder Freistempler),
• die Lage und Größe des Adressblocks und/oder der Angaben zum Absender,
• ein Logo auf der Postsendung, z. B. ein Logo des Absenders oder ein Werbeaufdruck, sowie
• Merkmale der Zustelladresse, z. B. die Postleitzahl.

In the exemplary embodiment, m different features of a mail item are specified, which can be measured optically, while the mail item passes through a sorting system, without the Damage mail. Examples of such features are

• a bar code on the front of the mail piece,
• a dash pattern on the back of the mail piece,
• Dimensions of the item of mail,
• the distribution of gray values and / or hues on a surface of the mail piece,
• the location and dimensions of the franking mark (eg stamp or postage stamp),
• the location and size of the address block and / or details of the sender,
• a logo on the mailing, z. As a logo of the sender or an advertising imprint, as well
• Characteristics of the delivery address, z. For example, the postcode.

In the exemplary embodiment, the sorting system provides during the first pass a portion of the mail with a unique identifier, eg. B. in the form of a readable number, a bar pattern ("ID bar code") or a matrix code. This line pattern or this matrix code distinguishes the mail item from all other mail items which pass through one of the sorting systems within a predetermined period of time, that is to say a machine-readable identification of the mail item. The other part of the mail items is not provided with such a unique identifier, but is identified in the second sorting by means of a fingerprint method.

Fig. 1 shows a network with three processing plants Anl-1, Anl-3 and Anl-4. These three processing plants are designed in the embodiment as sorting. Each sorting system has a feeder in the form of a feeder, a reader and a plurality of output trays on. Mail items are fed to the material input of such a sorting system. The substance input separates the mailpieces. The separated mailings then pass through the sorting system. The reader generates an image of the mail piece. Using the image, the sorting system determines the delivery address and discharges the mail item into one of the output bins depending on the recognized delivery address. Each of the three sorting systems Anl-1, Anl-3 and Anl-4 is connected to a central database DB and has read and write access to this database DB. In the database DB transport information I are stored. This information includes the measured object orders and measurement orders.

In the example of Fig. 1 first mail items of the input material ZE-1 the sorting system Anl-1 are supplied. The sorting system Anl-1 generates a digital image of each mail item and determines the delivery address. First, the sorting system Anl-1 tries to determine the delivery address automatically by "Optical Character Recognition" (OCR). If this is not successful, the image is transmitted to a video coding station, and an editor manually enters the delivery address - or at least the postal code. Depending on the respectively determined delivery address, the sorting system Anl-1 discharges the mail item into one of the output compartments.

In the example of Fig. 1 three output bins Af-A, Af-B and Af-E of the sorting system Anl-1 are shown. In the exemplary embodiment, these three output compartments act as temporary storage in which the articles are ejected and temporarily stored before they are transported onward.

The mail items that the sorting system Anl-1 has discharged into the output tray Af-E, in the example of Fig. 1 placed in a container Beh-3. The container Beh-3 with these mail items is again transported to the material input ZE-1 of the sorting system Anl-1. The mail items from the container Beh-3 are separated from the material input ZE-1 and go through again the sorting system Anl-1.

In the example of Fig. 1 the mail items are fed from the output tray Af-E of the feeder ZE-1 and go through again the system Anl-1. One reason for this may be that "n-pass sequencing" is performed, as just described. It is also possible that individual mail items repeatedly pass through the sorting system Anl-1, because an "offline video coding" is performed. During the first pass, a digital image of the mailpiece is generated. It is not possible to automatically detect the address in this image, so that the image is transmitted to a video coding station. There, the address is entered manually. After this has been done, the mail item again passes through the sorting system and is discharged into an output tray depending on the entered address. It is also possible that mail items are sent within a location or delivery area and the first sorting system Anl-1 therefore carries out both the incoming sorting and the subsequent outgoing sorting for these mail items.

In the embodiment, containers are used to transport the mail items from the output tray Af-E to the feeder ZE-1. The container is manually or z. B. transported by means of a transfer bridge. It is also possible, instead of containers z. B. to use a conveyor belt, are placed on which stacks of mail

The mail items that the sorting system Anl-1 has discharged into the output tray Af-A, in the example of Fig. 1 placed in a container Beh-1. The container Beh-1 with these postal items is transported to the material input ZE-3 of the sorting system Anl-3. The mail items from the container Beh-3 are separated from the input material ZE-3 and go through the sorting system Anl-3. The corresponding happens with the mail items that the first sorting system Anl-1 has discharged into the output tray Af-B. These are transported in the container Beh-2 for material input ZE-4 of the third sorting system Anl-4. The mail items that the sorting system Anl-1 discharges into the output tray Af-E become transported in the container Beh-3 to the feeder ZE-1 and run again the sorting Anl-1.

• eine interne Kennung der Postsendung sowie
• eine Codierung für den Bearbeitungs-Attribut-Wert, hier also die Zustelladresse, die die erste Sortieranlage Anl-1 gelesen hat.

The two remaining sorting systems Anl-3 and Anl-4 again use the reading result achieved by the sorting system Anl-1. For this to be possible, the sorting installation Anl-1 generates a data record for each mail item which the sorting system Anl-1 passes through and stores it in the central database DB as part of a transport information item I. This record includes

• an internal identifier of the mailing as well
• an encoding for the edit attribute value, in this case the delivery address, which the first sorting system Anl-1 has read.

Each additional sorting system, through which the mailpiece is running, recognizes this mail item again. For this purpose, the m already mentioned m features are given, which are optically measurable.

The first sorting installation Anl-1 determines, for each mail item that passes through the sorting installation Anl-1, which value each predefined feature assumes in this mailpiece. As a result, the first sorting system Anl-1 generates a feature vector which consists of n feature values at n predetermined characteristics. The data record for the mailing is supplemented by the first sorting system Anl-1 by the feature vector, d. H. to encode the n feature values.

The third sorting system Anl-3 also measures for each mail item that passes through the sorting system Anl-3, which value of each predetermined feature for this mailing adopts. As a result, the third sorting system Anl-3 also generates a feature vector with n feature values. The third sorting system Anl-3 performs a read access to the central database DB. The feature vectors of stored data sets are compared with the currently measured feature vector. As a result, the record is determined, the comes from the mail item currently being investigated. This data record includes the delivery address of the mail item that the first sorting system Anl-1 has read.

In this embodiment, a coding of the delivery address to which the item of mail is to be transported is stored in the data record of a mail item. This delivery address acts as the edit attribute of the item. In other embodiments, other processing attributes are additionally measured and stored in the first sorting run, for. B. a weight or a dimension or a surface finish of the mailpiece. The editing attribute can also be a forwarding address or an endorsement stored in a database. The processing attribute can also be the result of an evaluation of a franking mark with which the mailpiece is provided to be used, for. For example, the result of checking whether a letter is sufficiently franked.

The solution according to the method is used for each output tray of the first sorting system Anl-1. For each output tray, an item order is measured. The following procedure explains the example of the output tray Af-A.

• zuerst die erste Abfolge A1 mit den Postsendungen 10, 11, ... , 15
• anschließend die zweite Abfolge A2 mit den Postsendungen 1, 2, ... , 9
• anschließend die dritte Abfolge A3 mit den Postsendungen 22, 23, ... , 27
• anschließend die vierte Abfolge A4 mit den Postsendungen 16, 17, ... , 21 und
• abschließend die fünfte Abfolge A5 mit den Postsendungen 28 und 29.

In the example of Fig. 2 The first sorting system Anl-1 successively ejects the 29 mail items 1, 2, 3, 4,..., 29 into the delivery compartment Af-A. The ejection order 1, 2, 3, 4, ... 28, 29 is in Fig. 2 marked with A and is part of the item order for the output tray Af-A. These 29 items of mail are then successively fed back to a sorting system in the following sequences - in the embodiment of the feeder ZE-3 of the sorting system Anl-3:

• first the first sequence A1 with the mailpieces 10, 11, ..., 15
• then the second sequence A2 with the mail items 1, 2,..., 9
• then the third sequence A3 with the mailpieces 22, 23, ..., 27
• then the fourth sequence A4 with the mail items 16, 17, ..., 21 and
• Finally, the fifth sequence A5 with the mail items 28 and 29.

Each sequence of mail items is placed in a container in that order after the first sorting pass. It is possible that several sequences are placed one after the other in the same container. Each loading of a container with a sequence of mail acts as a loading operation of the container.

Fig. 3 shows the order in which the 29 items of mail from the output tray Af-A spent in the container Beh-1. First, the first sequence is placed in the container Beh-1, then the second sequence and so on. In this order, the 29 postal items are in the container Beh-1. They are transported together in the container Beh-1 to the feeder ZE-3 and then pass through the sorting system Anl-3.

The respective container used is unloaded so that the order among the mailpieces of a sequence is preserved, but the order among the sequences can be changed. The sequences are indeed used in the embodiment in the loading operations, but not determined.

On the second pass, the 29 postal items pass through the sorting system, first the mailpieces of the first sequence, then the second sequence, then the third sequence and so on to the last sequence 28, 29. This order acts as the measurement order, because In this order, the mail items are measured during the second sorting pass.

Fig. 4 shows the order in which the 29 postal items from Af-A of Fig. 3 go through the sorting system Anl-3.

During the second pass, an attempt is first made to identify each passing mail item on the basis of a globally unique feature. This feature is a printed unique identifier in the embodiment. This unique identifier distinguishes a marked mail item from all other mail items that pass through one of the sorting systems within a predetermined period of time. The tag may be printed on the front or the back of the mailing and may be in the form of a number, bar code, or encrypted information matrix code. The label may also be printed on a label which adheres to the mailpiece.

In the example, the mail items 1, 2, 3, 5,... Can be uniquely identified in the second sorting pass. The remaining mail items can not be identified on the second sorting run on the basis of a printed and globally unique identification, for. B. because they have no clear identification or because this is not error-free machine readable. These postal items without clearly readable marking are in Fig. 2 and the following figures are marked in gray.

• der Antwortzeit, die höchstens zwischen dem Zeitpunkt, an dem die Postsendung das Lesegerät passiert hat, und dem Ermitteln des Datensatzes für diese Postsendung verstreichen darf,
• die Transportgeschwindigkeit, mit der die Postsendungen transportiert werden,
• die Lücke zwischen zwei Postsendungen und
• die Verarbeitungszeit, um für eine Postsendung eine Kennzeichnung auf der Postsendung zu lesen und um den Merkmalsvektor zu berechnen, falls keine eindeutig lesbare Kennzeichnung vorhanden ist.

A number n_la (la = "look ahead") is specified. In the exemplary embodiment, n_la = 2. This number n_la is set as large as possible and as small as necessary and depends on the following features which limit the number n_la upwards:

• the maximum response time between when the item of mail has passed through the reader and when determining the record for that item;
• the transport speed with which the mailpieces are transported,
• the gap between two mailpieces and
• the processing time to read a tag on the mailing for a mailpiece and to calculate the feature vector if no uniquely-readable tag is present.

In addition, a number n_lb (lb = "look back") is given. This depends only on the computing capacity. In the example, n_lb = n_la = 2.

• Versucht wird, die n_la Kennzeichnungen derjenigen Postsendungen zu lesen, die beim zweiten Sortierlauf der Postsendung 8 nachfolgen.
• Im Beispiel von Fig. 5 werden hierdurch die Postsendungen 9 und 22 ermittelt, denn n_la ist gleich 2. Denn deren eindeutige Kennzeichnungen werden erkannt, und die Postsendungen 9 und 22 sind die beiden nachfolgenden Postsendungen und haben eindeutig lesbare Kennzeichnungen. Also wird ein "look ahead" von zwei Postsendungen durchgeführt.
• Außerdem wird ermittelt, welche Kennzeichnungen der n_lb vorauslaufenden Postsendungen gelesen wurden. Im Beispiel von Fig. 3 sind dies die Kennzeichnungen der n_lb = 2 Postsendungen 6 und 7.

In the example of Fig. 2 and the following figures, the mail item 8 has no identification that can be unambiguously deciphered in the second sorting pass. Therefore, the following steps are performed:

• Attempts are made to read the n_la markings of those mail items which follow the mailing 8 during the second sorting pass.
• In the example of Fig. 5 In this way, the mail items 9 and 22 are determined, because n_la is equal to 2. For their unique identifications are recognized, and the mail items 9 and 22 are the two subsequent mail items and have clearly readable markings. So a "look ahead" of two mailings is done.
• In addition, it is determined which identifications of the n_lb preceding mail items were read. In the example of Fig. 3 these are the identifiers of the n_lb = 2 mail items 6 and 7.

Fig. 5 illustrates which four subsequences in the example of Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 be determined.

It is also possible that at least one of the n_la preceding mail items or at least one of the subsequent mail items succeeding n_lb is likewise not provided with a label which is uniquely readable.

The stored item order in which the mailpieces are ejected after the first sorting run is used to print the n_la following and the n_lb leading mail items to determine a subsequence.

• n_nf Postsendungen ermittelt, die in der Gegenstands-Reihenfolge nach Ps folgen, und
• n_vl Postsendungen ermittelt, die in der Gegenstands-Reihenfolge vor Ps vorauslaufen.

Let Ps-x be a mail piece with no readable label. For each mail item Ps that follows or precedes the mail item Ps-x

• Finds n_nf mail items that follow Ps in the item order, and
• Determines n_vl mail items that precede in the item order before Ps.

N_vl> = n_la and n_nf> = n_lb are two predefined numbers. In the exemplary embodiment, n_vl = n_nf = 3.

It is possible that this sequence is changed during the second sorting run.

By doing so, a partial sequence of maximum (n_vl + n_nf + 1) postal items is determined from the item order. This subsequence consists of Ps itself as well as the n_vl mailings before Ps and the n_nf mailings to Ps. It is possible that less than n_vl mail runs ahead of Ps or less than n_nf mail transmissions follow after Ps. Because n_vl> = n_la and n_nf> = n_lb, Ps-x is included in this subsequence.

Overall, (n_la + n_lb) partial sequences are determined with in each case maximum (n_vl + n_nf + 1) postal items. Ps-x is included in each of these subsequences.

A search space restriction is made. In one embodiment, the data record for the mail item 8 is searched only among the data records for those mail items which occur in at least one of the ascertained (n_la + n_lb) subsequences. The search space is therefore restricted to the data records of the subsequences. In this embodiment, the order of the mail items in these subsequences is not needed.

Because in each loading process several mail items are spent in a means of transport, without changing the order among these mailings, it is sufficient to determine the second sorting run only two subsequences, namely the subsequence of the first leading mail piece with a unique readable label and the first subsequent mail item with a unique readable label.

In the example of Fig. 3 It is therefore sufficient, in the search space restriction for the mailpiece 8, to first try to read the unique identification of the mail item 7. Only if this does not succeed, the unique identification of the mail piece 6 is read, then the mail item 5, to n_la leading mail items are examined. The corresponding applies to the subsequent mailings 9, 22 and so on.

• für die vorauslaufende Postsendung 6 die Teilsequenz T(6) mit den Postsendungen 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, wobei die Postsendungen 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 lesbare Kennzeichnungen aufweisen,
• für die vorauslaufende Postsendung 7 die Teilsequenz T(7) mit den Postsendungen 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, wobei die Postsendungen 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 lesbare Kennzeichnungen aufweisen,
• für die nachfolgende Postsendung 9 die Teilsequenz T(9) mit den Postsendungen 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, wobei die Postsendungen 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 lesbare Kennzeichnungen aufweisen,
• für die nachfolgende Postsendung 22 die Teilsequenz T(22) mit den Postsendungen 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, wobei die Postsendungen 19, 21, 22, 23, 24 lesbare Kennzeichnungen aufweisen.

In the example of Fig. 4 the following (n_la + n_lb) = 4 subsequences are determined using the object order in order to limit the search space for the mailpiece 8:

• for the preceding mail item 6, the partial sequence T (6) with the mailpieces 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, the mailpieces 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 having readable identifications,
• for the preceding mail item 7, the partial sequence T (7) with the mailpieces 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, the mailpieces 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 having readable identifications,
• for the subsequent mail item 9, the partial sequence T (9) with the mailpieces 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, the mailpieces 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 having readable identifications,
• for the subsequent mail item 22, the partial sequence T (22) with the mailpieces 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, wherein the mailpieces 19, 21, 22, 23, 24 have readable markings.

Each of these subsequences consists of (n_vl + n_nf + 1) = 7 postal items each

The search space is restricted to the data records for those mail items that occur in at least one of these determined subsequences.

In the example of Fig. 4 the search space is restricted to the data records for those mail items which occur in at least one of the four partial sequences T (6), T (7), T (9) and T (22) determined. These are the data records for the mail items 3, 4, ..., 12, 19, ..., 25.

A further development of this embodiment reduces the search space. In this embodiment, the respective order of the mail item in each subsequence is additionally used in order to limit the search space.

Fig. 6 shows this training using the example of Fig. 4 ,

The partial sequence T (7) off Fig. 4 for the mail piece 7 consists of the mail items 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. In the second sorting is detected by reading the unique labels that after the mail piece 9 does not come the mail piece 10, in the item order 9, but the mail item 22. Therefore, the mail item 10 is deleted from the partial sequence T (7) with the mail items 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 for the mail item 7, so that the partial sequence 5, 6 , 7, 8, 9 remains. The recognized mail item 10 can not be the mail item 8 sought.

The partial sequence T (9) for the mail item 9 consists of the mail items 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Again, the fact is exploited that the mail item 10 does not follow the mail item 9 in the second sorting pass. Therefore, the mail items 10, 11, 12 are deleted from the subsequence 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

The partial sequence T (22) for the mail piece 22 consists of the mail items 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Before the mail piece 22 comes in the second sorting run not the mail piece 21, but the mail piece 9. Therefore, from the Partial sequence 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, the mail items 19, 20, 21 deleted.

After the reduction, the data sets for the mailpieces 3, 4,..., 9, 22,..., 25 remain as search space.

The search space is further restricted by those mail items which precede the mailpiece 8 and whose identifications have already been unambiguously recognized when the mail item 8 is to be identified. In the example of Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are the mail items 5, 6, 7.

The method will now be explained using the example of the mail item 27. Also for this mail item 27, no identifier can be read unambiguously in the second sorting pass. The mail piece 27 is at the end of the sequence A3.

In the second sorting run the mail item 27, the two mail items 25 and then 26 ahead and follow the two mail items 16 and 17 behind. These four postal items were also uniquely identified in the second sorting run on the basis of their identifications. Therefore again four partial sequences are determined, namely the partial sequences T (16), T (17), T (25) and T (26). In Fig. 7 these four determined subsequences are shown. The partial sequence T (26) consists of only 6 mailpieces because the mailpiece 29 is the last of the item order. The search space for the mailpiece 27 consists of the data records for the mailpieces 13, ..., 20, 23, ..., 29.

In Fig. 8 become the reduced subsequences of Fig. 7 shown. This leads to a reduced search space, which only consists of the data records for the mailpieces 15,..., 20, 23, 27.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

reference numeral importance 1,2, ..., 29 Mail that passes through the sorting system Anl-1 twice A Expulsion order, at the same time item order A1, A2, ... Sequences of mail items which are successively placed in the container Beh-1 AF-A, Af-B, Af-E Output compartments of the sorting system Anl-1 Af-3.1, Af-3.2, ... Output compartments of the sorting system Anl-3 Anl-1, Anl-3, Anl-4 sorting Beh-1 Container in which mail is transported from Af-A to ZE-3 Beh-2 Container in which mail is transported from Af-B to ZE-4 Beh-3 Container in which mail is transported from Af-E to ZE-1 DB central database I Transport information M Measurement sequence in which the mail items 1, 2, ... 29 go through the sorting system Anl-3 n_la Number of mailpieces following in the stream of mail whose identifications are attempted to be read in advance n_lb Number of mail items in the stream of postal items whose labels are still being considered n_nf Number of mailings following in the item order occurring in the subsequence N_VL Number of mail items in the item sequence preceding the item order occurring in the subsequence T (7) for the mailing 7 determined subsequence T (9) for the mailing 9 determined subsequence ZE-1 Feeding device of the sorting system Anl-1 ZE-3 Feeder of sorting plant Anl-3 ZE-4 Feeder of sorting plant Anl-4

Claims (5)

1. Method for processing multiple items (1, 2,..., 29), wherein
   at least one measurable processing attribute and at least two measurable features are predefined and a processing installation (Anl-3) is used and
   for each item (1, 2,..., 29), the steps are executed whereby

   - a measurement is made of the value which the processing attribute assumes for the item,

   - a measurement is made of the value which each predefined feature respectively assumes for the item,

   - a data set for the item is generated which comprises the measured feature values and the measured processing attribute value,

   - the item is transferred into an intermediate store (Af-A), then transferred from the intermediate store (Af-A) into a transport means (Beh-1) and transported in the transport means (Beh-1) to the processing installation (Anl-3),

   - after the item has reached the processing installation (Anl-3), a fresh measurement is made of the value which each predefined feature respectively assumes for this item,

   - the data set generated for this item is determined using the feature values obtained when measured afresh,

   - the processing installation (Anl-3) processes the item using the processing attribute value of the data set determined,

   wherein

   - for each intermediate store (Beh-1) used, an item sequence (A) in which the items are transferred into the intermediate store (Beh-1) is measured respectively,

   - the transporting of the items to the processing installation (Anl-3) comprises multiple loading processes,

   - in each loading process, multiple items are transferred from an intermediate store (Af-A) into a transport means (Beh-1) such that the item sequence (A) measured for this intermediate store (Af-A) is retained among these items, and

   - the fresh measurement is executed in a measurement sequence (M) among the items (1, 2,..., 29),

   characterised in that
   one of the predefined features is an identification
   with which the item (1, 2,..., 29) can be furnished and which distinguishes an actually identified item from all other processed items,
   when, upon making a fresh measurement in respect of an item (1, 2,..., 29), its identification has been read, the data set for this item is determined by means of the read identification and
   when it is established upon making a fresh measurement that the item (8) has no identification or no clearly readable identification, the steps are executed whereby

   - at least one preceding item (6, 7) in the measurement sequence (M) with a clearly readable identification and at least one succeeding item (9, 22) in the measurement sequence (M) with a clearly readable identification are determined,

   - for each item determined in this fashion, a partial sequence (T(6), T(7), ...) of a measured item sequence (A) is determined respectively such that the partial sequence comprises the determined item and at least one item which precedes and one which succeeds the determined identified item in the item sequence respectively,

   - the data set for the item (8) with no readable identification is sought among the data sets of those items which are contained in at least one determined partial sequence (T(6), T(7), ...),

   - wherein at least one further feature value of the item (8), which feature value has been measured during the fresh measurement, is used for the search for the data set.
2. Method according to claim 1,
   characterised in that
   for at least one partial sequence (T(7), T(9)), which was determined for a determined item (7, 9) with a clearly read identification,
   a check is made as to whether the measurement sequence (M) deviates from the sequence set by the partial sequence (T(7), T(9),
   for which purpose item identifications which were clearly read during the fresh measurement are used, and
   in the event of a deviation, those items (10, 11, 12) with identifications which occur at a different position in the measurement sequence (M) than in the item sequence (A) are deleted from the determined partial sequence.
3. Method according to claim 1 or claim 2,
   characterised in that

   - each item (1, 2,..., 29) to be processed is furnished with an identification of a destination address to which the item is to be transported,

   - the destination address with which the item is furnished is used as a processing attribute value, and

   - the processing of the item by the processing installation (Anl-3) comprises the step whereby the processing installation (Anl-3) triggers transportation of the item to the particular destination address which the data set determined comprises.
4. Device for processing multiple items (1, 2,..., 29),
   wherein the device comprises

   - a first processing installation (Anl-1),

   - a second processing installation (Anl-3),

   - a database (DB) connected to both processing installations (Anl-1, Anl-3),

   - at least one transport means (Beh-1) and

   - at least one intermediate store (Af-A),

   at least one measurable processing attribute and at least two measurable features are predefined,
   the first processing installation (Anl-1) is configured, in respect of each item,

   - to measure the value which the processing attribute assumes for the item,

   - to measure the value which each predefined feature assumes for the item,

   - to generate and to store in the database (DB) a data set for the item which comprises the measured feature values and the measured processing attribute value,

   - to transfer the item into an intermediate store (Af-A),

   the arrangement is configured such that the item is transferred from the intermediate store (Af-A) into a transport means (Beh-1) and is transported in the transport means (Beh-1) to the processing installation (Anl-3),
   the second processing installation (Anl-3) is configured, in respect of each item,

   - to measure afresh, after the item has reached the processing installation (Anl-3), the value which each predefined feature assumes for this item respectively,

   - to determine the data set generated and stored for this item using the feature values obtained in the fresh measurement,

   - to process the item using the processing attribute value of the data set determined,

   wherein

   - the first processing installation (Anl-1) is configured furthermore to measure for each intermediate store (Beh-1) used, a respective item sequence (A) in which it transfers the items into the intermediate store (Beh-1),

   - the transporting of the items to the processing installation (Anl-3) comprises multiple loading processes,

   - in each loading process, multiple items are transferred from an intermediate store (Af-A) into a transport means (Beh-1) such that the item sequence (A) measured for this intermediate store (Af-A) is retained among these items, and

   - the second processing installation (Anl-3) is configured furthermore to execute the fresh measurement in a measurement sequence (M) among the items (1, 2,..., 29),

   characterised in that
   one of the predefined features is an identification
   with which the item (1, 2,..., 29) can be furnished and which distinguishes an actually identified item from all other processed items,
   the second processing installation (Anl-3) is configured, when during the new measurement in respect of an item (1, 2,..., 29) its identification is read, to determine the data set for this item by means of the read identification and
   the second processing installation (Anl-3) is configured so as, if during the fresh measurement it is established that the item (8) has no identification or no clearly readable identification,

   - to determine at least one preceding item (6, 7) in the measurement sequence (M) with a clearly readable identification and at least one succeeding item (9, 22) in the measurement sequence (M) with a clearly readable identification,

   - to determine for each item determined in this fashion respectively a partial sequence (T(6), T(7), ...) of a measured item sequence (A) such that the partial sequence comprises the determined item and at least one item which precedes and one which succeeds the determined identified item in the item sequence respectively,

   - to search for the data set for the item (8) with no readable identification among the data sets of those items which are contained in at least one determined partial sequence (T(6), T(7), ...),

   - wherein the second processing installation (Anl-3) uses for the search for the data set at least one further feature value of the item (8), which feature value has been measured during the fresh measurement.
5. Device according to claim 4,
   characterised in that
   the second processing installation (Anl-3) is configured to check, in respect of at least one partial sequence (T(7), T(9)) which was determined for a determined item (7, 9) with a clearly read identification,
   whether the measurement sequence (M) deviates from the sequence set by the partial sequence (T(7), T(9),
   for which purpose the second processing installation (Anl-3) uses item identifications which were read clearly during the fresh measurement, and
   in the event of a deviation, to delete from the determined partial sequence those items (10, 11, 12) with identifications which occur at a different position in the measurement sequence (M) than in the item sequence (A).

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