EP0404264B1 - Procédé de préparation d'un article de courrier à expédier et système de mise en oeuvre de ce procédé - Google Patents

Procédé de préparation d'un article de courrier à expédier et système de mise en oeuvre de ce procédé Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0404264B1
EP0404264B1 EP19900201616 EP90201616A EP0404264B1 EP 0404264 B1 EP0404264 B1 EP 0404264B1 EP 19900201616 EP19900201616 EP 19900201616 EP 90201616 A EP90201616 A EP 90201616A EP 0404264 B1 EP0404264 B1 EP 0404264B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
instructions
printing
interface
printer
stations
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19900201616
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0404264A1 (fr
Inventor
Jacobus Fredericus Gombault
Gerhard Hidding
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Neopost BV
Original Assignee
Hadewe BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hadewe BV filed Critical Hadewe BV
Publication of EP0404264A1 publication Critical patent/EP0404264A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0404264B1 publication Critical patent/EP0404264B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C1/00—Measures preceding sorting according to destination
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00467—Transporting mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00467—Transporting mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00491—Mail/envelope/insert handling system
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00572—Details of printed item
    • G07B2017/00596—Printing of address

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method according to the introductory part of claim 1.
  • Such a method is known from GB-A-2,202,660.
  • the detected instructions for printing markings for controlling the mail preparation stations are removed and replaced by instructions for printing identification markings.
  • the control signals are stored in association with an identification code which corresponds with the printed identification code.
  • the instructions for controlling the mail preparation stations may comprise instructions for controlling a burster, an insert feed station, an address printer and a postage meter.
  • the main documents When, for instance in the mail room, the main documents are fed to the mail preparation line, they are passed along a scanner which periodically reads the identification code provided on them. Depending on which identification code is read, periodically the associated, stored control signals are fed to the mail preparation stations.
  • markings which form an identification code may be smaller than markings which themselves comprise the instructions for controlling the mail preparation stations, the presence of such markings nevertheless constitutes a disturbing element on the main document, because they are not relevant for the user of the main document and because the space where the markings are provided cannot be used for any other printing.
  • a further drawback of using markings is that the mail preparation line requires a scanner for reading the markings.
  • a further object of the invention is to change as little as possible the methods known and used heretofore, such as described above, so as to allow those methods and the apparatus used in them to be adapted through a minimum of steps, in such a way that the problems described hereinabove will be avoided
  • An additional advantage of the invention is that a considerably smaller number of sets of instructions each belonging to a main document need to be stored at the same time.
  • a next main document is printed after the preceding main document has been fed to the intended mail preparation station, so that at most the instructions belonging to one main document need to be stored.
  • the detected instructions which are converted into control signals, may be removed from the output fed to the printer.
  • the removed instructions are then replaced with printing instructions, for instance to leave at least one line or a part thereof blank, the initial addition of the instructions to the output may advantageously be accomplished in the space of the first line of a document, since this line is usually blank.
  • the instructions for controlling at least one mail preparation station are fed in the form of printing instructions for printing the markings comprising coded information for controlling a mail preparation station
  • the detected printing instructions for printing the markings to be partly removed or processed into instructions which effect no printing and to be partly passed on to the printer in unmodified form for printing one or more markings. This procedure is particularly advantageous when the main documents are to be removed from the mail preparation line temporarily, for instance for a special check, or to be signed or the like.
  • the basic system of the existing mail preparation lines is changed as little as possible.
  • the output from the data processor to be fed to an interface, which from the output received generates separate information streams to the printer and the various mail preparation stations.
  • the interface is arranged for the interface to be further fed with signals coming from the printer and the mail preparation stations, which permits the control of the printer and the stations mentioned and the output from the data processor to be regulated depending on the course of the processes in one or more stations.
  • the process can be further automated and controlled when signals are fed to the interface which come from further apparatus, such as means for monitoring technical failure, completeness or packet thickness, which influence the progress of the process in the mail preparation line.
  • a further advantage of the use of an interface is that at the interface additional information can be added, which can be coupled to the output. Thus at the interface further preparation instructions can be added to the output coming from the data processor.
  • the invention can also be embodied in a system according to claim 8.
  • the interface is provided with further input means for instructions. It will be clear that the interface may be accommodated in the housing of the printer or in the same housing as the data processor and that the printer may be accommodated in the mail preparation line.
  • Fig. 1 the block designated by reference numeral 1 represents a data processor in which the information for preparing and assembling a plurality of documents is stored.
  • the arrows between the blocks each represent a line for passing on information.
  • a mail preparation line 3 comprising, in the present embodiment of the invention, a printer 4, a burster 5, a collecting station 6, an insert feed station 7, a folding station 8, an inserter station 9 and a postage meter 10.
  • a printer 4 a burster 5
  • a collecting station 6 an insert feed station 7
  • a folding station 8 an inserter station 9
  • a postage meter 10 a postage meter 10.
  • burster 5 in principle implies printing on continuous forms. Naturally it is also possible to use a printer that works with loose sheets, such as most laser printers. In that case the burster 5 may be omitted.
  • the information about the documents to be produced is generated by the data processor 1 in the form of printing instructions for the printer 4.
  • a part of the printing instructions is directed to the printing of markings which can be read before or in the collecting station 6 and subsequently could be converted into control instructions for the various mail preparation stations.
  • the output coming from the data processor 1 is fed to the interface 2 which detects the instructions for controlling the mail preparation stations from this output and converts them into control signals which are passed on to the stations in question.
  • the detected and converted instructions are removed from the output or replaced with instructions for printing a blank space or line or a text, such as a standard headline.
  • the instructions for controlling the mail preparation stations which are converted into control signals are passed on to the stations 5 - 10. These control signals are to lead to the desired treatment the moment the documents or a set of documents belonging together have reached the station which the instructions relate to.
  • the moment at which the treatment in question is to be carried out can be determined extremely reliably by means of the interface 2 and feedback signals returned to it from the stations or using synchronisation signals generated by the interface 2 itself. In the latter case the feedback of signals from the stations 5-10 to the interface 2 may optionally be omitted. It is recommendable, however, at least to provide for technical failure to be monitored and reported to the interface 2 to permit the mail preparation line 3 to be stopped automatically in the case of technical failure.
  • the printed documents are first removed from the mail preparation line 3 for them to be further processed manually, for instance to be signed. It may also happen that the printed sheets are to be processed in a mail preparation line elsewhere. In such cases it may be preferable to print the instructions for controlling certain mail preparation stations anyway, i.e., to provide certain optically visible and readable markings on the documents. To this end the instructions in question can be added to the output. This can be done by adding those instructions to the output in the data processor 1. This may also be done at the interface 2, to which end it may be provided with a separate input. It is preferable to provide such an input not just for this purpose, but also for optionally coupling additional processing instructions to the output, for instance standard instructions relating to the preparation of a batch of items to be mailed.
  • Fig. 2 shows one of the possible variants of the apparatus according to Fig. 1, like parts being designated by like reference numerals in both Figures.
  • a data processor 1 is provided in which information for preparing a plurality of documents is stored, which information partly consists of printing instructions and partly of instructions for the assembly of sets of documents.
  • the instructions referred to are passed on to an interface 2, which in turn is capable of separating from the output at least a part of the instructions for assembling sets of documents or for controlling one or a plurality of the mail preparation stations 5 - 10.
  • the printing instructions are passed on from the interface 2 to the printing apparatus 4.
  • the separated instructions for controlling the mail preparation stations are passed on by the interface 2 to a control unit 12 which feeds the instructions to the mail preparation stations concerned.
  • a control unit 12 which feeds the instructions to the mail preparation stations concerned.
  • Such an embodiment of the apparatus may for instance be advantageous when a known apparatus is to be adapted in which the control unit 12 originally received its instructions from a reading apparatus which detected the markings provided on the documents by the printer.
  • a collecting station 6 may be arranged in the mail preparation line 3 directly after the printer 4 or, in the case of continuous paper, after the burster 5.
  • the assembly of a set of documents can be accomplished without printing the corresponding markings on the separate documents by converting the corresponding instructions directly into control signals in accordance with the present invention.
  • the set comprises a letter to be signed, for instance, it may to that end be removed from the mail preparation line by a corresponding control action in the collecting station or any other successive mail preparation station.
  • the printer referred to above print further preparation instructions on the documents in the form of markings.
  • a part of the instructions is directly converted into control signals and another part into markings.
  • a control unit 12 may be provided which can be fed with information by the interface 2 and by a reading apparatus (not shown). Then all the desired treatments can be carried out with a minimum of markings being printed on the documents.
  • the mail preparation line may comprise any desired number of parts of any desired type arranged in any desired sequence.
  • each of the arrows designating the flow of information between the various parts of the apparatus is provided with arrowheads, at its two ends, to indicate that feedback signals can be generated so as to obtain optimum control of the apparatus.
  • Such feedback signals may comprise all kinds of information, such as the completion of a certain process step, the passage of a document or set of documents, the report of technical failure, etc.
  • the interface is invariably represented as a separate unit. It will be clear that the interface can also be accommodated in the housing of the printer or in the same housing as the data processor or the control unit which in turn may be accommodated in another housing, such as that of the printer.
  • the block units shown in the drawings need not be seen as material units. In fact, all units can in principle be accommodated in one single housing.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Separation, Sorting, Adjustment, Or Bending Of Sheets To Be Conveyed (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)

Claims (9)

  1. Procédé pour préparer un article à expédier par la poste, utilisant une machine à imprimer (4) pour imprimer un document principal, une ligne de postes de préparation du courrier comprenant un poste d'insertion (7), un processeur de données (1) et une interface (2) connectée entre le processeur de données (1) et la machine à imprimer (4), ledit procédé comprenant les étapes d'adresser des instructions d'impression du processeur de données (1) vers l'interface (2), lesdites instructions d'impression comprenant des instructions pour imprimer des marques sur le document, lesquelles marques peuvent être lues et, subséquemment, converties en instructions de commande pour commander les postes de préparation du courrier, d'utiliser l'interface (2) pour détecter les instructions pour imprimer les marques, pour convertir au moins une partie des instructions détectées en signaux de commande et pour modifier au moins ladite partie des instructions d'impression détectées, de fournir les signaux de commande aux postes de préparation du courrier, et d'envoyer les instructions d'impression modifiées à la machine d'impression,
    caractérisé en ce que la modification desdites instructions d'impression consiste à remplacer au moins ladite partie des instructions détectées par ou à traiter au moins ladite partie des instructions détectées en des instructions pour imprimer un espace blanc ou un texte standard à ne pas utiliser pour commander les postes de traitement du courrier, le document principal est amené directement de la machine d'impression (4) vers l'un des postes de préparation du courrier et l'envoi des signaux de commande vers les postes de préparation du courrier est mis en oeuvre selon l'impression du document principal.
  2. Procédé selon la revendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce que les instructions modifiées comprennent des instructions d'impression qui équivalent à au moins une ligne ou une partie de celle-ci laissée blanche.
  3. Procédé selon la revendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce que les instructions détectées sont traitées de telle façon que la machine à imprimer (4) ne reconnaisse pas les instructions traitées en tant qu'instructions d'impression.
  4. Procédé selon la revendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce que les instructions d'impression détectées sont partiellement retirées ou traitées en instructions qui n'effectuent pas une quelconque impression et passent sur la machine d'impression (4) dans une forme inchangée pour réaliser l'impression d'une ou plusieurs marques.
  5. Procédé selon la revendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce que l'interface (2) engendre des flots d'informations, séparés aux différents poste de préparation du courrier (4-10).
  6. Procédé selon la revendication 5,
    caractérisé en ce que l'interface (2) est alimentée, de plus, en signaux des postes de préparation du courrier (4-10), ce qui permet la commande desdits postes et la régulation de la sortie du processeur de données (1) selon la course des traitements dans l'un ou plusieurs desdits postes (4-10).
  7. Procédé selon la revendication 5 ou 6,
    caractérisé en ce que, à l'interface (2), des informations additionnelles sont ajoutées à la sortie.
  8. Système pour préparer un article destiné à être expédié par la poste, comprenant une machine d'impression (4) et une ligne de préparation du courrier comprenant un poste d'insertion (7), un processeur de données (1) et une interface (2) connectée entre la machine d'impression (4) et le processeur de données (1), le système étant agencé pour passer des instructions d'impression incluant des instructions pour imprimer des marques lisibles et convertibles en des instructions de commande pour commander des postes de la ligne de préparation du courrier à partir du processeur de données (1) vers l'interface (2), l'interface (2) étant agencée pour détecter les instructions pour imprimer les marques, pour convertir au moins une partie des instructions détectées en signaux de commande et pour modifier au moins ladite partie des instructions d'impression détectées en instructions d'impression modifiées, pour fournir les signaux de commande aux postes de préparation du courrier, et pour envoyer les instructions d'impression modifiées à la machine d'impression,
    caractérisé en ce que l'interface (2) est agencée pour mettre en oeuvre la modification, en remplaçant au moins ladite partie des instructions détectées par ou en traitant au moins ladite partie des instructions détectées en des instructions pour imprimer un espace blanc ou un texte standard à ne pas utiliser pour commander les postes de traitement du courrier, et pour mettre en oeuvre l'envoi de signaux de commande aux postes de préparation du courrier selon l'impression du document principal, et la machine d'impression (4) est incluse dans la ligne de préparation du courrier pour alimenter directement un document principal à partir de la machine d'impression (4) vers un poste suivant de la ligne de préparation du courrier.
  9. Appareil selon la revendication 8,
    caractérisé en ce que l'interface (2) comprend, de plus, des moyens d'entrée pour des instructions.
EP19900201616 1989-06-21 1990-06-20 Procédé de préparation d'un article de courrier à expédier et système de mise en oeuvre de ce procédé Expired - Lifetime EP0404264B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL8901557 1989-06-21
NL8901557A NL8901557A (nl) 1989-06-21 1989-06-21 Werkwijze voor het verwerken van vellen in een postverwerkingsstraat alsmede een inrichting voor het toepassen van die werkwijze.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0404264A1 EP0404264A1 (fr) 1990-12-27
EP0404264B1 true EP0404264B1 (fr) 1995-03-01

Family

ID=19854867

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19900201616 Expired - Lifetime EP0404264B1 (fr) 1989-06-21 1990-06-20 Procédé de préparation d'un article de courrier à expédier et système de mise en oeuvre de ce procédé

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0404264B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69017282T2 (fr)
NL (1) NL8901557A (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6953293B2 (en) 2000-12-29 2005-10-11 Neopost Industrie B.V. System for generating printed mail pieces and computer program code therefor

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5448490A (en) * 1993-03-23 1995-09-05 Pitney Bowes Inc. System and method for two level real-time control for an inserting machine
NL9300979A (nl) * 1993-06-07 1995-01-02 Hadewe Bv Werkwijze voor het verwerken van vellen in een postverwerkingssysteem alsmede een postverwerkingssysteem voor het toepassen van die werkwijze en een postverwerkingsinrichting van dat systeem.
DE4322803C2 (de) * 1993-07-08 1998-09-10 Mohndruck Reinhard Mohn Ohg Verfahren zum Überwachen der Vollständigkeit individuell bedruckter Erzeugnisse in der Online-Fertigung
US5493500A (en) * 1994-03-15 1996-02-20 Hadewe B.V. Method and a system for preparing franked postal items
NL9402178A (nl) * 1994-07-12 1996-01-02 Hadewe Bv Postverwerkend systeem met centrale parameteropslag.
NL1000867C2 (nl) * 1995-07-21 1997-01-22 Hadewe Bv Werkwijze en inrichting voor het vervaardigen van poststukken.
US5802503A (en) * 1996-12-24 1998-09-01 Pitney Bowes Inc. Channel switched mail message switching and metering system
US6026385A (en) * 1997-07-21 2000-02-15 Pitney Bowes Inc. Encrypted postage indicia printing for mailer inserting systems
NL1010936C2 (nl) * 1998-12-31 2000-07-03 Neopost Bv Werkwijze en systeem voor het genereren en afwerken van documenten.

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4308579A (en) * 1979-02-21 1981-12-29 Pitney Bowes Inc. Multiprocessor parcel postage metering system having serial data bus
US4544146A (en) * 1983-08-23 1985-10-01 Bell & Howell Company Insertion machine with control signals stored on searchable medium
US4800505A (en) * 1987-03-13 1989-01-24 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mail preparation system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6953293B2 (en) 2000-12-29 2005-10-11 Neopost Industrie B.V. System for generating printed mail pieces and computer program code therefor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0404264A1 (fr) 1990-12-27
NL8901557A (nl) 1991-01-16
DE69017282D1 (de) 1995-04-06
DE69017282T2 (de) 1995-06-29

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