EP0947962A2 - Un procédé d'équilibrage de charge dans un procédé de tri d'objets - Google Patents

Un procédé d'équilibrage de charge dans un procédé de tri d'objets Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0947962A2
EP0947962A2 EP99105376A EP99105376A EP0947962A2 EP 0947962 A2 EP0947962 A2 EP 0947962A2 EP 99105376 A EP99105376 A EP 99105376A EP 99105376 A EP99105376 A EP 99105376A EP 0947962 A2 EP0947962 A2 EP 0947962A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
procedure
outputs
sub
block
destinations
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP99105376A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0947962A3 (fr
Inventor
Guido De Leo
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.)
Selex Elsag Datamat SpA
Original Assignee
Elsag SpA
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 Elsag SpA filed Critical Elsag SpA
Publication of EP0947962A2 publication Critical patent/EP0947962A2/fr
Publication of EP0947962A3 publication Critical patent/EP0947962A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

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
    • B07C3/00—Sorting according to destination
    • B07C3/02—Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00362—Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00435—Details specific to central, non-customer apparatus, e.g. servers at post office or vendor
    • 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
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00314—Communication within apparatus, personal computer [PC] system, or server, e.g. between printhead and central unit in a franking machine
    • G07B2017/00338—Error detection or handling
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00362—Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
    • G07B2017/00379—Calculation of different sending options for a mail piece
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00435—Details specific to central, non-customer apparatus, e.g. servers at post office or vendor
    • G07B2017/00443—Verification of mailpieces, e.g. by checking databases
    • 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
    • G07B2017/00475—Sorting 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
    • G07B2017/00483—Batch processing of 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 present invention relates to a method of balancing the load in a process for sorting objects.
  • the present invention advantageously, but not exclusively, finds application in balancing the load in a process for sorting postal objects and the following discussion will make explicit reference thereto without any loss of generality thereby.
  • the method according to the present invention can also be utilised of balancing the load in any sorting process performed by one or more devices able to separate streams of objects to be arranged in a predetermined sequence for directing them to addresses or destinations, where the capacity of the said device or said devices is limited or expensive.
  • Machines are known for sorting and ordering post which receive at their input a stream of postal objects disposed in an entirely random manner and generate at their output an ordered stream of postal objects, that is to say a stream of postal objects disposed in a predetermined progressive order which allows their sequential distribution by one or more postman moving along a predetermined route.
  • the progressive order in which the postal objects are disposed at the outputs from the postal machine is generally defined by a sequence of adjacent destinations or addresses corresponding to street numbers or to groups of street numbers of buildings disposed along the route where these postal objects are to be delivered.
  • Known postal machines generally comprise an input, also called induction, receiving a set of postal objects, a plurality of outputs associated with respective containers into which groups of postal objects are disposed, and a transport and direction device (sorter) interposed between the inputs and the outputs and controlled by an electronic processing unit having the function of directing each postal object towards a respective output on the basis of a code generally printed on the postal object itself.
  • an input also called induction
  • receiving a set of postal objects receiving a set of postal objects
  • a plurality of outputs associated with respective containers into which groups of postal objects are disposed
  • sorter transport and direction device
  • each postman providing the service of postal object delivery is assigned a respective group of outputs of the postal machine different from that assigned to any other postman and from which at the end of the ordering process they extract the postal objects entrusted to them for delivery.
  • the ordering process performed by the postal machine generally involves the performance of a plurality of temporally consecutive sorting cycles by means of which groups of postal objects already subjected to preliminary sorting are reintroduced into the input of the postal machine and directed towards outputs associated with containers from which the postal objects deposited in a preceding sorting cycle have been removed.
  • Postal machines also exist which have two or more inputs communicating with a single sorter device sending the postal objects towards groups of outputs associated with respective inputs.
  • Each input of the postal machine cannot utilise outputs in common with the other inputs and in this way, although the sorter device is shared, such postal machines in reality comprise several separate independent machines.
  • the object of the present invention is that of providing a method of balancing the load in a process of sorting postal objects which makes it possible to avoid the most likely situations resulting in filling of the outputs of the postal machine which performs this process.
  • a method of balancing the load in a process for sorting objects, in particular postal objects comprising a first and at least one second consecutive sorting cycle performed by means of a machine receiving a set of objects at its input and providing at its output the said objects identified and separated according to determined sorting rules; in one given sorting cycle the objects being provided to the outputs of the machine according to a respective predetermined sorting criterion and being again provided in an orderly manner to the input of the machine itself for the performance of a subsequent sorting cycle; the outputs of the machine being sub-divided, in the last sorting cycle of the sorting process, into separate subsets each subset being assigned to a plurality of respective destinations according to an assignment criterion correlated to the order that the objects are to be delivered to the destinations;
  • a postal machine is generally indicated 1, having an input I which can receive a stream F of postal objects 2 (for example letters, postcards, documents in envelopes or generally flat documents of approximately rectangular form) disposed in sequence (for example stacked) and conveyed towards the input I itself by means of a conveyor device 4 of known type (for example of belt type); and a plurality (N) of separate outputs U1, U2, U3, ..., UN, with each of which there is conveniently associated a removable container 6 (shown schematically) into which the postal objects 2 sent to this output are collected.
  • a stream F of postal objects 2 for example letters, postcards, documents in envelopes or generally flat documents of approximately rectangular form
  • the stream F of postal objects 2 comprise a plurality of postal objects on which a code has been printed in a preceding phase, for example a bar code, which can identity the delivery address or destination of the postal object 2 itself; these postal objects 2 are in any event disposed in a sequence of "disordered" type, that is to say there is no progressive order nor any relation between the disposition of the postal objects 2 and the progressive order in which they are subsequently to be delivered.
  • the input I of the postal machine 1 is associated with a separator device 10 (schematically represented) receiving at its input the postal objects 2 supplied from the conveyor device 4 and acting to cause extraction of the postal objects 2 from the stream F and disposition of each postal object 2 into a spaced position with respect to the other postal object 2 of the stream F; a reading device 12 (schematically shown) receiving the postal objects 2 coming from the separator device 10 at its input and acting to read the code associated with the postal objects 2 themselves; a delay module 14 (shown schematically) receiving at its input the postal objects 2 coming from the reading device 12; and a sorter device 16 within the postal machine 1 interposed between the output of the delay module 14 and the outputs U1, U2, U3, ..., UN.
  • a separator device 10 (schematically represented) receiving at its input the postal objects 2 supplied from the conveyor device 4 and acting to cause extraction of the postal objects 2 from the stream F and disposition of each postal object 2 into a spaced position with respect to the other postal object 2 of the stream F
  • a reading device 12
  • the postal machine is controlled by an electronic unit 22 of programmable type under the control of which the sorter device 16 directs the stream F supplied at the input I to all the N outputs of the postal machine 1, that is to say it operates a common mode of transport according to which each postal object 2 supplied to the input A can potentially be directed towards any of the N outputs.
  • the displacement of a postal object along the sorter 16, that is to say the path T followed by a postal object 2 along the sorter 16 from the input I to a generic output Ui, is determined by the code present on the postal object 2 read by the reading device.
  • the electronic unit 22 is provided with a plurality of electronic tables (not illustrated) receiving input data (for example from the reading devices 12) associated with the code printed on each postal object 2, and supplying at its output a set of data which identifies the selected output Ui towards which this postal object 2 must be directed.
  • the output data are then transmitted to the postal machine 1 to generate command signals for actuator members, for example, paddle selectors, transmission members etc (not shown) which contribute to provide, along the conveyor device 16, the path T which leads the postal object 2 towards the selected output Ui.
  • actuator members for example, paddle selectors, transmission members etc (not shown) which contribute to provide, along the conveyor device 16, the path T which leads the postal object 2 towards the selected output Ui.
  • the method of balancing the load according to the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to a postal machine performing a sorting process composed of two successive sorting cycles.
  • the postal objects are provided at the input I of the postal machine 1 and then sorted towards the outputs U of the postal machine 1 according to a first sorting criterion determined by means of the present balancing method.
  • the postal objects are then extracted in order from the outputs and reintroduced into the postal machine 1 itself through the input I in a predetermined reintroduction order for the second sorting cycle to be performed.
  • the postal objects are sorted towards the outputs U according to a second sorting criterion determined by means of the present balancing method and then withdrawn from the outputs U to be delivered to the respective delivery addresses by means of the postmen.
  • each row of the matrix represents the load of postal objects of a respective output U of the postal machine 1 at the end of the first sorting cycle whilst each column of the matrix represents the load of postal objects at a respective output U of the postal machine 1 at the end of the second sorting cycle.
  • the load of postal objects at the outputs of the postal machine 1 at the end of the performance of the present method of balancing therefore makes it possible to derive the sorting criteria to be used for the sorting process.
  • the matrix has ten rows and ten columns indicated with respective progressive identification numbers.
  • the identification numbers of the columns are disposed in a progressively increasing order starting from the column furthest to the left of the matrix whilst the numbers identifying the rows are disposed in a progressively increasing order starting from the lowermost row of the matrix.
  • each number identifying rows and columns of the matrix of Figure 2 also identifies a respective output U of the postal machine 1 at the end of the first and second sorting cycle respectively.
  • the effective physical position of the output U in the postal machine 1 does not however necessarily correspond to the progressive numbering of the rows and columns of the matrix of Figure 2, that is the outputs of the postal machine 1 are not necessarily disposed in a progressively increasing order corresponding to the progressively increasing order of the identification numbers of the rows and columns.
  • the output of the postal machine 1 represented by the column identified by the numeral "1" may not be physically the first output of the postal machine 1 itself
  • the output represented by the column identified by the numeral "2" which column in the matrix is adjacent and successive to the first column may not be physically the second output of the postal machine 1 itself and nor need it be adjacent and subsequent to the output represented by the column identified by the numeral "1".
  • the progressive numbering of the rows and columns is a numbering of "logic" type to which corresponds a "physical" disposition of the outputs related to it by a predetermined relation stored in the electronic control unit 22 and utilised in the sorting process to direct the postal objects towards the desired output.
  • each cell of the matrix further assume a precise significance related the delivery address or destination of the postal objects and in particular each cell of the matrix defines a respective virtual position within the matrix to which can be associated a real address of a place to which the postal objects must be delivered.
  • each virtual position to which a delivery address can be associated can therefore be represented by the pair of numerical values indicating the row and column of the respective cell.
  • each pair of numerical values indicative of the row and column of the respective virtual position also represents the output of the postal machine 1 which the postal objects having a given delivery address have to occupy at the end of the first and second sorting cycle respectively.
  • the present method of balancing is finalised by the creation of a table containing a plurality of data and defining an unequivocal relationship between all the possible codes printed on the postal objects 2 (and able to identify, as previously mentioned, respective delivery addresses for the postal objects 2 themselves), and corresponding virtual positions associated with the delivery addresses indicated by these codes and each identified by a pair of numerical values indicating the row and column of a respective cell of the matrix.
  • the method will easily deduce the rules for sorting the delivery addresses of the outputs of the postal machine 1 at the end of the first and second sorting cycle by assigning to a delivery address associated with a respective data cell of the matrix the output of the postal machine 1 corresponding to the number of the row of the cell in the first sorting cycle and the output of the postal machine 1 corresponding to the number of the column of the cell in the second sorting cycle.
  • the relation between all the possible codes printed on the postal objects 2 and the corresponding virtual positions defined by the said table is such as to define a criterion for allocation of the delivery addresses to the respective outputs of the postal machine 1 such as to allow the said order of delivery of the postal objects to be respected.
  • the relationship defined by the table allocates the delivery addresses to the cells of the matrix according to an allocation criterion increasing in the sense of the columns and the rows in a manner described hereinafter.
  • the delivery addresses are allocated starting from the cell in the first row of the first column of the matrix (the cell positioned lowermost in the first column) up to the cell positioned in the last row of the first column of the matrix (the highest cell in the first column) and then again starting from the cell positioned in the first row of the second column up to the cell positioned in the last row of the second column, and so on for the successive columns.
  • the criterion by which the delivery addresses are allocated to virtual positions therefore defines a constraint on the cells of the matrix of Figure 2 forbidding any exchange of positions between the numerical values represented in the cells of a column.
  • the first and second numerical value indicative of the row and column of each cell of the matrix of Figure 2 assume a precise significance related to the output U1 of the postal machine 1 which the postal object to be delivered at the delivery address associated with the virtual position identified by this pair of values occupies at the end of the two sorting cycles of which the sorting process is composed and in particular the first numerical value indicative of the row of the cell identifies an output Ui of the postal machine 1 at which the postal object to be delivered to the delivery address associated with the cell will have to be disposed at the end of the first sorting cycle, whilst the second numerical value indicative of the column of the cell identifies an output Uj of the postal machine 1 at which the postal object to be delivered to the delivery address associated with the cell will have to be disposed at the end of the second sorting cycle.
  • the virtual position associated with it is determined and the pair of numerical values identifying the row and column defining this virtual position is utilised by the postal machine 1 to generate, via tables or sorting rules deduced directly from the matrix, command signals for actuator members, for example paddle selectors, transmission members etc. (not shown) which contribute to form, along the sorter device 16, a path T which leads the postal object 2 towards the selected output Ui.
  • actuator members for example paddle selectors, transmission members etc. (not shown) which contribute to form, along the sorter device 16, a path T which leads the postal object 2 towards the selected output Ui.
  • the postal machine 1 utilises the first numerical value identifying a virtual position (row number) to determine the destination output of the postal object at the end of the first sorting cycle and the second numerical value identifying the virtual position (column number) to determine the destination output of the postal object at the end of the second sorting cycle.
  • the numerical value appearing in a cell can be indicative of the quantity of postal objects in absolute or exact terms or else in terms of expected traffic.
  • a numerical value appearing in a cell is indicative of the fact that this cell has had allocated to it a delivery address having expected traffic or real traffic indicated by the numerical value itself whilst the cells having no numerical values appearing in them represent virtual positions available for the allocation of a delivery address.
  • a cell containing a numerical value will be indicated by the term "occupied cell”, meaning that it is associated with a respective delivery address, whilst a cell not containing any numerical value will be indicated with the term “free cell”, meaning that there is no delivery address associated with it.
  • each row and each column has associated with it a precise significance related to the load (that is to say the quantity of expected postal objects) at the output of the postal machine 1 corresponding to this row or column and in particular the sum of the numerical values of each row represents the load present at the output of the postal machine 1 associated with this row at the end of the first sorting cycle whilst the sum of the numerical values of each column represents the load present at the output of the postal machine 1 associated with this column at the end of the second sorting cycle.
  • first and second vectors each containing a number of fields equal to the number of rows and columns respectively of the matrix, that is to say ten fields.
  • Each of the fields of the first vector shown to the side of the matrix is aligned with a respective row of the matrix itself and each of the fields of the second vector shown above the matrix is aligned with a respective column of the matrix.
  • a first and second vector respectively represent the overall load at each output of the postal machine 1 at the end of the first and second sorting cycle which comprises the sorting process of the invention.
  • the matrix representation of Figure 2 is indicative of a load situation at the outputs of the postal machine 1 which is very unbalanced between the first and second sorting cycle.
  • the first output that identified with the numeral 1 will have to contain 290 postal objects at the end of the first sorting cycle and only 84 at the end of the second cycle.
  • a third vector comprising four fields having different widths, aligned with respective groups of columns of the matrix and identified with the letters A, B, C and D.
  • each field of the third vector is associated with a respective group of columns with which it is aligned and the identifying letter shown in it is indicative of the postman to which this group of columns is allocated.
  • the field of the third vector identified with the letter A is associated with the first and second column of the matrix
  • the field identified with the letter B is associated with the third column
  • the field identified with the letter C is associated with the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh column
  • the field identified with the letter D is associated with the eighth, ninth and tenth column.
  • this type of representation illustrates the situation in which a first postman associated with the field identified with the letter A is allocated to the delivery of the postal objects disposed, at the end of the second sorting cycle, in the first and second output of the postal machine 1, a second postman associated with the field identified with the letter B is allocated to the delivery of the postal objects disposed in the third output of the postal machine 1, a third postman associated with the field identified with the letter C is allocated to the delivery of the postal objects disposed in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh output of the postal machine 1, and a fourth postman associated with the field identified with the letter D is allocated to the delivery of the postal objects disposed in the eight, ninth and tenth output of the postal machine 1.
  • the method of balancing will be described with reference to a sorting constraint defined by the fact that the various postmen be assigned, at the end of the second sorting cycle, separate outputs of the postal machine 1 in such a way as to avoid the possible confusion which could arise if at the end of the sorting process postal objects relating to the routes of different postmen would have to be present in one output of the postal machine 1.
  • the process initially starts at a block 10 in which general information is acquired on the characteristics of the batch to be handled, that is to say the sorting process to be performed, the number of postmen available for the delivery service, the number of delivery addresses to be served, the traffic of postal objects to each delivery address, known for example on the basis of historical data, the total number of outputs of the postal machine 1, the number of outputs of the postal machine 1 to be reserved for emergency situations, for example for use in substitution for one or more inoperative outputs for the diversion of postal objects, the maximum capacity of each output of the postal machine 1, a margin of tolerance on the capacity of each output in such a way as to guarantee that a desired capacity less than the maximum capacity of the output itself is not exceeded etc.
  • the number of outputs usable for the performance of the balancing method is determined by subtracting, from the total number of outputs of the postal machine 1, a number of outputs reserved for emergency situations, whilst the desired capacity for each output of the postal machine 1 is determined by subtracting the respective tolerance from the maximum capacity of the output itself.
  • this procedure establishes a positive result for the sufficiency of the resources for the performance of the balancing method and the sorting process, it generates, for example in the memory of the electronic unit 22 which implements it, a matrix representation similar to that of Figure 2 which allows the allocation of the delivery addresses of the postal objects to the outputs of the postal machine 1 during the first and second sorting cycle of which the sorting process is composed.
  • block 20 it leads to a block 30 in which it tests if the number of postmen available for the delivery service is sufficient for the performance of the balancing method, that is to say if the number of available postmen is less than or equal to the number of outputs of the postal machine 1 effectively usable for the balancing method.
  • the method is potentially performable in relation to the number of postmen which will be available to effect delivery, and therefore from block 30 it leads to block 40, otherwise if the number of postmen available is greater than the number of outputs effectively usable for the performance of the balancing method (output NO from block 30) then the balancing method terminates due to the impossibility of performance because of the insufficiency of the available number of outputs of the postal machine 1.
  • a minimum number of separate outputs to be allocated to each postman is determined on the basis of the number of delivery addresses which each postman must serve, the traffic to each delivery address and the number of delivery addresses which can be allocated to each output of the postal machine 1, which is equal, as mentioned above, to the maximum number of virtual positions which can be allocated to each output of the postal machine 1 (that is to say equal to the number of cells of each column of the matrix of Figure 2).
  • the minimum number of outputs to be allocated to each postman is known the minimum number of outputs which it is necessary to utilise for the performance of the balancing method is determined by summing all the minimum numbers of outputs to be allocated to each postman.
  • the balancing method is potentially performable in relation to the number of available outputs of the postal machine 1 and therefore from block 50 it goes to a block 60, otherwise if the number of outputs usable for the performance of the balancing method is less than the minimum number of outputs which it is necessary to use (output NO from block 50) then the balancing method is terminated due to the impossibility of performance because of the insufficient number of available outputs.
  • the number of virtual positions available for the performance of the present balancing method is determined by subtracting from the theoretical number of available virtual positions, equal to the total number of cells of the matrix of Figure 2, the number of lost virtual positions (that is to say unusable positions) because of the said constraint on the allocation of separate outputs to the various postmen, which is determinable on the basis of the following considerations.
  • each postman Having allocated a minimum number of separate outputs to each postman, that is to say a minimum number of separate columns of the matrix of Figure 2, inevitably each postman has been allocated a number of virtual positions, that is to say a number of cells of the matrix of Figure 2, equal to a whole multiple of the number of cells contained in a column, in particular equal to the product between the number of rows of the matrix and the number of separate columns allocated to it.
  • the number of virtual positions allocated to each postman is greater than the number of virtual positions which the postman himself would need on the basis of the number of delivery addresses allocated to him and consequently a given number of virtual positions allocated to each postman will not be usable by him and will thus not be utilised in the balancing method simply because of the constraints on the allocation of separate outputs to the postman.
  • the number of virtual positions not utilised by each postman will be equal to the difference between the number of cells of the matrix allocated to him and the number of delivery addresses which must be served, and the total number of virtual positions lost because of the constraint on the allocation of separate outputs to the postmen will be equal to the sum of the numbers of virtual positions not utilised by each of the postmen.
  • the balancing method is potentially performable in relation to the number of available virtual position and therefore from block 70 it leads on to block 80, otherwise if the number of effectively available virtual positions is less than the number of delivery addresses to be served (output NO from block 70) then the balancing method is terminated due to the impossibility of performance because of the insufficiency of the number of available virtual positions.
  • block 80 it is established whether the maximum traffic which can be sorted by the postal machine 1 is sufficient for the performance of the balancing method, that is to say if the sum of the capacities of the outputs of the postal machine 1 is greater than or equal to the number of postal objects to be sorted.
  • the balancing method is potentially performable in relation to the sorting capacity of the postal machine 1, the resource testing procedure is terminated and from block 80 it leads to a block 90, otherwise if the maximum sortable traffic is less than the traffic to be sorted (output NO from block) the balancing method is terminated due to the impossibility of performance because of the insufficient capacity of the postal machine 1 to sort delivery addresses.
  • block 90 there is performed a preliminary allocation to each postman of a respective group of outputs of the postal machine 1 on the basis of the number of delivery addresses which each of them must serve and the number of virtual positions associated with each output of the postal machine 1.
  • the matrix of Figure 2 illustrates the situation at the outputs of the postal machine 1 after the above-described preliminary allocation phase; in particular, the matrix shows only the outputs of the postal machine 1 allocated to the postmen whilst the outputs not yet assigned to the postmen and therefore available during the balancing method for assignment of delivery addresses are not illustrated.
  • the information on the reason for this procedure having been abandoned (insufficient number of available postmen, insufficient number of available outputs of the postal machine 1, insufficient number of virtual positions, insufficient addressing capacity) are signalled in such a way that an operator can act consequently to modify the initial conditions which have not permitted the performance of the sorting process.
  • this procedure operates directly on the matrix of Figure 2 for the purpose of improving the balancing of the load in each of the columns of the matrix itself and involves the performance of a first and second sub-procedure which are consecutive in time.
  • the first sub-procedure involves performing, for each pair of adjacent columns of each group of columns associated with a postman, a simulation of the sorting of particular delivery addresses between the two columns considered and then real performance of the simulated sorting which determines the most consistent improvement in the balancing of the load in this pair of columns, with consequent modification of the configuration of the pair of columns considered.
  • the first sub-procedure causes a shift of the delivery address from the outputs of the postal machine 1 to which they are allocated to logically contiguous outputs of the postal machine 1 respectively associated with the same postman having consideration for the criterion for allocation of the delivery addresses to the respective groups of outputs.
  • the columns are examined in succession in several iterations, starting from the first two columns of the first group up to the last two on the basis of their increasing numerical order. It is to be noted that the constraint on the allocation of the separate outputs of the postal machine 1 to the various postmen requires that the identified adjacent columns must belong to the same postman, that is to say to the same group of columns, in that it is not admissible that a delivery address assigned to one postman can be shifted into an output assigned to another postman.
  • Block 130 then leads to block 140 in which the loads TC3 and TC4 on by the two columns under examination in the first simulated shift and the loads TC5 and TC6 on the two columns under examination in the second simulated shift are determined.
  • block 140 there is moreover determined a numerical value TM2 equal to the greater of the loads TC3 and TC4 and a numerical value TM3 equal to the greater of the loads TC5 and TC6.
  • Block 140 then leads to block 150 in which is determined a numerical value Tm equal to the smaller of the numerical value TM1 determined in the block 120 and the numerical values TM2 and TM3 relating to the first and second simulated shift taking place in block 140.
  • Tm is equal to TM2 or TM3
  • Tm is equal to TM1
  • neither of the two simulated changes of the delivery address from one column to the other of the pair makes it possible to obtain a load equal to Tm in one of the columns examined which means there is no improvement in the balancing of the load of the column examined and therefore the initial situation before the simulation is the best.
  • Tm is equal to TM1 (output YES from block 160) then none of the simulated shifts is performed, the configuration of the two columns is not changed and the process goes on to block 180, otherwise if Tm is equal to TM2 or TM3 (output NO from block 160) then from block 160 it leads to a block 170 in which the simulated shift which made it possible to obtain the smallest load equal to Tm is performed and the configuration of the two columns is varied in dependence on the simulated shift.
  • Block 170 then leads to block 180 in which it is established whether there is a further pair of adjacent columns to be examined in the same group of columns (that is to say associated with the same postman) or, if the columns of one group have already been all examined, in the next group of columns (that is to say associated with the next postman).
  • the improvement obtained is considered sufficient if the loads in each group of columns associated with the various postmen are better balanced, by a predetermined quantity, with respect to the loads which existed before the performance of the first improvement sub-procedure.
  • the testing based on the time elapsed from the commencement of the first improving sub-procedure serves on the other hand to allow performance of the first sub-procedure only for a maximum predetermined time for the purpose of not excessively occupying the resources which in practice implement the present balancing methods.
  • block 200 it is tested whether from among the outputs usable for the performance of the method of balancing, determined in block 20, there are any available to be allocated.
  • An order of criticality is assigned to the columns in block 210, which takes into account not only the number of delivery addresses associated with each of the columns but also the traffic at each of the delivery addresses.
  • the said criterion involves allocation of an order of criticality to the columns based on the highest number of delivery addresses and, for the same number of delivery addresses, the greatest traffic to the delivery addresses.
  • the most critical column will be that having the highest number of occupied cells and the least critical column will be that having the lowest number of occupied cells. Whenever two or more columns have the same number of occupied cells the most critical column among these will be that containing the cell in which the highest numerical value is shown and the least critical column that containing the cell in which the lowest numerical value is shown.
  • a further output of the postal machine 1 to be utilised for the sorting process is allocated to the most critical postman (that is to say the one which is associated with the above-identified most critical column).
  • the process leads to block 240 in which the second sub-procedure is performed.
  • the second sub-procedure involves performing, for each pair of adjacent columns of each group of columns associated with the postman, a simulation of the bisection of particular delivery addresses belonging to the columns considered into respective pairs of virtually separate delivery addresses and their allocation to different columns.
  • the second sub-procedure if a delivery address is bisected, it is removed from the matrix and replaced by two new delivery addresses: the first delivery address obtained by the bisection is allocated to the same cell in which the initial bisected delivery address was located and the second delivery address obtained by bisection is allocated to a cell disposed in the adjacent column to that in which the initial bisected delivery address was disposed and belonging to the same postman. Moreover, the traffic in the first and second delivery address obtained by bisection each have a reduced traffic, typically half, with respect to the traffic to the initial bisected delivery address in such a way that their sum is equal to the traffic to the initial bisected delivery address.
  • First and second delivery addresses therefore replace the initial bisected delivery address and in reality represent the same postal address which, via the said bisection, will be differently and more conveniently assigned to the outputs of the postal machine 1 in the first and second sorting cycle. In the light of the above the first and second delivery address obtained by bisection are therefore virtually separated.
  • each of the delivery addresses subjected to bisection is disposed, as better described hereinafter, in a particular position in the columns considered and is subdivided into first and second virtually separate delivery addresses, which are then separately assigned to the columns themselves.
  • delivery addresses are bisected into respective pairs of virtually separate delivery addresses and each pair of virtually separate delivery addresses obtained by bisection is allocated to a respective pair of logically contiguous outputs of the postal machine 1, associated with the same postman, comprising the output to which the delivery address from which this pair of virtually separate delivery addresses formed by bisection originated and a logically contiguous output allocated to the same postman.
  • the second sub-procedure is similar to the first sub-procedure described with reference to the flow diagram illustrated in Figure 3d and therefore will hereinafter be described solely as far as it differs therefrom.
  • the second sub-procedure differs from the first sub-procedure only by the fact that the simulations effected in block 130 are different from those described for the first sub-procedure.
  • the postal objects to be delivered to the delivery address subjected to bisection will be directed by the postal machine 1 as if they belonged to one of the two virtually separate delivery addresses obtained by the bisection, by associating them with one or the other delivery address with a probability proportional to the respective traffic values.
  • the second sub-procedure makes it possible to obtain, for example, particularly pronounced results in the improvement of the load balancing when the load of each of the two columns is such that the simulated shifts in the first sub-procedure improve the load of the first column but worsen that of the adjacent column by an approximately equivalent amount and therefore the first sub-procedure does not allow an appreciable overall improvement to be obtained.
  • the process leads from block 240 to a block 250 in which it is established whether the improvement obtained with the second sub-procedure is sufficient or whether a time t1 has elapsed since this sub-procedure was started.
  • the load balancing improvement procedure for each of the outputs of the postal machine 1 at the end of the first sorting cycle operates directly on the matrix of Figure 2 at the end of the load balancing improvement of each of the rows of the matrix itself and involves the performance of four consecutive sub-procedures described hereinafter.
  • block 250 of Figure 3b leads on to block 300 of Figure 3c in which the first improvement sub-procedure is performed, which will be described hereinafter with reference to Figures 3e and 3f.
  • the first sub-procedure involves performing, for each column of the matrix of Figure 2, a simulation of a redistribution of the delivery addresses of the column over all the cells of the column itself and then the simulation which causes the most consistent improvement in the balancing of the rows is actually performed, with consequent modification of the configuration of the column. It is evident that if none of the simulated shifts causes an improvement in the load balancing the configuration of the column under consideration remains unchanged.
  • the first sub-procedure effects a redistribution of the numerical values in the occupied cells of each column over all the cells of the column itself in such a way as to alternate the free cells and the occupied cells of the columns.
  • the first sub-procedure performs a redistribution of the delivery addresses assigned to each output of the postal machine 1 at the end of the second sorting cycle on the outputs utilised in the first sorting cycle whilst maintaining respect for the allocation criterion by which the delivery addresses are allocated to the output itself in the second sorting cycle.
  • this first sub-procedure is applicable only if the column in which the redistribution is effected has at least one free cell.
  • the procedure starts at a block 310 in which a criticality order is allocated to the columns of the matrix of Figure 2 on the basis of a criterion which principally takes account of the number of delivery addresses associated with the columns themselves, that is to say the number of occupied cells in each column.
  • the most critical column will be that having the greatest number of occupied cells and the least critical column will be that having the smallest number of occupied cells.
  • the criticality order of the columns is utilised in the following part of the sub-procedure to effect redistribution of the numerical values shown in the cells of the columns themselves starting from the most critical down to the least critical and to distinguish the most critical column from the remaining columns in that for this column the distribution of the delivery addresses over the cells of the column itself is effected in a different manner from that used for the remaining columns.
  • Block 310 leads on to block 320 in which the most critical column is identified on the basis of the allocated criticality order.
  • Block 320 then leads onto a block 330 in which, for the most critical column, there is effected a shift, within the column itself, of the numerical values in the occupied cells in such a way as to distribute the free cells uniformly among the occupied cells.
  • the tenth column of the matrix of Figure 2 which, as can be seen is the most critical column, this column has five occupied cells and five free cells and therefore a uniform distribution among occupied cells and free cells involves a shift of the numerical values in the occupied cells such as to have a free cell interposed between each pair of occupied cells.
  • the process leads to a block 340 in which a subsequent column to be examined for the redistribution of numerical values shown in the respective occupied cells is identified starting from the second most critical column and down to the least critical column on the basis of the allocated order of criticality.
  • Block 340 leads on to a block 350 in which an order of criticality is allocated to the occupied cells of the examined column on the basis of a criterion which principally takes into account the traffic in the delivery addresses associated with the cells themselves, that is to say the numerical value shown in the occupied cells.
  • the most critical cell will be that having the highest numerical value and the least critical cell will be that having the lowest numerical value.
  • the optimum position for each numerical value shown in the occupied cells of the column under examination is determined, while still respecting the said constraint on the progressive order with which the virtual positions are associated with the respective delivery addresses (defined, as previously mentioned, by the sequence of adjacent delivery address corresponding to street numbers or to groups of street numbers, of buildings disposed along the route along which the postal objects must be delivered).
  • this constraint by prohibiting any exchange in positions between the numerical values shown in the cells of the same column, imposes a condition that a shift in the numerical value shown in one cell corresponds, in the case of superimposition over another numerical value, an equivalent shift of the numerical value shown in the contiguous cells of the same column position above the cell (if the shift is upwards) or below the cell (if the shift is downwards).
  • block 350 leads on to a block 360 in which there is identified, in the column under examination, an occupied cell to be examined starting from the most critical cell and, in the subsequent repetitions, leading to the least critical cell on the basis of the previously assigned criticality order.
  • Block 360 then leads to a block 370 in which the load TC in the row RC in which the cell under examination is disposed is determined by considering, as previously mentioned, only the numerical values in the cells of the row, corresponding to columns already examined.
  • Block 370 leads then to a block 380 in which the possible shifts within the respective column of the numerical values in the cell under examination are determined, that is to say the changes for which it is possible to effect a corresponding shift in the numerical values shown in the other occupied cells of the same column.
  • Block 380 then leads on to a block 390 in which it is tested whether there is another possible shift to simulate within the same column as the numerical value in the cell under consideration.
  • the sums of the numerical values shown in the cells belonging to the columns already examined are determined by row, excluding the column currently under examination and being limited to the rows in which it is possible to effect a shift of the numerical value shown in the cell under examination and also including the row to which the cell under examination belongs.
  • Block 460 then leads to a block 470 in which the numerical value in the cell under examination is constrained to remain in the position assumed, whether that is the initial position or that to which it has been shifted, in such a way that it is no longer subject to further shifts in the subsequent simulations effected for the other numerical values in the other cells of the column under examination.
  • the most critical cell is the first in which there is shown the numerical value "64". As described above, this numerical value is shifted to one of the second, fourth, sixth and eighth row of the column itself
  • the second sub-procedure involves performing, for each row of the matrix of Figure 2 and in an order described in detail hereinafter, a simulation of a shift of each of the numerical values in the row itself into contiguous free cells of the same column and actual performance of the shift only when this makes it possible to obtain improvements in the balance of the rows.
  • the second sub-procedure simulates the shift of each of the numerical values in the occupied cells of each row into adjacent cells of the same column.
  • the second sub-procedure performs a shift of delivery addresses from the outputs of the postal machine 1 to which respective logically contiguous outputs are allocated at the end of the first sorting cycle whilst maintaining the allocation criterion by which the delivery addresses themselves are assigned to respective groups of outputs in the second sorting cycle.
  • the rows of the matrix of Figure 2 are allocated an order of criticality on the basis of a criterion which principally takes account of the number of delivery addresses associated with the rows, that is to say the number of occupied cells in each row.
  • the most critical row will be that having the greatest number of occupied cells and the least critical row will be that having the smallest number of occupied cells.
  • the order of criticality of the rows is utilised to determine the most critical row on which to simulate the shift of the numerical values in the cells of the row itself
  • Block 550 leads then to a block 560 in which the most critical row RC to be examined for the shift in the numerical values in its occupied cells is identified.
  • block 570 leads on to a block 580 in which there is identified, in the row RC under examination, an occupied cell to be examined, starting from the cell disposed in the first column and proceeding to that disposed in the last column.
  • one of the shifts determined in block 590 of the numerical value in the cell under examination from row RC to one of the contiguous rows RT is simulated and the new load TCN of the row RC and the new load TTN of the row RT after the shift are determined.
  • Tm a numerical value equal to the greatest two loads TCN and TTN determined above is determined, that is to say Tm equals max (TCN, TTN).
  • the difference D between the load TC and the numerical value Tm is determined, which is correlated to the magnitude of the improvement of the load of the rows RC and RT obtained by means of the shift.
  • At least one shift has been memorised, that is to say at least one of the simulated shifts has allowed a reduction in the load on the rows RC and RT (output YES from block 670), from block 670 it leads onto a block 680, otherwise if no shift has been memorised, that is to say no simulated shift has allowed a reduction in the load on the rows (output NO from block 670) from block 670 it leads to a block 700.
  • block 530 then moves on to block 720 in which it is tested if the improvement obtained with the second sub-procedure is sufficient or if a time T2 has elapsed since the second sub-procedure was started.
  • the improvement obtained is sufficient if the loads on each group of rows associated with the various postmen are better balanced by a predetermined amount with respect to the loads which they had before the performance of the second improvement sub-procedure.
  • the third sub-procedure is performed in block 730, which will hereinafter be described with reference to Figures 3i, 3j and 3k.
  • the third sub-procedure involves performing a simulation of exchanges between contiguous rows of pairs of delivery addresses belonging to different columns and the performance of such exchanges only when they allow improvements in the balancing of the load of such pairs of columns to be obtained.
  • the third sub-procedure simulates the shifting, within a first column, of a numerical value shown in an occupied cell of row RC into a free cell of an immediately contiguous row RT and the simultaneous shifting, within a second column, of a numerical value shown in an occupied cell of row RT into a free cell of row RC.
  • the third sub-procedure is performed by exchanging delivery addresses between contiguous outputs and each exchange is effected whilst still respecting the allocation criterion by which the exchanged delivery addresses are allocated to respective groups of outputs in the second sorting cycle.
  • a criticality order is assigned to the rows of the matrix of Figure 2 on the basis of a criterion which principally takes account of the number of delivery addresses associated with the rows themselves, that is to say the number of occupied cells in each row.
  • the most critical row will be that having the greatest number of occupied cells and the least critical will be that having the smallest number of occupied cells.
  • the order of criticality of the rows is utilised to determined the most critical row to be considered for the simulation of the exchange of pairs of numerical values.
  • Block 750 leads onto a block 760 in which the most critical row RC to be examined for exchange of the numerical values in occupied cells thereof is identified.
  • block 770 leads onto a block 780 in which an occupied cell to be examined is identified in the row RC under examination, starting from the cell disposed in the first column and ending with that disposed in the last column.
  • one of the shifts determined in block 790 of the numerical value in the cell of row RC under examination and one of the contiguous rows RT is simulated and the load TT of the row RT before the shift is also determined.
  • the second numerical value TM2 is smaller than the first numerical value TM1, that is to say if the exchange has caused an improvement in the balance of the loads on the rows RC and RT (output YES from block 870) then from block 870 it leads onto a block 880, otherwise if the second numerical value TM2 is greater than or equal to the first numerical value TM1, that is to say if the exchange has not made an improvement in the balance of the loads of the rows RC and RT (output NO from block 870) then from block 870 it leads again to block 830 to check if there is a further possible shift of a numerical value from the row RT to the row RC to be simulated and to repeat the above-described operations for this further shift.
  • the difference D between the first and second numerical value TM1 and TM2 is determined, which is correlated to the magnitude of the improvement of the load in the rows RC and RT obtained by means of the exchange.
  • Block 910 checks if at least one pair of shifts and a respective difference D relating to the row RC under examination has been memorised, that is to say if at least one of the simulated exchanges has allowed an improvement in the balance of the load in rows RC and RT to be obtained.
  • the improvement obtained is sufficient if the loads in each group of rows associated with the various postmen are better balanced, by a predetermined quantity, with respect to the loads which they had before execution of the third improvement sub-procedure.
  • the improvement obtained with the third improvement sub-procedure is significant, or rather greater than a predetermined threshold, or if a time t3 from when the third sub-procedure is started has not elapsed (output NO from block 970) then from block 970 it leads back to block 730 for the repetition of the third sub-procedure, otherwise if the improvement obtained with the third improvement sub-procedure is not significant or if a time t3 from when this third sub-procedure is commenced has elapsed (output YES from block 970) then from block 970 it leads onto a block 980.
  • the fourth sub-procedure is performed, which involves effecting, for each of the rows of the matrix of Figure 2 and in a predetermined order described in detail hereinafter, a simulation of a sub-division (bisection) of each of the delivery addresses disposed in these rows into two virtually separate delivery addresses and their separate allocation to nearby free cells of the same column and a performance of this subdivision only if it allows improvements in the balancing of the load in this pair of rows to be obtained.
  • the fourth sub-procedure therefore, if a delivery address is bisected, it is removed from the matrix and replaced by two new delivery addresses: the first delivery address obtained by bisection is allocated to the same cell in which the initial bisected delivery address was located and the second delivery address obtained by bisection is allocated to a cell disposed in the same column in which the initial bisected delivery address was disposed but in a nearby row, compatible with the available free cells of the matrix. Moreover, the traffic at the first and second delivery address obtained by bisection is reduced, typically to half, with respect to the traffic at the bisected initial delivery address in such a way that their sum is equal to the traffic at the bisected initial delivery address.
  • the first and second delivery address therefore replace the bisected initial delivery address and represent in reality the same postal address, which, via the said bisection will now be differently and more conveniently assigned to the outputs of the postal machine 1 in the first and second sorting cycle.
  • the first and second delivery address obtained by bisection are therefore virtually separate.
  • each pair of virtually separate delivery addresses obtained by bisection is assigned to a respective pair of outputs comprising the output to which is associated the original delivery address from which this pair of virtually separate delivery addresses has originated, and a second output identified by the position to which the second virtual delivery address is assigned.
  • each pair of virtually separate delivery addresses to the respective pairs of outputs is effected whilst respecting the allocation to the respective output in the second sorting cycle of the delivery address from which this pair of virtually separate delivery addresses has originated following bisection.
  • the fourth sub-procedure is similar to the second sub-procedure previously described with reference to Figures 3g and 3h and therefore will be described only inasmuch as it differs from the second sub procedure.
  • the fourth sub-procedure differs from the second sub-procedure only by the fact that rather than simulate shifts on contiguous rows of the numerical value in the occupied cell under examination, the subdivision of this numerical value into separate and quantitatively similar first and second numerical values the sum of which is equal to the original numerical value is simulated.
  • the first numerical value is therefore represented in the cell in which the original numerical value is formed whilst the second numerical value is shown in a nearby free cell in the same column.
  • the improvement obtained is considered significant if the loads in each group of rows associated with the various postmen are better balanced by a greater quantity than a predetermined threshold, with respect to the loads which they had before performance of the fourth improvement sub-procedure.
  • the balancing method described above relates to a postal machine 1 having a single input I.
  • each of these would be assigned a first subset of the outputs at the end of the first sorting cycle and a second subset of the outputs at the end of the second sorting cycle.
  • the postal objects entering into the postal machine 1 through the first input would be deposited in a first subset of the outputs of the postal machine 1 itself at the end of the first sorting cycle and in a second subset of the outputs of the postal machine 1 at the end of the second sorting cycle.
  • Each sub matrix therefore constitutes a matrix representation of a postal machine to all intents having one input and the associated subset of outputs and can therefore be treated by the same standard as the matrix of Figure 2 without modifications with respect to what has been previously described, thus allowing the balancing of the subset of outputs associated with the respective input to be improved.
  • the balancing method has been described with reference to a postal machine 1 performing a sorting process composed of two successive sorting cycles.
  • the inventive concept on which the present invention is based can nevertheless also be utilised in a sorting process composed of several successive sorting cycles.
  • the first procedure in the last sorting cycle the first procedure will be applied in the manner described
  • the second procedure in the first sorting cycle the second procedure will be applied in the manner described
  • the method according to the present invention can also be utilised of balancing the load in any type of sorting process performed by means of one or more devices able to separate streams of objects to put them in a predetermined sequence for directing them to delivery addresses or destinations.
  • machine utilised in the preceding description generally indicates, in these different applications of the present method of balancing, the device or devices utilised for the performance of the sequencing process.
  • the machine is able to withdraw, ordered from an input, constituted by a generic number of expected zones, a sequence of objects the order of which can be unknown beforehand and each of which contains sufficient elements for a classification by the machine itself to guarantee the transport of the objects themselves towards an output constituted by deposition zones and/or release zones, which are dependent on the class of object identified according to predetermined rules and can also coincide with the said expected zones.
  • the criticality criteria adopted for ordering the rows and columns and the criteria on the basis of which the various sub-procedures are terminated can be different from those described.
  • the method by which the rows and columns are examined can be different from that described.
  • the criterion for allocation of the delivery addresses to the cells of the matrix can be different from that described.
  • a different allocation criterion from that described a series of variations in the manner of shifting the delivery addresses can be derived.
  • the criterion for allocation of the delivery addresses to the cells of the matrix defines a constraint prohibiting any exchange of positions between the numerical values in the cells of one column and this constraint requires the various shifts and bisections of numerical values described above in the sub procedures illustrated in blocks 100 and 240 to be effected whilst respecting this constraint. Therefore, by utilising a different criterion from that described it is apparent that any shift in the numerical values would have to respect this different allocation criterion and therefore the shifts would be effected between columns considered "contiguous" according to the allocation criterion adopted.
  • the balancing of the load of the outputs of the postal machine could be simplified by performing only one of the said first and second balancing procedures in the respective sorting cycle and this simplification, even if on the one hand it would cause an inevitable reduction in the efficacy of the balancing of the load of the outputs of the postal machine, it would nevertheless allow on the other hand a significant saving both in operating time and in occupation of resources required in the implementation of the method itself.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mathematical Physics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Measuring Or Testing Involving Enzymes Or Micro-Organisms (AREA)
  • Heterocyclic Carbon Compounds Containing A Hetero Ring Having Oxygen Or Sulfur (AREA)
EP99105376A 1998-03-17 1999-03-16 Un procédé d'équilibrage de charge dans un procédé de tri d'objets Withdrawn EP0947962A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITTO980233 ITTO980233A1 (it) 1998-03-17 1998-03-17 Metodo di bilanciamento del carico in un processo di sequenziazione di oggetti, in particolare oggetti postali.
ITTO980233 1998-03-17

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0947962A2 true EP0947962A2 (fr) 1999-10-06
EP0947962A3 EP0947962A3 (fr) 2000-05-17

Family

ID=11416611

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99105376A Withdrawn EP0947962A3 (fr) 1998-03-17 1999-03-16 Un procédé d'équilibrage de charge dans un procédé de tri d'objets

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0947962A3 (fr)
IT (1) ITTO980233A1 (fr)
NO (1) NO991284L (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1090692A2 (fr) * 1999-10-07 2001-04-11 Elsag Spa Méthode d'optimisation d'un processus de tri postal
CN110648091A (zh) * 2018-06-27 2020-01-03 天津京东深拓机器人科技有限公司 物品分拣方法和装置

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5353938A (en) * 1991-09-18 1994-10-11 Compagnie Generale D'automatisme Cga-Hbs Method of sorting objects
US5363971A (en) * 1992-10-16 1994-11-15 United States Postal Service Automatic carrier sequence bar code sorter
EP0718049A2 (fr) * 1994-12-22 1996-06-26 Hitachi, Ltd. Procédé et appareil de tri de feuilles de papier ou analogues
DE19647973C1 (de) * 1996-11-20 1997-09-25 Aec Electrocom Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Verteilung von Sendungen
DE19709232A1 (de) * 1996-03-11 1997-11-06 Hitachi Ltd Verfahren, Vorrichtung und Informationsträger für Gebietssortierung und Austragereihenfolge-Sortierung von Post
DE19625007A1 (de) * 1996-06-22 1998-01-02 Siemens Ag Verfahren zur Verteilreihenfolgesortierung

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5353938A (en) * 1991-09-18 1994-10-11 Compagnie Generale D'automatisme Cga-Hbs Method of sorting objects
US5363971A (en) * 1992-10-16 1994-11-15 United States Postal Service Automatic carrier sequence bar code sorter
EP0718049A2 (fr) * 1994-12-22 1996-06-26 Hitachi, Ltd. Procédé et appareil de tri de feuilles de papier ou analogues
DE19709232A1 (de) * 1996-03-11 1997-11-06 Hitachi Ltd Verfahren, Vorrichtung und Informationsträger für Gebietssortierung und Austragereihenfolge-Sortierung von Post
DE19625007A1 (de) * 1996-06-22 1998-01-02 Siemens Ag Verfahren zur Verteilreihenfolgesortierung
DE19647973C1 (de) * 1996-11-20 1997-09-25 Aec Electrocom Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Verteilung von Sendungen

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1090692A2 (fr) * 1999-10-07 2001-04-11 Elsag Spa Méthode d'optimisation d'un processus de tri postal
EP1090692A3 (fr) * 1999-10-07 2002-05-02 Elsag Spa Méthode d'optimisation d'un processus de tri postal
US6576857B1 (en) 1999-10-07 2003-06-10 Elsag Spa Method of optimizing a mail sorting process
CN110648091A (zh) * 2018-06-27 2020-01-03 天津京东深拓机器人科技有限公司 物品分拣方法和装置
CN110648091B (zh) * 2018-06-27 2024-01-16 北京京东乾石科技有限公司 物品分拣方法和装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0947962A3 (fr) 2000-05-17
ITTO980233A1 (it) 1999-09-17
NO991284D0 (no) 1999-03-17
NO991284L (no) 1999-09-20

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
ITTO990865A1 (it) Metodo di ottimizzazione di un processo di sequenzazione di oggetti postali.
JP3986562B2 (ja) 配布順序分類方法
US5901855A (en) Method and apparatus for sorting and rearranging mails in sequence sorting
CA1138568A (fr) Methode de tri de documents
CN105046443A (zh) 一种业务工单分配方法及系统
US5687850A (en) Conveyor system with a computer controlled first sort conveyor
US5924576A (en) Method for sorting items of mail in order of delivery
US6822182B2 (en) Method of sorting mail for carriers using separators
US5220511A (en) Computer control system and method for sorting articles on a conveyor
KR960021176A (ko) 종이류 구분방법 및 그 장치
CA2254364A1 (fr) Methode de tri d'objets postaux
US7060928B2 (en) Method for sorting in a distribution order
CN103186428A (zh) 虚拟资源管理方法
EP0947962A2 (fr) Un procédé d'équilibrage de charge dans un procédé de tri d'objets
ITTO980713A1 (it) Procedura di pianificazione dello svuotamento delle uscite di un mac- china postale durante un processo do sequenziazione di oggetti postali
AU2012261487B2 (en) A method of processing mailpieces, the method including aggregating the batches of mailpieces
CN104881771B (zh) 一种快速分拣大量服装的方法和装置
CN101641163B (zh) 转返模式下的邮件分拣方法
CN100537056C (zh) 用于按照分发顺序分类邮件的方法
CN101507963B (zh) 一种片材分发方法及其片材分发装置
JPH09173987A (ja) 郵便処理方法およびシステム
JP3937667B2 (ja) 分類処理装置および記憶媒体
JP3045096B2 (ja) 紙葉類区分装置
WO1995017307A1 (fr) Procede, appareil et programme de preparation et de distribution d'une masse composee d'une pluralite de constituants de base
CN201375959Y (zh) 一种片材分发装置

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): CH DE ES FR GB IT LI

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Free format text: AL;LT;LV;MK;RO;SI

PUAL Search report despatched

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009013

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A3

Designated state(s): AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Free format text: AL;LT;LV;MK;RO;SI

RIC1 Information provided on ipc code assigned before grant

Free format text: 7G 07B 17/02 A, 7B 07C 3/02 B

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20001109

AKX Designation fees paid

Free format text: CH DE ES FR GB IT LI

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20071001