EP1089831B1

EP1089831B1 - A method and a system for processing postal items

Info

Publication number: EP1089831B1
Application number: EP99931014A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jan Didriksen
Original assignee: Crisplant AS
Current assignee: Beumer Group AS
Priority date: 1998-06-29
Filing date: 1999-06-29
Publication date: 2004-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-06-29
Also published as: AU4768399A; EP1089831A1; ATE265899T1; WO2000000300A1; DE69917027D1

Abstract

A method and a system for automatically or semi-automatically processing postal items, wherein items are conveyed along a first system for capturing a first address signal from address identification means, such as a bar code, a printed or written address block or a radio frequency tag, optionally provided on the items. The address signal is processed in order to determine whether or not it is sufficient in order to automatically sort and distribute the item, and a further address signal may be derived. The items are sorted according to their respective address signals. OCR and/or video equipment may be applied for capturing identification data, and a cross-belt or tilt-tray conveyor system may be applied for sorting items. Discharge stations may comprise a post-sorting or post-conveying system for rearranging and circulating a plurality of items. The postal items may comprise, e.g., letters or parcels.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a system for processing postal items at an item processing installation such as, e.g., a postal terminal.

The volume of mail sent world wide has been continuously growing for the past decades, and different measures have been developed in order to handle the growing volume of mail. In particular, methods relying on automatic means for reading addresses provided on postal items have been developed. One means of automated mail processing used today relies on optical character recognition (OCR). The OCR is capable of scanning an address block on an envelope and processing it so as to derive a machine-readable alphabetic or numeric code. Furthermore, systems relying on cameras, such as CCD cameras have been developed for automatically capturing and processing an image of an address provided on a postal item.

As an alternative to such systems, systems relying on pre-printed envelopes being provided with a bar code of phosphorescent ink encoding that allows machines to automatically read address information off the envelope without the need for camera or OCR-systems exist. Such systems have, however, not led to a significant improvement of the efficiency in handling postal items since only a small fraction of the total number of envelopes are or have been provided with such a bar code.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved method for automatically processing postal items originating from entities sending a relatively large number of postal items, such as, e.g., corporate entities.

US-A-4832204 discloses a method and a system for handling and sorting packages. The packages are sent by a consignor to a consignee via mail centres. The consignor affixes a bar code to the packages and delivers the packages to an origin terminal or a sortation hub, the sortation of which is controlled by a sortation management system. A bar code label and an address label of each package is also passed from the consignee to the origin terminal or sortation hub. The destination code of each package is keyed into an information network at the sortation hub. The sortation of packages involves transporting the packages along a tilt tray sorter system comprising a plurality of discharge stations. The sortation of the packages further involves an overhead package scanner which identifies each package from its bar code label. Following the scanning of the bar code, a destination area of each package is determined, and each package is sorted in accordance with the package's area destination.

The invention provides a method and a system for processing postal items, as defined by claims 1 and 39, the method and system of the invention being characterized mainly in that an identification code provided at the departure location corresponds to a unique address identification code stored at a storage means comprised in a computer system comprised in or connected to a first control system comprised in a first item processing installation, and in that means for obtaining this function are provided.

The sorting conveyor may be any kind of suitable conveyor, such as, e.g., a tilt tray conveyor or a cross-belt conveyor known per se from the prior art.

The identification code may comprise a radio frequency tag. In the present application, the term "radio frequency tag" or "frequency tag" may, e.g., comprise a micro chip as described in "Ein Mikrochip führt den Reisekoffer sicher ans Ziel" by Manuela Stabagy in "Welt der Wissenschaft", 27 December 1995 issue.

In the present application, the term "unique address identification code" should be understood as any code which at a given stage is sufficient in order to process an item. Thus, in a coarse sorting operation, the unique address identification code may, e.g., comprise only the country and/or the city and/or the zip code of the destination location, whereas in a fine sorting operation which may, e.g. be carried out at a further item processing installation, the unique address identification code may, e.g., further comprise street name, street number and optionally name of the adressee.

Step (d) may comprise the step of verifying the destination code and/or the unique address identification code. A person or an entity sending a postal item may know the unique address identification code of one or more items and may optionally pass the unique address identification code to the one or more first control systems.

A particular advantage of a method according to the invention is that it combines the benefits of providing items with a pre-printed or pre-written standard code, such as a bar code, and the benefits of known OCR-systems or other systems for automatic capturing of address blocks.

The method may further comprise, prior to or during step (e), the step of determining whether the identification code is present on the item and in such case whether it is readable by the code scanning device. The method according to the invention may further comprise the step of processing the item in question by a method according to the first aspect of the invention in case step (e) or (f) of the method according to the second aspect fails or in case the identification code is not present or unreadable, the first item processing installation of the method according to the first aspect being the first item processing installation of the method according to the second aspect.

The identification code may be scanned while the item in question is being conveyed along the sorting conveyor. Preferably, the identification code is being scanned by means of the same device as the device by means of which an image of the address block is being captured, i.e., preferably by the OCR-device or the OCR-system.

The method may further comprise the step of weighing at least some of the items being processed at the first installation. Preferably, items are weighed by means of an electronic weight operationally connected to one or more of the control systems.

Thus, the method according to the invention may further comprise the step of passing weight information representing the weight of the item in question to a computer system comprised in the at least one first control system. Furthermore, the method may comprise the step of automatically measuring or scanning the volume of at least some of the items being processed at the first installation, the measuring or scanning being performed by means of a volume scanning system. A volume scanning system known per se from the prior art is preferably provided for scanning or measuring volume of items. The measuring or scanning may be performed on the sorting conveyor while the item in question is being conveyed along the sorting conveyor. The volume scanning system may be operationally connected to the one or more control systems, so as to allow for volume information representing the volume of the item in question to be passed to a computer system comprised in the at least one first control system.

The method may further comprise, subsequent to step (j), transporting a plurality of items from the first installation to a second item processing installation, the second item processing installation being adapted to further process the items. Whereas the first item processing installation is typically a main mail center, such as, e.g., the main mail center of a city, a district or an airport, the second item processing installation is typically a main center or a post office of a city or a region. The processing of items at the second mail processing installation may be the final processing, and the items may be delivered directly to their respective destination locations from the second mail processing installation. Alternatively, from the second installation, items may be transported to one or more further item processing installations optionally provided. The items may be delivered to their respective destinations by courier service or by mail delivery service.

In the present application, any item processing installation may comprise a postal item singulating system for singulating items.

Any item processing installation, in particular the first item processing installation may comprise a postal item check-in system.

The unique address identification code preferably represents one or more of the following particulars of the destination location: city or local district, street name, street number, country or country code. The unique address identification code may further represent or contain other information, such as data related to sortation patterns, sortation sequences and/or information about a given discharge station assigned or associated to the item in question for use during the further processing of the item. The unique address identification code may further represent the name of the addressee.

The method may further comprise, subsequent to step (c) of the method according to the invention, comparing the destination code and/or the unique address identification code to second address data previously stored in a first database comprised in or connected to the one or more first control systems in order to verify the destination location of an item. This may include that, if a change of address of an addressee of an item in question has been recorded in the control system, the unique address identification code which is assigned or associated to the item in question represents the updated address of the addressee. The method may further comprise that the address provided on the item is compared to the unique address identification code assigned to the item, e.g. at the discharge stations of the sorting conveyor. The method may further comprise that an address label is printed on or attached to an item if, e.g., a change of address of an addressee has been recorded. The method may also comprise that, if an item has been discharged at a wrong discharge station or is believed to have been discharged at a wrong discharge station, the item in question is returned to the address capturing system and that steps (b)-(j) are repeated, or that an address label is printed and attached to the item.

In the method according to the invention, the one or more first control systems comprised in the first installation are connected to an exterior database in which names and addresses of a large number of persons is stored, the first control system or the exterior database comprising or being connected to a database comprising non-modified second address data and modified second address data, the method further comprising:

automatically associating the unique address identification code corresponding to the modified second address data to an item in case the first address data or the destination code correspond to the non-modified second address data.

The exterior database may comprise or be connected to any public or non-public database or register, such as, e.g., an administrative person or company register of a country, a region or a city. The exterior database is preferably updated at regular intervals in accordance with updates of, e.g., company or entity names, or addresses. In particular, the exterior database is preferably updated or modified when a person or an entity/a company moves from one location to another. Preferably, both the updated/modified as well as the old or unmodified data/particulars are stored at the exterior database or at a database comprised in or connected to the first control system. The method according to the invention may comprise that an item having a destination location whose particulars have been recently modified are being flagged. Items may be flagged physically be means of, e.g., a label attached to an item, or they may be flagged electronically in the control system.

The postal items may be any kind of items, including mail items, such as envelopes or parcels, and the first and second systems for optically capturing an image of the address block may comprise auto focusing systems.

The method may further comprise, prior to step (g), bypassing all or some of steps (b)-(j) in case the weight and/or the dimensions of a postal item exceeds previously determined limits. Weight and/or volume beyond the previously determined limits may be determined either automatically or manually. Furthermore, information indicating volume and/or weight of items may be passed from a sender of an item to the one or more control systems.

The method may comprise carrying out determining the identification code of an item or capturing the first and/or the second image of the item while performing other operations, e.g., measuring/scanning the volume of an item or weighing it. In such case, an item may be placed on or moved past a transparent surface through which, e.g. optical equipment may capture one or more images.

The method may further comprise, subsequent to step (j), transporting at least some of the items to a second item processing installation for further processing of the items. The second mail processing installation may, e.g., be an installation of the above-mentioned type. The second item processing installation may comprise a second control system for controlling processing of items, the second control system being connected to the one or more first control systems, and the method may further comprise, subsequent to step (c) in a method according to the invention:

(I) passing destination information, such as the unique address identification code, together with item identification data from the first control system to the second control system, and

(II) providing each item with an optically readable item identification code.

Thus, data may be transferred between item processing installations in a fast and efficient way, and items may be efficiently processed at the second item processing installation. As mentioned above, further item processing installations may be provided, and in such case, such further installations may be operatively interconnected.

The method may comprise capturing the optically readable item identification code at the second item processing installation and deriving therefrom the corresponding item identification data and destination information. Items may be further processed or sorted items according to the respective destination information. The method may further comprise passing a table comprising item identification information and destination information associated to a plurality of items from the one or more first control systems to the second control system or from the second control system to a third control system comprised in a third item processing installation optionally provided. The method may comprise, at the second or the third control system, processing the destination information assigned or associated to each item, so as to derive the address of the destination location from the destination information.

The method may further comprise printing the table and/or a list of addresses of destination locations of items and delivering the items associated to the item identification information listed or stored in the table at the respective destination locations of the items, so as to facilitate distributing of items, in case the items are not automatically transported to their respective destination locations.

In a method according to the invention, a plurality of second item processing installations may be provided. In such case, step (I) as described above preferably comprises passing the destination information together with item identification data from the first control system to the respective second control systems in accordance with the destination information, whereby destination information and item identification information associated to an item being transported to a certain second item processing installation is being passed to that second item processing installation. Thus, for example, an item being transported from a main mail center, i.e. the first item processing installation, to a city mail center, i.e. the second item processing installation, is followed by associated information needed at the second item installation for further sorting, distributing and/or other processing of the item.

In a method according to the invention, the step of capturing the first image of a printed or written address block provided on items and/or the step of scanning the optically readable identification code may be carried out by means of an optical character recognition system which may comprise an automatic auto focusing facility.

The method may further comprise the step of passing data to an item tracking database connected to or comprised in the one or more first control systems, in the second and/or in the third control system when an item has been delivered at a destination location or at other events during the steps of processing an item. The item tracking database may be used for tracking items during processing thereof or for tracking of lost items. It may further be used for automatic billing or invoicing of carriage costs.

The method may further comprise passing volume and/or weight data from the one or more first control systems to an account database connected to or comprised in an account computer system. The account computer system may be connected to or comprised in the item tracking database, and in such case the method according to the invention may comprise automatically invoicing carriage costs by:

computing the carriage costs in dependency of the weight and/or volume of an item and optionally in dependency of one or more further factors,
printing an invoice and sending it to a debtor and/or electronically forwarding the invoice to the debtor and/or automatically drawing the debit from an account of the debtor.

A plurality of item tracking databases and/or a plurality of account computer systems are preferably provided, and the steps of passing data to/from the tracking databases and/or the account computer systems may comprise passing the data to a selected one of the plurality of item tacking databases and/or to a selected one of the plurality of account computer systems, respectively.

The method may further comprise generating a sortation sequence or sortation pattern in the one or more first control systems or in the second control system, the sortation sequence or sortation pattern comprising information as to the sequence of further sortation of a plurality of items. The sortation sequence or sortation pattern may be used at the first and/or at the second item processing installation as well as in distributing of items and during final delivery of items at the respective destination locations. The sortation sequence or pattern is preferably generated in the one or more first control systems, and the method may comprise passing the sortation sequence or sortation pattern from the one or more first control systems to the second control system or to another control system.

The sortation sequence or sortation pattern may be determined from the unique address identification code. Thus, e.g., the country and/or any other particular of the destination location of an item represented by the unique identification code may determine the discharge station of that item.

The sortation sequence or sortation pattern may at any stage be determined in accordance with one or more parameters in order to provide for an optimal and maximally efficient distribution of the items. Thus, the method may comprise taking into consideration the size and/or weight of an item, the route for the final distribution/transportation of the item, the size of a given car or truck which is being used in the final distribution/transportation.

The method may further comprise generating sortation data or sortation information for a plurality of items at the departure location prior to step (b) in the method according to the invention and passing such data or information to the one or more first control systems directly or through a sortation data generating computer system. Thus, a customer, such as, e.g., a corporate entity, has the opportunity to define the sortation sequence and/or the sortation pattern of items sent by him/her. The sortation data or sortation information may be generated at a central computer which may, e.g., be connected to a plurality of first control systems of a plurality of item processing installations.

Information may be passed from the sortation generating computer system to the account computer system or to the tracking database or from the account computer system or from the tracking database to the sortation generating computer system. A plurality of sortation data generating computer systems are preferably provided, and the method may comprise passing sortation data from the plurality of sortation data generating computer systems to the one or more first computer systems.

The account computer system(s), the sortation data generating computer systems and/or one or more other systems or database may be placed at a location different from the first and the second item processing installation. Thus, such systems may be placed at, e.g., corporate customers, or at parcel distributing entities owning or collaborating with the entity running the first, second and/or other item processing installations.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a system according to the invention.

Detailed description of the drawing

Fig. 1 is an illustration of a system for processing postal items according to the invention which is suitable for carrying out a method according to the invention. The system is suitable for processing a postal item, such as a parcel 201, being sent from a departure location 200 to a destination location 300. The parcel 201 is transported by a transporting means, such as a truck 220, from the departure location to a first item processing installation, such as a mail center 202. At the mail center 202, the parcel 201 is conveyed along a conveyor section 221. At the conveyor section 221, the parcel 201 is conveyed along an OCR-system 51a for optically capturing a first image of a printed or written address block provided on the parcel 201. In case the OCR system is capable of capturing and successfully processing an image of the address block, the data resulting from the OCR capturing is passed to a first computer system 207 as indicated by the flash arrow 402, and the parcel 201 is processed further as described below. In case the OCR system is not capable of capturing an image of the address block or in case the OCR system is not capable of successfully processing the image, an indication thereof is passed to a VC system 51b as indicated by the flash arrow 401. At the VC system, the address block is automatically or semiautomatically captured, and the data resulting from the processing of capturing the image at the VC system is passed to the first computer system 207 as indicated by the flash arrow 403.

The first computer system 207 and any processor and/or data storage means comprised in the OCR-system 51a and in the VC-system 51b is comprised in or connected to a first control system which controls the processing of items or parcels 201 at the mail center 202. The first computer system 207 comprises or is connected to a first database in which second address data have previously been stored. Each entry of second address data in the first database corresponds to a unique address identification code. The address data resulting from the processing of capturing the image at the OCR or at the VC system is compared to the second address data, and if possible a unique address identification code is associated to each item. Otherwise, another address identification code, such as, e.g., a country code, is associated to each item. An item identification code is associated to each item, and a table of item identification codes and corresponding address identification codes is created and stored at the first computer system 207. A label representing the item identification code of each item 201 is printed on or attached to each item 201 prior to or subsequent to the OCR- and/or VC-scanning of the item as described above. The label represents the item identification code in a standard optical format. The label may, for example, comprise a bar code.

In case a large number of items 201 are sent from a single departure location 200, the label representing the item identification code may be provided on the items 201 at the departure location 200. A table containing a list of item identification codes and corresponding destination address data may be passed from the departure location 200 either directly or via a distributing entity's computer system 211 to the first computer system 207, as indicated by

flash arrows

409 and 405. The destination address data may comprise the unique address identification code or other address identification data, such as, e.g., name of a recipient, street name and street number, city, zip code, country name or country code and/or other appropriate data. In case the destination address data do not comprise the unique address identification code, the destination address data are processed at the first computer system 207 in order to associate the unique address identification code to each item 201. If an item identification code has been provided on an item before the item has reached the mail center 202, only the item identification code is captured by the OCR-system 51a which is capable of capturing the item identification code.

An item which has been provided with an item identification code before the item has reached the mail center 202 is referred to as and IT-item.

When the data resulting from the OCR- or the VC-process have been passed to the first computer 207, the parcel 201 is conveyed to a weighing section 222. The weighing section 222 is preferably equipped with an electronic weighing system which is capable of passing weight data to the first computer system 207. Before the parcel 201 is being passed to a sorting conveyor 204, an optically readable parcel identification code is attached or printed on the parcel 201.

From the weighing section, the parcel 201 is fed onto the sorting conveyor 204 for sorting items. At the sorting conveyor 204, the parcel 201 is conveyed along or past a volume scanning system 213 for measuring or scanning the volume of the parcel 201. Preferably, the volume scanning system 213 is capable of passing volume data to the first computer system 207 together with parcel identification information. The parcel identification information is preferably derived from the parcel identification code.

From the sorting conveyor 204, each parcel 201 is discharged at a selected one of a plurality of discharge stations, as indicated by arrows at 205. The discharge station at which a given item is to be discharged is selected by the first control system, e.g., by the first computer system 207. As indicated by flash arrow 404, the first computer system 207 sends a signal to control means comprised in the discharge stations 205. At the discharge stations 205, means are provided for capturing the optically readable identification code so as to identify any parcel being conveyed along a discharge station.

In the example shown in Fig. 1, the mail center 202 is a main mail center of, e.g., a region, a city or country, at which mail from a plurality of departure locations 200 is collected. Items 201 may be transported either directly from their respective departure locations 200 to the mail center 202, or items 201 may be transported from their respective departure locations 200 to a mail box, a post office or another location (not shown) and from there to the mail center. At the mail center 202, a first processing and sortation of the items 201 is carried out as described above. The first processing and sortation results, e.g., in sortation of items 201 according to city, region or country of the respective destination locations of the items 201. Accordingly, each discharge station 205 represents a city, region or country, and a plurality of items 201 is collected at each discharge station. In addition, special discharge stations 205, e.g., for special items, such as fragile items, may be provided.

From the discharge stations 205, the items are transported by a transport means, such as a truck 220, to a second item processing installation, such as a second mail center 203. The second mail center 203 may, e.g., be a regional post office. In the example shown, the second mail center 203 comprises a second control system which comprises a second computer system 208. As indicated by flash arrow 416, the second computer system is operationally connected to the first computer system 207. At the second mail center 203, the items 201 are automatically sorted and distributed to a number of discharge stations as indicated by arrows at 206. Preferably, sorting of items 201 at the second mail center 203 is carried out automatically and is controlled by the second computer system 208 which is operationally connected to the discharge stations 206, as indicated by flash arrow 415. At the discharge stations 206, the items 201 are sorted, e.g., according to cities, streets, companies or other appropriate sortation data. From the discharge stations 206, the items 201 are transported by a transporting means, such as, e.g., a truck 220, to the destination location 300.

In the example shown in Fig. 1, accounting means for automatically billing or invoicing carriage costs is provided. The accounting means comprise a tracking and invoicing computer system 209 operationally connected to the first and the

second computer systems

207 and 208, respectively, as indicated by

flash arrows

407 and 411. Invoicing data or invoicing factors, such as weight and/or volume of items 201 and/or travelling distance of items are passed from the first and/or the

second computer systems

207 and 208, respectively.

When an item or a plurality or items has/have been delivered at a destination location or at a number of destination locations, delivery information is passed from a delivery means, such as delivery person 214 to the tracking and invoicing computer system 209, as indicated by flash arrow 412. The delivery information comprises a table of item identification information together and corresponding delivery addresses. In most case, the delivery address is identical to the address of the destination location. However, if an error has occurred during the processing of an item 201, the delivery address of an item 201 may be different from the address of the destination location.

The

computer systems

209, 210 and 211 may, e.g., be located at an item distributing entity. When an item has been delivered at a destination 300 and corresponding information has been passed to the tracking and invoicing computer system 209, information is passed from the computer system 209 to a billing or invoicing means or entity 215. As indicated by flash arrow 417, an invoice is electronically passed or sent to a debtor or a debtor entity which, in the example shown, has his address or place of business at the departure location 200.

A sequence generating computer system 210 is adapted to generate sortation and/or distributing sequences or sortation patterns for items. Thus, the sender of an item, or a distributing entity, may generate the sortation and/or distributing sequences for a plurality of items. Such sequences are passed from the sequence generating computer system 210 to the first and second computer systems, respectively, as indicated by flash arrows 406 and 410. The sequence generating computer system 210 is operationally connected to the distributing entity's computer system, as indicated by flash arrow 408.

Claims

A method for processing postal items, each item being sent from a departure location to a destination location via a mail centre, the departure location being a location of a type different from a mail centre and being located at a remote location from the mail centre, the method comprising:

(a) providing an item with an identification code in a standard format at the departure location, the identification code corresponding to a unique address identification code stored at a storage means comprised in a computer system comprised in or connected to a first control system comprised in a first item processing installation,

(b) delivering items to an item receiving part of the first installation, the first installation being adapted to collect and process items from a plurality of departure locations and comprising one or more first control systems for controlling the processing of items,

(c) passing the identification code together with a destination code of the item from the departure location to at least one of the one or more first control systems, the destination code identifying the address of the destination location of the item,

(d) storing the destination code in the storage means and processing the destination code so as to associate the destination code to the corresponding unique address identification code,

(e) capturing the identification code at the item processing installation by means of a code capturing device adapted to pass the identification code to at least one of the one or more first control systems,

(f) processing the identification code so as to associate the corresponding unique address identification code to the item,

(g) conveying each item along a sorting conveyor adapted to sort items, the sorting conveyor comprising a plurality of discharge stations and means for unloading items being conveyed along the sorting conveyor, discharging of items being controlled by a first computer system comprised in the one or more first control systems,

(h) discharging each item at a discharge station, the discharge station being automatically selected by the first computer system according to the identification code associated to the item in question.
A method according to claim 1, wherein the identification code is optically readable, and wherein step (c) comprises scanning the identification code by means of a code scanning device.
A method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising, prior to or during step (e), the step of determining whether the identification code is present on the item and in such case whether it is readable by the code scanning device.
A method according to any of claims 1-3, wherein a further identification code is provided in or on all or some of the items for further identifying the item(s).
A method according to claim 4, wherein the identification code and the further identification code at least comprise a bar code.
A method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the identification code and the further identification code at least comprise a radio frequency tag.
A method according to any of claims 1-6, wherein the identification code is being captured while the item in question is being conveyed along the sorting conveyor.
A method according to any of claims 1-7, further comprising the step of weighing at least some of the items being processed at the first installation.
A method according to any of claims 1-8, further comprising the step of automatically measuring or scanning the volume of at least some of the items being processed at the first installation, the measuring or scanning being performed by means of a volume scanning system.
A method according to claim 9, wherein the measuring or scanning is performed on the sorting conveyor while the item in question is being conveyed along the sorting conveyor.
A method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of passing weight information representing the weight of the item in question to a computer system comprised in the at least one first control system.
A method according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising the step of passing volume information representing the volume of the item in question to a computer system comprised in the at least one first control system.
A method according to any of claims 1-12, further comprising, subsequent to step (j), transporting a plurality of items from the first installation to a second item processing installation, the second item processing installation being adapted to further process the items.
A method according to any of claims 1-13, wherein the unique address identification code represents one or more of the following particulars of the destination location: city or local district, street name, street number, country.
A method according to claim 14, wherein the unique address identification code further represents the name of the addressee.
A method according to any of claims 14 or 15, further comprising, subsequent to step (c), comparing the destination code and/or the unique address identification code to second address data previously stored in a first database comprised in or connected to the one or more first control systems in order to verify the destination location of an item.
A method according to claim 16, wherein the one or more first control systems comprised in the first installation are connected to an exterior database in which names and address of a large number of persons is stored, the first control system or the exterior database comprising or being connected to a database comprising non-modified second address data and modified second address data,
the method further comprising:

automatically associating the unique address identification code corresponding to the modified second address data to an item in case the first address data or the destination code correspond to the non-modified second address data.
A method according to claim 11 or 12, the method further comprising, prior to step (g), bypassing all or some of steps (b)-(j) in case the weight and/or the dimensions of a postal item exceeds previously determined limits.
A method according to any of claims 1-18, further comprising, subsequent to step (j), transporting at least some of the items to a second item processing installation for further processing of the items.
A method according to claim 19, wherein the second item processing installation comprises a second control system for controlling processing of items, the second control system being connected to the one or more first control systems, the method further comprising, subsequent to step (c):

(I) passing destination information, such as the unique address identification code, together with item identification data from the first control system to the second control system, and

(II) providing each item with an optically readable item identification code.
A method according to claim 20, further comprising capturing the optically readable item identification code at the second item processing installation and deriving therefrom the corresponding item identification data and destination information and sorting items according to the respective destination information.
A method according to any of claims 1-21, further comprising passing a table comprising item identification information and destination information associated to a plurality of items from the one or more first control systems to the second control system or from the second control system to a third control system comprised in a third item processing installation optionally provided.
A method according to claim 22, comprising, at the second or the third control system, processing the destination information associated to each item, so as to derive the address of the destination location from the destination information.
A method according to claim 22 or 23, further comprising printing the table and/or a list of addresses of destination locations of items and delivering the items associated to the item identification information listed or stored in the table at the respective destination locations of the items.
A method according to claim 22, further comprising automatically delivering the items associated to the item identification information listed or stored in the table at the respective destination locations of the items.
A method according to claim 20, wherein a plurality of second item processing installations are provided, step (I) comprising passing the destination information together with item identification data from the first control system to the respective second control systems in accordance with the destination information, whereby destination information and item identification information associated to an item being transported to a certain second item processing installation is being passed to that second item processing installation.
A method according to any of claims 1-26, wherein the step of capturing the first image of a printed or written address block provided on items and/or the step of scanning the optically readable identification code is carried out by means of an optical character recognition system.
A method according to claim 27, wherein the optical character recognition system comprises an auto focus system, the step of capturing the first image and/or the step of scanning the identification code comprising auto focusing on a relevant part of the item in question.
A method according to any of claims 1-28, further comprising the step of passing data to an item tracking database connected to or comprised in the one or more first control systems, in the second and/or in the third control system when an item has been delivered at a destination location or at other events during the steps of processing an item.
A method according to any of claims 1-29, further comprising passing volume and/or weight data from the one or more first control systems to an account database connected to or comprised in an account computer system.
A method according to claim 30, wherein the account computer system is connected to or comprised in the item tracking database, the method comprising automatically invoicing carriage costs by:

computing the carriage costs in dependency of the weight and/or volume of an item and optionally in dependency of one or more further factors,

printing an invoice and sending it to a debtor and/or electronically forwarding the invoice to the debtor and/or automatically drawing the debit from an account of the debtor.
A method according to any of claims 29-31, wherein a plurality of item tracking databases and/or a plurality of account computer systems are provided, the steps of passing data of claims 29-31 comprising passing the data to a selected one of the plurality of item tracking databases and/or to a selected one of the plurality of account computer systems, respectively.
A method according to any of claims 13-32, further comprising:

generating a sortation sequence or sortation pattern in the one or more first control systems or in the second control system, the sortation sequence or sortation pattern comprising information as to the sequence of further sortation of a plurality of items.
A method according to claim 33, wherein the sortation sequence or sortation pattern comprises information as to the sequence of further sortation of a plurality of items at the second item processing installation or at other locations, the sortation sequence or pattern being generated in the one or more first control systems, the method comprising passing the sortation sequence or sortation pattern from the one or more first control systems to the second control system or to another control system.
A method according to any of claims 1-34, further comprising generating sortation data or sortation information for a plurality of items at the departure location prior to step (b) and passing such data or information to the one or more first control systems directly. or through a sortation data generating computer system.
A method according to claim 35, further comprising passing information from the sortation generating computer system to the account computer system or to the tracking database or passing information from the account computer system or from the tracking database to the sortation generating computer system.
A method according to claim 36, wherein a plurality of sortation data generating computer systems are provided, the method comprising passing sortation data from the plurality of sortation data generating computer systems to the one or more first computer systems.
A method according to any of claims 29-37, wherein one or more of the item tracking database(s), the account computer system(s), the sortation data generating computer systems and/or of one or more other systems or database are placed at a location other than the first and the second item processing installation.
A system for processing postal items, each item being sent from a departure location to a destination location via a mail centre, the departure location being a location of a type different from a mail centre and being located at a remote location from the mail centre, the system comprising:

means for providing an item with an optically readable identification code in a standard format at the departure location, the identification code corresponding to a unique address identification code stored at a first storage means comprised in a computer system comprised in or connected to a first control system comprised in a first item processing installation,

delivering means for delivering items to an item receiving part of the first installation, the first installation being adapted to collect and process items from a plurality of departure locations and comprising one or more first control systems for controlling the processing of items,

means for passing the identification code together with a destination code of the item from the departure location to at least one of the one or more first control systems, the destination code identifying the address of the destination location of the item,

second storage means for storing the destination code in the first control system and means for processing the destination code so as to associate the destination code to the corresponding unique address identification code,

scanning means for scanning the optically readable identification code at the item processing installation by means of a code scanning device adapted to pass the identification code to at least one of the one or more first control systems,

processing means for processing the identification code so as to associate the corresponding unique address identification code to the item,

means for conveying each item along a sorting conveyor adapted to sort items, the sorting conveyor comprising a plurality of discharge stations and means for unloading items being conveyed along the sorting conveyor, discharging of items being controlled by a first computer system comprised in the one or more first control systems,

means for discharging each item at a discharge station, the discharge station being automatically selected by the first computer system according to the identification code associated to the item in question.