EP1178440A1 - Dispositif et méthode d'acceptance automatique de courrier - Google Patents

Dispositif et méthode d'acceptance automatique de courrier Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1178440A1
EP1178440A1 EP01830477A EP01830477A EP1178440A1 EP 1178440 A1 EP1178440 A1 EP 1178440A1 EP 01830477 A EP01830477 A EP 01830477A EP 01830477 A EP01830477 A EP 01830477A EP 1178440 A1 EP1178440 A1 EP 1178440A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
mail
unit
sender
sending
user
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Withdrawn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
EP01830477A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Laura Longo
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.)
Consultbank Dott Giovanni Longo Sas di Longo Laura
Original Assignee
Consultbank Dott Giovanni Longo Sas di Longo Laura
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 Consultbank Dott Giovanni Longo Sas di Longo Laura filed Critical Consultbank Dott Giovanni Longo Sas di Longo Laura
Publication of EP1178440A1 publication Critical patent/EP1178440A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00016—Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system
    • G07B17/00024—Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
    • G07B2017/00032—Determining the location of apparatus
    • 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
    • G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
    • G07B2017/00225—Vending machine or POS (Point Of Sale) apparatus
    • 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
    • G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
    • G07B2017/00266—Man-machine interface on the apparatus
    • 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
    • G07B2017/00612—Attaching item on mailpiece
    • G07B2017/0062—Label
    • 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
    • G07B17/00661—Sensing or measuring mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00685—Measuring the dimensions 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
    • G07B17/00661—Sensing or measuring mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00701—Measuring the weight 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
    • G07B17/00661—Sensing or measuring mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00709—Scanning 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
    • G07B17/00661—Sensing or measuring mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00709—Scanning mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00717—Reading barcodes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus and to a related method for the automatic accepting and processing of mail.
  • the technical problem underlying the present invention is that of providing an apparatus and a method for the automatic accepting and processing of mail allowing to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above.
  • an apparatus for the automatic accepting and processing of mail comprising:
  • the present invention further relates to a method for the automatic accepting and processing of mail, comprising the steps of:
  • the present invention also relates to an envelope for a mail, apt to be processed by an automatic accepting and processing apparatus, bearing at least one graphic code, to allow the localisation of the data of the sender and/or of the receiver by said apparatus.
  • an apparatus for the automatic accepting and processing of mail is generally indicated by 1.
  • the apparatus 1 comprises an interface 2 for communicating with the user, apt to provide to the latter indications about the workable types of postal sending operations.
  • this interface comprises a visualisation unit 21, in particular a screen, preferably a 15" colour one, to inform the user about the workable types of mail sending.
  • the interface 2 further comprises an alphanumeric keypad 22, to allow the user to select the desired operation.
  • a variant to this embodiment can provide the selection to be carried out directly onto the screen, according to the so-called 'touch-screen' technology.
  • apparatus 1 further comprises mail accepting means 3, to allow the reception of such mail in the apparatus.
  • mail accepting means 3 comprises an outside receiving pocket 31 and a handling system (not shown in the Figs.), to automatically transfer the mail from the pocket 31 to the inside of the apparatus 1.
  • This handling system is based on conveyors of traditional type, therefore a further description thereof will be omitted.
  • the receiving pocket 31 further comprises one or more contact sensors to automatically sense the presence of mail.
  • the card terminal 41 can receive credit cards, ATM cards, or suitable pre-paid cards, e.g., of the magnetic strip type, issued by the company managing the apparatus 1.
  • the card terminal incorporates further means, also known, to communicate the amount of the transaction to a credit institution or to deduct the mailing amount directly from a pre-paid card.
  • the standardisation of the mail 10 consists in the fact that its envelope, it also indicated by 10, has graphic codes to localise the sender and/or receiver indications.
  • each of such graphic codes indicated by 103 and 104, respectively, marks a respective box, and precisely a sender box 101 and a receiver box 102, within which the data of the sender and of the receiver, respectively, are to be reported.
  • each of the boxes 101 and 102 is localisable by a unit for sender/receiver localisation 34 which will be described hereinafter.
  • Said graphic codes can be, e.g., bar codes.
  • the envelope 10 further has standardised front sizes, ranging from a minimum to a maximum, and precisely a length indicated by a reference height 105 in Fig. 2 and a width indicated by a reference height 106.
  • standardised sizes correspond to those presently in use in the postal systems of the various countries.
  • the mail accepting means 3 also comprises a size measurement unit 32, apt to sense the sizes of the mail 10, a weighing unit 33, apt to weigh the mail 10, and the aforementioned unit for sender/receiver localisation 34, apt to localise said boxes 101 and 102 of the mail 10.
  • the weighing unit returns the mail when the weight thereof exceeds a certain upper threshold.
  • the unit for sender/receiver localisation 34 is meant to work with standardised mail 10, bearing the sender and the receiver data in a position recognisable by the unit itself.
  • the localisation unit 34 comprises optical sensors, apt to recognise said graphic codes 103 and 104.
  • the processing means further comprises a unit 12 for filling sending report, i.e. sending minutes or a sending certificate, and return receipt, i.e. return postcards.
  • This filling unit 12 provides a supply of express and registered mail sending reports and a supply of return receipts.
  • control unit 6 controls the visualisation unit 21 so that a list of the workable types of mail sending, the associated codes to be typed in onto the keypad 22 to carry out a selection and the code to be typed in to obtain a standardised label 111 be displayed thereon.
  • control unit 6 commands the restitution of the payment means provided, and sends to the user, always by the visualisation unit 21, an error message.
  • the user can apply the label 111 onto the mail and report in the dedicated boxes 101 and 102 the data of the sender and of the receiver, respectively, thus obtaining a standardised mail 10 apt to be processed by the apparatus 1.
  • such sense of insertion can be signalled to the user in a suitable instruction panel applied onto the outside casing of the apparatus 1, near to the receiving pocket 31.
  • the contact sensor/s sense its presence and therefore the control unit 6 commands the closing of the pocket 31. Then, the handling means automatically transfer the mail inside of the apparatus 1, towards the subsequent units of the accepting means 3.
  • the unit for sender/receiver localisation 34 sends to the control unit 6 a signal related to the detection of the sender 101 and receiver 102 boxes, or to the lack thereof, so that the control unit can check the mail processability. It has to be pointed out that, in case the mail has been inserted in a wrong direction, in particular upturned, the localisation unit analyses the face of the mail lacking the boxes 101 and 102, and therefore the mail is refused.
  • control unit 6 commands the restitution of the mail 10 via the receiving pocket 31, and it further enables the restitution of the payment means provided and the sending of an error message by the visualisation unit 21.
  • control unit 6 computes, by the computing means, the amount to be paid by the user in light of the selected type of sending and of the measured data of size and weight transmitted by the size measurement unit 32 and by the weighing unit 33.
  • the mail 10 be returned to the user jointly to an error message and, optionally, to the provided payment means, if the payment is not correctly being carried out, or if a supplementary payment means is not provided within a predetermined time interval.
  • control unit 6 enables the automatic postage unit 8 to apply the due postage onto the mail.
  • Such postage in form of a stamp or of a postmark certifying the payment, is applied onto the mail in a predetermined relative location with respect to the boxes 101 and 102 thereof.
  • control unit 6 further enables the postage unit 8 to apply also a priority mail indication, e.g., a label or a postmark, onto the mail 10.
  • a priority mail indication e.g., a label or a postmark
  • the mail Upon processing, the mail is conveyed to the collecting unit 13, whereat it is periodically collected by postal clerks.
  • the user supplies to the apparatus a mail void of any sender and/or receiver indication. Then these data can be directly typed in by the user onto the keypad and printed by the impact printer directly onto the mail or onto an adhesive member to be applied thereon.
  • the control unit will be a computer of traditional type incorporating a word processing program visualised on the display.
  • the optional return receipts or sending reports are automatically compiled with no need for a scanner.
  • the apparatus of the invention can concomitantly serve two users, one requesting the dispensing of a standardised label, and another one the sending of a mail already in a standardised format.
  • the flow of users is managed more effectively with respect to the first embodiment.
  • the user interface comprises an acoustic signal emitting unit, to provide the operating instructions of the apparatus with vocal messages to a user.
  • the apparatus of the invention not only provides an additional service to the postal service users, but, by relieving the workload of postal clerks over the working hours of the post offices, improves the service quality of the latter and abates the risk of human errors in the treatment of the sendings.
EP01830477A 2000-07-26 2001-07-19 Dispositif et méthode d'acceptance automatique de courrier Withdrawn EP1178440A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITRM000414 2000-07-26
IT2000RM000414A IT1319399B1 (it) 2000-07-26 2000-07-26 Apparecchiatura e metodo per l'accettazione ed il processamentoautomatico di plichi postali.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1178440A1 true EP1178440A1 (fr) 2002-02-06

Family

ID=11454852

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01830477A Withdrawn EP1178440A1 (fr) 2000-07-26 2001-07-19 Dispositif et méthode d'acceptance automatique de courrier

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1178440A1 (fr)
IT (1) IT1319399B1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2247932A1 (es) * 2004-06-08 2006-03-01 Pilar Espasa Sanchez Maquina de recepcion, identificacion y clasificacion de paquetes para mensajeria.
DE102004036191A1 (de) * 2004-07-26 2006-03-23 Deutsche Post Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Erstellen und Verkaufen von Entgeltmarken für den Versand von Postsendungen
WO2007053047A1 (fr) * 2005-11-04 2007-05-10 Piotr Baltruszewicz Méthode et dispositif acceptant automatiquement des documents, en particulier papier ou similaire
WO2010119465A1 (fr) * 2009-04-17 2010-10-21 Elsag Datamat Spa Appareil à libre-service pour acceptation de courrier

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5313404A (en) * 1986-10-17 1994-05-17 Wu Sheng J Automatic postal teller machine
US5573277A (en) * 1994-03-04 1996-11-12 Gleen Petkovsek Mailpiece and/or shipping item for special mailing and a method for assembling a mailpiece and/or shipping item requiring special services
US5586037A (en) * 1991-04-01 1996-12-17 Pi Electronics, Inc. Automated self-service mail processing and storing systems
US5831220A (en) * 1991-04-10 1998-11-03 U-Ship, Inc. Automated package shipping machine
EP0926642A2 (fr) * 1993-09-09 1999-06-30 Wang Global S.p.A. Système d'affranchissement électronique pour articles de courrier

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5313404A (en) * 1986-10-17 1994-05-17 Wu Sheng J Automatic postal teller machine
US5586037A (en) * 1991-04-01 1996-12-17 Pi Electronics, Inc. Automated self-service mail processing and storing systems
US5831220A (en) * 1991-04-10 1998-11-03 U-Ship, Inc. Automated package shipping machine
EP0926642A2 (fr) * 1993-09-09 1999-06-30 Wang Global S.p.A. Système d'affranchissement électronique pour articles de courrier
US5573277A (en) * 1994-03-04 1996-11-12 Gleen Petkovsek Mailpiece and/or shipping item for special mailing and a method for assembling a mailpiece and/or shipping item requiring special services
US5573277B1 (en) * 1994-03-04 1998-12-29 Glenn Petkovsek Mailpiece and/or shipping item for special mailing and a method for assembling a mailpiece and/or shipping item requiring special services
US5573277B2 (en) * 1994-03-04 2000-04-25 Glenn Petkovsek Mailpiece and/or shipping item for special mailing and a method for assembling a mailpiece and/or shipping item requiring special services

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2247932A1 (es) * 2004-06-08 2006-03-01 Pilar Espasa Sanchez Maquina de recepcion, identificacion y clasificacion de paquetes para mensajeria.
DE102004036191A1 (de) * 2004-07-26 2006-03-23 Deutsche Post Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Erstellen und Verkaufen von Entgeltmarken für den Versand von Postsendungen
US7885903B2 (en) 2004-07-26 2011-02-08 Deutsche Post Ag Method and device for generation and sale of frankings for sending mail
WO2007053047A1 (fr) * 2005-11-04 2007-05-10 Piotr Baltruszewicz Méthode et dispositif acceptant automatiquement des documents, en particulier papier ou similaire
WO2010119465A1 (fr) * 2009-04-17 2010-10-21 Elsag Datamat Spa Appareil à libre-service pour acceptation de courrier

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITRM20000414A1 (it) 2002-01-26
IT1319399B1 (it) 2003-10-10
ITRM20000414A0 (it) 2000-07-26

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