EP1622091A2 - Postbearbeitungsendgerät mit Postinhaltsüberwachung - Google Patents

Postbearbeitungsendgerät mit Postinhaltsüberwachung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1622091A2
EP1622091A2 EP05291357A EP05291357A EP1622091A2 EP 1622091 A2 EP1622091 A2 EP 1622091A2 EP 05291357 A EP05291357 A EP 05291357A EP 05291357 A EP05291357 A EP 05291357A EP 1622091 A2 EP1622091 A2 EP 1622091A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
mail
postal
address
identification number
recipient
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP05291357A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1622091B1 (de
EP1622091A3 (de
Inventor
Marek Krasuski
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.)
Quadient Technologies France SA
Original Assignee
Neopost Technologies SA
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 Neopost Technologies SA filed Critical Neopost Technologies SA
Publication of EP1622091A2 publication Critical patent/EP1622091A2/de
Publication of EP1622091A3 publication Critical patent/EP1622091A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1622091B1 publication Critical patent/EP1622091B1/de
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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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
    • G07B17/00435—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
    • G07B17/00185—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
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00572—Details of printed item
    • G07B2017/0058—Printing of code

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of mail processing and more particularly relates to a mail processing system allowing a link between the data, postal or not, printed on a mail item and those contained in this article.
  • postal items to be processed by postal administrations are provided with a postal stamp which, in the most recent standards, can present a complex form (2D barcodes) to increase the density of the information printed on the articles of the postal service.
  • 2D barcodes 2D barcodes
  • the growing number of this information could encourage postal administrations to encourage the replacement of this printed postal fingerprint by an electronic tag (RFID tag) pasted on the mail piece and incorporating all of this information.
  • RFID tag electronic tag
  • the postal imprint as the postal indicator does not support data relating to the content of the mail article on which this postal imprint is printed or this postal indicator is pasted. As a result, it is not possible for the user to follow the path of this article of mail with reference to the content of this article.
  • the present invention aims to overcome this drawback by proposing a mail processing system incorporating a mail processing terminal comprising means for affixing to a mail piece on the one hand a postal mark obtained in said terminal from data. specified postal codes and secondly a unique identification number obtained in said terminal, characterized in that the postage terminal further comprises digital reading means for reading on the mail piece on the one hand the address of the recipient and secondly a sequential identification code arranged near this address of the recipient and for converting said recipient address and said identification sequential code into a specific format allowing storage in a tracking database in which are also stored said postal data and said unique identification number associated with the articl e means, furthermore, means for communicating to a remote computer server, through a secure communication network, a determined part of said tracking database.
  • said determined part of the tracking database includes at least information necessary for the verification of the payment of the postage or the port and the external monitoring of this article of mail.
  • Said digital reading means and said means for affixing said postal mark and said unique identification number may be formed by a single RFID read / write means. Said postal mark and said unique identification number are then registered by said RFID read / write means in an RFID indicator stuck on or in the mail piece or on a label to be affixed to the mail piece.
  • said affixing means of said postal mark then comprise digital printing means of said postal imprint on the mail piece or on a label intended to be stuck on the mail piece.
  • said unique identification number is advantageously a sequence of alphanumeric characters, preferably of the OCR type, or a bar code, obtained from an encrypted combination of said identification sequential code and said postal data and printed by said means digital printing on the mail item or on a label to be pasted on the mail piece.
  • said digital reading means is removable for reading recipient addresses and unique identification numbers carried on thick envelopes or packets that can not be introduced into said terminal.
  • the invention also relates to a method for franking mail items in which is affixed to a mail piece at a time a postal mark obtained from determined postal data and a unique identification number, characterized in that furthermore said mail item reads both a recipient address and a sequential identification code disposed near said address of the recipient and converts said recipient address and said identification sequential code into a specific format for storage in a tracking database in which also said postal data and said unique identification number associated with said mail piece are stored, a determined part of the information stored in said tracking database being transmitted to a remote computer server beforehand shipping the mail item to the administration PO.
  • said unique identification number is from an encrypted combination of said identification and postal data sequential code.
  • said postal mark may be a postal indicia and the reading step then comprises a digitization of said address of the addressee and said sequential identification code arranged near said address of the addressee or may be a RFID indicator and the reading step then comprises a successive reading of said recipient address and said identification sequential code registered in this RFID indicator.
  • Figure 1 schematically illustrates the architecture according to the invention of an electronic system for the processing of mail items.
  • mail article it is appropriate to hear both an envelope (of any size) or a label to be then glued on a thick envelope or package.
  • This mail processing system comprises a terminal for processing mail items 10 connected on the one hand through an external wired or wireless communication network 12, to a computer server 14 of the dealer of this terminal and other part by a dedicated line 16 to a computer server 18 of the user.
  • the computer server of the user 18 may be constituted by a single computer or a set of computers organized around an internal network and provided with common resources, including a database 18A.
  • This database is a database of published letters fed during the creation of the documents to be sent by the computer (s) on which they were prepared. It initially contains, for each article of mail to be sent referred by a sequential identification code (order number in the database), at least the following fields: the reference of the document contained in the mail article, the one or more references of any inserts to be attached to the document, and the recipient's address. Other information, without this list being exhaustive, such as the date of creation of the document, the name or personal number of the sender or service concerned by this shipment, the postal service desired, or an additional descriptive field may to be added to this database. The search and indexing of this database can be done on each of these fields.
  • the dealer's computer server 14 is a computer server comprising, as is known, conventional software means for sending an installation authorization, the checking of postage, the possible reloading of a postal credit, the verification of encryption data, accounts receivable management and statistical control for example via a customer database. Remote maintenance and teleshopping operations, in particular the payment of postage paid, can also be envisaged with such a computer structure.
  • the dealer's server can be connected to a server of the postal administration by a dedicated line and that under certain operating conditions, the latter server can be connected directly to the terminal and therefore used in place of the previous one for perform all of the above operations.
  • the terminal for processing mailpieces is a communicating machine of similar design to a conventional franking machine of closed type, that is to say classically comprising (the following list not being limiting): means 20 of supply of mail items, means 22 for selecting one by one of these articles, possibly means 24 for determining the format and / or the weight of the selected mail article, secure means for affixing a postal mark (or any other registration, such as "carriage paid", in accordance with postal specifications) on the mail (for example digital printing means 26), and means 28 for transporting the mail item through the terminal.
  • this terminal also comprises interface means (not shown of the modem or wireless communication type) with the communication network 12 and the dedicated line 16, interface means with the user (not shown), type screen and keyboard for example, and processing means (particularly memory and microprocessor) for the control and control of the terminal (also not shown).
  • this terminal further comprises a digital readout means for reading the destination address of the different mail items and converting it into a specific format allowing appropriate storage.
  • these digital reading means which are formed by a digitizer and associated software recognition means 30 are advantageously arranged after the means 22 for individual selection of the mail items and preferably above the means 24 for determining format and / or weight, when this terminal is provided.
  • the amount of postage can be determined from the dimensions of the article of mail without taking into account its weight.
  • France it is essential to weigh the article of mail to determine the amount of postage.
  • a direct keyboard entry of the terminal postage amount exempts this determination of the format and / or the weight of the item to be franked.
  • RFID tag RFID tag
  • these digital reading means are advantageously formed by an RFID read / write means 32 preferably also arranged after the means 22 for individual selection of the mail items and which in this second embodiment can also act as means of affixing the postal mark.
  • the digital reading means may be removable to enable a reading of labels to be glued on envelopes of high thicknesses (that can not be introduced into the terminal) or packages.
  • the connection of this reading means with the terminal can then be wired or wireless type.
  • the first step 100 of this method consists of the creation of the mail item database 18A, this database being then enriched by the users (step 102) as and when the documents to be sent are created.
  • the registration in the database is performed sequentially by mail article which is initially assigned a sequential identification code.
  • This code is then printed (step 104), preferably in the form of a barcode, as close as possible to the recipient's address, directly on the document before it is inserted into the envelope, on the envelope itself. same or simply on a self-adhesive label (case of packages).
  • this code is stored in this electronic indicator.
  • a next step 106 be introduced into the terminal 10 after an individual selection by the means 22 undergo the marking process and / or franking.
  • This begins with a step 108 of determining the size and / or weight of the mail item to be franked.
  • the address of the addressee is read by one of the reading means 30 or 32, according to the type of marking used, as well as that of the sequential identification code.
  • the terminal acquires the data relating to the services requested by the user entered on the keyboard of the terminal or received by the dedicated line 16 or contained in the RFID indicator when it exists.
  • the processing means 28 of the terminal will typically generate, in a step 114, the postal data. including the postage amount but also a unique identification number which is advantageously obtained from the sequential identification code assigned to the article of mail to be sent and some of these postal data relating to this article of mail, typically a concatenated combination of the postal terminal number, the amount and date of postage, the number of the deposit institution, and the sequential number of the object for example, without these data being limiting (It is indeed possible to add elements of the address of the recipient or the number of a service associated with this article of mail or non-postal data such as real time stamping data).
  • This identification number will then be printed with the postage stamp in a step 116, inside or near this postal fingerprint, in the form of numeric or alphanumeric characters, preferably readable by an OCR reader, or in the form of a one-dimensional (1D) or two-dimensional (2D) barcode readable with a suitable one or two-dimensional barcode reader.
  • this identification number is stored in this indicator by the read / write means 32 as are also the postal data.
  • a step 118 the enrichment of a tracking database 10A associated with the terminal and which will have been created beforehand, for example when the terminal or the first terminal is started up. introduction of a mail item in this terminal at step 106.
  • This database can be stored in the memory means of the processing means 28 of the terminal or independently of them outside the terminal, for example at level of the common resources of the user's computer means accessible by the dedicated line 16.
  • the tracking database also includes security information for authentication by the dealer server 14 postal data and other information contained in this database.
  • a last step 120 it is proceeded to the extraction of this tracking data database necessary to verify the payment by the user of the postage or the port in the case of a shipment in "Postage paid” and the external tracking of this article of mail to allow their sending to the dealer of the terminal via the communication network 12.
  • This secure communication is made prior to the mail to the postal administration (possibly after several successive tests in case of failure of communication). It is also possible, when the mail piece includes an RFID indicator, to store this information directly in this indicator.
  • a mail piece when a mail piece is received at a reception office of the postal administration, it is proceeded to an automatic capture (by a reading device OCR, barcode, or RFID depending on the type of markings retained) the unique identification number (to its possible deciphering if it was the subject of an earlier coding), which will then give access to the various associated fields of the tracking database.
  • the logistics system of the postal administration can then proceed to the processing of this article of mail according to the services requested by the user-sender and possibly return to the dealer's server and / or make accessible to the user, via means of seizures adapted as a seizure at the level of the website of the postal administration, various tracking information relating to the article of mail processed.
  • the previously described mail processing system can also operate as a "manifest" batch system.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
EP05291357A 2004-07-28 2005-06-24 Postbearbeitungsendgerät mit Postinhaltsüberwachung Expired - Fee Related EP1622091B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0408327A FR2873836B1 (fr) 2004-07-28 2004-07-28 Terminal de traitement de courrier permettant le suivi du contenu du courrier

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1622091A2 true EP1622091A2 (de) 2006-02-01
EP1622091A3 EP1622091A3 (de) 2007-03-28
EP1622091B1 EP1622091B1 (de) 2012-08-08

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP05291357A Expired - Fee Related EP1622091B1 (de) 2004-07-28 2005-06-24 Postbearbeitungsendgerät mit Postinhaltsüberwachung

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20060026109A1 (de)
EP (1) EP1622091B1 (de)
FR (1) FR2873836B1 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1909232A1 (de) 2006-10-08 2008-04-09 Frama Ag Verfahren zum Versand von Gegenständen

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1933258A1 (de) * 2006-12-15 2008-06-18 Deutsche Post AG Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Annahme von zu befördernden Objekten

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0697261A2 (de) * 1994-08-12 1996-02-21 Neopost Limited Postversandsystem
US6282525B1 (en) * 1996-05-02 2001-08-28 Francotyp-Postalia Ag & Co. Method and arrangement for data processing in a mail shipping system having a postage meter machine wherein a carrier-identifying mark is scanned and processed
US6385504B1 (en) * 1994-10-04 2002-05-07 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mail processing system with unique mailpiece authorization assigned in advance of mailpieces entering carrier service mail processing stream
US20040054552A1 (en) * 2000-12-14 2004-03-18 Amonette Thomas M. Apparatus and methods for processing mails using a manifest
WO2004029754A2 (en) * 2002-09-26 2004-04-08 Neopost S.A. Techniques for tracking mailpieces and accounting for postage payment
EP1431929A2 (de) * 2002-12-18 2004-06-23 Pitney Bowes Inc. Verfahren und System zum Etikettieren von Postsendungen

Family Cites Families (11)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5497140A (en) * 1992-08-12 1996-03-05 Micron Technology, Inc. Electrically powered postage stamp or mailing or shipping label operative with radio frequency (RF) communication
US6424954B1 (en) * 1998-02-17 2002-07-23 Neopost Inc. Postage metering system
US6557755B1 (en) * 2000-08-10 2003-05-06 Bell & Howell Mail And Messaging Technologies Company Methods and systems for tracking and controlling mailpiece processing using postal service mailpiece code
US8527284B2 (en) * 2000-09-29 2013-09-03 Escher Group Limited System for personal mail piece tracking and tracing from multiple sources by user identifier
WO2002069245A1 (en) * 2001-02-21 2002-09-06 United States Postal Service Improved tracking label
FR2830650B1 (fr) * 2001-10-05 2004-01-16 Neopost Ind Systeme de preparation d'articles de courrier
WO2004010255A2 (en) * 2002-07-18 2004-01-29 Pitney Bowes Inc. Closed loop postage metering system
US20040215478A1 (en) * 2002-12-24 2004-10-28 Baker Christopher A. Method of providing a unique identifier for a mailpiece
US7349115B2 (en) * 2003-06-27 2008-03-25 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method and system for tracing corporate mail
US7778939B2 (en) * 2003-12-29 2010-08-17 Stamps.Com Inc. Outbound mail piece tracking
US20050171919A1 (en) * 2004-02-03 2005-08-04 Baker Christopher A. Method for generating mailpieces and storing mailpiece identification and tracking information

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0697261A2 (de) * 1994-08-12 1996-02-21 Neopost Limited Postversandsystem
US6385504B1 (en) * 1994-10-04 2002-05-07 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mail processing system with unique mailpiece authorization assigned in advance of mailpieces entering carrier service mail processing stream
US6282525B1 (en) * 1996-05-02 2001-08-28 Francotyp-Postalia Ag & Co. Method and arrangement for data processing in a mail shipping system having a postage meter machine wherein a carrier-identifying mark is scanned and processed
US20040054552A1 (en) * 2000-12-14 2004-03-18 Amonette Thomas M. Apparatus and methods for processing mails using a manifest
WO2004029754A2 (en) * 2002-09-26 2004-04-08 Neopost S.A. Techniques for tracking mailpieces and accounting for postage payment
EP1431929A2 (de) * 2002-12-18 2004-06-23 Pitney Bowes Inc. Verfahren und System zum Etikettieren von Postsendungen

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1909232A1 (de) 2006-10-08 2008-04-09 Frama Ag Verfahren zum Versand von Gegenständen
US7962241B2 (en) 2006-10-08 2011-06-14 Frama Ag Method for shipping objects

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20060026109A1 (en) 2006-02-02
FR2873836A1 (fr) 2006-02-03
FR2873836B1 (fr) 2006-11-24
EP1622091B1 (de) 2012-08-08
EP1622091A3 (de) 2007-03-28

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