EP3041686B1 - Method for supplying document sets and inserting document sets into associated envelopes and enveloping system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method of delivering and loading sets of documents into associated envelopes in which a feed station receives the sets of documents in a document stock stream formed by a sequence of sets of documents and the envelopes are fed in an envelope stock flow formed by a sequence of envelopes. It further refers to an inserter for carrying out the method.

The document WO 93/18480 A1 discloses a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and a modern inserter according to the preamble of claim 3.

In modern inserter usually packages in large quantities are prepared ready for shipping, each one a shipment, such as one or more documents such as letters or the like, automatically inserted into an envelope and provided for subsequent further processing or the actual shipping. For this purpose, transfer stations are usually provided in the inserter, in which the shipping material is inserted into the respective envelopes. Such a transfer station, the required components for the packages, ie in particular the envelopes on the one hand and the documents or sets of documents on the other hand, supplied via appropriately upstream conveyors in the manner of sequential material flows.

In such systems, individualized or personalized handling and package creation is of increasing importance. In this case, for example, provided for the shipment in large numbers mail items are no longer in the form of anonymous mass mailings that are sent in an identical form to a variety of addressees, but it is tailored to the individual recipient or addressee and adapted production, for example by the documents or the envelopes with receiver-specific data, information, imprints or the like be provided. Such personalization or individualization can be tailored entirely to the actual recipient by personal data such as address data or confidential data such as financial data in the context of payroll or the like are processed. Alternatively or additionally, data relating to groups of persons, such as, for example, gender-specific, age-group-specific, language-specific data or the like may also be used.

Especially in the automated production of such personalized or individualized packages is a high reliability in the assembly of the individual components of very considerable importance. For example, when sending confidential data such as payslips or the like must be taken to a particular extent that when compiling the sets of documents from the individual documents and the combination with the envelope provided the correct individual documents with the confidential Dateh also to the intended and authorized recipient be addressed.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a method of the type mentioned above, with a particularly simple way, a particularly high reliability and precision in the compilation of packages from the sets of documents and the envelopes can be achieved. Furthermore, an inserting system which is particularly suitable for carrying out the method should be specified.

This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and an inserter according to claim 3.

The invention is based on the consideration that a particularly reliable combination of mutually associated components of the respective shipping goods is made possible by suitably selected identification codes suitable to the respective components, ie in particular on the envelopes on the one hand and the document sets and / or these on the other hand. These may be barcodes or other suitable means of identification, wherein in particular also internally assigned serial numbers in ascending or descending order for the individual components within their respective material flow can be used. These identification codes can be created during the production of the respective component, ie the document or the envelope, and attached to the respective object, so that a tracking and identification of the respective component is possible at any time during the entire process. In a particularly simple manner, such individually assigned identifiers can also be used for the now desired matching, ie to ensure that an individually produced individual document or a document set comprising this information is also incorporated into the correct, individually assigned envelope. For this purpose, a pairwise and (within normal process tolerances) simultaneous supply of document / document set on the one hand and associated envelope on the other hand provided in the insertion unit. However, to ensure high reliability in the production process, this should only happen if the correct assignment of the envelope and the document set to each other could be verified beforehand on the basis of the identification codes. This ensures that exclusively identified as correctly sorted detected packages manufactured and for further processing to be provided. By contrast, faulty or unsafe products or product combinations are certainly avoided.

The identification codes of the guided in the material flows envelopes and document sets are advantageously stored in a control unit of the inserter and as a basis for system-accompanying information, for example, in the sense of tracking the processing status of the respective product or shipping goods held. The corresponding detection can advantageously take place comparatively early on entry of the respective part into the corresponding material flow, so that the corresponding identification information can be used over a comparatively broad time span in the production process. Particularly advantageous - and with sufficient "production-technical" distance of the detection point in front of the feed point in the feed station - this can also be used in the manner of a forecast to be present for shortly before the feed products, the corresponding partners are still present in the material flow. In a particularly advantageous embodiment is thus in the event that the pending for delivery in the transfer station envelope is not assigned to the submission to the delivery station document set individually determined based on the detected and stored in the control system identification codes, whether the pending for delivery envelope or the document set or envelope assigned to the document set to be delivered is already in the corresponding material stream, d. H. that his arrival at the transfer station is still to be expected.

Basically, it is intended to produce only properly synchronized packaging goods in the introduction station. Accordingly, only those pairs of envelope on the one hand and document set on the other hand should be further promoted to the transfer station, for a proper assignment could be verified to each other. For the other envelopes or sets of documents for which a proper assignment could be determined, however, is in an advantageous embodiment, the discharge provided from the respective material stream before being fed to the introduction station.

In order to enable systematic detection and monitoring of the material flows and, based on this, detection of the proper allocation of the individual constituents to one another, the conveying devices are advantageously each assigned a detection unit for reading out identification codes attached to the envelopes and / or document sets. These may be, for example, barcodes or the like with which an individualized monitoring of the material flows is possible. The detection units are connected in a further advantageous embodiment data output side each with a central control unit. In this embodiment, the acquired identification codes, possibly supplemented by further product-specific information or data, are stored in the manner of a protocol and kept ready for further monitoring purposes within the system in an advantageous development.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the control unit is designed to control the drive of the conveyors in dependence on the identification codes determined in the detection units. To compensate for misalignment in the material flows ("mismatch correction") can be provided in particular a selective control of the conveyors such that one of the conveyors temporarily stopped and the corresponding Material flow is stopped, the other material flow is carried on until mating, mutually associated envelopes on the one hand and document sets on the other hand again in pairs.

Fig. 1

schematisch eine Kuvertieranlage, und

Fig. 2

schematisch eine Anzahl von Sequenzszenarien.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. Show:

Fig. 1

schematically an inserter, and

Fig. 2

schematically a number of sequence scenarios.

The enveloping installation 1 shown in the figure in the manner of a schematic conceptual representation is designed for the production of personalized enveloped items or packages, in particular postal items. By "personalized" is to be understood in particular that during the creation of the packages a personal content or a personal mailpiece specifically brought together with an associated, related to the same person envelope 2 and inserted into this to form the mailpiece. The personal design of the item to be shipped on the one hand and the envelope 2 on the other hand can be embodied, for example, such that the item to be sent contains content specifically tailored to an individual or group of persons and possibly also personal data such as address data or the like, the associated envelope 2 has related to the same person or person to be assigned to this group such as gender, age or the like related applications, content or the like such as imprints.

In the exemplary embodiment, the personal shipping item is formed by a respective document set 4, which in turn can be composed of a number of, ie one or more, individual documents 6. The individual documents 6 can in turn individualized and personal information or data such as address data, personalized content, or the like.

In the inserter 1, the compilation of the document sets 4 is carried out by suitable combination of the individual documents 6 forming in their entirety the respective document set 4. Subsequently, the document sets 4 thus produced are fed to a delivery station 10, in which they are inserted into the respective associated envelope 2, so that the respective shipping material is created. This is - as indicated by the arrow 12 - subsequently discharged and the shipping or further processing such as gluing, another printing or the like supplied.

The introduction station 10 is on the material flow side on the one hand a first conveyor 14 for feeding the envelopes 2 and on the other hand, a second conveyor 16 for supplying the document sets 4 upstream. The conveyor 16 can still be preceded by a number of other feed conveyor 18, of which only one shown in the embodiment, on the first the individual documents 6 conveyed and at a junction - as indicated by the arrow 20 - together to form the respective document set. 4 to be united.

The sets of documents 4 are delivered sequentially via the second conveyor unit 16 of the introduction station 10 in a sequence or sequence and thereby form a document indicated by the arrow 22 - material flow. Similarly, the envelopes 2 are also fed sequentially to the transfer station 10 via the first conveyor unit 14 to form a sequence or sequence, forming the envelope - material stream indicated by the arrow 24.

The finished, issued by the inserter 1 Versandgut should be personalized in the above sense, that is aligned to a specific person or group of people to be executed. This means in particular that if appropriate, all the respective constituent components forming, ie on the one hand the respective envelope 2 and on the other hand the respective document set 4, which in turn may consist of a plurality of individual documents 6, one and the same person or group of people must be assigned, so that the shipping is correctly personalized. In order to make this possible, the envelopes 2 are suitably provided with an envelope identification code, for example in the form of an individualized imprint such as a bar code or the like, which enables unambiguous identification of the person or group of persons to whom the envelope 2 is to be sent should. In an analogous manner, the document set 4 or the individual documents 6 forming the respective document set 4 in their composition are provided with a document identification code which permits an unambiguous assignment to the respective person or group of persons. The assignment of the identification codes both for the envelope 2 and for the document set 4 can take place, for example, in the form of an ascending or descending consecutive numbering, whereby by matching the respectively assigned identification number with further stored in a central database data such as address data or the like the desired personalization in the final processing, for example, by printing the salutation or the address data can be done.

The inserter 1 is specifically designed to ensure an orderly and reliable assignment of the individual documents 6 or sets of documents 4 on the one hand to the respective envelope 2 on the other hand already during the production of the respective shipping good in terms of a particularly high production quality. In particular, it should be avoided that due to irregularities, production losses or the like in one of the material strands an erroneous assignment of document sets 4 to envelopes 2 and thus the erroneous shipping of individualized, personal individual documents 6 could occur to a wrong recipient.

To ensure this with particularly simple means, the first conveyor 14, a first detection unit 30 and the second conveyor 16 associated with a second detection unit 32, the material flow side seen at a read-out before the feed into the transfer station 10, the identification codes of the envelopes 2 on the one hand and the individual documents 6 or sets of documents 4 read. The thereby read identification codes, for example, the consecutive numbering of the envelopes 2 and / or the document sets 4, are then released in the manner of a log to a common, shown only schematically in the figure control system 34 and deposited there for further analysis. This deposit takes place for the document material flow on the one hand and the envelope material flow on the other hand separately and with the addition of the position determined for the respective article within the sequence of the respective material flow.

Using this data, it is checked at a test position 36 whether the respective current position or sequence in the respective material flow coincides with the identification codes for the document set 4 on the one hand and the envelope 2 on the other hand, so that a proper assignment of the respective document set 4 to the respective Envelope 2 is available. This can be done in a particularly preferred, comparatively simple embodiment in that the determined serial number of the document set 4 is compared with the serial number of the envelope 2. If such a proper match is found, the delivery of the respective document set 4 with the respective envelope 2 takes place in pairs in the delivery station 10, so that the document set 4 can be introduced into the envelope.

If, however, a faulty pairing of document set 4 and envelope 2 is detected at the test position 36 (so-called "missmatch"), countermeasures are initiated in the inserting machine 1. For this purpose, it is provided that the further feed of the envelopes 2 and / or sets of documents 4 into the introduction station 10 should initially be prevented upon detection of such an incorrect assignment. For error correction, the conveyor units 14, 16 at a position material flow side in each case after the test position 36 discharge stations 40, 42 assigned.

For automated error correction in case of improper assignment of the envelopes 2 to the document sets 4, so in particular upon detection of a deviation of the sequential numbers for the envelopes 2 on the one hand and the document sets 4 on the other hand at the inspection point 36, is provided incorrectly, for example, as individual pieces present components to remove the Ausschleusstellen 40/42 selectively from the respective streams of material, until again there is a proper pairwise assignment of the envelopes 2 and the document sets 4. Only when this is the case, is another, pairwise feed of envelope 2 and document set 4 to the introduction station 10 released again.

To make this possible, the first conveyor 14 and the second conveyor 16 are separated and independently drivable. The inserter 1 is now designed according to the principle that with regard to a proper synchronization of the material flows with each other "leading" material flow is stopped until the other, "lagging" material flow - possibly with the removal of intervening faulty products - synchronized again and has been reintroduced with regard to the identification codes or numbers, so that a proper pairwise transfer to the introduction station 10 is possible.

For this purpose takes place at the test position 36 by resorting to the protocol-deposited identification codes of the passed envelopes 2 on the one hand and sets of documents 4 on the other hand, in the control system 34, a balance for the synchronization of material flows. In this case, if a proper synchronization of envelope 2 and document set 4 is detected, the onward transport is released to insertion station 10. If, on the other hand, a deviation is detected, compensation measures are initiated by specific individual activations of the conveying directions 14, 16 and / or the discharge stations 40, 42 according to the following scheme: (this is determined by means of a system for the identification codes with consecutive numbers in ascending order; however, other codes are also possible analogously)

If, for example, in the sequential production of the envelopes 2 up to the running number 100, a proper production process existed, but a production error occurred with running number 101, so that this does not exist, it is determined at the test position 36 that there after arrival of the envelope 2 with the serial number 100, the envelope 2 with the serial number 102 arrives. At the same time it is determined at the test position 36 that at the corresponding position in the sequence of the document set - material flow - a proper continuous production assumed - the document set 4 with the serial number 101 arrived. Thus, erroneous assignment of envelope 2 and set of documents 4 in this position of the sequences of material flows is concluded.

In response, it is determined from the logging of the sequence numbers for the document sets 4 whether the document set 4 having the sequence number 102 in the document material stream is properly present following the sequence number 101. If this can be confirmed by comparison with the logging, the envelope material flow is temporarily stopped by suitable activation of the drive of the first conveyor 14. In the meantime, the document material flow is conveyed by one unit through suitable activation of the drive of the second conveyor unit 16, so that now the envelope 2 with the serial number 102 and also the document set 4 with the serial number 102 are present in the area of the test position 36. The document set 4 with the serial number 101, which is now located in the area of the discharge station 42, is discharged from the current material flow of the document sets 4 in the discharge station 42. This again achieves proper synchronization of envelope material flow and document material flow (namely, both with the serial number 102). Envelopes and sets of documents can now be re-promoted in pairs, and Envelope 2 and the set of documents 4, both with the serial number 102, the feed station 10 are supplied in pairs and combined there to form the packaged.

• In der Prüfposition 36 wird festgestellt, dass dort der Briefumschlag 2 mit der laufenden Nummer 102 einerseits und der Dokumentensatz mit der laufenden Nummer 101 andererseits vorliegt. Falls nun unter Rückgriff auf die entsprechende Protokollierung in der Steuereinheit 34 festgestellt wird, dass - beispielsweise auf Grund des Produktionsfehlers - der Dokumentensatz 4 mit der laufenden Nummer 102 nicht vorhanden ist und sein Eintreffen auch nicht mehr erwartet werden kann, so ist die ordnungsgemäße Erstellung des synchronisierten Verpackungsguts mit der laufenden Nummer 102 nicht möglich. In diesem Fall wird anhand der Protokollierung sodann die nächstmögliche laufenden Nummer - im genannten Beispiel beispielsweise die laufende Nummer 103 - ermittelt, für die wieder beide Bestandteile des Verpackungsguts vorliegen. Daraufhin werden beide Fördereinheiten 14, 16 derart angesteuert, dass das jeweilige Fördergut (also Briefumschlag 2 einerseits und Dokumentensatz 4 andererseits) mit der laufenden Nummer 103 im Bereich der Prüfposition 36 vorhanden ist. Davor befindliche, nicht geeignet synchronisierte Briefumschläge 2 oder Dokumentensätze 4, also in diesem Beispielfall der Briefumschlag mit der laufenden Nummer 102, werden in den Ausschleusstationen 40, 42 ausgeschleust. Erst wenn ordnungsgemäß synchronisierte Bestandteile, also sowohl der Briefumschlag 2 mit der laufenden Nummer 103 als auch der Dokumentensatz 4 mit der laufenden Nummer 103 im Bereich der Prüfposition 36 vorliegen, werden beide paarweise weiterbefördert und der Einbringungsstation 10 zugeführt.

If, on the other hand, a production error also occurred in the document material flow, the following scenario could result:

• In the test position 36 it is ascertained that there is the envelope 2 with the serial number 102 on the one hand and the document set with the serial number 101 on the other hand. If it is determined by resorting to the corresponding logging in the control unit 34 that - for example due to the production error - the document set 4 with the sequence number 102 does not exist and its arrival can no longer be expected, then the proper preparation of the synchronized packaged goods with the order number 102 not possible. In this case, the next possible consecutive number - in the example mentioned, for example, the serial number 103 - is then determined on the basis of the logging, for which again both components of the packaged goods are available. Subsequently, both conveyor units 14, 16 are controlled such that the respective conveyed (ie envelope 2 on the one hand and document set 4 on the other hand) with the running number 103 in the region of the test position 36 is present. Before that, not suitably synchronized envelopes 2 or sets of documents 4, so in this example, the envelope with the serial number 102, are discharged in the discharge stations 40, 42. Only when properly synchronized components, ie both the envelope 2 with the sequence number 103 and the document set 4 with the sequence number 103 are present in the area of the test position 36, are both conveyed in pairs and fed to the introduction station 10.

The corresponding actions, ie, in particular the targeted control of the conveyor units 14, 16 for on-demand separate and independent further transport of the individual material flows as well as the discharge of individual, not provided with appropriate counterparts envelopes 2 or Dockumentensaätze 4 in the discharge units 40, 42, via the control system 34 triggered and controlled. Since the individual identification codes of the respective products, preferably together with a current status information on the processing status, are stored and regularly updated in this manner anyway in the manner of a processing protocol and / or tracking system, in a particularly preferred embodiment this can also be used in response to discharge measures to initiate appropriate compensation. For example, in the above-mentioned scenario it was found that due to a production error or other reasons, the packaged goods with the order number 102 consisting of envelope 2 and set of documents 4 could not be produced. The corresponding diagnostic information, which was also the trigger for the removal of the (unsaved) envelope 2 with the serial number 102, can also be used as a trigger for a post-production of the entire actually failed packaged goods with the serial number 102.

By the detection of the identification codes in the detection units 30, 32 seen at a point material flow side significantly before the test position 36, at which the "matching", ie the verification of the proper assignment of the components to each other, and the subsequent protocol-like detection and provision of the results is the Introduction of appropriate compensatory measures in case of disturbances also taking into account the already present in the material flow, later still arriving at the test position 36 envelopes 2 or sets of documents 4 possible. This allows a comparatively flexible reaction of the inserter 1 to production errors occurring, as described below by way of example in FIG Fig. 2 illustrated scenarios is explained. In Fig. 2 In this case, the scenarios are shown on the basis of possible sequences (represented by consecutive numbers as identification codes) for the envelope material flow on the conveyor unit 14 on the one hand and the document material flow on the conveyor unit 16 on the other hand.

In scenario I, the case is shown that one of the document sets 4 (in this case the sequence number 100) was accidentally duplicated. At the "matching" or test position 36 it is thus recognized that, on the one hand, the set of documents 4 with the serial number 100 exists, on the other hand but z. B. the envelope 2 not at all ("empty"). Based on the data stored in the control system database can be determined that the packaged goods with the serial number 100, consisting of the envelope 2 with the serial number 100 and the document set with the serial number 100, already properly assigned to the test position 36 has passed through and on the Way to the transfer station 10 is located (in Fig. 2 shown to the right of the test position 36). It can thus be concluded in the control system 34 that the document sentence 4 has been generated twice in this case, and the newly generated document set 4 with the running number 100 currently located in the check position 36 is ejected in the subsequent ejection station 42. Since there was no envelope 2 at the same time in the test position 36 (findings "empty"), in this situation both conveyor units 14, 16 are actuated for the further transport of the respective material flow.

In scenario II, the presence of the document set 4 with the sequence number 101 is recognized at the check position 36. Correspondingly, there is an envelope with unreadable identifier (??), so that the proper assignment can not be verified. Furthermore, it is ascertained on the basis of the stored data that the envelope 2 located immediately before the test position 36 carries the serial number 103 and the document set 4 located immediately before the test position 36 bears the serial number 102. It is concluded that - due to the increasing numbering - there is no longer a possibility to produce the packaged goods with order numbers 101 and 102; Consequently, in both material strands the products with smaller serial numbers are discharged in the discharge stations 40, 42, and the conveyor units 14, 16 are activated in such a way that both the envelope 2 and the current one Number 103 as well as the document set 4 with the sequence number 103 in the test position 36. Once verified, they are forwarded to the transfer station 10 collectively. Furthermore, it is recognized that a production of the packaging goods with the serial numbers 101 and 102 was not possible, and it will be Order for the subsequent production of these packaged goods generated in the control system 34.

In Scenario III, it is determined that the envelope 2 with the serial number 103 and the document set 4 with the serial number 102 are present at the test position 36. The envelope 2 with the sequence number 102 is not in the flow of material before the test position 36. Therefore, the conveyor unit 16 with the document material flow is selectively driven alone, whereas the conveyor unit 14 is temporarily stopped with the envelope material flow. Subsequently, the document set with the sequence number 102 is discharged in the discharge station 42, and the correct assignment of the shipment with the sequence number 103 is verified. Then, the envelope 2 with the sequence number 103 and the document set 4 with the sequence number 103 are forwarded together to the introduction station 10. If necessary, the new production of the shipping goods with the order number 102 is initiated.

In scenario IV, a special situation is shown, in which the presence of a document sentence 4 is detected at the same time as the envelope 2 with the sequence number 103 in the test position 36, but its identification code can not be determined (for example, is not readable) (??). A direct verification of the proper allocation is therefore not possible. On the other hand, it is noted that immediately before the inspection position 36, both the envelope with the serial number 104 and the document number with the serial number 104 are present. It can therefore be assumed that the document set 4 located in the test position 36 is the one with the - matching - consecutive number 103. In this case, both material streams are further promoted, however, the - dubious and unverified - packaged goods with the serial number 103 at a suitable location before or after the transfer station 10 - - possibly also manual - subjected to special test and is suitably discharged from the actual material flow ,

In scenario V, the desired normal case is again shown, in which both streams of material are synchronous with one another in the desired manner and accordingly are transported further together and in parallel.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

envelope

4

set of documents

6

Single documents

10

insertion station

14, 16

Conveyer

12, 22, 24

arrow

18

feeder

30, 32

Erfasssungseinheit

34

control system

36

test position

40.42

Ausschleuseinheiten

100, 101, 102, 103

number

Claims (4)

1. Method for supplying document sets (4) and inserting said document sets into associated envelopes (2), in which the document sets (4) are supplied to an insertion station (10) in a document material stream formed by a sequence of document sets (4) and the envelopes (2) are supplied to said insertion station in an envelope material stream formed by a sequence of envelopes (2),

   - in the insertion station (10), the document set (4) supplied in each case being inserted into the relevant envelope (2) supplied at the same time,

   - the position of a document set in the document sequence and a document identification code associated with said document set being detected for each document set (4) conducted in the document material stream, and the position of an envelope in the envelope sequence and an envelope identification code associated with said envelope being detected for each envelope (2) conducted in the envelope material stream,

   - a document set (4) and an envelope (2) being supplied to the insertion station (10) only as a pair and the supply thereof being authorised only when it is confirmed, on the basis of the relevant document identification code and the relevant envelope identification code, that the envelope (2) pending supply is individually associated with the document set (4) pending supply, and

   - the identification codes of the envelopes (2) and document sets (4) guided in the material streams being stored in a control unit (34), characterised in that,

   if the envelope (2) pending supply is not individually associated with the document set (4) pending supply, it is determined, on the basis of the stored identification codes, whether a document set (4) or envelope (2) associated with the envelope (2) pending supply or with the document set (4) pending supply, respectively, is already in the corresponding material stream.
2. Method according to claim 1, in which envelopes (2) and/or document sets (4) for which no associated document set (4) or envelope (2), respectively, can be detected are discharged from the relevant material stream before being supplied to the insertion station (10).
3. Enveloping system (1) for carrying out the method according to either claim 1 or claim 2, comprising an insertion station (10) upstream of which, on the material stream side, there are arranged a first conveying device (14) for supplying envelopes (2) and a second conveying device (16) for supplying document sets (4), it being possible for the conveying devices (14, 16) to be driven separately and independently of one another, one detection unit (30, 32) for reading identification codes affixed to the envelopes (2) and/or document sets (4) being associated with each of the conveying devices (14, 16), respectively, the detection units (30, 32) each being connected on the data output side to a central control unit (34), and the control unit (34) authorising the supply of a document set (4) and an envelope (2) to the insertion station (10) only as a pair and only when it is confirmed, on the basis of the relevant document identification code and the relevant envelope identification code, that the envelope (2) pending supply is individually associated with the document set (4) pending supply, and characterised in that, if the envelope (2) pending supply is not individually associated with the document set (4) pending supply, it is determined, on the basis of the stored identification codes, whether a document set (4) or envelope (2) associated with the envelope (2) pending supply or with the document set (4) pending supply, respectively, is already in the corresponding material stream.
4. Enveloping system (1) according to claim 3, the control unit (34) of which is designed to control the driving of the conveying devices (14, 16) depending on the identification codes determined in the detection units (30, 32).

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