GB2225999A

GB2225999A - Method of postal sorting

Info

Publication number: GB2225999A
Application number: GB8918350A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David James Lamont
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-08-12
Filing date: 1989-08-11
Publication date: 1990-06-20
Also published as: GB8918350D0

Abstract

A method of postal sorting comprises applying to an item to be posted, a coded message which is indicative of an address to which the item is to be sent. The message is coded to be machine-readable and the item is delivered to one or more sorting stations having machinery for reading the coded message. The machinery is adapted to sort the item in a manner dependent on the address indicated by the coded message. Typically, the coded message is representative of a telephone number of an addressee and there is also a second coded message which is representative of the address or identity of a sender.

Description

Method Of Postal Sorting This invention relates to a method of postal sorting.

At present the postal system operates on the basis of the sender applying to a parcel, envelope or card a written or printed address to which the item is to be delivered.

Several stages of sorting are involved in directing the item to the area, town and district or street for which it is intended, and each stage requires to be carried out manually in view of the diversity in quality of the address's application.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of postal sorting comprising applying to an item a coded message indicative of an address to which the item is to be sent, the message being coded to be machine-readable, delivering the item to one or more sorting stations having machinery for reading the coded message, the machinery being adapted to sort the item in a manner dependent on the address indicated by the coded message.

Preferably the coded message relates to the telephone number of to addressee, as this allows the item to be sorted sequentially at a series of sorting stations in dependence on the telephone country code, area or city code and terminal code; thus the item can be machine-sorted until the unique telephone number for a particular address is fully read and the item directed for delivery to or collection by the addressee.

Preferably also the coded message is applied to the item in the form of a bar-code. The coded message may be applied by apparatus which converts an input in the form of a telephone number or other address-indicative message to an output of machine-readable form; this application may be made by apparatus connected to the sender's telephone equipment in a manner whereby the input results in the sender's telephone account being debited by an amount dependent on the location of the address. Alternatively or additionally the input can be made at a central location such for example as a Post Office where the item can be weighed and the addressee debited or charged accordingly.

A second coded message indicative of the sender's address or identity may also be applied to the item either by the sender or at the central location, and the cost of the postage debited to the sender by machine-reading the second message; this can be done automatically. The application of the sender's own code could be made by a tamper-proof device which may be connected to the sender's telephone or provided independently thereof.

Items may be sent to Post Office Boxes in the same manner as to particular addresses, and the Boxes may simply be identified by means of the addressee's telephone number or other code as it will not be visibly recognisable during transit.

On reaching the final sorting stage the items may either be delivered by hand, as at present, to the addresses by translation of the code into a human-readable address in a last operation, or may be delivered to a telephone-numberidentified container, which may be secure, for eventual collection by the addressee who may have a unique key for the container. Such containers may be provided at the sorting stations.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example.

The sender of an item applies to the item by an attachment to his telephone a first bar code which identifies the unique telephone number of the addressee, and a second bar code, which is secure and cannot be altered, identifying his own telephone number. The sender then posts the item and it is collected and delivered to the local sorting station at which it is simultaneously weighed and machine-read.

The sender's telephone bill is debited automatically with the cost of postage, dependent on weight and destination, and the item is initially sorted for destination. Thus if, for example, the item is posted in London for an addressee at 041-332 8301 in Glasgow, the London sorting station recognises 041 and the item is directed for delivery to Glasgow.

On arrival at the Glasgow sorting station, the addressee bar code is machine-read as far as 332 and the item is directed to a sorting station in the 332 area at which the final 8301 is machine-read and the item directed to an 041-332 8301 box for collection. Alternatively the item can have the addressee's telephone code translated into an address and the item delivered.

For those people who do not possess a telephone, for example, a card or other information carrier can be provided, the card bearing a code representing a fictitious telephone number which is allocated to that individual address (and which may be used as the actual telephone number in the event of a telephone subsequently being installed). The code may be applied in machine readable form such as a bar code, and automatic dispensers may be provided for issuing addressee and sender coded labels for attachment to letters on presentation of the coded card.

In this respect the dispensers may be akin to existing cash dispensers and operated by insertion of the card and entry of an addressee's telephone number, whereupon a label issues bearing both the addressee's code and the sender's code (derived from the card). The sender may be debited on machine-sorting of the letter after posting, and a security code may be provided for each card to prevent unauthorised use after theft or loss of the card. The card may have a memory containing a purchased amount of credit, the memory being debited on each use of the card until no credit remains, whereupon further credit may be bought.

In addition, the automatic dispensers may also accept items for posting after the coded-labels have been attached to them.

The items would be automatically weighed by the accepting machine and the cost of posting the item could be displayed to a user by the machine before the item is transferred automatically, for example, by conveyor belt to the sorting area.

The same system may be used for both local or foreign mail. For overseas mail the item is addressed by following instructions on overseas dialling, for example, in the Telephone Directory. The phone number is entered as the address in the form of a code for machine reading, automatic weighing and sorting which cuts handling costs to an absolute minimum.

Supplies of labels (corresponding to conventional stamps) may be made available for sale, bearing a sender's code and the addressees' codes may be applied to these in offices and the like using a bar code printer.

Modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of postal sorting comprising applying to an item a coded message indicative of an address to which the item is to be sent, the message being coded to be machinereadable, delivering the item to one or more sorting stations having machinery for reading the coded message, the machinery being adapted to sort the item in a manner dependent on the address indicated by the coded message.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the coded message is representative of a telephone number of an addressee.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the coded message is in the form of a bar code.

4. A method according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the coded message is applied by apparatus which converts an input in the form of a non-coded message, indicative of the address, to the coded message.

5. A method according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein a sender's telephone account is debited by an amount dependent on the location of the address.

6. A method according to any of the preceding Claims, the method further comprising applying a second coded message indicative of a sender's address or identity to the item.

7. A method according to Claim 6, the method further comprising debiting the cost of the postage to the sender by machine-reading the second coded message.

8. A method of postal sorting as hereinbefore described.