JP2003248712A - Mail additional printing device and its operation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rational automation device capable of realizing the printing of contents indicating a delivery company on a mail to realize the most inexpensive delivery of the mails to be delivered to all parts of the country not only by a post office but the combination of the post office, a home-delivery company and a posting company, and to provide a preferable operation system for operating the device. <P>SOLUTION: This additional printing device for mail has the additional printed content data corresponding to the code information of a postal code and the like as database, and has a printing means for reading the code information of the male 1 and additionally printing corresponding company marks and the like. In this operation system, the company information such as a charge system of each company is given to the additional printing device to achieve the optimum operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention specifies a delivery company or charges the same delivery company for the purpose of delivering the mail to an envelope on which predetermined printing has been performed in advance at the lowest cost. The present invention relates to a device for reprinting (additional printing) on the envelope in order to clearly indicate that it is a discount-adapted product, and to an operation system capable of reflecting service information such as a fee of a delivery company, which fluctuates day by day, on the device. . Also,
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is mainly used in the mail delivery business for shipping a large number of DMs / bills and the like, and the operation system of the device is mainly postal goods, parcel delivery business, posting business, newspaper sales business, etc. Related to the delivery company.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Needless to say, it is a big problem to deliver the postal matter at a low cost in the delivery of the postal matter. In the past, these mail items were limited to delivery means only by mail, but the trend in recent years is that they are delivered via private courier companies such as Yamato Transport Co., Ltd., or posting companies that are being organized in each region of the country. Has become. So, the problem that may arise is that it is necessary to inform the recipient of the route that the mail was delivered. Therefore, at present, for mail items delivered by routes other than mail, a carrier label is affixed to display the name of the carrier, or many types of envelopes with different printed contents are prepared and selected. However, the reality is that the contents are enclosed and handled.

[0003]

As described above, at the shipping processing site, which processes tens of millions of mails a day, the work of sticking the dealer seal itself causes a great increase in cost, and also various types of work are required. Even when stocking various types of envelopes, it is difficult to respond flexibly to each freight carrier,
It is a factor that hinders the best selection of total cost. On the other hand, from the side of the delivery company mentioned above, there is no means for notifying the service information of its own company to the shipping processing site. In view of this, there is no effective system for transmitting information such as the delivery charge system to the shipping companies scattered all over the country, and it is desired to upgrade and improve it. In the present application, although it is expressed as a postal matter as a word, it includes delivery of the postal matter by a route other than the postal matter, and the shipping work is actively performed by using a distribution route other than the postal matter. We will provide equipment that responds to the times when the cost can be reasonably processed at a low cost, and also provides an operation system that can reflect nationwide vendor information in those equipment.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems] That is, the postal matter reprinting device of the present application is a means for automatically supplying and delivering postal matter for picking up and delivering the postal matter one by one, a postal code or work described on the postal matter being conveyed. Code information reading means for reading code information such as a number, additional print content data base storing additional print content previously assigned to each code information, and the additional print content data. Retrieval means for selecting the additional printing content assigned to the code information read by the reading means from the base, an ink jet printer for printing the additional printing content corresponding to the mail read by the reading means, etc. The present invention is characterized in that it is provided with a printing means, at least a sorting carrying-out means for sorting and accumulating and discharging in association with the previous period code information at a stage where the printed matter has been properly dried.

[0005] Then, mainly, a device for performing additional print for notifying the delivery company of the postal matter, which displays mail, courier service, and posting company, etc., is also proposed, and if necessary, the above-mentioned charge discount category of the delivery company. For the purpose of printing, including indication of delivery date, designation of delivery date and time of delivery company, indication that it is an application of various services provided, and content including advertisement of sender. Provided is a system device capable of additionally printing on a postal matter on which printing has been performed. In the postal matter reprinting device of the present application,
It is equipped with a delivery company data base in which service information such as the fee system of the delivery company is stored in advance, and the job data including the code information of the mail to be processed is input and the predetermined conditions are satisfied. The additional processing data base is created by performing an optimization process for identifying a delivery company that satisfies the above requirements for each code information of the mail by using the delivery company data base. An operation system of a postal matter reprinting device, which is characterized by the above.

Furthermore, an operating system of the device is proposed, which is constructed so that the delivery company data base can be updated via a communication line such as a telephone line, and if necessary, a plurality of the present postal matters can be reprinted. A delivery company information center for delivering delivery company information to devices is provided to provide an operation system for networking.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a postal matter reprinting device of the present invention. In the figure, 1 indicates a mail item, and envelopes in which contents are enclosed in advance are collected and set on the right side of the drawing, and details are omitted, but known automatic feeding means
In Fig. 7, the situation is shown in which the sheets are taken out one by one from the beginning and are conveyed at high speed from right to left with the front side of the envelope facing up. Further, 2 is a camera for taking an image of the address display portion of the contents through the envelope window of the mail 1 being conveyed, and 3 is a camera installed on the lower side of the camera in the conveying direction to contact the mail 1 without contact -Inkjet printer for printing the ink-, 4 indicates a personal computer, and 8 indicates the postal items 1 which have been printed by the printer and are conveyed downward at a proper interval and then raised. A transport unit for ensuring the drying of the ink, and 9 is a section carrying-out unit that sequentially discharges the printed matter in the direction of the arrow when the printed matter is properly dried.

First, regarding the automatic supply means 1, one in which the envelopes are stacked and set in a vertical form is
An example in which the envelopes are taken out one by one is shown, but the envelopes are stacked upwards and taken out from the bottommost one, or conversely, the stacks are taken out from the topmost one, and other well-known supply forms are used. In addition, as for the sorting out means 9, the illustrated example is of a type in which the boundaries are visually recognizable by shifting the zip code items to the left to some extent and collecting them while sequentially stacking them. However, a part of the envelope is colored with a marker for sorting, or a large number of discharge boxes like a known post sorting machine are provided, and the envelopes are sorted and stored separately. It is also possible to do so. Further, in the apparatus of the embodiment, an example is shown in which a re-printed envelope surface is positively dried and then a transport path for ink drying is specially provided as a stack carry-out sheet. −
Alternatively, when using the printing means 3 of the type that irradiates with laser light to perform printing, such a conveying unit is not necessarily required. Incidentally, regarding the printing means, an inkjet printer which is capable of printing on the basis of data in a personal computer is suitable for running mail, but
As a specific device, the print head system (model: FBM Mailjet420) handled by Pitney Bowes Japan,
An inkjet printer manufactured by Cytex, Inc. (eg, model number: S6240J) can be used. In this type of inkjet printer, various types such as a solid ink type that is melted by heat to be liquefied are known, and it is sufficient to appropriately select and have them in order to carry out the present invention. Are expected to come to market.

Next, a trade mark in the apparatus of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, 1 is a mail item, 1a is a zip code, and the address printed on the address paper inside the envelope can be seen from the envelope window, and the trade mark 1b is located at the upper right of the envelope surface.
Has been reprinted. Specifically, zip code 100-
Mark 0004 indicates that the mail is postal mail, and that the mail is postpaid mail. Mark 227-0033 is a mark of a posting company called Yokohama Posting.
On the envelope of 0946, the mark of Yamato Transport is reprinted. In other words, before being set in the apparatus of the present application, there is no such manufacturer's mark, and the manufacturer's marks assigned to the respective postal codes are additionally printed after passing through the apparatus of the present application.

Next, a basic operation mode of the embodiment apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. First, of the address display portion printed on the contents through the envelope window of the postal matter 1, for example, the postal code portion is imaged by the imaging means 2 such as a camera. Then, the image information is input to the personal computer 4 and subjected to OCR processing so that characters are recognized as key data. If the postal code is written in a bar code, the bar code reader is used to read it and input it to a personal computer to recognize the code information in the present application. And the reprint content DB
From the additional print content data assigned to the relevant code information, and based on the content, the inkjet printer
Activate 3. As a result, the above-mentioned various trade marks Mark 1b
Is reprinted.

Next, the contents of the above-mentioned additional printing contents DB will be described in detail as illustrated in detail in FIG. First, when a zip code is used as the code information, a reprint number is assigned to each zip code. For example, the job data of the mail to be processed is grouped by dividing each of the first three digits of the postal code representing the delivery area or by the first two digits of the postal code, and U-571 and U-571 are provided for each. -569 ... Set a reprint number such as P-107. To make it easier to understand, the outline of these reprint numbers is added to the note, but the point is to specify the delivery company and select and assign the service contents provided by each company. is there. By the way, when selecting mail, there is a complicated discount system due to the charge system, and there is a special special discount system in the city depending on the number of mails sent to the same station even for postpaid postage with the same charge. -It is important to select and specify screws.

[0012] On the other hand, regarding a specific manufacturer's mark printed by the printing means 3, the manufacturer's mark corresponds to the above-mentioned additional printing number and is stored in the additional printing content data base. It is stored in. For example, in addition to the U-569, several types of concrete trader marks have been illustrated. In this way, print data is stored in order to print the mark designated by each trader for each reprint number. To be done. In addition, the data is configured by including data for defining the print position, the color of the ink used, and other general print specifications as required, and further including advertisement texts. Also, the data that nothing is printed.
There is also storage. For example, if you want all jobs to be mail,
Mark all the envelopes with "Postpaid mail" in advance and use the device of the present application to reprint the mark only for those who receive the "city special" discount. This is an operation example. In such a case, the printing means 3 does not additionally print the items that are set not to be discounted.

Further, in this type of shipping work, a serial number which is often given for the sake of confirmation of the number of works for convenience is called.
In some cases, it is treated as the read information and the additional printing data base is constructed based on it. In this case, the additional printing number is assigned to each group, and the additional printing number defining the additional printing content is assigned to each group. Furthermore, as code information, an ID number such as a member number assigned to each addressee may be used. And any of these numbers
In the case of an envelope with a window, it is usually printed on the address printing part of the enclosed material in the envelope, but in the case of an envelope without a window, the address label is directly printed on or attached to the front side of the envelope. It is printed on.

As described above, according to the present application, a large amount of mail to be sent at one time is grouped in advance with job data based on predetermined code information, and the reprint contents are grouped for each group. By registering and automatically searching from the database and selecting it, a combination of the lowest cost delivery companies will be set up to process the large amount of mail. It is a thing. By the way, more specifically, if this work is done in Tokyo, a posting company is cheaper than a postal service in Tokyo, a courier service is available in Saitama / Chiba and other Kanto to Kansai regions, and a postal service is far away in Hokkaido or Okinawa. cheap. If there is such a situation, sorting these mail items and entrusting them to the respective delivery companies makes it possible to maximize the delivery cost as a total. In addition, the device of the embodiment according to FIG. 1 described above was operated for the encapsulated mail items in which the contents are encapsulated, but the enclosure device (insert It is also possible to configure the embodiment apparatus capable of performing the above-mentioned additional printing on an envelope under a situation where the enclosed object and the envelope are surely specified in (-).
That is, the code information reading means such as the image pickup camera and the bar code reader is arranged so as to act on the address printing portion before being enclosed in the envelope, and the enclosed material is enclosed in the envelope. Before
Alternatively, after that, a printing means is arranged so that additional printing can be performed on the envelope being enclosed.

The word "postal matter" is, as the etymology, first-class to fourth-class postal matters such as fixed-size letter envelopes, fixed-size letter envelopes, various postcards, etc. delivered by a delivery route called postal mail organized by the current Post Office. It refers to parcels, etc., but the postal items referred to in this application are not always delivered by the mail route, and in some cases, the entire amount is delivered to the recipient by a private delivery route other than the mail carrier. Specify that it may be delivered. Now, the operation of the above-described mail reprinting device will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. In the figure, 4a is an input unit attached to the personal computer 4. The job DT is for preparing and inputing a large amount of mail to be processed, including work information such as the number of deliveries related to the code information, each time the operation side of the apparatus starts work, in advance. . On the other hand, the delivery company DT means mail, courier,
Information that is obtained from the delivery company side, including the delivery charges of the delivery companies such as postings in each region, the applicable provisions of the discount rate, the company mark indicating each company, and the information such as the delivery area. However, it is not always necessary to input from the input unit 4a each time the work is started. In other words, once the delivery company DB is stored in the personal computer 4, it is input via the input unit 4a when it is necessary to update it.

Then, when the apparatus is operated, the job DT is input and the delivery company DB is accessed to perform an optimization process to create or update the above-mentioned additional printing content DB. For example, to describe the most basic optimization flow,
When the postal code is used as key data, first, a delivery company that can deliver to the area is searched from the delivery company DB, and then a price comparison between the delivery companies is performed.
The most cost-effective and optimal carrier is identified by referring to the importance of mail items, the certainty of delivery, the number of days until delivery, etc. Then, if specified, the additional printing content such as the trader mark is fixed, and the additional printing content DB is created or updated accordingly.

By the way, to describe the current trend of the industry, posting companies are still strongly limited to the local areas, such as only major urban areas, and there is a greater tendency to lower charges, although they are more uncertain than postal mail. The postal rate is highly dependent on the discount rate, and the discount rate is strongly related to the number of deliveries, and although it is strong for large-scale use of bills and the like, it is also evaluated as excessive cost for delivery mainly by advertisement. In addition, although courier services tend to be positioned in the middle of the two, the change in business conditions in the future is remarkable.

In any case, the various information of the delivery company is obviously important for the operation of the device of the present application in order to always maintain its effect and further expand it. Therefore, it is effective to construct an operation system that acquires the delivery company DT from outside the device via a line such as various telephone lines and wireless communication lines in order to quickly obtain the company data. . For example,
Using the net, construct an operation system that enables timely connection between the device and the delivery company 6. Further, the delivery company information center-5 is organized, and new delivery company information is constantly delivered from the center, thereby constructing an operation system for achieving the creation or update of the delivery company DB. In this case, the delivery company 6 side not only distributes information to each operation-destination apparatus, but also distributes various information mainly on the charge DT of the company to the center-5, so that the center can generate a plurality of information. By being delivered to the device of the present application, the delivery company 6 side can also carry out its own PR with high efficiency. In particular, information about posting companies tends to stay in local cities and neighboring municipalities, and lacks effective means for notifying shippers of shipping operations scattered throughout the country. Further, the center 5 can serve as an institution that guarantees or recognizes the qualitative level of the delivery company who distributes information from the center 5 if necessary. That is, a system is provided in which only the vendors who have a certain level of delivery certainty accept the registration, and only the accepted vendors deliver information to the device of the present application.

[0019]

As is apparent from the embodiments described in detail, the present invention, when shipping a large amount of mail, for each postal code group indicating a delivery area or for each work number group,
There is an effect that different delivery companies can specify the delivery method with the lowest total cost while ensuring the most appropriate service level, and can perform the shipping work. Also, the reprinting and printing on postal items is automated. This has the effect of reducing the types of materials such as envelopes. In addition, in view of the recent distribution trends in which the diversification of delivery companies other than mail delivery companies is being significantly expanded and maintained on a nationwide scale, by providing an operation system that reflects new carrier information, the effect of the device of the present application is always maintained. It is certain that it will be possible to maintain and maintain optimum operation and maintenance both on the shipping company side and on the delivery company side, and will greatly contribute to the industry in this industry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a postal matter reprinting device of the present application.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a postal matter additionally printed by the apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an operation system of the embodiment apparatus.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the details of the additional printing content data base of the apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Postal items, 1a ... Postal code, 1b ...
..Camera (imaging means), 3 ... Inkjet printer (printing means), 4 ... Personal computer, 4a ...
5 ... Delivery company information center, 6 ... Delivery company, 7 ...
Automatic feeding means, 8 ... conveying section, 9 ... sorting discharging means.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A code information reading means for automatically feeding and conveying a mail piece for picking up and conveying the mail pieces one by one, and reading code information such as a postal code or a work number written on the mail piece being conveyed. Means, an additional print content data base storing the additional print content previously assigned to each piece of code information, and a code read by the reading means from the additional print content data base. Retrieval means for selecting the additional printing content assigned to the information, printing means such as an inkjet printer for printing the additional printing content corresponding to the mail read by the reading means, at least the printed material is appropriately dried. A post-printing apparatus for postal mail, characterized in that the post-printing apparatus is equipped with a section carrying-out section that collects and collects the pieces of information related to the code information of the previous term at the end stage. 2. The postprint reprinting device according to claim 1, wherein the reprint contents include display contents for notifying the delivery company of the post that displays mail, courier service, posting company, and the like. . 3. The reprinted content includes a display of a charge discount category of the delivery company, according to claim 1 or claim 2.
Mail postprinting device described in. 4. A code information reading means for automatically reading and conveying code information such as a postal code or a work number written on a mail being conveyed and a means for automatically supplying and conveying the mail for picking up and conveying the mail one by one. Means, an additional print content data base storing the additional print content previously assigned to each piece of code information, and a code read by the reading means from the additional print content data base. Retrieval means for selecting the additional printing content assigned to the information, printing means such as an inkjet printer for printing the additional printing content corresponding to the mail read by the reading means, at least the printed material is appropriately dried. In the post-printing reprinting device characterized by being configured with these means for sorting out and collecting and discharging in association with the code information of the previous term at the stage when finished, the charge system of the delivery company, etc. Stores service information Equipped with a delivery company database, inputting job data containing code information of the mail to be processed, and delivering a delivery company satisfying a predetermined condition to the delivery company database. -The above-mentioned additional printing content data is obtained by performing an optimization process for identifying each code information of the mail using the
An operation system of a mail reprinting device characterized by creating a base. 5. An operation system for a postscript reprinting device according to claim 4, wherein the delivery company data base is configured to be renewable via a communication line such as a telephone line. 6. A courier information for delivering a courier data base to a plurality of mail reprinting devices while updating the courier data base via a communication line such as a telephone line. The operation system of the postscript reprinting device according to claim 4, wherein a center is provided and operated.