JPH0994541A - Delivery slip issuing and sticking system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily vary the processing capability and provide resistance to faults. SOLUTION: Delivery certificate issuing and sticking lines 30-1∼30-n are controlled and managed by line control computers 32-1∼32-n, and connected to a server 36 through a network 34. The server 36 is provided with a data base regarding the delivery. Address codes on envelopes are read by a code reading device 42, and the codes are outputted to computers 32-1∼32-n. In the case inquiries for the items such as delivery addresses, names and the like are made to the server 36 by the computers 32-1∼32-n, delivery certificate lables are issued based on the response by a delivery certificate label issuing and sticking device 44 and stuck on the envelopes. The delivery codes and acceptance codes of the delivery certificate labels on the envelopes are read by a surface and rear face reading device 46. Whether the reading results of the device 46 are in compliance with correctly or not is checked by the computers 32-1∼32-n, and the envelopes not in compliance with correctly are stored in a defective envelope stacker 52.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides a delivery bar code label, a delivery certificate, a delivery slip, and other delivery slips that are required when transferring a delivery along a distribution route in postal delivery and home delivery services. The present invention relates to a delivery voucher issuance and pasting system for issuing and affixing to delivery items.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the case of registered mail, for example, conventionally, when a delivery person delivers a registered mail to a delivery destination, he or she has to obtain the receipt stamp or signature of the recipient on the delivery certificate to bring with him. Has become. The same is true for home delivery. At least such information as the recipient's address, name (name) and telephone number, and the post office code (or delivery code in the case of home delivery) of the delivery destination will be written on such delivery certificate. A column of marks is provided. Further, the address, name and telephone number of the sender, and the contents of the delivered product may be included.

Conventionally, such information may be handwritten individually or a copy-type copy of an application form may be used.

[0004]

Such a method is unavoidable when the post office or the delivery company accepts the delivery of one or a small number of articles.
When you want to process a large amount of goods with the same contents at the same time by the same sender, such as card shipping business, some kind of automatic processing or mechanization processing is desired, and it is possible to expand and change the ability freely, An automated system that can flexibly handle failures is desired.

Further, in recent years, bar codes have come to be used for delivery management of deliveries, but a barcode label is attached to each deliverable, and the deliveries correspond to the barcodes attached to them. It is desirable to have a system that can reliably and simply manage the If you accidentally attach a bar code label to another shipment, you'll end up delivering a different item, and you won't be able to see where you're in the middle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a delivery form issuing and pasting system which satisfies such demands and can flexibly expand and change the capability.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a delivery form issuing / pasting system for outputting a delivery product to which a correct delivery form is attached.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a plurality of delivery note issuing and attaching lines are provided for attaching delivery notes to deliverables, and one of these delivery note issuing and attaching lines is usually managed by a line control means. And to control. And
A delivery information management unit is provided which is provided with information regarding delivery and which responds to an inquiry from each of the plurality of line control units with the information necessary for issuing the delivery slip to the line control unit of the inquiry source. This makes it possible to easily change the processing capacity by increasing or reducing the number of lines. Since the failure of one line does not lead to a stoppage of the other line,
Become more resistant to obstacles.

Further, even after the delivery form is attached, the identification code of the delivery form is collated with the identification code of the delivery form, and the delivery form which does not correspond to the identification code is stored in the defective container. By doing so, it is possible to reliably prevent the delivery of the delivery product to which the incorrect delivery slip is attached.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings by taking as an example a case where a credit company applies to the business of shipping a credit card to a member.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention having n delivery certificate issuing and attaching lines for issuing and attaching delivery certificate labels to each delivery, and FIG. 2 is each delivery certificate issuing and attaching line. The schematic diagram of schematic structure of is shown.

Before explaining these, first, FIG. 3 and FIG.
The delivered product will be described with reference to FIG. Here, what is to be delivered is a credit card, and as shown in FIG. 3, the credit card 10 is inserted into a cut in the mount 12, and the mount 12 has a delivery address name 1
4, the delivery destination code 16 (generally alphanumeric), and the barcode 18 of the delivery destination code 16 are printed. Only one of the delivery destination code 16 and the delivery destination barcode 18 is the mount 1
It may be printed on 2. Fold the mount 12 in three and put it in an envelope. FIG. 4 shows a credit card 10.
Is the front side of the envelope in which the sheet 12 and the backing sheet 12 are enclosed, and FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, on the surface of the envelope 20, there are transparent windows 22, 24, and 26 at positions corresponding to the delivery address and name 14, the delivery destination code 16, and the delivery destination barcode 18 of the mount 12, respectively. , These windows 22, 24, 2
6, the delivery address name 14, delivery destination code 16 and delivery destination barcode 18 can be read from outside. It is possible that only one of the delivery destination code 16 and the delivery destination barcode 18 is printed on the mount 12.

The configuration of the system shown in FIG. 1 will be described. Delivery certificate issuance and pasting line 30-1, 30-2, ..., 30
-N is the line control computers 32-1 and 3 respectively
Controlled and managed by 2-2, ..., 32-n, line control computers 32-1, 32-2 ,.
2-n connects to the server 36 via the computer network 34. The server 36 stores a database regarding the delivery process to be executed here, that is, a delivery database. In the delivery database, in addition to the data used when the delivery address name 14, delivery destination code 16 and delivery destination barcode 18 are printed on the mount 12, items for delivery processing (registered number, presence / absence of delivery cancellation) And processing results) are provided.

Line control computers 32-1 and 32-
2, ..., 32-n include general-purpose printers 38-1,
38-2, ..., 38-n are connected so that various data can be printed out. In this embodiment, it is used to print out a delivery destination list.

Each delivery certificate issuance / pasting line 30-1, 30-
2, 30-n have exactly the same configuration, and in FIG. 1, only the line 30-1 is shown in a schematic block diagram. FIG. 2 schematically shows the mechanism of each part of the line 30-i.

The supply device 40 supplies the envelope 20 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) in which the mount 12 is enclosed onto the belt conveyor. The belt conveyor is controlled by the line control computer 30-i. The envelope on the belt conveyor is subsequently conveyed to the code reading device 42, the delivery certificate label issuing / pasting device 44, the front and back reading device 46, and the sorting device 48 in this order.

The code reader 42 has a delivery destination code 16 and / or a delivery destination barcode 18 visible through the window 24 and / or the window 26 of the envelope 20 supplied from the supply device 40.
Optical character reader and / or bar code
It is a reader and transfers the read result to the line control cone-computer 32-i.

The delivery certificate label issuing / pasting device 44 issues a delivery certificate label as illustrated in FIG. 6 according to the delivery certificate label issuing / pasting command from the line control computer 32-i and attaches it to the back of the envelope 10. The delivery certificate label consists of two labels 60a and 60b with the same content, while 60b
Is a copy of the post office, while 60a is the original delivery certificate that the post office keeps after receiving the recipient's receipt stamp. The labels 60a and 60b include at least the delivery recipient (receiver) address names 62a and 62b, and the postal acceptance number 64 of the mail.
a, 64b and the underwriting bar code 66a, 66b are printed.

The front and back reading device 46 is a code reading device 46a (optical character reading device or bar code reading device) for reading delivery destination information (delivery destination code 16 or delivery destination barcode 18) on the front side of an envelope to be transported. Device 44
It comprises a bar code reader 46b for reading the bar code 66a or 66b of the delivery certificate label 60a or 60b attached to the back of the envelope, and transfers the respective read results to the line control computer 32-i.

The sorting device 48 sorts the envelopes from the front and back reading device 46 into the stacker 50 for suspending shipment, the stacker 52 for failure, and the stacker 54 for delivery, respectively, according to a command from the line control computer 32-i. As will be described in detail later, the sorting device 48 uses the stacker 50 for canceling an envelope for which a shipping stop command has been issued, an envelope in which the code reading device 42 has a reading failure, an envelope in which a front and back reading device 46 has a reading failure, and an envelope Envelopes in which the delivery destination information on the table and the delivery certificate label information do not match are defective stacker 52
And other envelopes (that is, envelopes that can be shipped)
Are sorted into the delivery stacker 54.

When the designated number of envelopes is stored in the delivery stacker 54, the tag printer 56 prints out a tag indicating the number of issues according to a command from the line control computer 32-i.

The printer 38-i is used to print out the shipping customer list when the predetermined or target quantity of envelopes has been processed.

The operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. Note that the delivery certificate issuing and pasting lines 30-1, 30-2, 30-n operate in parallel, but here, the operation will be described by focusing on one line 30-1.

First, a delivery database is prepared in the server 36. Apply the customer code of the customer to be delivered to the customer database of customer management, extract the information such as the address and name of the customer to be delivered, and add the registered number information of the delivery label to be attached to each envelope. Then, a delivery database having a predetermined structure is constructed (S1). At any time before the processing on the delivery certificate issuance and pasting lines 30-1, 30-2, 30-n, the customer data of the delivery cancellation can be input to the delivery database.

The necessary information is stored in the server 36, and when the user inputs "ready" to the server 36, the server 36 notifies each of the line control computers 32-1 to 32-n. In response to this, each line control computer 3
2-1 to 32-n are the lines 30 under their control
Start -1 to 30-n.

The supply device 40 sequentially sends the set envelopes onto the belt conveyor. First, each envelope 20
The delivery destination code 16 or the delivery destination barcode 18 is used to inquire of the server 36 about the information necessary for creating the delivery certificate (S2). Specifically, the code reader 42 is
The window 24 of each envelope 20 supplied from the supply device 40 and / or
Alternatively, the delivery destination code 16 and / or the delivery destination barcode 18 visible through the window 26 is read, and the read result is transferred to the line control cornputer 32-1. However, the code reading device 42 tries a predetermined number of times when it cannot read the code that seems to be correct, and when it cannot read the code that seems to be correct, it notifies the line control computer 32-1 of a read error.

The line control computer 32-1 stores the delivery destination information having the code information received from the reading device 42 as a customer code via the network 34 in the server 3.
Call 6. When a read error signal is received from the reader 42, the line control computer 32-1
Causes the subsequent processing of the devices 44 and 46 to be omitted, and causes the envelope to be stored in the defective stacker 52 by the sorting device 48 (S2, S3).

The server 36 searches the record of the customer having the corresponding customer code by referring to the delivery database held by the server 36. If the shipping cancellation is not input, the server 36 returns the address name and registered receipt number of the customer to the line control computer 32-1 which is the inquiry source via the network 34. In response to this, the line control computer 32-1 causes the delivery certificate label issuing / pasting device 44 to issue a delivery certificate in which the corresponding delivery address name, registered mail number and barcode of the registered mail are printed (S
6), and affix it to the back of the corresponding envelope as shown in FIG. 6 (S7). The line control computer 32-1 temporarily stores the information from the server 36 (particularly, the delivery destination code, the customer name (delivery destination name) and the registered mail number as a delivery correspondence table,
It is used for collating or comparing two reading results from the front and back reading device 46.

Even if the record of the customer having the inquired customer code is in the delivery database, if the shipment cancellation is input, the server 36 sends the inquiry about the cancellation of the shipment of the envelope via the network 34 to the line which is the inquiry source. Reply to the control computer 32-1. Accordingly
The line control computer 32-1 omits the processing in the devices 44 and 46 for the envelope, and the sorting device 4
The stacker 50 for cancellation is accommodated by 8 (S4, S
5).

When the envelope with the delivery certificate label attached is supplied from the delivery certificate label issuing / attaching device 44 to the front / back reading device 46, the front / back reading device 46 sends the delivery destination information (delivery destination code 16 Or delivery destination barcode 1
8) is read by the code reading device 46a, and the delivery certificate label 60a or the barcode 66a of the delivery certificate label 60a is attached to the back of the envelope by the delivery label issuing and attaching device 44.
Alternatively, the same 66b is read by the bar code reading device 46b, and both reading results are read by the line control computer 3.
It is output to 2-1 (S8).

The line control computer 32-1 receives the two reading results from the front and back reading device 46 as the delivery destination code and the registered number of the delivery correspondence table received and stored from the server 36 for issuing the delivery certificate label. Collate (S9),
When they do not correspond to each other, the envelope is sorted by the sorting device 48.
Thus, the defective stacker 52 is made to accommodate it (S10). If the two reading results from the front and back reading device 46 correspond, the line control computer 32-1 stores the envelope in the delivery stacker 54 (S11), and the delivery destination name is sent to the printer 38-1 as the shipping customer. Supply and print.

The line control computer 32-1 deletes the record in the delivery correspondence table for which the reading result by the front and back reading device 46 has been verified. Since the delivery destination code and the registered mail number are both unique, records corresponding to only one may be deleted from the delivery correspondence table. However, if only one is applicable, a reading error by the front and back reading device 46 or no correspondence is originally provided. Since there may be a case where it is judged that it is supposed to correspond, it is preferable to put a note on such a record and save it. The records remaining after the work are printed by the printer 38-
Print output from 1.

The line control computer 32-1 counts the number of envelopes accommodated in the delivery stacker 54, and when the designated quantity is accommodated in the delivery stacker 54, causes the tag printer 56 to issue the number of issued tags.

When all the envelopes prepared in the supply device 40 have been subjected to the above processing, the work is completed and the printer 38
A page break command is applied to -1 to issue a shipping customer list. If there are records in the delivery correspondence table,
The remaining records are also printed out from the printer 38-1.

Server 36 and line control computer 32
The amount of data transferred between -1 to 32 -n is not so large, and if the number of lines 30-1 to 30-n is relatively small, for example, Ethernet (trademark) is sufficient as the network 34. Is available for. The network 34 is usually constructed as a local area network, but part or all of it may be a wide area network.

In this way, the cancel stacker 50 accommodates the envelopes for which the dispatch cancellation instruction has been issued. The defective stacker 52 accommodates an envelope in which a reading error has occurred in the reading devices 42 and 46, and an envelope in which the delivery destination information read by the front and back reading device 46 does not correspond to the delivery certificate label information. The remaining envelopes, that is, the envelopes that can be shipped, are stored in the delivery stacker 54.

A plurality of delivery certificate issuing and pasting lines do not have to be in the same factory, and some delivery certificate issuing and pasting lines may be installed in separate factories. If the delivery database constructed in the server 36 is transferred to each factory, the labor of data transfer can be saved, but there is an advantage that a shipping stop command can be input until just before the delivery processing.

In this embodiment, each delivery certificate issuance and sticking line 3
0-1 to 30-n are line control computers 32-1
Since the management control is performed by the 32-n, even if an abnormality occurs in some of the delivery certificate issuing and pasting lines 30-1 to 30-n, for example, it can be immediately covered by the other lines. By installing software capable of managing the delivery database of the server 36 in the line control computers 32-1 to 32-n, even if a failure occurs in the server 36 or the network 34, for example, each delivery certificate issuing / pasting line 30- 1-3
0-n can be operated alone. That is, an abnormal situation such as a failure or a failure can be easily dealt with, and the system will not easily go down.

Depending on the processing capacity of the server 36 and the number of available input / output ports, the line control computer 32-
1 to 32-n are input / output devices that simply input / output information read by the reading devices 42 and 46, information to the delivery certificate label issuing / pasting device 44, control information of the sorting device 48, and the like to one integrated control computer. However, in such a centralized control system, the failure of one line or the failure of the integrated control computer leads to the stoppage of all the lines, resulting in failure or abnormal weakness as a whole.

When the registered number is directly or indirectly printed on the envelope 20, the code reading device 42 is provided with a means for reading it, and the line control computer 32-
i supplies the read registered mail number to the delivery certificate label issuing / pasting device 44 to print the registered mail number on the delivery certificate label as an underwriting number, and also transfers the registered mail number to the server 36 to be stored in the delivery database. , Link with the delivery destination and store. As a result, the correspondence between the registered number and the delivery destination is automatically entered. In this case, it is obvious that it is not necessary to previously input the correspondence between the registered number and the delivery destination in the delivery database.

In the above embodiment, the code reader 42 is used.
Reads the delivery destination code 16 or the delivery destination barcode 18, but when the information that associates the delivery receipt underwriting number with the delivery destination has already been converted into data, the delivery undertaking number is printed directly or indirectly on the delivery. Or when it is filled in,
The code reading device 42 may read the acceptance number, know the delivery destination information by inquiry to the server 36, and cause the device 44 to issue and attach a delivery certificate label on which the delivery address name and acceptance number are printed. .

Although the registered mail has been described as an example, it is obvious that the present invention can be applied to a delivery service for parcels and the like by a private carrier and a logistics service within a company or a group of companies.

[0043]

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, a plurality of independently operable lines are provided, so that the delivery destination processing capacity can be easily expanded according to demand. Even if a part of the line has a failure, the other lines can be operated without any trouble, so that the line is resistant to the failure and the operating rate as a whole can always be kept high.

Further, according to the present invention, after the delivery slip is attached, the identification information of the delivered product is collated with the identification information of the delivery slip,
Since the non-conforming ones are automatically excluded, it is possible to prevent accidents where the wrong delivery slip is attached and the product is delivered.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a schematic structure of a delivery certificate issuing and pasting line.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a credit card and a mount for delivery.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the front side of the envelope.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the back side of the envelope.

FIG. 6 is an example of attaching a delivery certificate label.

FIG. 7 is an operation flowchart of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Credit card 12: Mount 14: Delivery address and name 16: Delivery code 18: Delivery barcode 20: Envelope 22, 24, 26: Transparent window 30-1, 30-2, ... 30-n: Delivery certificate issuance and pasting line 32-1, 32-2, ..., 32-n: Line control computer 34: Computer network 36: Server 38-1, 38-2, ..., 38- n: printer 40: supply device 42: code reading device 44: delivery label issuing and pasting device 46: front and back reading device 46a: code reading device 46b: bar code reading device 48: sorting device 50: dispatch canceling stacker 52: defective product Stacker 54: Delivery stacker 56: Tag printer 60a, 60b: Delivery label 62a, 62b: Address of delivery destination (recipient) 64a, 64b: postal underwriting number 66a, 66b: bar code of underwriting number

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A delivery information issuing and pasting line for pasting a delivery voucher on a delivery, a plurality of line control means for managing and controlling at least one of the plurality of delivery voucher issuing and pasting lines, and information about delivery. Then, in accordance with an inquiry from each of the plurality of line control means, a delivery information management means for returning information necessary for issuing the delivery slip to the line control means of the inquiry source. Voting and pasting system. 2. The delivery slip issuing and pasting line issues a delivery slip based on information from the first code reading means for reading at least one delivery goods identification code of the delivery goods and the line control means, and the delivery goods concerned. And a second code reading means for reading the delivery item identification code of the delivery item and the identification code of the delivery sheet attached to the same delivery item, and a container for suspending delivery of the delivery item. And a sorting means for sorting into one of a defective container and a delivery container, and the line control means indicates the reading result of the first code reading means to the delivery information management means. The delivery slip issuing and pasting system according to claim 1, which inquires information necessary for issuing the slip. 3. The delivery slip issuing and pasting system according to claim 2, wherein the delivery identification code is a delivery underwriting code. 4. The delivery slip issuing and pasting system according to claim 2, wherein the delivery product identification code is a delivery destination code indicating a delivery destination of the delivery product. 5. The line control means, when the two identification codes read by the second code reading means do not correspond to each other, instructs the sorting means to store the delivered product in the defective container. Any one of claims 2 to 4
The delivery slip issuing and pasting system described in paragraph. 6. The delivery information management means comprises means for storing a delivery stop command from an operator for each delivery item, and for the delivery item concerned in response to an inquiry from any of the line control means. A dispatch stop command is output to the inquiring line control means, and the line control means that has received the dispatch stop command instructs the sorting means to store the corresponding delivery in the dispatch cancel container. The delivery slip issuing and pasting system according to any one of 2 to 5. 7. The delivery information management means is a server,
The delivery slip issuing and pasting system according to claim 1, wherein the line control means is a line control computer that accesses the server via a network. 8. The delivery slip issuing and pasting line issues a delivery slip based on information from the first code reading means for reading at least one delivery product identification code of the delivery product and the line control computer, and the delivery. A delivery slip issuing and pasting means to be attached to an item, a second code reading means for reading the delivery item identification code of the delivery item and the identification code of the delivery item to be attached to the same delivery item, and the delivery item accommodation for suspending delivery The delivery slip issuing and pasting system according to claim 7, further comprising: a sorting unit that sorts into a body, a defective storage body, and a delivery storage body. 9. The line control computer transfers the delivered product identification code information read by the code reading means to the server, and the server receives the delivery address name information specified by the received identification code information. To
The delivery slip issuing and pasting system according to claim 8, which responds to the line control computer of the inquiry source. 10. The delivery slip issuing and pasting system according to claim 9, wherein the delivery identification code is a delivery underwriting code. 11. The delivery item identification code is a delivery destination code indicating a delivery destination of the delivery item, and the server uses the identification information for identifying the delivery item as the inquiry source in addition to the address and name information of the delivery destination. 10. The delivery note issuing and pasting system according to claim 9, which is transferred to the line control computer, and the line control computer supplies the delivery note issuing and pasting means with the identification information for identifying the delivery received from the server as a delivery acceptance number. 12. The line control computer instructs the sorting means when the two identification codes read by the second code reading means do not correspond to each other,
8. The delivered product is stored in a defective container.
The delivery slip issuing and pasting system according to any one of 1. 13. The server comprises means for storing a dispatch stop command from an operator for each delivery, and in response to an inquiry from any of the line control computers, the server is an inquiry source for the delivery. The line control computer that outputs the dispatch cancellation command to the line control computer and receives the dispatch cancellation command,
The delivery slip issuing and pasting system according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the sorting means is instructed to store a corresponding delivery item in the shipping cancellation container.