JPS645352B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved multi-station shipment inserter with postage classification and insert article selection functions.

(Prior art) As a multi-station type shipment insertion device, US Pat. No. 2,325,455 and US Pat. No. 3,260,517
There is a device related to No.

In the inserters of these patents, a master control document is withdrawn from a master control document station and placed on an insertion track equipped with suitable conveyance means for moving the master control document past a plurality of insertion stations. I can ride it.

As the master control document is moved by the truck, additional inserts from each insertion station are stacked on the master control document, and the master control document and the additional inserts are inserted into the mailing envelope by known means.

On the other hand, patent no. 3260517 aims to improve on patent no. 2325455 and relates to a device for taking a signal from a special master control document and using this signal to continue and select from only selected insertion stations. This is to control the insertion of articles.

However, once the master control document and additional inserts are inserted into a mailing envelope, the postage to be applied to the envelope must be determined.

However, conventional types of inserters are used in environments where it is extremely difficult to accurately determine the postage cost for each mailing envelope.

For example, in the telephone and credit card industries, mailing envelopes are mailed to customers each month and the envelopes include items such as statements, information and advertising documents. Regarding information documents, the sender almost always sends the relevant documents to all customers.

On the other hand, a large number of special inclusions are sent to selected (or targeted) customers according to the sender's evaluation of each customer. As a result, the weight of envelopes varies significantly from customer to customer depending on the number of statements, large amounts of information, and advertising documents contained within the envelopes, making it time-consuming to calculate envelope weights and reducing postage costs due to efficiency. It is difficult to make accurate decisions.

Additionally, when a sender sends related documents to a customer, financial statements and, in some cases, information regarding general and special profits are high-priority "required items" that should be included in the customer's envelope. On the other hand, advertising documents are less important and may not need to be sent if their inclusion increases the weight of the envelope and requires additional postage.

However, in the conventional insertion machine of the above type,
Since there is no function to select and adjust the inserts in the envelope in relation to the postage rate, the weight of the envelope is often close to the lower limit of the allowable weight range for the given postage rate, which is extremely uneconomical. It will be sent by mail.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem in the conventional multi-station type delivery inserting device, namely, the weight of each envelope fluctuates significantly as the number of inserts changes. In some cases, the time it takes to calculate envelope weight makes it difficult to efficiently and accurately determine postage rates, and the weight of envelopes to be mailed is always at the upper end of the allowable weight range for a given postage rate. This paper aims to solve problems such as the inability to adjust the inserted item into the envelope so that it has a weight close to that of the envelope, making economical mailing impossible. Quickly and accurately determine the total weight of a given insert as well as the postage classification for it, and automatically calculate other The object of the present invention is to provide a shipping item insertion device that allows substantial economic savings in postage costs by additionally inserting arbitrary insertion items (for example, advertising documents, etc.).

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention is of the type in which an insertion track moves a group of articles through different ones of a plurality of insertion stations, each of the plurality of insertion stations having at least one main control station. an insertion station for feeding articles onto the track; and an insertion station for selectively feeding articles into a group of articles on the track including the master control article according to indicia on the master control article; means for reading said indicia; and at least one of said insertion stations is configured to ensure that an article is dispensed if said indicia takes that indication; an input means for specifying whether it is a required insertion station where the article is not to be supplied, or any insertion station where the article is conditionally supplied; means for determining a more specific insertion station for supplying the article into a group of articles; storage means for storing the weight and control program for each article of the article held in each insertion station; storage in the storage means; means for calculating the total weight of said predetermined group of articles fed from said predetermined insertion station using values indicating the per-item weight of the articles held in said predetermined insertion station; means for determining a postage classification for said group of articles using the calculated total weight of said group of articles; The basic structure of the invention is a means for determining whether or not the desired article group can be supplied without changing the article.

(Summary of the basic configuration of the invention) FIG. 9 is an overall configuration diagram for clearly showing the basic configuration of the present invention.

In FIG. 9, 31 to 39 are a plurality of insertion stations, 31 is an insertion station for feeding the main control article 46 having an indicator 50 onto the insertion track 20, and 32 to 36 are an insertion station according to the indication of the indicator 50. The required insertion stations 37-39 are optional insertion stations that conditionally supply the articles to be held. Billing statements, information documents, advertising documents, etc. to be inserted into envelopes are held in each of the insertion stations 31 to 39, respectively.

Further, A is a reading means for the index 50 on the main control article 46, and is a phototube reading means 52 and a phototube reading/decoding circuit 54 in FIG.
The information on the index 50 is input to the data processor 102.

Further, B can select a plurality of insertion stations from the required insertion station (if indicator 50 indicates,
This is an input means for classifying and specifying an insertion station (insertion station that must always supply an insertion article to be held) and an arbitrary insertion station (insertion station that supplies an insertion article to be held with a condition). Keyboard with display 1 in Figure 1
10 and an encoder 112.

102 is a data processor (computer)
As shown in FIG. 3, it is composed of a microprocessor 102, ROM 128, RAM 124, I/O ports 134, 136, etc.

The weight and control program for each article held in each of the insertion stations 31 to 39 are stored in the storage means D consisting of the RAM 124 and ROM 128.

In the present invention, the data processor 1
02, according to the content of the indicia 50 on the master control article 46, determining the predetermined insertion station at which the article to be held is to be fed onto the insertion track (the predetermined insertion station to be operated according to the indicia); determining means C), calculating the total weight of the group of articles fed from a predetermined insertion station (total weight calculating means E), determining the postage classification from the calculated total weight of the group of articles ( means F) for determining the postage class, determining whether further articles can be supplied additionally from any insertion station without increasing the postage beyond said postage class; Function realizing means such as means G) for determining whether or not the station can be operated are configured.

Among the function realizing means achieved by the data processor 102, the means C for determining the insertion station to be operated according to the instruction of the index 50, the means E for calculating the total weight, and the determining means for determining the postage type. Means F is described in section 4A in the explanation sections such as (calculation mode) and (routine USM), which will be described later.
This will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 4C and 8.

(Function) Keyboard with display 11 constituting input means B
0, each insertion station 3
The weight of each inserted article held in numbers 1 to 39 is stored in the storage means D of the data processor 102.

Furthermore, by operating the keyboard with display 110 constituting the input means B, the operating mode of the object insertion device can be set and each of the insertion stations 32 to 39 can be set as the required insertion station or the arbitrary insertion station. The distribution is specified.

Incidentally, among the insertion articles held in the first insertion station among the insertion stations 31 to 39, a main control article 46 (main control document) provided with an indicator 50 is included, When the "SEL" key on the keyboard 110 is operated to set the operation mode of the item insertion device to the selection mode, the insertion items are fed in accordance with the designation of the indicator 50.

Further, when the operation mode is set to the simple mode by operating the "on" key on the keyboard 110, the inserted article is fed from a predetermined insertion station regardless of the content of the indicator 50.

When the delivery insertion device is activated in the selection mode, the insertion trucks 20, 22 are first activated and one or more customer inserts are fed from the first insertion station 31 onto the conveyor. The first inserted article (such as a billing statement, for example) fed from this first insertion station serves as the main control article and is provided with an indicator 50 on it, which allows downstream It is indicated which predetermined insertion stations have the appropriate insert for that customer. All that is required is to feed a given insert into a set of articles for that customer from one of the selected downstream given insertion stations, and to calculate the total weight of the given insert and the customer's envelope. The postage classification is determined.

When the content of the indicator on the main control article is read by the indicator reading means A, the data processor 102 determines a predetermined insertion station to be activated from the content of the read indicator.

The insertion track 20, on the other hand, sequentially moves the insertion articles through the insertion stations 31-39 during each machine cycle, during which time the articles on the track are moved from the desired insertion station holding the insertion article indicated by the index. The required insert articles are supplied into the group.

On the other hand, the data processor 102 uses its calculating means E to calculate the planned total weight of the predetermined inserted article and the customer's envelope, and uses its postage classification determining means F to calculate the calculated total weight. Determine the range of postage classification for the planned total weight.

When the postage classification range is determined, the data processor 102 operates the optional insertion station within the determined postage range using the optional insertion station operation determination means. Determine whether further optional insertion items (such as third party advertisements) can be added into the collection of items.

Now, if it is determined that the optional insertion items cannot be added, the group of items is enclosed in the postal envelope as is, and then processing such as postage payment is performed.

Furthermore, if it is possible to add optional insertion items without changing the postage rate, and the index 50 allows the addition, the data processor 102
determines the optional insertion station to be activated by the optional insertion station determining means to be activated. Then, the optional insertion article is supplied from the selected optional insertion station into the group of required insertion articles, and then both are enclosed together in a postal envelope.

As noted above, third-party advertising, etc. may be sent to one or more downstream locations only if the primary control article permits and the additional weight created by supplying the advertising does not increase postage costs for the customer's stuffed envelopes. from the optional insertion station. The number of third party advertisements sent from the optional insertion station is counted and, upon display of the count, the sender sends a bill for the number of advertisements mailed to each third party.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a general block diagram of a shipment insertion device according to the present invention, showing two parallel feeding tracks or conveyors 20 and 22. As shown in FIG. It runs parallel to each other in the direction of arrows 24, 26, and said first conveyor 20 has nine insertion stations 31, 3
2, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39
move through. Conveyor 2 in the example
0 and 22 are intermittently driven by a chain and sprocket mechanism to move generally in the directions shown by arrows 24 and 26. That is, during successive machine cycles, the group of inserted articles (documents, etc.) on the conveyor 20 moves to the left, so that in machine cycle MC2 the inserted articles are adjacent to station 32, in machine cycle MC3 they are adjacent to station 33, and so on. It will be the same.

An envelope station 42 is located upstream of the conveyor 22 and discharges envelopes from a hopper of the station 42 onto the conveyor 22. conveyor 22
is moved intermittently, and the envelope station 42 is operated in synchronization with the conveyor 20. If a given customer's master control article 46 is placed on conveyor 20 at position MC0, the envelope for that customer will be placed on conveyor 22 when the insert group comes to position MC8 on conveyor 20.

The envelope for the customer is machine cycled AC9.
At this point, the envelope is opened by the flap opening station indicated by arrow 43. The customer inserts descend from the conveyor 20 at the MC 10, stacked on top of each other, and stuffed into open envelopes (arrow 44) at a stuffing station. The envelope flap opening station 43 and the envelope stuffing station are well known and will not be specifically described in detail here, but can be understood by those skilled in the art, particularly as described in the aforementioned William patent (U.S. Pat. No. 2,325,455). ) can be easily understood.

The first insertion station 31 loads one or more insertion articles (documents, etc.) onto the conveyor 2 for each machine cycle.
It consists of a high-speed feeder that feeds the feeder onto the ground. A counter phototube 47 located adjacent to the first insertion station 31 counts the number of articles fed into each machine cycle from the high speed feeder. All inserts delivered from the first station 31 during a given machine cycle are individually associated with a customer; in the illustrated embodiment, the inserts from the first station 31 are associated with a customer's payment or expense statement. This is a sheet containing. In operation in the selection mode, an insertion station 31 is inserted for each customer.
The first insertion article sent from the insertion station 31 acts as a main control article that controls to some extent the operation of each downstream insertion station, which will be described later. The article does not control the operation of the downstream insertion station. Reference numeral 46 in FIG. 1 indicates the main control article that is being fed out of the first insertion station 31 and placed onto the conveyor 20 in machine cycle MC0.

In said selection mode, the main control article 46 has an indicia 50 containing symbols for control and counting which can be read out in a conventional manner by means of phototube readout means 52 located close to the station 31. Consists of. The phototube reading means 52 includes:
It is electrically connected to a phototube readout/decoding circuit 54 by a connector 52a. Also, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the phototube readout means 52 is operable by the circuitry 54 and acts as a conventional reflective readout system, particularly for reading bar codes. Counter phototube 47 is connected to circuit 54 by connector 47a. This circuit 54 translates the index 50 and the number of inserted articles counted by the phototube 47, and further displays and transfers the translated data as appropriate via the data bus of the data processing means 102.

An indicator 50 on the master control article 46 indicates, in the selection mode, from which insertion station the insert article is to be fed during the corresponding machine cycle (i.e., if the indicator 50
If 0 allows, the appropriate insert is machine cycle
from the second insertion station 32 during MC2 to the third insertion station 33 during machine cycle MC3.
(The following are selectively supplied in the same manner.) Also, in the simplified mode of operation, each insertion station can be configured so that one insert is automatically delivered from each insertion station to each customer.

Each of the insertion stations 32-39 includes suitable gripping means (not shown) for removing one or more insertion articles associated with a given customer from the bottom of the stack of documents in the hopper of the insertion station during the corresponding machine cycle. We are prepared. That is, each of the insertion stations 32 to 39 has a hopper for storing documents, etc., a gripping claw for grasping the inserted article from the hopper,
It is composed of an arm that supports the gripping claw, a drive device that operates the arm, and the like.

The insertion station and its constituent members (for example, means for taking out the inserted article from the hopper) are
One example is disclosed in detail in US Pat. No. 2,325,455 (discussed by way of example) and is well known to those skilled in the art. Of course, any other type of means may be used to remove the inserted article from the insertion station and place it on the conveyor 20.

The second insertion station 32 includes means for feeding one or more insert articles into a group of articles including a master control article 46 when the master control article 46 is positioned on the conveyor 20 shown at MC2. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the supply means of the second insertion station 32 supplies a card, such as a computer punch card, which the customer returns with payment of the bill. It should be noted that the insertion stations 31 and 32 are separated by a distance corresponding to a machine cycle MC1.

In the embodiment of FIG.
3, 34, and 35 hold general interest and/or special interest information inserts that the sender may wish to selectively include in the envelope containing the customer's bill. For example, insertion station 33 may hold inserts to be sent only to customers whose payments are past due, and insertion station 34 may hold inserts that report future additional services provided by the sender. The insertion station 35 can hold insertion articles targeted at geriatric customers, for example. In the select mode of operation, an indicia 50 on the customer's master control article 46 indicates whether an insert article is to be dispensed for the customer from one or more of the insert stations 33, 34, 35. That is, the indicator 50 of the master control article 46 requires that insert articles from these selected stations be included along with the customer's bill (supplied from station 31) and the customer's payment card (supplied from station 32). be done. As described below, the total weight of the envelope, bill, payment card, or other predetermined insert is then calculated to determine the postage classification range when enclosed in the customer's envelope.

In the above example, the sender does not utilize the insertion stations 36, 37, 38, 39.
The sender may place, for example, two third party advertising inserts into stations 36 and 37 without leaving these insert stations idle. for example,
At station 36, the sender inserts an insert for the magazine publisher, and at station 37,
Advertising inserts for record players, clubs, and promoters may also be included.

Sender will, if and only if any advertising inserts do not result in additional postage for the pre-planned postage category (postage range), , advertising insert, or both. That is, if the customer's primary control item 4
6 allows the inclusion of third party advertising inserts for insertion stations 36 and 37, and the advertising inserts from insertion stations 36 and/or 37 reduce the weight of the envelope to a postage rate of If the classification is not reached, one or more advertising inserts will be contained within the customer's stuff envelope. The sender determines the quantity of advertising inserts to be inserted for each third party and charges their respective fees therefor. This determination can be easily made by a counter operated in conjunction with each of the optional insertion stations, and in the illustrated embodiment, optional insertion station 36 is an interlocking digital counter, as shown in FIG. It is equipped with a counter 55 and a one-shot multi-vibrator 56. Similarly, optional insertion station 37 includes an interlocking digital counter 57 and a one-shot multivibrator 58.

The entire downstream portion 60 of the conveyor 22 is indicated by the arrow 6
1 (substantially parallel to the direction of arrow 26). Although not specifically shown in FIG. 1, it should be understood that a number of other stations may be located adjacent conveyor 22 and upstream of section 60, according to different embodiments. For example, a sealing station (where a selectively operable sealing actuator seals the envelope) or one or more vertical accumulation stations (which grip a group of articles, including an errant article, and A stacking station (such as a stacking station of the type consisting of stacking fingers holding the stacking device above the conveyor 22) is provided as an intermediate station.

A downstream portion 60 of the conveyor 22 is provided with a flow diversion means 62 selectively actuated by a solenoid actuator 68 . The diverting means 62 shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 includes a finger that grasps the inserted article on the conveyor, a support arm that supports and moves the finger, and an inserted article that is grasped by the finger and lifted upward. It consists of a vertical hopper (not shown), a drive mechanism such as a support arm, and a solenoid actuator 68 that controls the operation of the drive mechanism, and is widely known as a so-called vertical stacker. . The flow diverting means 62 are well known to those skilled in the art and reference is made herein to those illustrated in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,828 (Sather et al.). However, in other embodiments, other types of diverting means are used, for example in one embodiment, diverting means 62 comprises a diverting gate, which, when actuated, crosses the moving envelope. The object is deflected onto a conveyor in the same direction.
In the illustrated example, stuffed envelopes weighing more than 2.00 ounces (56.7 grams) are classified as "overweight" and are deflected by the diverter means 62.

The first postage meter 84 is connected to the conveyor downstream section 6
The conveyor downstream section 60 is provided adjacent the conveyor downstream section 60 for selectively charging appropriate postage to some of the stuffed envelopes traveling there.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first postage meter 84 is preset to charge reasonable postage for stuffed envelopes weighing between 1.00 ounces (28.35 grams) and 1.99 ounces (56.42 grams). ing. Additionally, the first postage meter 84 is actuated by a solenoid 85, and the first postage meter 84 is actuated by a solenoid 85,
Charge postage on stuffed envelopes that pass through.

A second postage meter 88 is provided adjacent the conveyor downstream section 60 and is substantially in-line and located downstream of the first postage meter 84 . This second postage meter 88 charges the appropriate postage to other stuffed envelopes traveling on the downstream conveyor section 60. In the illustrated embodiment,
Second postage meter 88 ranges from 0.00 oz to 0.99 oz.
It is preset to charge postage for stuffed envelopes with weights within the ounce (28.07 grams) range. Said second postage meter 88 is actuated by a solenoid 89 to charge postage on stuffed envelopes traveling down the conveyor downstream section 60 adjacent to the meter 88 .

As described above, in the illustrated mode of FIG. 1, three weight classifications are set. There are three weight classifications: overweight (2.00 oz or more), high weight range (1.00 oz to 1.99 oz), and low weight range (0.00 oz to 0.99 oz). Additionally, processing such as postal code classification is performed at a station, not shown, for example upstream from the downstream section 60 of the conveyor.

Further shown in FIG. 1 is a keyboard with display 110 connected to an encoder 112 via a 4-bit two-way data bus 114;
Encoder 112 is a 4-bit two-way data bus 1
16 to the data processor 102.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the insertion device including the data processor 102, which includes a microprocessor 120 and a microprocessor 120 for timing purposes. clock 122 and four RAM chips 124A, 124 used by
B, 124C, 124D, and four ROM chips 128A, 128B, 128C, 128D, etc. The 4-bit two-way data bus 129 is
Each data pin of the microprocessor 120
It connects to the data pin of RAM 124 and the data pin of each ROM 128. The RAM bank selection signal lines and the RAM bank selection signal lines are not specifically illustrated as their use will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Line 130 carries a synchronization signal generated by microprocessor 120.
Send to RAM chip 124 and ROM chip 128,
Line 132 also carries a clock signal in a conventional manner. I/O chips 134 and 136 are connected to microprocessor chip 120 via data bus 129, and I/O chip 1
34 is bus 116 and data available line 138
It is connected to the encoder 112 via.

I/O chip 136 connects photoelectric readout and decoding circuitry 54 (via bus 100 and data enable line 139) and solenoids and actuators 68, 85, and 89 (via line 68, respectively).
a, 85a, 89a) and the counter 55
(Line 56a, one shot 56, line 55
a) and counter 57 (through line 58a,
via one shot 58 and line 57a).

In the illustrated embodiment, data processor 10
Microprocessor 2 120 is a single-chip, 4-bit parallel MOS central processor.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the keyboard with display 110 comprises a display console or panel 140 comprising a keyboard 142, an "ounce" display 144, and a thumb dial 148. The switch in the on position adjacent display panel 140 is an ounce setting mode switch 150, which is manually actuated to accomplish the purpose described below.

The ounce display 144 includes a 1/100 digit display device 154 (segment LED display device) and a 1/10 digit display device 156 (segment LED display device).
It has

The thumb dial 148 is conventional and has numbers 0 through 9 marked on its outer circumferential rim. The selected knob setting is indicated by a sorter mark 162 on panel 140.

The keyboard 142 consists of four rows of keys 170, each row having four keys, i.e., the top row of keys is for "on", "off",
"SEL (selection)" and "PGM (program key)"
, and the “off” and “SEL” keys are “0”
It is also used as a key for the numbers ``1'' and ``1''.
The second row of the keyboard 142 has four numbers “2”;
These are keys for "3", "4", and "5", respectively, and the third row of the keyboard 142 has the numbers "6",
There are four keys for “7”, “8”, and “9”,
The fourth or lowest column of the keyboard 142 is
Contains a key labeled "E". These keys are
Label correctly in the format you wrote, and each key has an appropriate indicator above it. Each key 170
has a transparent central portion 172 that fits over a light source, such as an LED, that is associated with a key.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment for use in operating a multiple insertion station counter. The circuit of FIG.
However, the insertion station 3 shown in the embodiment of FIG.
6 and 37, it is effectively used when the one-shot multivibrator of an arbitrary insertion station cannot be driven. In FIG. 6, line 56a from I/O chip 136
is connected to a one-shot multivibrator 180 (such as one-shots 56 and 58 in FIG. 3) which is a 50 microsecond one-shot;
The output terminal of the one shot 180 is connected to a first input terminal of a solid state relay (SSR chip) 182. The second terminal of the solid state relay 182 is
+15 volts, while its second terminal is grounded, and its output terminal is connected by bus 184 to first terminals of a plurality of counters 186.
Also in FIG. 6, counter ₁₈₆₁ is associated with the first optional insertion station;
6 ₂ is interlocked with the second optional insertion station,
The same applies below. The second terminal of each counter 186 is connected to the output terminal of a corresponding solid state relay 188. Each counter 186 also has its first
The terminal is grounded, but is of the type that increases digitally whenever a true signal is applied to the second terminal.

Each group relay 188 has a first terminal connected to I/O chip 136 by line 190 and a +15
A second terminal connected to the volt, a third terminal connected to +24 volt, and the interlocking counter 18 as described above.
It has a fourth terminal connected to 6. Further, the fourth terminal of each group relay 188 is connected to the second terminal of a vacuum solenoid 192, and the first terminal of each solenoid 192 is grounded. Each solenoid 192 is activated when a true signal is applied to its second terminal (which causes the inserted article to
From the hopper of the insertion station to the conveyor 2
0).

(Operation Description) Examples of various operations of the insertion device of the present invention will be described. Activation of the selection mode, which will be described below, is achieved by indicia 50 of the main control article 46 from the first insertion station 31.
, which determines the insertion stations to be fed with inserts and the quantity of inserts to be fed from each.

On the other hand, the simple mode of operation is an operation mode in which the insertion station automatically supplies the inserted article without being influenced by the reading parameters from the indicator 50, and will become clear from the description below.

The data processing means 102 executes a number of special routines related to the overall operation of the insertion device as a whole, and most of these routines are executed by a main routine including the main routine SYS. These long and complex main routines oversee the execution of specialized routines, many of which are relatively independent rather than interdependent.
In this regard, most of the special routines called by the main routine concern the operation and timing of the means used to extract the inserted articles at each insertion station located along the conveyor, as shown in one example. However, it relates to processing means which do not form part of the present invention. For this reason, only the special routines that are relevant to the construction of the present invention will be described here. It should be noted that the relationship between the relevant special routine and the valid main routine SYS can be fully explained without explaining all the incidental aspects of the main routine.

FIG. 7 illustrates how main routine SYS directs the processing of various special routines that data processor 102 finds suitable for the present invention. The special routines shown in FIG. 7 are included in intermediate processing means between starting and stopping the insertion device. Due to the vertical arrangement of the three-dot dotted lines between the routine blocks in FIG. 7, the special routines do not necessarily have to be executed one after the other, and calls to other special routines that do not fall under the present invention may be interspersed one after another. .

Figure 7 shows that the program mode is routine OZM.
This routine
OZM is invoked when the PGM key on the keyboard 142 is struck (PGM lamp on) and the ounce setting mode switch 150 is turned on, and allows the operator to input the weight data of each inserted article at the selected insertion station. , data processor 10
2 is stored in the storage device (storage means D), and displayed on the panel 140. This routine OZM is performed when the ON setting mode switch 150 is operated, the setting mode is terminated (that is, the switch 150 is turned off), and the keyboard 14 is
It is called repeatedly until PGM key 2 is pressed (PGM lamp goes off).

Sometimes, after the final call to routine OZM,
A call is made to a specific routine TOZ.
This routine TOZ transfers a value at the address of one memory location to another memory location.

If the PGM key on the keyboard 142 is pressed again without pressing the ON setting mode switch 150 (so the PGM lamp is lit), a call to routine KYB is made. routine
In KYB, the operator inputs the insertion stations 32 to 39 and the envelope station 4 using the keyboard 142.
Enable to manually enter the required status for 2. That is, for all insertion stations, the operator can choose whether the insertion station automatically delivers inserts regardless of the index marks, whether the insertion station delivers inserts according to the index marks, or whether the insertion station delivers inserts automatically regardless of the index marks, or whether the insertion station It can be specified whether or not the insertion station will be turned off so that no inserts are dispensed under the conditions.

Execution of the program mode routine is completed and the inserted article is placed at the insertion stations 31-39.
When the insertion track 20 is correctly positioned inside the
Processing begins. The main routine SYS calls routine OZC, the ounce calculation routine for each customer, after the index 50 of the customer's main control article 46 has been read. routine
OZC works with many other related routines to calculate the planned weight of a customer's stuff envelope and determine how the stuff envelope should be treated in relation to postage. Regarding the latter, the routine OZC cooperates with the routine OZS to determine whether the stuffed envelope is overweight (which causes it to be deflected from the conveyor downstream section 60 by the diverter means 62) but is within the high weight postage range (which causes it to be deflected from the conveyor downstream section 60 by the diverter means 62). postage is charged by meter 84) or
Alternatively, a flag in the storage device is set depending on whether the postage is within the low weight postage range (to which postage is charged by meter 88).

(Program Mode) When an operator operates the insertion device to process a document, such as a telephone bill, in the manner described above,
Each insertion station 3 to the data processor 102
1, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and envelope station 42 must be provided with weight related information for each document. As mentioned later,
The information is stored by data processor 102 in conjunction with routine OZC and related routines on each envelope (including associated contents) moving on conveyor 20.
At any insertion station 3 to calculate the weight of the envelope without increasing the postage cost of the envelope.
6, 37, the envelope is suitably diverted in the diverting means 62, or
Each is required to timeably operate either the first postage meter 84 or the second postage meter 88.

As described below, the weight of each required document in each insertion station is entered using routine OZM, which is called by main routine SYS. Before beginning the configuration procedure and thereby initiating a call to routine OZM, the operator must first turn the on mode setting switch 150 to the "on" position shown in FIG.
Operate in position. Turn on the switch 150
If you put it in place, one of the two criteria is routine.
A flag is set at the address OZMDE, which is checked by SYS to determine whether it matches the call to OZM. Note that the operator must depress the PGM key on keyboard 142, and once said switch 150 and the PGM key are actuated, routine SYS enters a closed loop that repeatedly calls routine OZM until both of the following steps occur: essentially remains within. That is, switch 150 is moved to the "off" position,
The PGM key is pressed down again.

(Routine OZM) The procedures affected by the routine OZM are shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, and are referred to herein as "setting mode." This configuration mode is a subset of the program mode shown in FIG.
Proceed to instructions. The first step 202 performed by routine OZM is a check to determine whether flag OZMDLT has been set. If flag OZMDLT was not previously set, flag OZMDLT is set (step
204), a call is made to the utility routine ULP (step 206). routine
The ULP clears all lights associated with keys 170 on keyboard 142, since some keys may have been previously lit. routine
Once the ULP returns, the next instruction to be executed is
It is located at memory location OZMPT1, represented by symbol 208. If it is determined in step 202 that the flag OZMDLT has already been set, a jump is made to the instruction at memory location OZMPT1 (symbol 208). Memory location OZMPT1 (208)
A call is made using routine UCF (step 210). Routine UCF memory location
Essentially we prepare a mask that operates on the value of PGMKLP, which causes the lamp to blink in conjunction with the PGM key. A call to routine UCF activates a counter that determines the configuration of the mask.

In step 212, bit PGMKLP (PGM
(indicating the status of the lamp for the key) is injected and masked by the mask returned from routine UCF. Upon return from routine UCF, the mask either leaves said bit PGMKLP alone (thus the lamp remains intact) or leaves said bit PGMKLP alone, depending on its configuration (the contents of the counter maintained by routine UCF).
Change PGMKLP (set to zero so the lamp turns off). With repeated calls to routine OZM and related calls to routine UCF, the UCF counter value changes,
Changing the selected number of repeat calls changes the mask to essentially flip-flop the value of bit PGMKLP. The value of bit PGMKLP is the output address for keyboard 142.
The flip-flop nature of the bits provided to KBLMPC and the contents of bit PGMKLP causes the PGM key lamp to blink.

During each execution of routine OZM, the routine
A call is made to OZMTWL as shown in step 214. By executing routine OZMTWL, the selected value of knob 148 is stored in the memory location.
Input from THUMBU. In step 216, after returning from routine OZMTWL, the value selected by the knob (hereinafter referred to as TWL) is set to the address
Stored in OZTWCT.

Once the value TWL of knob 148 to be set is determined, a call is made to determine whether the selected value of TWL is valid (step 220). That is,
A check is made to determine whether this selected value is within an acceptable range. Allowable values are set numbers 0, 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. These allowable settings apply to each insertion station (stations 42, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 3) shown in Figure 1.
6, 37, 38 and 39).
For example, TWL=0 corresponds to the envelope station 42, TWL=1 to the first insertion station (high speed feeder) 31, TWL=2 to the second insertion station 32, and so on.

If the value of TWL is determined to be inappropriate, a call is made to routine OZMSCE (step 222). The routine OZMSEC essentially prepares the value "00" to be displayed on the ounce display 144 of the panel 140;
OZMSCE calls routine ROD.

When returning from routine OZMSCE, routine OZMSCD is called in step 224, thereby pressing key 1 on keyboard 142.
Clear the lamp linked to 70. Upon return from subroutine OZMSCD, processing continues from routine OZM to routine 226, as indicated by symbol 226.
Return to SYS. As mentioned above, switch 15
If both 0 and key PGM are not off, routine SYS calls routine OZM again. reasonable
If no TWL settings are selected prior to step 220 of the next execution of routine OZM, the foregoing steps are repeated again. By repeatedly executing this routine OZM, various lamps on the keyboard 142 are made to blink as described above. If the above TWL settings are determined to be valid, the routine
OZMOZD (step 230) is called to display on display 144 weight information for each document associated with the station of the code displayed on sorter 162. Routine OZMOZD executes register pair 0 (hereinafter register pair is abbreviated as RP)
Calls the routine OZMATD that retrieves the value to be input to RP4 from the address contained within. That is, the routine OZMATD stores the value of TWL (memory location OZTWCT
) to the address in the first word ENOZTN of the table in memory location OZMATL to construct the address in RP0.
Also at this point, the first word ENOZTN is an address in which a value indicating the tenth digit number for each document weight to the envelope station 42 is stored. Consecutive words in the above table generally correspond to address positions of tenth weight values for insertion station 31 and successive insertion stations, so that the table OZMATL corresponds to the following 10
Constructed to have the address of a word.

Word 0-EN0ZTN Word 1-HF0ZTN Word 2-S20ZTN Word 3-S30ZTN Word 4-S40ZTN Word 5-S50ZTN Word 6-S60ZTN Word 7-S70ZTN Word 8-S80ZTN Word 9-S90ZTN Thus, set knob 148 to "2". To do this, routine OZMATD addresses
Configuring S20ZTN, the routine OZMATD also retrieves the data at the address S20ZTN and inputs it into RP4, 5 before returning to the routine OZMOZD.

Upon return from routine OZMATD, the routine
OZMOZD inputs the one-digit value of 10 ounces into the index register (hereinafter referred to as "XR") 8, and then calculates the address from which the 1/100th ounce value can be retrieved for the selected insertion station. do. i.e. for a particular insertion station.
The address that stores the 1/100th digit ounce value is:
A tenth digit value is exactly one word larger than the address stored for the same insertion station. For example, taking the second insertion station 32, to obtain the value of 1/100th of the insertion station 32, routine OZMOZD determines that a valid value is stored at address S2OZTN+1=S2OZHU. Routine OZMOZD takes the value at address S2OZHU and inputs it into XR9. Next, set the value of address S2OZTN to XR8
Then, the value of address S2OZHU is input to XR9, and routine OZMOZD calls routine ROD for readout and display.

Once the document weight information for the selected insertion station is displayed on display 144, the routine
For OZM, the setting value TWL of knob 148 is the routine.
Determine whether the value is the same as the value in the previous execution of OZM. In particular, at step 232, routine OZM determines that the value stored in memory location OZTWCT (the current TWL setting) is the value stored in memory location OZTWLT (set by knob 148 during the previous run of routine OZM).
It is determined whether it is the same as the one already memorized. Since the last execution of routine OZM, if the operator does not change the setting of knob 148, the memory location
The values in OZTWCT and OZTWLT are equal,
As a result, the routine OZM takes steps as described below.
Run 234.

For example, the knob 148 is located at the envelope station 4.
If you imagine that the routine OZM related to data setting 2 was set to "0" in the previous execution, and this has just changed to "3", the memory location
The value stored in OZTWLT would be "0" and the value stored in storage location OZTWCT would be "3" if TWL setting 3 for insertion station 33 had just been selected. When the operator changes the setting of knob 148 to enter document weight data for a new station, routine OZM executes step 236 and stores the old TWL value at address OZTWLT. To remember the previous TWL value, the decision in step 232 is
This will need to be done during subsequent runs of OZM.

When a new TWL value is selected with knob 148, in addition to remembering the old TWL value, the routine
OZM execute step 238 and flag OZMKDS
and OZ1ENT. Clearing these flags causes routine OZM to use routine OZMSCD
(step 240), clearing the valid address at this point, and all previously lit keys on keyboard 142 are extinguished.

Read above to perform steps 236, 238, and 240.
As shown by symbol 242, processing returns from routine OZM to routine SYS, but as described above, switch 150 is turned off and key PGM is turned off.
If you do not press down again, routine SYS immediately calls routine OZM. When this OZM is recalled, the new TWL value is set at the address following the call to routine OZMTWL in step 214.
Input to OZTWCT. (Step 216). Also,
If the new TWL settings are valid during this call to routine OZM, routine OZMOZD (step
230) causes display 144 to display programmed ounce weight information associated with the newly selected insertion station.

That is, routine OZM performs the check in step 232, and if the TWL value has not changed, then
Determine that the thumb setting TWL has not changed since the last run of routine OZM. If this decision is made, routine OZM proceeds to step 234.
Branch into.

At step 234, routine OZM queries whether new data is available from keyboard 142. That is, encoder 112 outputs pin DA which is false if data is not available from keyboard 142 and true if data is available.
Based on the signal from encoder 112, data processor 102 sets an input flag DATAVL if data is available. Routine OZM at this point:
The next normal mode of operation awaits data from the keyboard 142 to select keys that represent new ounce weight information for each document relative to the station code. If key 170 on keyboard 142 is not pressed down, the routine
OZM is the storage location OZMT7 indicated by symbol 246
Branch to. Additionally, if key 170 is not pressed and flag OZMKDS is not set after clearing in step 238, routine OZMKDS
At step 248, note that the flag OZMKDS is not set, and set symbol 250.
As shown, the process returns to the routine SYS. Given the speed at which the routine is executed and the speed at which the operator selects keys 170 on keyboard 142, multiple calls to routine OZM
This is possible before the new key 170 is selected.

However, once key 170 of keyboard 142 is selected and once routine OZM becomes aware of the fact in step 234 by noticing that the input flag DATAVL was set in step 234, routine OZM returns to step 252. to determine which key on keyboard 142 was pressed. At this point, the data displayed by the pressed key is obtained via the input address KBDLOW. Since the two keys on keyboard 142 do not correspond to the input numbers--the on key and the PGM key--these keys would not normally be pressed at this point. For this, the routine OZM uses the input address to determine whether the PGM key was pressed or not.
Check the value of KBDLOW (step 256).
If the PGM key is not pressed, the routine OZM
Further, in step 258, it is checked and determined whether the on key was pressed illegally. If neither the PGM key nor the On key is pressed,
Routine OZM sets the flag OZMKDS (step
260) to instruct the user to press the appropriate key on the keyboard 142. Also, if it is determined that the operator has pressed the PGM key, routine OZM branches to step 262 where both flags OZMKDS and O1ENT are cleared, and then routine OZMSCD is executed in memory location OZMTX (indicated by symbol 264). called (step 266). At this junction,
Routine OZMSCD acts to turn off all lamps associated with keys on keyboard 142, and after a call to routine OZMSCD, routine OZM returns processing to routine SYS, as shown at symbol 268.

When a valid key is pressed on keyboard 142,
Flag OZMKDS is set as described in step 260 above. Following the setting of the flag OZMKDS, the routine OZMKED is called (step 270). The routine OZMKED turns off all lamps associated with the keyboard 142 (except for the lamps associated with the PGM key and the lamps associated with the key just pressed). To activate a lamp that is linked to the key you just pressed,
Routine OZMKED is furthermore routine OZMDEL
This routine uses the table OZMDET to determine the appropriate output address that specifically corresponds to the selected key. The selection of a valid address for the table OZMDET is determined by the value contained in the address KBDLOW (which, as mentioned above, indicates the special key to be pressed).
It is done on the basis of

After returning from routine OZMKED, the routine
OZM checks to determine whether the flag OZMKDS has been set (step 248). Assuming a valid key on the keyboard 142 is pressed, the flag OZMKDS is actually set (step
260), which causes routine OZM to step
272, where it queries whether the flag OZ1ENT was previously set. According to the specification, the key just pressed indicates to the operator the number of tenths of an ounce required, which allows the operator to:
Knob 148 provides access to the number 156 on display 144 for the selected insertion station. Since the key with the ounce number in the tenth digit has already been pressed, the next key the operator presses last is
Number 154 on display 144 for the station
The required number of ounces will be displayed in one-hundredths of a digit. Thus, for any given station, a selected first valid key on the keyboard 142 corresponds to a tenths digit ounce digit, and a second valid key corresponds to a hundredths digit ounce digit. corresponds to That is, the flag OZ1ENT is used to indicate that the key just selected on the keyboard 142 is the first entry (1/10 number) or the second entry in the entry pair order for the insertion station selected by the setting of the knob 148. Determine when it becomes a descriptive item (1/100th number).

Regarding the above, if flag OZ1ENT is not already set, routine OZM calls routine OZM1KD (step 274), which processes the new entry for the tenth ounce digit. In its execution, routine OZM1KD first sets flag OZ1ENT, and when the next execution of routine OZM after step 272 occurs, routine
OZM branches to step 276 and routine
Rather than repeating calls to OZM1KD, call routine OZM2KD.

After setting the flag OZ1ENT, the routine
OZM1KD uses a routine to determine which key on keyboard 142 is actually selected.
Call OZMOKT. Also routine OZMOKT
performs a lookup and for final display purposes,
Two-word equivalent 10 for the selection key on the keyboard 142
Determine the base number. During the performance of the search element, the table
OZTBL is referenced. For this, the routine
OZMOKT calculates the address of table OZTBL whose contents are the required two-word equivalent decimal numbers and loads the contents of the selected address of the table into RP8.

After calling the routine OZMOKT, the routine OZM1KD selects the legal address to which the converted decimal value in RP8 should be loaded:
Call routine OZMATD. The appropriate address is checked again at knob 148 based on the currently selected insertion station. Thus, the TWL code (memory location
(stored in OZTWLT), the routine
OZMATD calculates the value corresponding to the address of its table OZMATL. This calculated address is the content of the most recently selected key.
Contains the address where the word-equivalent decimal conversion value is to be stored. Thus, the table of routine OZMOKT
OZTBL and table OZMATL for routine OZMATD
Regarding, if routine OZM1KD is processing data indicating that "1" number keys were most recently selected on keyboard 142, routine OZMATD stores "1" in memory location S30ZTN.
Remember. Following the call to routine OZMATD, routine OZM1KD in step 274 performs an essential time delay to maintain the lamp associated with the most recently selected key of keyboard 142 illuminated. Call the utility routine UDL that does the job. After calling the utility routine UDL, the routine
OZM1KD calls routine OZMSCD to clear (deactivate) all lamps associated with keys on keyboard 142. At its conclusion, routine OZMSCD causes processing to return from routine OZM to routine SYS, as indicated by symbol 278.

How routine OZM1KD (step 274) processes information about the new selection key on keyboard 142 and, in particular, the value at the corresponding memory address location as well as the tenth digit number 156 in display 144. The keys selected to produce the 1/100th digit ounce number 154 are centered on the selection of the second key on the keyboard 142.
It is now relevant. At this point, after the return shown at symbol 278, routine SYS finally calls routine OZM, which ultimately checks to see if another key 170 on keyboard 142 has been selected. If not, routine OZM returns processing to routine SYS as described above. Once the second key associated with the currently selected insertion station has been selected, routine OZM performs steps 256 and 258.
is repeated to determine whether the selected key is valid, and a flag OZMKDS is set in step 260. Additionally, routine OZMKED (step 270) is also called.

At this point, the first
A key has already been selected for the critical station, and the most recently selected key is the second of the pair of keys associated with that station.
key, so in step 272 the routine
OZM has the flag OZ1ENT already set (actually, the routine in step 274
During the previous call to OZM1KD). Also, since the flag OZ1ENT was set, the routine OZM uses the routine OZM to process the second of the two selection keys.
OZM2KD (step 276) is called, and this process calculates the weight of each document at the selected insertion station.
This is done in relation to the hundredths of an ounce number.

Routine OZM2KD is very similar to the processing of OZM1KD, but as mentioned above, it is concerned with hundredths of an ounce number rather than tenths of an ounce number. In this regard, routine
Like OZM1KD, routine OZM2KD is routine
calls OZMOKD, determines which key on the keyboard 142 is actually selected, determines the two-word equivalent decimal value of the value indicated by the selected key, and then sends the two-word equivalent decimal value to RP8. input. Furthermore, routine OZM2KD calls routine OZMATD which reorganizes the address loaded with information regarding the tenth ounce digit of the selected insertion station. This address returns to routine OZM2KD in RP4. However, since the value of RP8 relates to hundredths of an ounce value rather than tenths of an ounce value,
Routine OZM2KD increments the address value in RP4, so that the value in RP8 is loaded into the address pointing to the hundredths of an ounce value for the selected insertion station. for example,
If the third insertion station 33
was selected, the routine OZMATD
RP the address corresponding to storage location S30ZTN
Return within 4 days. Routine OZM2KD increments this address by one word, so
The address to which the value in RP8 is loaded is S30ZTN
+1=S30ZHU.

After completing its processing, routine OZM2KD clears the flag OZ1ENT, so that the next time step 272 executes, routine OZM1KD (step 274) is called rather than routine OZM2KD. Routine similar to routine OZM1KD
OZM2KD finally calls delay routine UDL and routine OZMSCD before its processing is returned to routine SYS as indicated by symbol 280.

Although the configuration mode described above has been described with respect to only one insertion station, particularly the second insertion station 32, the document weight of one or more stations can be changed when in this configuration mode. In fact, when starting a new run (or a new batch) with an insertion device, it is natural that a change in the per-document weight of each of the insertion stations occurs. In this case, the operator rotates the knob to the new value and then inserts a new ordered pair representing one-tenth of an ounce and one-hundredth of an ounce document weight, respectively, for the insertion station.
Type a key on the keyboard 142.

Once the insertion device settings are complete, the operator may move switch 150 to the off position and press the PGM key on keyboard 142. This 2
As a result of two manual operations, the data processor 102 sets the flag to indicate that routine OZM is the main routine.
Set by SYS so that it is not called again consecutively.

(Routine TOZ) As shown in Figure 7, the setting mode is temporarily exited (i.e. from the final call to routine OZM to the main routine
(after returning to SYS), the main routine SYS then calls the special routine TOZ. The main routine SYS is
The flag OZMDE is turned off (reflecting that switch 150 has just been turned off), and the flag OZMDLT (on mode “final time”)
flag) is not yet turned off.
TOZ essentially transfers data from one storage location to another, and this transfer is as follows.

ENOZTN→ENOTEN ENOZHU→ENOHUN HFOZTN→HFOTEN HFOZHU→HFOHUN S2OZTN→S2OTEN S2OZHU→S2OHUN S3OZHU→S3OTEN S3OZHU→S3OHUN S4OTTN→S4OTEN S4OZHU→S4OHUN S5OZTN→S5OTEN S5OZHU→S5OHUN S6OZTN→S6OTEN S6O ZHU→S6OHUN S7OZTN→S7TZN S7OZHU→S7HUN S8OZTN→ S8TEN S8OZHU→S8HUN At the end of data transfer, flag OZMDLT
is turned off and routine TOZ is not called again.

(Routine KYB) Routine KYB is the PGM of keyboard 142.
A key is pressed (therefore the PGM key lamp lights up)
and when switch 150 is in the off position. A return call to routine KYB allows the operator to determine whether the insertion station will deliver the insert regardless of the index, whether it will deliver the insert depending on the index, or whether the insertion station will deliver the insert under all conditions. Check whether each insertion station 3
It can be specified from 2 to 39.

Once said KYB key is pressed, the operator presses the numeric key corresponding to the associated insertion station on the keyboard 142 and then presses the numeric key on the keyboard 142.
Press one of the three command keys to specify the status of the previously pressed insertion station. Part 3
The two command keys are the "on" key (indicating that the associated station will dispense inserts regardless of the index) and the "SEL" key (indicating that the associated station will selectively dispense inserts depending on the index). show)
and an "off" key (indicating that the associated station does not supply any inserts). After the keys corresponding to the station number and command type have been filled in for the first associated insertion station, one of the similar key pairs can be pressed for the other insertion station and the PGM key is pressed again. Can be pressed (turns off the PGM key lamp)
The same applies hereafter.

When an operator enters a command using the KYB routine, a control flag is provided for each insertion station 32-39. Each control flag is one word, the flag of the second station 32 is stored in memory location STACN2, and the flag of the third station 33 is stored in memory location STACN3.
The same applies hereafter. If the "on" key is pressed for any insertion station, the LSB of the control flag for this insertion station
(Least Significant Bit) is set. If you press the “SEL” key for any insertion station, the control flags for that station will be
MSB (Most Significant Bit) is set.
If the ``off'' key is pressed for any insertion station, the control flag for that insertion station is loaded with ``zero''. (Calculating Mode) Once the programming of the insertion device has been completed using the program mode and documents are ready to be fed from the insertion station 31,
Operation of the insertion device enters calculation mode.

As mentioned above, in machine cycle MC0,
The phototube readout means 52 reads out the index 50 of the main control article 46 to be fed during the machine cycle from the first insertion station 31, and the phototube readout means 5
The electrical signal obtained by 2 is processed and decoded by conventional circuitry. This circuit 54 determines from the index 50 which insertion station should supply the document. Values indicating such information are provided by data bus 100 to processor 102, which stores the values in appropriate storage locations.

The main routine SYS calculates that the main control article is present at the first insertion station 31 and that the appropriate insertion station along the track 20 contains that insertion article. routine
Once SYS has processed the mark information read out by the phototube reading means 52 of the just-supplied master control article 46 and this information has been decoded by the circuit 54, the routine SYS also processes the machine cycle MC
At 0, instructions regarding processing information to be stored in the appropriate memory location are generated. i.e. routine
SYS sets a bit in array RDHLD to reflect which of the required insertion stations is selected by indicator 50 on the customer's master control article 46.

Routine SYS also sets a bit in word SELSTA to reflect which of any insertion stations is selected by indicator 50 on the customer's master control article 46. In the preferred embodiment, the routine is arranged in a conventional manner such that when Mark reads insertion station 36 or 37, the bit is read because stations 36 and 37 were previously designated as optional insertion stations. word
Set in SELSTA. In other embodiments, the operator may enter instructions for each station on the keyboard 142, such as whether the station is the required insertion station (so that if a mark is read, the appropriate bit should be set in the array RDHLD). manually) or an optional insertion station (so that if the mark is read, the appropriate bit must be set in the word SELSTA).

The array RDHLD is a 5-word array of ten 4-bit nibbles. array
The Least Significant bit (LSB) of the first nibble of the first word of RDHLD (known as the binary 1 bit) is set if the second insertion station 32 is selected by index 50. The status of the binary 2 bit of the first nibble of the first word reflects whether the third station 33 has been selected by the indicator 50, and the status of the binary 4 bit of the first nibble of the first word reflects: , the status of the binary 8 bits of the first nibble of the first word reflects whether the fifth station 35 is selected by the indicator 50. The binary 1 bit in the second nibble of the first word of RDHLD reflects whether the sixth station 36 is selected by indicator 50, and the binary 2 bit in the second nibble of the first word reflects whether the sixth station 36 is selected by indicator 50. 2 of the second nibble of the first word, reflecting whether station 37 is selected by index 50.
The binary 4 bit reflects whether the eighth station 38 is selected by the indicator 50, and the binary 8 bit of the second nibble of the first word reflects whether the ninth station 39 is selected by the indicator 50. Reflect whether or not.

In machine cycle MC1, array
The value of RDHLD is the second 5-word array RDHLD
In machine cycle MC2, the second array RDHLD
Values within 1 are similarly stored in the third 5-word array.
Move to the matching corresponding position of RDHLD2. A similar data movement occurs for each successive machine cycle, thus each insertion station 32-3
9 accesses the necessary data at the insertion station to perform its operation on the currently indicated customer insertion article on the track 20 in front of the insertion station.

Binary digit 1 in the first nibble of said word SELSTA
bit reflects whether the sixth insertion station 36 is selected and the first bit of the word SELSTA
The binary 2 bit of the nibble reflects whether the seventh insertion station 37 is selected and the word
The binary number 4 bit of the first nibble of SELSTA is
The binary 8 bit of the first nibble of word SELSTA reflects whether the eighth insertion station 38 has been selected.
Reflects whether or not is selected.

(Routine OZC) As is clear from Figure 7, the calculation mode includes an array of calls to routine OZC, there is one call to routine OZC for each customer, and routine
Each call to OZC occurs just before machine cycle MC1 for the customer in question. As mentioned above, prior to machine cycle MC1, the appropriate bits are set in the array RDHLD for the customer to whom a call to routine OZC is to be made.

The routine OZC operates to determine the total planned weight of the customer's stuffed envelope, and the routine
During OZC execution, a single digit ounce total is maintained in index register OA (XR-OA);
Tenths of an ounce total are maintained within the XR-OC, and hundredths of an ounce weight is maintained within the XR-OD. The processing steps shown in FIG. 4A illustrate the handling of the weight of the inserted article from a selected one of the required insertion stations 32-35;
The processing steps shown in FIG. 4B also relate to the weight of the inserted article from any selected one of the insertion stations 36-39. Fourth
The processing steps in Figure C are the first insertion station 3.
1 shows the handling of the weight of multiple insert articles from 1 and the weight of envelopes from envelope station 42. Also, as mentioned later, the routine OZC is
Any selected insertion station 36-39 is
The selected item routine USM is called to determine whether an insert can be provided to the customer without increasing the weight of the customer's stuffed envelope to the extent that additional postage is incurred.
Finally, routine OZC calls routine OZS to enable operation of either the first postage meter 84, the second postage meter 88, or the diverter means 62.

When routine OZC is called, execution starts at 4th A.
Storage location UDPCW, as shown in symbol 400 in the figure.
Jump to the instructions in the routine, then
OZC is index register XR-OA, XR-
While clearing OC and XR-OD (step 402) and then preparing insertion stations 32-35 for processing, routine OZC clears memory locations.
The first nibble in RDHLD is input to the accumulator (step 404). The contents of this accumulator are then stored in index register XR-
OB (step 406), and in step 408 the loop index is set to insertion station 32-35.
is set for a loop that processes The loop index corresponds to the number of potential insertion stations involved in processing the loop. For the embodiment shown in the microfiche appendix, a negative decimal value of 4 is loaded into loop index XR9. Additionally, while preparing the processing loop for stations 32-35, tenth ounce data for second insertion station 32 is loaded into register pair RP2, RP3 (step 410). As explained above, this address is
It is S2OTEN. In each case, routine OZC loads the register pair RP4, RP5 with the address of the control flag for the second insertion station 32. Note that the control flag is located at address STACN2 (step 412). Then the routine OZC is
Preparations are made to run a loop for processing inserts to be delivered from the insert stations 32-35.

A loop processing insertion stations 32-35 is initiated as shown at symbol 416 in FIG. 4A. Within the loop, routine OZC first checks the station control flag for the insertion station participating in the loop execution and determines whether the value of the address of the control flag is zero. At this point, during the first execution of the loop starting at symbol 416, routine OZC checks the station control flag STACN2 for the second insertion station 32, and during the second execution of the loop, the routine OZC checks the station control flag STACN2 for the second insertion station 32;
The station control flag STACN3 for the insertion station 33 is checked, and subsequent checks are made in the same manner. If the station control flag of the relational insertion station is not zero, the routine
OZC recognizes that the relational insertion station is not turned off. (This means that for this customer, by its indicator 50, the insertion station involved may be the required or optional insertion station).

For the above, if the relevant insertion station is not turned off, routine OZC checks in step 420 whether the MSB of the station control flag is set, and if the MSB of the station control flag is not already set. For example, routine OZC understands that regardless of what the customer's control article indicia 50 indicates, the associated insertion station should automatically supply the insert for that customer.

If the MSB of the station control flag is set, routine OZC checks in step 422 to see if the LSB of the contents of XR-OB is set. The first execution of the loop starting at Sympol 416 arrays the contents of XR-OB.
Recall that the first nibble of RDHLD is included (see steps 404 and 406). Furthermore, the array
The LSB of the first nibble of RDHLD provides an indication as to whether the participating insertion station for the execution of this loop should selectively supply custom inserts. If the LSB of the first nibble of array RDHLD is set, then routine OZC determines that the insertion station involved in the execution of this loop is the desired station, and that the weight of the insertion article at this station is Recognize that the weight of stuffed envelopes must be considered in planning. To add the weight of the inserted article at the insertion station involved in the execution of the loop,
Also, assuming that only one insert article is to be supplied from this insert station, the routine OZC
loads XR8 with a decimal number "-1" for use as a loop index for calls appearing in routine CAL (step 426). , the routine CAL is called (step 428) with a valid loop index loaded into XR8. The routine CAL is
Add the new 1/10th ounce data and 1/100th ounce data to the total amount of 1/10th ounce data, 1/10th ounce data, and 1/100th ounce data. In this case, the routine
A call to CAL loads RP2 and RP3 with an address containing tenth-digit ounce information for the selected insertion station. If it is found that the hundredths of an ounce information for the insertion station is in the next address greater than the address stored in RP2, routine CAL transfers the hundredths of an ounces data to the tenths of an ounce. After inputting the 1-digit ounce data to XR6, input it to XR7.
Routine CAL converts the stored one-tenth digit ounce data to one-tenth ounce data (XR-
In addition to the entire amount of (memory in OC), also the information of XR6
It has a loop that adds to the total amount of XR-OC, and the loop is executed once for each document fed from the relevant insertion station. At this point, routine CAL knows how many times to run the loop to first set the index to XR8. Furthermore, the processing loop of routine CAL converts the 1/100 digit ounce data in XR7 to 1/100 in XR-OD.
It includes a step of adding to the total amount of ounce data, and this addition results in one execution per loop. During the loop path, the XR-OD
Whether there is a transfer from the 1/100ths digit total to the 1/10ths digit total of XR-OC;
Check and determine if there is a transfer from a tenth digit total to a single digit total held in XR-OA.

The above essentially describes how routine OZC, in conjunction with subroutine CAL, adds the weight of the inserted article at the selected desired insertion station to the total weight of the customer's stuffed envelope. However, when the insertion station involved in the special execution of Lupo is off (as described in step 418), or when the first word of array RDHLD is
When the LSB indicates that no insertion station is selected by the indicator 50 of the customer's main control article 46, the weight of the insertion article from the associated insertion station is not taken into account and therefore the value of XR3 is determined by the routine CAL must be incremented (step 430) to avoid calling. This allows 100 of the relation insertion stations
The address of the one-digit minute ounce data will be input to RP2.

After processing the concerned insertion station, during the execution of the loop, routine OZC begins preparing the next execution of the loop to be undertaken for the next insertion station. about this,
Routine OZC transfers the contents of XR-OB one bit to the right and stores the value of XR-OB, thereby
The LSB of XR-OB provides an indication of whether the next station has been selected by the customer's master control article 46 indicator 50. For example, if the first execution of the loop starts at step 416, step 434
-Transfers the OB to the right and gives an indication by its LSB whether the third insertion station 33 is selected. Furthermore, in step 436, the routine
OZC loads the 1/10 digit ounce data address of the next insertion station into RP2 and RP3.
Routine OZC then sets the address of the station control flag of the next insertion station to
Loads RP4 and 5. (Step 438).

When the loop starting at symbol 416 is ready for the next execution, routine OZC checks to determine whether the loop has been executed for all its associated insertion stations (step 440). For the mode shown in the microfiche appendix, the check in step 440 includes
and the incremented
It includes determining whether the value of XR9 is still equal to zero. When the contents of XR9 are equal to zero, routine OZC recognizes that a loop beginning at symbol 416 is executed for each insertion station 32-35 and jumps to the processing steps shown in FIG. 4B. If the loop has not yet been executed for each insertion station 32-35, processing jumps back to the beginning of the loop, as indicated by symbol 416.

FIG. 4B depicts a procedure similar to FIG. 4A, except that the procedure of FIG. 4B concerns insertion stations 36-39 rather than insertion stations 32-35. The processing steps of FIG. 4B are readily understood from the similar steps of FIG. 4A and will not be specifically described. It should be noted in this regard that each of the processing steps in FIG. 4B is larger in number than the similar processing steps in FIG. 4A. For example, step 460 of FIG.
Step 410 is similar to step 410 of FIG. 4A, except that step 410 relates to second insertion station 32.

The operational steps of FIG. 4C essentially relate to envelope station 42 and first insertion station 31. In step 502, routine OZC loads the envelope station 42's one-tenth digit ounce data address into RP2,3. Step 504
In the routine OZC, envelope station 4
Set the address of control flag ENVCNL of 2 to RP4,
Load on 5. Routine OZC then checks in step 506 to see if the envelope station 42 control flag ENVCNL is zero. If the control flag of this envelope station 42
If ENVCNL is not zero, in step 508,
Load the value "-1" into XR8 to use it as a loop index for calling routine CAL. The routine CAL adds the weight of the envelope to the customer's insert total as described above. If for any reason the envelope station 42 control flag ENVCNL is set equal to zero, steps 508 and 510 are bypassed.

Once insertion stations 32-39 and envelope station 42 have been processed, routine OZC:
Provision is made to determine the weight of the plurality of inserts or sheets to be fed from the first insertion station 31. The quantity of inserts to be delivered to a customer from the first insertion station 31 is determined by a counter phototube 47 used in conjunction with a photoelectric reading and decoding circuit 54 and a data processor 102. This indication of the quantity of inserts to be supplied is stored in a memory address of processor 102.
In this case, routine OZC first checks and determines the single-digit weight value of the inserted article to be fed from the first insertion station 31 by loading the word at address FDCNTO into the accumulator (step 514). If the address
If the word in FDCNTO does not have a zero value (as determined in step 518), the address of the tenth digit ounce data of said first insertion station 31 is loaded into RP2,3 (as determined in step 518).
520), during preparation of the call to routine CAL, routine OZC executes the inner CAL loop at address
A number is entered into XR8 to reflect that it is a single digit number indicated by the value of FDCNTO (step 522). The call to routine CAL in step 524 adds to the customer's total planned weight the weight of the insert to be delivered from the first insert station 31, as reflected by the single digit number at address FDCNTO. If, in step 518, it is determined that the contents of the accumulator are zero, steps 520-524 are bypassed.

Once the one-digit number of the inserted article fed from the first feeder 31 is processed, the routine
The OZC prepares to process a tenth digit number of the number of inserted articles supplied from the first insertion station 31. An address containing a one-tenth digit number (address FDCNTO+1) is
Loaded on RP0,1. At step 530, 10
A check is made to determine if the tenth digit is zero, and if the tenth digit is not zero, routine OZC calls routine X10 (at step 532). This call, in conjunction with the call to routine CAL by routine X10, includes in the customer's total planned weight the tenth digit weight of the insert article delivered from the first insert station 31.

Routine X10 called in step 532
calls routine CAL which operates as described above, but before returning, routine X10 multiplies the value returned from routine CAL by 10. This multiplication consists of placing the contents of XR-OD (previously the hundredths of an ounce total) into XR-OC and
- Includes placing the previous contents of OC (previously a tenths ounce total) into XR-OA (single digit total).

The various weights that can contribute to the customer's total planned weight [insertion stations 32-35 (in the loop starting with symbol 416) and insertion stations 36-3]
9 (in the loop starting with symbol 466), envelope station 42 and first insertion station 31
routine to include the weight of the inserted items from and
OZC learns the customer's total planned weight for all required inserts that must be inserted into the customer's stuff envelope, and routine OZC calls routine USM in step 536. As described later (see FIG. 8), the routine USM includes:
Determine which of the optional insertion stations can supply insert articles of interest to the customer without increasing the weight of the customer's stuffed envelopes to higher postage classifications. To the extent permitted by this criterion, routine USM:
Array RDHLD for any insertion station
Set the appropriate bit in XR to calculate the weight contributed by the inserted article from any insertion station.
- Add to the total weight maintained in OA, XR-OC, XR-OD.

When execution returns from routine USM, routine OZC stores the single digit ounce total in memory location OZCNT (step 540) and the tenths digit ounce total in memory location OZCNTT (step 542).
Thereafter, routine OZC also inputs a single digit ounce total into XR-OA (step 544). Additionally, routine OZC determines the appropriate memory location in array RDHLD that indicates whether the postage meter 84 or 88 is to be activated, and inputs that memory location into RP4,5. 1st
The storage location indicating the status of postage meter 84 is determined by pointer RECP1. The value of the first nibble at address RECP1 indicates which word in array RDHLD corresponds to the first postage meter 8.
Indicate whether it is related to the status of 4 and address
The value of the second nibble in RECP1 is the array
Which bits of the RDHLD word are relevant (2
1-bit base number, 2-bit binary number, and so on). In the example microfiber appendix, the value of pointer PECP4 is preset to hexadecimal 32, which is the value of the array RDHLD.
The 2-bit binary number of the third word is postage meter 8.
4. By convention, the next higher order bit relates to the second postage meter 88 (postage meter 88 has a pointer RECP2 preset to hexadecimal 34). Similarly, routine OZC determines which memory location in array RDHLD is suitable for operation of diverter means 62 and enters that memory location into R0,1 (step 548). The storage location for the diverting means 62 is an array
A pointer that is 1 binary bit in the third word of RDHLD and is preset to hexadecimal 31.
Indicated by RECD1.

Next, routine OZC calls routine OZC (step 550). The routine OZS determines whether the customer's stuffed envelope should be postageed by the first postage meter 84 (if the envelope weight is within the range of 1.00 to 1.99 ounces), the second postage meter 88
Should I charge postage by (if the envelope weight is 0.00
~0.99 oz) or should be diverted by the diverter means 62 (if the envelope weight
2.00 oz)), sets a bit in the third word of array RDHLD. At this point, routine OZS determines whether the single digit ounce total of XR-OA exceeds the value at address OZTOP (programmed as decimal "2") and, if so, diverts the To indicate that means 62 should be activated, the binary 1 bit of the third word of array RDHLD is set. If not exceeded, routine OZS
is the single digit ounce total of XR-OA.
to determine whether the value of OZLOW (programmed to be a decimal "1") is exceeded and to indicate that the first postage meter 84 should be activated if so. If the two binary bits of the third word of RDHLD are not exceeded, the routine OZS returns the second postage meter 8
8 to indicate that the array should be activated.
Set the 4 binary bits of the third word of RDHLD.

Following the call to routine OZS in step 550, routine OZC calls routine ZPM (step 552) for a postal code processing means unrelated to the present invention, and then routine OZC executes processing control. The main routine as shown by symbol 54
Return to SYS.

(Routine USM) Routine USM is called from routine OZC once for each customer (step 536) and determines the weight of any additional inserts between the selected desired insert and the insert from insertion station 31. ,
Determine whether insert articles can be fed from any selected insert station without increasing the weight of the customer's stuffed envelopes, including envelopes from envelope station 42, to the point of requiring additional postage. do.

A call to the routine USM allows the memory location to be
Transfer execution to an address in the USM (as shown by symbol 600).

Routine USM immediately performs XR9 (step
602) and store a single-digit ounce total in the counter
Initialize PSTATION to zero value. routine
For most of the execution of USM, the value of address PSTATION corresponding to the loop index is stored in XR5.

An instruction loop beginning at symbol 606 is executed for each of the optional insertion stations. During the processing of the loop, the station of the index related to the execution is indicated by the value of XR5. That is, in step 608, the value of XR5 (counter
(equivalent to PSTATION) is reduced. Thus,
For the first execution of the loop starting at step 606,
The value of XR5 is "-1". The loop beginning at symbol 606 is executed a number of times equal to the maximum number of optional insertion stations reflected by memory location PSTMAX. With respect to the microfiber appendix illustrative mode, the maximum number of optional insertion stations is two in that insertion stations 36 and 37 are programmed to be optional insertion stations.

Prior to determining the effect of adding weight to the inserted article from any one of the insertion stations, the routine
The USM stores a single digit ounce total.
Store in TOWM1U (step 610) and store the total 1/10th ounce in memory location TOWM1T (step 610).
612), where the total amount of 1/100th of an ounce is stored.
Store in TOWM1H (step 614). Having stored these values, routine USM then checks to determine if the MSB of the station control flag for the station for loop execution is set (step 616). If the MSB of the station control flag is not set, the routine USM indicates that the relevant insertion station is not directed to the customer's main control article index 50, and therefore the stuffed envelopes are not included in the total of the customer's stuffed envelopes. Recognize that inserts are not included, regardless of any effect on weight. On the other hand, if the MSB of the station control flag is set,
Routine USM recognizes that the relevant insertion station is a permissible station, and furthermore, in step 618, because the LSB of word SELSTA indicates that the station involved in this loop execution is a permissible any station. Check whether it has been set. If the MSB of the station control flag is set and the LSB of word SELSTA is also set, the routine
The USM prepares to include the inserted article weight from the relevant insertion station into the trial base for this loop execution. Additionally, routine USM recognizes that no further processing is to be performed with respect to this insertion station.

When attempting to determine whether the weight of the article from the insertion station relative to the execution of loop 606 can be added to the total weight of the customer's enclosing envelope without incurring additional postage, the routine USM: The address of the one-tenth digit ounce data of the station is loaded into RP2 and RP3 (step 624). Next, while preparing the call to routine CAL, routine USM adds the value "-" to XR8 for the loop index of the call to routine CAL.
1". Routine CAL is then called at step 628 and operates to determine the total weight of the customer's envelopes, including the weight of the inserts from the relevant optional insertion stations. Processing returns from routine CAL. After that, routine USM loads the value “1” into XR2 (step
630), address counter PSTATION
Prepare for the call to routine USMSET by storing SELSET and in XR-OB (step 632). Next, a call is made to routine USMSET (step 634).

If routine USMSET is called in step 634 and the flag in XR2 is not zero, the current interested station is known because the station number is stored in XROB, but routine USMSET uses table USMSBL to , an array that fits any station in the current relationship
Determine where RDHLD bits are stored. array
Valid bits in RDHLD are
Set by a call to USMSET (step
634) is cleared when it is finally determined that the weight of the inserted article from this optional insertion station is excessive.

In preparation for processing the next discretionary insertion station, routine USM rotates the contents of word SELSTA one bit to the right in step 638 so that the LSB of word SELSTA is the same as that of the next discretionary insertion station. Contains an indication of whether an optional insertion station should be allowed.

Next, the routine USM determines whether the additional weight of the optional insertion station has excessively increased the total weight of the customer's stuffed envelopes. This operation occurs in step 640, where a check is made to determine whether the contents of XR-OA are still the same as the contents of XR9. If XR9 and
If the content is the same as that of Instead, processing moves to the position represented by symbol 642.
If, in step 640, the routine USM
If it is determined that the supply of inserts from the station concerned will not incur additional postage charges, the routine
The USM determines whether any of the remaining downstream optional insertion stations still have inserts to add. This is step 642
The value of counter PSTATION is stored in
This is done by comparing it to the value stored in PSTMAX (ie, the maximum number of optional insertion stations). If all optional insertion stations have been processed, routine USM begins preparing to return to its calling routine OZC. if,
The value of PSTATION and PSTMAX are compared,
If further downstream insertion stations are indicated to remain, execution jumps back to the beginning of the loop starting at memory location 606.

In step 646, routine USM checks whether the current single digit ounce total is equal to the old ounce total (which is greater than the weight in step 640 above). If they are equal, processing moves to symbol 658 and routine USM
Return to OZC. If the two are not equal,
The routine USM recognizes that the addition of insert article weight from any insert station causes the total weight of the customer's enclosed envelope to jump into the next postage range. Therefore, in step 648, routine USM re-stores the old totals (single digit ounce total in XR-A, tenth ounce data in
(Input 1/100 oz data into XR-C and 1/100 ounce data into XR-D). Then routine USM steps 634
Prepare to make further calls to routine USMSET to clear the bits set on the basis of the attempt by the calls in . At this point, in step 650, routine USM loads XR2 with a "zero" value for use as a flag in the second call to routine USMSET. Additionally, during preparation for the second call of routine USMSET, routine USM calls memory location SELSET
Load the value at XR-OB (step
652) Next, in step 654, the routine USM
calls routine USMSET and returns step 634.
Clears the bit in the array RDHLD that was set earlier by a call to the routine USMSET in . Routine USMSET in step 654
During the call of Determines the storage location of the bit in the array RDHLD associated with the arbitrary insertion station. Routine USMSET then clears the bit, which causes the relevant optional insertion station to be inactive for this customer.

Once the second call to routine USMSET has cleared the bit in array RDHLD, routine USM checks at step 656 to determine whether all of the optional insertion stations have been processed. This is a counter
This is done by comparing the value of PSTATION (corresponding to the station concerned) with the value in memory location PSTMAX. If no further downstream optional insertion stations remain for processing, execution returns to routine OZC as indicated by symbol 658. On the other hand, if the counter
If the values of PSTATION and storage location PSTMAX indicate that further downstream optional insertion stations must still be processed, the routine
The USM jumps back to the beginning of the loop starting at symbol 606.

What should be understood from the foregoing operation of the routine USM is that the routine USM should ensure that any of the insertion stations should supply any insertion article, so that the maximum number of any insertion articles can be delivered to the customer concerned. In other words, it has the ability to decide whether or not it can be supplied. This is done by arranging any of the insertion stations in an order of increasing weight of the inserted article. For example, to make the most efficient use of the number of inserts to be inserted into a customer envelope, the lightest inserts should be placed first.
optional insertion station (insertion station 36
(such as insertion station 37), then the lightweight insert article is placed at the next downstream optional insertion station (such as insertion station 37), and so on.

As previously mentioned, in each machine cycle, each insertion station advises itself whether or not it should operate to feed its insert into the customer's stack of documents in front of each station during that machine cycle. be provided with sufficient data to do so. The supply data is essentially similar to the data in the array RDHLD (a bit is set in the first word of the RDHLD to recall whether the desired insertion station or any insertion station is to be acted upon). When the feed data indicates the above, the solenoid (vacuum solenoid device) of each insertion station is actuated to enable feeding of the insert article from each insertion station.

As described in considerable detail above, some insertion stations are any stations that house advertising documents, etc. for third parties. A sender may include third party advertisements in envelopes mailed to customers, provided that inclusion of the advertisement does not increase the sender's postage costs to each customer. Inserts supplied from each optional insertion station by the sender to each third party in order to enable them to submit legitimate claims for their operations based on the quantity of inserts actually received by the sender. A count of the quantity of items is maintained. As previously illustrated, a first optional insertion article for a third party is loaded into the sixth insertion station 36;
A second optional insertion article for a third party is loaded into the seventh insertion station 37.

The manner in which the quantity of inserts supplied from each of the optional stations 36, 37 is maintained will be described below.

When the optional insertion station's vacuum solenoid is activated, the main routine sees a call to the special routine SMC. this routine
The SMC checks to determine whether the active insertion station was an optional insertion station and, if so, sets an output bit in the appropriate memory location. If optional insertion station 36 is activated, it will address the bit.
ST6CNT and, if optional insertion station 37 is activated, address the bit.
Set to STZ′CNT. The set bit is output via the appropriate output port to the corresponding one-shot device which, upon receipt of this output bit, fires a pulse which is incident on a counter for the optional insertion station concerned. Referring to Figure 3, using the sixth insertion station as an example, the bits can be addressed.
Setting ST6CNT causes a signal on line 56a from I/O port 136 to cause one shot 56 to fire. Pulses generated from one shot 56 are transmitted to optional insertion station 36.
, the interlocking digital counter 55 is incremented.

With respect to the counter 186 of the FIG. 6 embodiment, at the appropriate point in each machine cycle, the one shot 180 increments the counter 186 no matter which optional insertion station is supplying inserts during the machine cycle. In order to do so, send out a suspicious signal. For example, if counter 186 ₁ is applied to optional insertion station 36 and counter 186 ₂ is applied to optional insertion station 37,
Furthermore, if both optional insertion stations 36, 3
7 activates its solenoid (as a result of the condensation signal in line 190) to supply an insert during a special machine cycle (station 37 supplies the insert for customer N, while station 36 supplies the insert for customer N+1). counters 186 ₁ and 186 ₂ are both incremented to record the feeding of inserts during a machine cycle. Thus, each counter 186 is
The vacuum solenoid 192 of the optional insertion station is activated (as a result of the coagulation signal in line 190) and the counter 186 connected to the bus 184.
is incremented only when the terminal is grounded.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

In addition, the above and other objects and features of the present invention,
The advantages will become clearer from the description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Effects of the Invention) The present invention exhibits many excellent effects as described below due to the above-described configuration.

The weight of each envelope can be determined very quickly and accurately even if the number of inserts inserted into each envelope is different and the weight of each envelope is different.

Within the pre-set postage range,
The maximum number of optional insert articles can be automatically selected and inserted, allowing for more economical shipping of articles.

As mentioned above, the present invention allows insertion items such as documents and advertisements to be delivered within a certain postage rate extremely economically.
Moreover, it can be sent automatically and has excellent practical utility.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an insertion device according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the keyboard with display of the insertion device according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 shows
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of components including a data processor that constitute an insertion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4A, Figure 4B, and Figure 4C are subroutine OZC.
1 is a diagram illustrating the processing steps performed by. Figure 5A and Figure 5B are subroutine OZM
1 is a diagram illustrating the processing steps performed by. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a circuit for operating a counter for multiple insertion stations according to another embodiment of the invention. Figure 7 shows the main control routine SYM
2 is a diagram showing the order in which the system calls various subroutines; FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the processing steps performed by subroutine USM. 9th
The figure is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of the present invention. A... Means for reading the index, B... Input means for specifying the required insertion station and optional insertion station, D... Storage means, C... Means for determining the station to be operated, E... Means for calculating envelope weight.
F... Means for determining postage classification, G... Means for determining whether or not the optional insertion station is activated, 20
... Insertion track, 31 ... First insertion station, 32 to 39 ... Insertion station, 42 ...
Envelope feeding station, 43...Envelope opening station, 44...Stuffing station, 46...Main control article, 50...Indicator, 54...Phototube reading/
Decoding device, 62... Diversion means, 84...
...First postage meter, 88...Second postage meter, 102...Data processor, 110...
...Keyboard with display, 112...Encoder.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. An insertion track for moving a group of articles through different ones of a plurality of insertion stations, said plurality of insertion stations having at least one main control article on said track. an insertion station for feeding articles; and an insertion station for selectively feeding articles into a group of articles on the track including the master control article according to indicators on the master control article, the operation of which is controlled by a computer. In a device for inserting shipments, said means A for reading said indicators; at least one of said insertion stations being a required insertion station which must necessarily feed an article if said indicators indicate that; or input means B for specifying whether the article is an optional insertion station where the article is conditionally fed; from an index on the master control article, the article is placed in the group of articles on the track containing the master control article; Means C for determining a further special insertion station to be supplied to; Storage means D for storing the weight of each article held in each insertion station and a control program; Predetermined insertion stored in the storage means; means E for calculating the total weight of said group of articles fed from said predetermined insertion station using values indicative of the weight per article of the articles held within the station; means F for determining a postage classification for a group of articles; any article from any one or more insertion stations without changing the postage rate determined on the basis of the calculated total weight of said predetermined group of articles; , means G for determining whether it can be fed into said predetermined group of articles. 2. The item to be shipped according to claim 1, wherein the input means B is capable of selectively inputting into the storage means a value indicating the weight of each item held in each insertion station. Insertion device. 3. The determining means G for determining whether the arbitrary article can be supplied is configured to determine which of the arbitrary insertion stations can supply the arbitrary article related to the group of articles, thereby determining the maximum number of arbitrary articles. 2. The article insertion device according to claim 1, wherein the determining means G is capable of supplying the article to the group of articles. 4 at least one of said optional insertion stations
2. The article insertion device according to claim 1, wherein one of the insertion stations is provided with a counter for indicating the number of articles to be fed from the arbitrary insertion station.