WO2004070663A1

WO2004070663A1 - Method and device for combining a first object and a second object in a handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2004070663A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/001018
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rudolf Eichler; Martin Delles
Original assignee: Böwe Systec AG
Priority date: 2003-02-04
Filing date: 2004-02-04
Publication date: 2004-08-19
Also published as: DE10304450A1

Abstract

In order to prepare a piece of merchandise comprising at least one document which is provided with a storage medium that can be read out in a contactless manner by means of a transponder, and at least one additional object, the storage medium of the document is read out, and based on data read out from the storage medium it is determined whether the document and the additional object are to be combined. The document and the additional object are combined if it is determined that the document and the additional object are to be combined.

Description

Method and device for merging a first object and a second object in a handling device

description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for merging a first object and a second object in a handling device. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and a device for handling sheets in handling devices, by means of which letters, information letters and the like are compiled and prepared for dispatch to a recipient.

Such handling systems are used for. B. the sending of letters and the like, the preparation of these letters, among other things, includes the following individual steps. The individual components of the letter can be printed or prepared in some other way, the various elements of the letter are put together, the elements put together are placed in an envelope, the envelope is addressed and then prepared for dispatch, for example by adequate franking thereof. Other systems in the prior art are used to automatically apply plastic cards with card carriers in variable quantities, whereupon the card carriers thus provided with plastic cards are then inserted and sent for further processing. Such systems are described for example in DE 195 08 282 Cl, DE 195 33 444 AI, DE 1'97 25 579 AI and DE 197 34 483 AI. The disadvantage of the described systems for handling sheets is that they enable the individual sheets which pass through the handling devices or are being processed at different stations thereof to be tracked only with great difficulty. Conventionally, such a handling device is controlled in such a way that the elements are moved through the system in a timed manner, it being possible to determine, depending on the number of machine cycles carried out, in which position a sheet inserted at a specific time t _{0 is} after a predetermined time Number of bars located. Together with the knowledge of the location of a sheet in the system, it is necessary to cycle the necessary processing parameters relating to the same through the system parallel to the sheet, that is, to ensure that with each movement of the sheet in the system the corresponding parameters relating to the processing thereof can also be continued at certain positions within the system. The processing of the sheet can e.g. B. the addition of various selected attachments or supplements to a letter, the processing of the sheet itself, z. B. folding or the like, and / or include the addition of cards to a sheet on an applicator.

In addition to the disadvantages described above due to the high control effort and the difficulty in tracking a sheet within the system, there are other security-relevant disadvantages, which particularly affect when the sheets / documents to be processed are relevant in terms of security, i.e. the processing of the predetermined security criteria should meet. In the case of known systems, an operator knows how many sheets have been introduced into the system, but at the end / exit of the system it can only be checked with great effort, if at all, whether all of the sheets which have been introduced actually actually come out the system was removed. During operation an operator relies on the reliability of the system used, since the operator is essentially not given the option of tracking the sheets as they are processed in the system - with the exception of tracking based on the number of cycles elapsed since the sheet was inserted. This situation is particularly important when processing security-sensitive documents, e.g. B. certificates, documents or the like, disadvantageous and enables an operator to meet the required security conditions only with great effort.

Furthermore, it is almost impossible for an operator of a plant to ascertain whether all desired operations relating to a sheet have actually been carried out during processing, in particular operations in which the sheet is brought together with other objects. Such operations include, for example, applying plastic cards to the sheet, adding attachments or inserts to the sheet, and inserting the sheet or group of sheets in an envelope. Especially after inserting the sheet into an envelope, it is no longer possible for an operator to check whether the correct sheet is actually arranged in the correct envelope. The only option left to an operator in this regard is to reopen the envelope to check its contents.

The applicant's post-published German patent application DE 102 24 749 A describes a method and an apparatus for processing plastic cards which have a memory element which can be read out contact-free via a transponder. The types of plastic are read out at one of the plurality of handling stations or between the handling stations so as to track the plastic cards as they pass through a handling device. Furthermore, papers are known in the prior art which, like plastic cards, are provided with contact elements which can be read out without contact, in particular with memory elements which can be read out via transponders.

A fundamental disadvantage of conventional reading technology is that it requires direct and unobstructed access for the reading head and scanning beam to the reading code (barcode, barcode, plain text, etc.). Another disadvantage is that the corresponding reading devices in the prior art can only be set within limits and, because of the direct access required, the code must be placed in predetermined areas on the object to be read.

A further disadvantage is that although information can be provided on an object or good to be conveyed, no further information, such as may arise during the passage through a handling system, can be added to the good.

Another disadvantage is that due to the direct access required to read the corresponding code, it is only possible to detect the code of one good / object at one position - it is not possible to detect the codes of several objects arranged one above the other ,

Starting from this prior art, the present invention has for its object to provide an improved method and an improved device for handling a sheet in a handling device, which allow a simple way to check the merge operations performed / to be performed with respect to the sheet. This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 or 5 and by an apparatus according to claim 19.

The present invention provides a method for bringing together a first object in a handling device with a second object, the first object having a storage medium that can be read out contact-free by a transponder, with the following steps:

(a) reading out the storage medium of the first object;

(b) based on data read from the storage medium, determining whether the first object and the second object are to be merged; and

(c) if it is determined in step (b) that the first object and the second object are to be merged, merging the first object and the second.

The present invention also provides a method for merging a first object in a handling device with a second object, the first object having a storage medium that can be read out contact-free by a transponder, with the following steps:

(a) merging the first object and the second object;

(b) reading out the storage medium of the first object; and

(c) on the basis of data read from the storage medium, determining whether the first object and the second object were to be merged.

According to one embodiment, the second object is at least one card, the first object being a card carrier in this case. The data read from the card carrier are compared with data, assigned to the card so as to determine whether the card carrier and the card are to be merged. If this is the case, the card carrier and the card are connected.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the second object is provided in a feeder of the handling device, the data read from the first object indicating whether the second object is to be fed in by the feeder or not. If a plurality of investors is provided, then either a read operation with respect to the first object can be carried out in front of the first of the plurality of investors in order to determine for all or at least some of the investors which additional inserts are to be added to the first object / good. Alternatively, a reading operation can also be carried out in front of each of the investors or in front of a group of investors in order to individually determine for each of the investors whether or not they should add a supplement to the object being processed.

In the exemplary embodiments just described, the check can be carried out before and / or after the merging.

According to one embodiment, the second object can be an envelope, and step (a) comprises inserting the first object into the envelope. In this case, after the introduction of the first object into the envelope, a reading operation can be carried out with respect to the object arranged in the envelope in order to receive a first signal when information is received and to obtain a second signal when no information be received. If a first signal is generated, the envelope is forwarded in the handling process. Otherwise the envelope is removed from the handling process. Furthermore, the information read out from the storage medium after the object has been inserted can be compared with predetermined information from the envelope, and in the event that they match, the envelope is sent for further processing. Otherwise the envelope is removed from the handling process.

According to one embodiment, after inserting the object, data can be read out of the storage medium, which data are made available, for example, to a printer, which then prints the envelope with the object therein with the data / information provided. This information can include, for example, the address information required for sending the envelope, other information assigned to the recipient and / or predetermined advertising information. This information is preferably stored in the object, but can also include certain key figures which are stored in the storage medium of the object and which can be used to access a database in which the information is stored.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the storage medium of an object is read out, and the control information associated with the object relating to its processing in the handling device is obtained. This read-out control information is then compared with control information contained in the handling device in order to determine correct or incorrect processing of the object.

Provision can furthermore be made for data to be written into the storage medium of the object while the object passes through the handling device, this data preferably comprising information relating to the processing steps carried out. Based on the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides, in a further preferred embodiment, a method for handling a first object and a second object, the first object and the second object each having a storage medium which can be read out contact-free by a transponder, and wherein the first object and the second object are arranged in a group. In this exemplary embodiment, the storage medium of the first object and the storage medium of the second object are first read out in order to determine on the basis of the data read out from the storage media of the objects whether the objects belong to the group and / or to determine whether the group is complete.

A large number of objects can be provided here, all or more of the objects comprising a storage medium which can be read by a transponder. In this case, the storage media are read out and on the basis of the read out data, the affiliation of the objects to the group and / or the completeness of the group is checked. The completeness of the group is preferably checked at different positions within the handling device, for example at one, more or each stop position in a collating path and / or before inserting. The inserting preferably comprises either inserting the group into an envelope or folding the group and then welding the folded group together.

The present invention also provides a device for merging a first object with a second object, the first object having a storage medium that can be read out contact-free by a transponder

a reading device for reading out the storage medium of the first object; a signal processing device for determining, on the basis of data read from the storage medium, whether the first object and the second object are to be combined; and

a merging device for merging the first object and the second object if the signal processing device determines that the first object and the second object are to be merged.

An important advantage of the present invention is that, due to the use of the transponder technology instead of the conventional reading technology, there is no need for direct and unobstructed access of the reading head and scanning beam to the reading code (bar code, bar code, plain text, etc.). Furthermore, the code assigned to the object, as it is contained in the storage medium, can be arranged at any point on the object, the transponder technology and its range making it possible to read the code regardless of the exact position of the code in the object, wherein this can take place according to a further advantage when the object is stationary or when the object is moving “in flight”.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that a good / object as it passes through the handling system, e.g. B. the inserting system, information can be given by reading the appropriate data into the memory chip of the object by means of a writing device via the transponder.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that a plurality of objects can be recognized at the same position at the same time, so that objects or goods arranged above one another, which form a common group, can also be detected individually. Another advantage of the present invention is that it is now also possible to work “double-track” and with redundant data. The double-track and the use of redundant data mean that all control tasks are now carried out using conventional reading and information technologies can be realized by forwarding the information assigned to an object or good between the individual stations together with the good (reading information from the good and passing it on from station to station with the good), and reading additional information at any point in the handling system in parallel and compare, whereby a correct processing of the individual goods can be checked.

An advantage of the present invention, in particular when inserting, is that it can be reliably checked whether or not the desired object is actually arranged within the envelope after the inserting. In addition to the quantitative check, a qualitative check can also be carried out in order to determine on the basis of certain data read from the object whether the correct object is actually located within the envelope.

The sheets include an integrated antenna and a corresponding memory chip, the reading device according to the invention being designed to address these cards, for example to induce an alternating field, which generates a voltage for supplying the chip via the antenna integrated in the object, so that data exchange between the chip and the reading device can take place in a specific frequency range.

According to the invention, the safety and reliability in handling sheets compared to known systems can thus be increased further, since repeated testing is now carried out within the system in order to ensure to ensure that various operations by means of which different objects were to be brought together are also carried out correctly. Furthermore, it can be checked whether an object introduced into the system actually leaves it. Checking the correct envelope of the object increases the safety and reliability of the system, as no sheets are now sent to unauthorized third parties. Furthermore, it can now be explained exactly which sheets were brought into the system, which were processed and which were removed from the system. A loss of a sheet in the system can thus be reliably detected.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1A shows a flowchart, on the basis of which a first general exemplary embodiment of the present invention is explained in more detail; ,

1B shows a flowchart, on the basis of which a second first general exemplary embodiment of the present invention is explained in more detail;

2 shows an overview of an inserting system which implements the method and the device of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a flow chart used to explain the merging of two sheets according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart which is used to explain the application of a card and a card carrier according to the present invention; FIG. 5A-5C is a flow chart used to explain inserting sheets according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart which is used to explain the group check according to the present invention;

7A-C block diagrams of preferred inserting systems in accordance with the present invention; and

8 shows a detailed illustration of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention.

The present invention relates generally to the merging of at least two objects in one handling device, at least one of the objects having a storage medium which can be read out by a transponder. Both objects preferably comprise a storage medium which can be read out via a transponder. These objects are individual sheets, individual supplements, data carriers such as floppy disks, CDs, securities, documents, certificates, checks, but also gifts or other items that are processed together with a cover letter and sent together to a recipient are. In addition to the cover letters, so-called "valuable" inserts are also provided with storage media, e.g. checks and the like, so that they can be tracked using transponders.

1A shows a flowchart of a first embodiment of the present invention. In a step SlOOa, the first object is made available with a storage medium, and in a step SlOOb, the second object is made available. In step S102, the storage medium of the first object is read out, so that it can subsequently be determined in step S104 whether the first object and the second object are to be merged. If it is determined that the objects are to be merged, they are merged in step S106 and then further processed together in step S108. If the objects are not to be merged, there is no merging (step S110), and the first object is processed without the second object.

1B shows a flowchart of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In a step S112a, the first object is provided with a storage medium, and in a step S122b, the second object is provided. In step S114, the objects are merged, and in step S116 the storage medium of the first object is read out, so that it can subsequently be determined in step S118 whether the first object and the second object were to be merged. If it is determined that the objects were to be merged, they are processed together in step S120. If the objects were not to be merged, they will not be processed further (step S122).

The first object (with storage medium) is preferably a “document head”, ie a first page of a document or a card carrier on which cards are to be applied. The second object (with or without storage medium) comprises, for example, subsequent pages of the document, ie the second page and possibly other following pages, inserts, cards, envelopes, etc. The basic principle described with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B is that the merging of the objects is checked, with all merging options being checked / matching both before and after merging is possible If groups of objects are to be formed, the merging of these groups can also be traced back to this basic principle.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their use are described below using an envelope animal facility and its individual components. 2 shows an overview of an envelope plant which implements the method and the device of the present invention. The exemplary inserting system is divided into six sections, "Incoming", "Document processing", "Cards", "Inserts", "Inserting" and "Outgoing". The flow of documents (objects) through the system is illustrated by the arrows.

At the entrance, the system receives the document or documents to be processed as continuous paper or as a single sheet stack, the documents here already being printed or being printed on.

In the "Input" section, every sheet / object that is brought into the system is read or recorded. The first object is, for example, the first page of a document (the document header), which may have to be merged here with a second object, whereby the second object of the first document page includes the following pages, systems, etc. The first object comprises a storage medium that can be read out by means of a transponder. The second object can also have such a storage medium. The objects can be fed by the same or by different means - Before feed channels take place, preferably two channels being provided. In the example shown, the “input” comprises, as a component, a cutter and / or a sheet feeder, for example, but can also have other suitable components.

In the "Document processing" section, the objects received from the "Inbox" section are first collected, which is necessary, for example, if only one feed channel is provided in the "Inbox". Groups may be formed, which will be explained in more detail below using an example. The collected objects are optionally subjected to processing here, which includes folding, merging, punching and stapling, turning and turning, but not thereon is limited. This processing can also be carried out at other points in the system.

The section "cards" comprises a card applicator and from the previous section the collected documents are received as the first object. The second object is a card, for example a plastic card (with or without a storage medium that can be read out via a transponder), which is attached to the document is to be brought up.

In the "Inserts" section, the documents received from the previous section are received as the first object, to which one or more inserts are to be attached as the second object. The inserts can be, for example, brochures, data carriers, etc. (with or without a storage medium that is stored via a transponder can be read).

In the "Insert" section, the documents received from the previous section are received as the first object and merged with an envelope by means of an inserter. The envelope (with or without a storage medium that can be read out via a transponder) can be printed, unprinted or a window envelope Alternatively, it can be provided here that no inserting is desired and the first object is instead welded or deposited without further processing.

In the "Outbox" section, postprocessing is carried out, which includes, for example, sorting, printing and logging. Here, for example, a shed storage or a mailbox system can be provided. The objects are then dispatched.

In the system described with reference to FIG. 2, further reading operations can also be provided in order to monitor the processing / processing of a sheet in the entire system during the overall process. For this purpose, a suitable reading device can be located at suitable positions in the system between an input and an output of the system.

3, an example of the method according to the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to an investor, as is used in the section “receipt” or “supplements”. In a first step S300, individual sheets are first provided, each of which contains a storage element, e.g. B. in the form of a chip, which can be read out contact-free via a transponder. For this purpose, a special read-out device is provided which addresses the sheets and induces an alternating field in an antenna integrated in the sheet in order to generate a voltage for supplying the chip. This enables data exchange in a certain frequency range between the reading device and the sheet chip.

In a subsequent step S302, a sheet is fed to a feeder. In step S304, the storage medium of the sheet is read out via a suitable reading device in order to determine whether a further sheet, for example an insert in the form of an advertising brochure or the like, is to be fed to the sheet currently pending at the feeder. In step S306, it is determined based on the data read out in step S304 whether a further sheet is to be fed to the sheet pending at the feeder. If this is the case, the further sheet is fed in step S308, and the two sheets or the good comprising the two sheets is then moved to a further handling station. Alternatively, if no sheet is to be fed in, step S310 causes the individual sheet to be moved on to a subsequent station without receiving the further sheet.

If a plurality of feeders are provided in a handling system, then according to a preferred exemplary embodiment, steps S302 to S310 can be carried out for each of the feeders, ie each of the feeders becomes a sheet fed, read and based on the read data, a decision is made as to whether or not a further sheet provided by this feeder should be fed. Alternatively, steps S302 to S310 can also be carried out only once for a subset of investors, a plurality of subsets of investors or all of the investors in a handling system, it being determined in step S306 based on the data read from the storage medium in step S304 which the investor receives the sheet of additional sheets and from which not.

The application of plastic cards and card carriers is described below with reference to FIG. 4. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the plastic cards are provided in a first step S400. In step S402, the sheets, in this case card carriers, are provided, to which the plastic cards provided in step S400 are to be applied. The card carriers are usually letters to the holders of the plastic cards with which the new plastic cards are sent to the holders. For this purpose, the card carriers contain a corresponding address field and the memory chip described above, which contains further data.

It should also be noted that this exemplary embodiment is suitable both for online operation and for offline operation of a system. In online operation, the card carriers are generated by the handling system itself, that is to say, for example, by a laser printer with the required data, which are provided either by a database of the system or by the memory chip thereof. In offline mode, the card carriers are printed and personalized in advance, possibly also based on data read from the storage elements of the sheets, the card carriers then being made available to the system in a predetermined sequence. The plastic cards are ne operation of the system provided, the generation of the card carrier can be controlled depending on data that can be obtained from the plastic cards. In offline mode, the cards, as well as the card carriers, are provided in a correspondingly pre-sorted form by the system.

After the card carrier and the plastic card have been provided in steps S400 and S402, the card is applied to the card carrier (merged and connected) in step S404, the storage medium of the sheet / carrier being read out before and / or after the card and carrier have been merged to determine whether related cards and carriers are applied.

5 shows a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention in connection with the inserting of individual sheets. As can be seen in FIG. 5A, a sheet or also a plurality of sheets / group is provided in a first step S500. Each of the sheets passes through any number of stations within the handling device before reaching an inserter. In a step S502, a sheet is enveloped in an envelope and subsequently fed to a reading device, so that in step 204 a reading operation is carried out with respect to the inserted sheet. Alternatively, instead of being inserted into an envelope, the envelope can also be inserted by folding the sheet and then welding the edges.

Depending on the result of this reading operation, it can then be recognized whether a sheet is contained in the envelope or not. 5B illustrates an example in which, after the read operation has been carried out in step S504, a query is made in step S506 as to whether information has been obtained by the read operation. If this is the case, it is determined in step S508 that there is a sheet in the envelope, and the envelope is processed in the system for further processing. work forwarded. If it is determined in step S506 that no information has been received, it is determined in step S510 that there is no sheet in the envelope, and the envelope is removed from the system or from the handling process.

With regard to the check carried out in step S506 as to whether information has been received, it should be noted that there are various possibilities here. The first possibility is to check whether information (signals) have been received from the envelope, in order to determine if the information is present that a sheet is contained in the envelope and, if there is no information, to determine that no sheet is contained. If the inserting included folding and welding, you can check here whether the sheet was actually folded or whether only systems provided by investors - without the sheet (e.g. the letter) - were folded. Alternatively, instead of this simple query, it can be provided that predetermined information is read from the sheet, which information must then be received by the reading device in order to assess the presence or absence of a sheet. If this information is not received or if data are received that do not correspond to this information, it can be concluded from this that either there is no sheet in the envelope, or that a sheet is incorrectly in the envelope, i.e. is not assigned to the envelope, which then would be discarded. The information to be read out can be, for example, an identification mark or identification number stored in the sheet. If this is used, it is possible to store the information read in this way in a memory in order to generate a report (report) which reproduces which sheets have been processed in the system.

A further exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention is explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 5C. Additive- In order to carry out a read operation in step S504, further information from the envelope is provided here in step S512. This information can be, for example, address information obtained from the envelope by means of an OCR reading.

In step S514, the data obtained by the read operation in step S504 and the data provided in step S512 are compared with one another. In step S516, it is determined based on the comparison in step S514 whether or not the information is the same. If this information is the same, it is determined in step S518 that the sheet and envelope match, and the envelope is forwarded to further processing. If it is determined in step S516 that the information does not match or is not the same, it is determined in subsequent step S520 that the sheet and the envelope do not match, and the envelope with the sheet incorrectly contained therein is removed from the system ,

A further exemplary embodiment of the present invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of FIG. 6, according to which a plurality of objects which are arranged in a group are checked and / or monitored. This exemplary embodiment is used in all the examples described above, in which a group of objects was formed by the merging, at least two objects, for example sheets, each comprising a storage medium which can be accessed via a transponder.

According to the invention, the group to be handled which comprises a first sheet and a second sheet is first provided in step S600. Then, in step S602, the storage media of the two sheets are read out, and then in step S604 based on the read out data to determine whether the leaves belong to this group and / or whether the group is complete.

The formation of the group in step S602 takes place, for example, in such a way that the first sheet and the second sheet are brought together in a collating path, wherein a check can be carried out beforehand with regard to the belonging together of these two sheets on the basis of the data contained in the storage media. Furthermore, it can be provided that the corresponding sheets are identified as belonging to the corresponding group by reading an identification number, which is intended and unique for the group to be formed, into the storage medium of each of the sheets, so that this identification number indicates the affiliation the sheets for this group are also recognizable for subsequent processing stations. Furthermore, it can be provided to assign a further identification to a first sheet of the group by storing a corresponding data element in the data memory of the object, which characterizes this object / sheet as the “start of the group”. Likewise, the last can also be provided To provide the sheet of the group with a corresponding identification which is then stored in the data memory of the corresponding sheet and which identifies this as the “end of the group”. If a plurality of sheets or objects are brought together in a group, and if these sheets are also provided with a storage element, these sheets can also be provided with corresponding identification marks relating to the group, so as to clearly identify their belonging to the group. Furthermore, it is also possible to number the corresponding members of the group or to mark them in a similar way with regard to their position in the group, if this is necessary. In this case, the relevant information is written into the storage medium via the transponder. Alternatively, objects without memory serve between the two sheets "beginning of the group" and "end of the group".

The advantage of this embodiment is that the objects / sheets arranged in a group can now be stored in any position in the stack and can be checked at any time by reading out the individual storage elements of the respective objects. Furthermore, the group formed in this way can be checked for completeness at each station within the handling device, so that it is ensured that all the desired elements of a group are also processed and dispatched.

According to a further embodiment, it is also possible to assign a clear identification to the individual sheets in order to enable the goods to be sent to be tracked after they have left the handling device, so-called “mail piece tracking”.

The above explanation makes it clear that, due to the approach according to the invention, problems regarding data integrity and group togetherness, such as can occur on the way of the goods through a handling device, can be reliably avoided.

Using an inserting system and its individual elements, the approach according to the invention according to the preferred exemplary embodiment is explained in more detail below.

7 shows an example of block diagrams for possible implementations of the method according to the invention in an inserting system, the individual handling stations being shown schematically. With regard to FIG. 7, it should be noted that these are merely exemplary representations and that the present invention is not restricted to these configurations, but rather rather can be applied in any implementation.

7A shows a first inserting system with two feed channels 700 and 702. The required sheets / objects, some or all of which have a storage medium, are provided via these feed channels. The feed channels 700, 702 can comprise a printer (single sheet printer or a continuous sheet printer), a cutting machine and / or a sheet feeder. The printer generates the sheets / objects depending on the data provided. The cutting machine receives already printed paper webs, for example from a printer, and cuts the received continuous web into corresponding sheets, each with associated storage media. For example, the sheet feeder receives a stack of pre-printed sheets with appropriate storage media. The feed channels 700, 702 form the “input” section (see FIG. 2) of the system. As has already been explained above with reference to FIG. 2, the second feed channel 702 can be optional, ie the objects to be processed can also all be via the first Feed channel 700. The first object is, for example, the first page of a document (the document header), which may be merged here with a second object, the second object comprising the following pages, attachments, etc. The first object comprises a storage medium that can be read out by means of a transponder The second object can also have such a storage medium The second feed channel 702 is followed by a first collection station 704, in which the objects provided by the second feed channel 702 that belong to a group are collected ,

Another gathering station 706 (see section “Document Processing in FIG. 2) is provided, which receives the sheets / objects from the first feed channel 700 and from the gathering station 704 to form a group that is provided by the first feed channel 700 Document head and the objects provided by the second feed channel 702, 704. Before the groups / goods are brought together, it is checked whether the goods to be brought together in the collecting stations 704, 706 belong together or not. In this case, the goods to be merged from the feed channels are "matched", ie the information obtained from the storage media is compared and, if desired, the goods are merged and collected.

A disadvantage in the prior art was that, depending on the location or position of the information, comparisons were no longer possible, so that, as a rule, no more reading was carried out before the individual groups / sheets were brought together, and also the physical presence of good and Appropriate information was no longer checked. In fact, it was only checked whether there were goods to be merged and whether the information clocked together with the goods by the plant justified a match or merging, and then the goods were merged.

With the approach according to the invention, it is now possible to check the physically present goods to be merged on the basis of the information contained in their storage media before the merging.

In the collecting stations 704 and 706, it can preferably also be checked whether a sheet has been fed once, whether it belongs to the group to be formed and / or whether the group is already complete. This check is carried out on the basis of security information, for example the sheet sequence number, the group sequence number, an identification of the start / end of the group, etc. Conventionally, in the collecting station it was only possible, if at all, to read the top or bottom sheet. This disadvantage is solved by the use of transponder technology according to the invention, since it is now possible to use the first / last one to read the respective first / last sheet or to read all or individual sheets at once in the collecting station in order to carry out the necessary checking of the group, for example with regard to the sheets belonging to the group and their completeness. The system can also be designed to write a group start identification in the memory of the sheet when a first sheet is received, and to write group end information in the memory of the corresponding last sheet when a last sheet is received, so as to start and end the group for to mark their further processing in the overall system. Alternatively, the further sheets lying between the group start and the group end can also be read into the corresponding storage media with corresponding markings, which mark them as belonging to the group and, optionally, with regard to their position in the group.

The collecting station 706 is followed by an insert feeder 708 (see section “Supplements in FIG. 2) with any number of feeder stations (here three stations) 708ι, 708 ₂ , 708 _3rd In the manner described above with reference to FIG. 3, supplements are now added to the group which has moved out of the collecting station 706, for example a prospectus, an information sheet or the like. The group can be checked for completeness at any investor. The stacking of various documents and supplements, which is a problem for reading when using conventional reading technology according to the prior art, and also insurmountable problems with other control mechanisms, such as thickness testing, weighing, sheet counting, etc., can be be solved in an elegant manner by the use of transponder technology according to the invention.

The goods leave the insert feeder 708, the information being used to determine in advance whether an envelope tion of the group in an envelope, a folding and subsequent welding of the group or a placement of the group is desired. In the example shown, it is assumed that the information stored in a storage medium of a first sheet indicates that an insert is desired. The group is therefore moved to an inserter 710 (see section "Inserting" in FIG. 2). With the inserter 710 it is possible to check the group for factual completeness before inserting it, as has already been explained above.

After inserting, it is possible to perform a read operation through the closed, windowless envelope, in order to determine the group integrity again. In particular, information about the group and the envelope can be finally checked here if both are equipped with transponder technology.

Finally, the post-processing 712 of the inserted objects takes place (see section “Output” in FIG. 2).

7B shows a second inserting system for the application of cards and card carriers. The section “input” here only comprises a feed channel 714, to which a printer 716 is assigned. An applicator 718 (see section “cards” in FIG. 2) receives the card carrier from the feed channel 714 and one or more cards from a card channel 720. The card channel 720 is connected to the printer in order to generate the card carrier for a card in a known manner. Subsequent processing then takes place in the manner already described with reference to FIG. 7A, the insert feeder being optional.

7C shows a third inserting system in a simple embodiment with only one feed channel 700. Here, all objects to be processed are provided by this one channel, groups being put together in the collecting station 706, as is shown in FIG. 7A has been described. Subsequent processing then takes place in the manner already described with reference to FIG. 7A, the insert feeder being optional.

Regarding the exemplary systems shown in FIG. 7, it should be noted that all or some of the elements shown comprise devices by means of which data can be read out from the storage media of the respective sheets via a transponder. In addition, these devices can also be used to write data into the storage media, if this is permitted. Optionally, it can be provided that a corresponding note is written into the storage medium of the good after the respective operation has ended, so that a processing log relating to the good results in the course of processing in the storage medium. In contrast to conventional reading approaches, the reading position according to the invention can be relatively optional and can be carried out either in flight, that is to say during a movement of the goods, or when the goods are stationary.

The advantage over the prior art is that the run and processing of the goods can now be checked continuously in the system. Instead, in the prior art, information was only read once at the input of an inserting system from the goods to be processed, and then this information was passed on to the goods running through the inserting system from stop to stop, that is, it was cycled through the entire system together with the goods. The disadvantages of this procedure have already been explained above.

An exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention as described with reference to the block diagram in FIG. 7B is explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8. 8 shows a system 800 by means of which sheets or the like are processed. The exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is an online Plant, ie a plant that creates and personalizes the sheets itself.

The system 800 comprises a schematically represented printer 802, for example a laser printer. Laser printer 802 generates, e.g. a personalized carrier, the card carrier 804, which is output to a buffer magazine 806, based on data which were read out from a storage element thereof when a sheet was fed. The magazine 806 may include a predetermined number of sheets 804, where the laser printer feeds the sheets 804 to a top of the magazine 806, and a sheet is pulled from a bottom of the magazine 806 for further processing. This enables the processing speeds of the laser printer 802 and the downstream stations of the system 800 to be decoupled. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the system comprises a plurality of card towers 808 in which cards, for example plastic cards, are held. Cards 810 are moved from the card towers 808 in the direction of an applicator 812, to which the sheet 804 (card holder) extended by the magazine 806 is also moved. The plastic cards 810 are connected to the carriers in the applicator 812, one or more plastic cards being applied to a carrier depending on the number of cards to be sent. The cards are attached to a carrier, for example by means of adhesive labels.

Depending on the configuration of the system 800, a reading device (not shown) can be provided before and / or after the applicator 812, which reads information from the sheet without contact. It can further be provided that between the card towers 808 and the applicator 812 a further reading device, not shown, is provided in order to read information from the card. The information captured by the card and the sheet is then provided to a signal processor 814 to determine whether the card and the sheet are together. actually fit. If a match is found, the signal processing device 814 causes the system to feed the sheet with the card to further stations. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no match, the card and sheet are moved to an ejection station 816.

In the conveying direction after the applicator 812, a plurality of insert feeders 818 are provided, which serve to optionally add further supplements to the sheet before it is fed to an inserter 820. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8, each of the insert feeders 818 is provided with a reading device which reads the storage medium of a sheet which is in contact with the insert feeder in order to determine whether an attachment should be added to the sheet by the corresponding insert feeder. In this way it can be determined, based on information which is carried by the sheet itself, whether and which inserts are to be added. Alternatively, fewer reading devices can also be provided, for example one reading device for all insert feeders or several reading devices for several groups of insert feeders, so as to determine for the insert feeders assigned to one reading device which of these should feed additional inserts to the sheet and which should not. As mentioned, the sheets, possibly with the additional inserts, are fed to the inserter 820, inserted there, and the filled envelopes 822 are moved out of the inserter 820 and fed to a reading device 824, which addresses the storage medium in the sheet for information from read it out.

Depending on the results of this reading operation, which is carried out by the reading device 824, the signal processing device 814 of the system 800 according to the preferred exemplary embodiments of the present application described above is effective in order to either separate an envelope 822 or to pass it on for further processing. Becomes If it is found that an envelope 822 contains no sheet or a defective sheet, this is discarded and placed on a corresponding shelf 826. If it is determined that a sheet is contained, the corresponding envelope is stored in corresponding trays 828, depending on the location to which it is to be sent.

With regard to the exemplary system described with reference to FIG. 8, it should be pointed out that this is only a preferred exemplary embodiment, and that the method and the device according to the invention can also be implemented in a different way, and in particular not on the special configuration of the system shown in FIG. 8 is limited. In particular, handling devices to which the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention are applied can also contain only partial elements of the system shown in FIG. 8, so that, for example, the applicator with an associated card tower and / or the insert feeder 818 are optional. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the described mode of operation in online mode, but can also be applied to systems in offline mode. In addition, other system components can be provided, or some of the system components, such as the insert feeder, can be provided in reduced numbers or not at all.

In addition to the reading device 824, further reading devices can be provided in order to monitor a sheet while the system 800 is running. For example, a reading device can be provided at the entrance and exit of magazine 806 to detect the entry of a sheet into the system and to ensure that it is also removed from magazine 806. ^{'Furthermore,} a reading device can be provided, when a sheet, and which sheet is separated from the plant to realize, at the ejection point 816th It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that further reading devices for detecting the sheet at a corresponding position of the system 800 can also be provided elsewhere.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, provision can be made to initially use unprinted envelopes instead of pre-printed envelopes. After inserting, the envelope is then printed with information that was obtained on the basis of information that was read from the storage medium of the sheet. In this case, the reading device is provided in order to read predetermined information from the storage element of the sheet, which can then be printed on, for example, by means of a printer. The information provided for printing can e.g. B. include the address information required for the dispatch of the envelope or, if appropriate, in addition to the address information already applied, the information assigned to the recipient and also predetermined advertising information. The information can be stored on the storage element of the sheet or, alternatively, can be read out of its database in the signal processing device 814 via an identification mark that is stored in the storage device of the sheet.

Claims

claims

Method for providing a good by a handling device (800), the good having at least one document (804) and at least one further object, the document (804) having a storage medium that can be read out contact-free by a transponder, with the following steps:

(a) reading (S102) the storage medium of the document (804);

(b) using data read from the storage medium, determining (S104) whether the document (804) and the further object are to be merged; and

(c) if it is determined in step (b) that the document (804) and the further object are to be merged, merging (S106) the document and the further object.

2. The method according to claim 1, in which the further object comprises at least one card (810), and in which the document (804) is a card carrier, the data read out in step (a) containing data that the card ( 810) are comparable, in order to determine in step (b) whether the card carrier (804) and the card (810) are to be brought together, the method further comprising the following step:

(d) connecting (S404) the card carrier (804) and the card (810).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, in which the further object is provided by the handling device (800) in a feeder (708; 818), the data read out in step (a) from the document (804) indicate whether the further object should be fed by the feeder (708; 818) in order to be merged with the document in step (c).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the handling device (800) comprises a plurality of investors (708; 818), the data contained in the storage medium of the document (804) indicating through which the investor (708; 818) another object is to be read out, the data being read out before the first investment, in order to determine for each of a plurality of investors whether another object is to be supplied, or the data being read out in front of each investor, in order to determine for each of the investors whether another Object to be fed.

5. A method for providing a good by a handling device (800), the good having at least one document (804) and at least one further object, the document (804) having a storage medium that can be read out contact-free by a transponder, with the following steps:

(a) merging (S502) the document (804) and the further object;

(b) Reading out (S114) the storage medium of the document

(804); and

(c) on the basis of data read from the storage medium, determining (S118) whether the document (804) and the further object were to be merged.

6. The method according to claim 5, in which the document (804) is a card carrier and in which the further object comprises at least one card (810), the card carrier (804) and the card (810) being connected after the merging, in the event that in Step (c) it is determined that the document (804) and the further object (810) were not to be brought together, the card carrier with the card (810) is moved out of the handling device (800), step (c) making a comparison of the Data from the storage medium of the card carrier (804) with data associated with the card (810).

7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein the further object is an envelope (822), and step (a) that

Inserting (S502) the document into the envelope.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the envelope has a readable by a transponder storage medium and is printed, wherein before inserting the document into the envelope, the storage media of the envelope and the document are read out to determine whether the envelope and the Document belong together.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, in which in step

(c) a first signal is generated when information is read from the document (804) in step (b), and a further signal is generated in step (c) if no information from that in step (b) Document (804) is read out, the method further comprising the following steps:

(d) if the first signal is generated in step (c), forwarding (S508) the envelope to a subsequent station for handling the same; and

(e) if the further signal is generated in step (c), removing (S510) the envelope from the handling process.

10. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein in step (b) predetermined information from the storage medium can be read, step (c) comprising the following substeps:

(c.l.) comparing (S514) the information read out in step (b) with information from the

Envelope;

(c.2.) if the information compared in step (c.l.) matches, forwarding (S518) the envelope to a subsequent station

Handling the same; and

(c.3.) if the information compared in step (c.l.) does not match, removing (S820) the envelope from the handling process.

11. The method as claimed in one of claims 5 to 11, in which, in step (b), predetermined information is also read from the storage medium, the method further comprising the following steps:

Providing the information read, and

Printing the envelope with the information provided.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the further object also has a storage medium readable by a transponder.

13. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 12, in which the storage medium contains data which control the processing of the document (804) and / or the further object at selected or all stations of the handling device.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, in which a storage medium of a document and / or the wide- the object is read out in order to obtain assigned control information relating to the processing in the handling device, and in which the read control information is compared with control information contained in the handling device in order to determine correct or incorrect processing.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein, while a document and / or an object passes through the handling device, data is written into the storage medium of the document and / or the object, wherein the written data information relating to the processing steps and / or include information regarding the position of a document and / or object in a group.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the document and the further object each have a storage medium that can be read out contact-free by a transponder, and wherein the document and the further object are arranged in a group, with the following steps:

Reading out the storage medium of the document and reading out the storage medium of the further object (S600); and

based on the data read out from the storage media, determining whether the document and the further object belong to the group, and / or determining whether the group is complete (S604).

17. The method according to claim 16, in which a plurality of sheets and objects is provided, wherein all or some of the objects comprise a storage medium which can be read out by a transponder, the storage media being read out and the membership of the sheets on the basis of the data read out from the storage media and objects to the group and / or the completeness of the group is checked.

18. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein the completeness of the group on one, more or each

Stop position in a collating web (412) and / or before inserting (418, 420) is checked, the inserting comprising inserting the group into an envelope or folding the group and then welding the folded group.

19. Device for providing a good that has at least one document (804) and another object, the document (804) having a storage medium that can be read out contact-free by a transponder, with:

a reading device (824) for reading out the storage medium of the document (804);

a signal processing device (814) for determining, on the basis of data read from the storage medium, whether the document and the further object are to be combined; and

merging means (704, 706, 708, 710, 718; 812, 818, 820) for merging the document and the further object if the signal processing means determines that the document and the further object are to be merged.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the further object comprises at least one card (810), and wherein the document is a card carrier (804), wherein the data read out by the reading device with data associated with the card (810) , are comparable in the signal processing device to determine whether the card carrier (804) and the card (810) are are to be brought together, the merging device comprising an application device (718; 812) for merging, connecting and issuing the card (810) and the card carrier (804).

21. The apparatus of claim 19 or 20, wherein the merging device comprises a feeder (708; 818) to provide the further object, the data read out by the reading device from the document (804) indicating whether the feeder (708; 818 ) feeds the further object.

22. Device according to one of claims 19 to 21, in which the further object is an envelope (824), and in which the merging device is an inserter (710; 820) in order to insert the document (804) into the envelope.

23. The device according to any one of claims 19 to 22, wherein the document and the further object each have a storage medium readable by a transponder and are arranged in a group, the signal processing device being adapted to use the storage media of the document and the to determine whether the document and the further object belong to the group and / or whether the group is complete.