Patent ID: 6696656
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: B07C,G06K,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of sorting â€œreturn to senderâ€  mailpieces using a mailpiece sorting apparatus having an Optical Character Reader (OCR) system, the mailpiece sorting apparatus comprising automatic reading area, a voice recognition system and a group of bins for receiving mailpieces, the method comprising the steps of:a) automatically reading addressee information from a mailpiece using the mailpiece sorting apparatus; b) determining whether an addressee can be determined from the information read from the mailpiece; c) if the addressee cannot be determined from the addressee information read from the mailpiece determining whether the mailpiece is a return to sender mailpiece using recognition by the OCR system of return to sender indicators; d) if the mailpiece is a return to sender mailpiece, delivering the mailpiece to a return to sender bin in the group of bins for receiving mailpieces; e) retrieving the mailpiece from the return to sender bin in the group of bin for receiving mailpieces; f) reading, by an operator, an identifiable sender address segment from the mailpiece; g) speaking the identifiable sender address segment from the mailpiece into the voice recognition system; h) comparing the identifiable sender address segment from the mailpiece to an addressee database in order to determine an appropriate bin for delivery; and i) if an appropriate bin for delivery is identified, delivering the mailpiece to the appropriate bin.