Patent ID: 6697703
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: B07C,Y10S

Abstract:
A multi-task mixed mailpiece processor and sorter for processing and sorting differently sized mailpieces at least some of which have an outer surface portion on which is positioned mail handling indicia, the system comprising:a mailpiece feeder positioned to individually feed a plurality of mailpieces including at least mailpieces of a first size defining first-sized mailpieces and mailpieces of a second size defining second-sized mailpieces; a variable-speed mailpiece transporter positioned to receive each of the plurality of mailpieces from the mailpiece feeder, to transport each received mailpiece therefrom along a predetermined path of travel, and to selectively transport some mailpieces at a first speed and other mailpieces at a second speed; a mailpiece size determiner positioned adjacent the mailpiece feeder and mailpiece transporter to determine the size of each of the plurality of mailpieces; a mailpiece scanner positioned downstream from the mailpiece feeder and adjacent the mailpiece transporter to scan each mailpiece for mail handling indicia positioned on each mailpiece; a user interface including a visual display terminal in communication with the mailpiece scanner to permit the input of commands by a user and to provide to the user visual images of mail handling indicia positioned on the mailpieces; a printer positioned downstream from the mailpiece scanner and adjacent the mailpiece transporter to print on a mailpiece; at least one mailpiece sorting bin positioned downstream from the printer and adjacent the mailpiece transporter; and a process controller including optical character reader in communication with the mailpiece transporter, mailpiece size determiner, mailpiece scanner, printer, and user interface, the process controller having: a transport speed control processor responsive to the mailpiece size determiner to control the speed at which each mailpiece is transported by the mailpiece transporter so that the first-sized mail is transported at a first speed and the second-sized mail is transported at a second speed, and a sorting processor responsive to mail handling indicia scanned by the mailpiece scanner so as to cause an image to be displayed on the visual display terminal and an identification code to be printed by the printer on a mailpiece when the mailpiece is devoid of at least one address indicator readable by the optical character reader, and to cause the printer to print a first preselected code on a mailpiece when a second preselected code is positioned on the mailpiece, and otherwise to cause the mailpiece to be transported to the at least one mailpiece sorting bin.