Patent ID: 8301297
Filing Date: 2012-10-30
Classification: B07C

Abstract:
1. A method for performing continuous sortation of mailpieces using a plurality of sorters, the method comprising steps of: assigning first and second sortation schemes to first and second sorters, respectively, the first sorter to receive a first batch of mailpieces and the second sorter to receive a second batch of mailpieces; designating at least one sortation bin on the first sorter to receive mailpieces to be further processed on the second sorter with the second sortation scheme; reading each mailpiece and establishing a unique identifier and first metadata for each mailpiece to be sorted on the first sorter; sorting the first batch of mailpieces on the first sorter in accordance with the first sort scheme, wherein a subset of mailpieces of the first batch is sorted to the at least one designated sortation bin; during sorting of the second batch of mailpieces on the second sorter, sorting the subset of mailpieces transferred to the second sorter from the at least one designated bin of the first sorter; for each mailpiece of the subset, establishing second metadata and associating the second metadata with the unique identifier; for each mailpiece of the subset, based on an common unique identifier, integrating the first and second metadata to establish third metadata used to generate a non-duplicative record; and generation a mailing report, the mailing report containing selected data items of the non-duplicative record for each unique identifier.