Abstract:
In a preferred embodiment, a network-based hardcopy mail scanning system to enable a mail recipient to view virtual images of their mail prior to physically receiving said mail. Unwanted mail from unknown origins can be discarded remotely by the mail recipient prior to actually receiving or touching the hardcopy mail. Thus the mail recipient is insulated from contact with potential letter bombs, biological agents, and chemical agents distributed by terrorists through the US or international postal systems. The process includes a means to digitize an image of hardcopy mail intended for a mail recipient, a database to store the digitized image, a scanning service computer connected to said database. Said scanning service computer and a mail recipient computer are interconnected by a computer network. The scanning service computer communicates images of hardcopy mail (addressed for delivery to the mail recipient) to the mail recipient computer via the computer network. The mail recipient can elect to accept mail for receipt or to reject mail which is then destroyed. By virtually selecting what mail to accept and discarding the rest, the recipient can discard mail from unknown origins prior to ever physically handling it.

Description:
BACKGROUND FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to insulating a hardcopy mail recipient from receiving unwanted mail articles. More specifically, a mail scanning and digital image storing process is disclosed wherein a scanning service computer sends digital images of an intended mail recipient&#39;s hardcopy mail to the intended recipient&#39;s computer. Said scanning service computer and said intended mail recipient&#39;s computer being interconnected by a computer network. The intended mail recipient views images of his mail remotely via his computer and sends signals via computer electing which pieces to receive and which pieces to discard. The scanning service computer receives the intended recipient&#39;s elections. The scanning service mails the hardcopy mail for which acceptance has been indicated and discards mail for which rejection has been indicated. The intended recipient can also instruct (via computer) the scanning service to open and scan (capture the image of) the contents of a particular mail piece. This process enables a mail recipient to further pre-select which mail he wishes to receive and which he wishes to discard. By discarding unwanted mail in advance of actual receipt, this process reduces an intended mail recipient&#39;s potential exposure to explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents that terrorists may attempt to distribute to the intended recipient through the US and international postal systems.  
         BACKGROUND-DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR INVENTION  
         [0002]    The US postal system was one of the earliest institutions established in the young United States of America as an open means of communication between vast numbers of mail senders and mail receives. The US postal system has served the US well and has been emulated in many other countries. Unfortunately, in recent years, terrorists have used our postal system to distribute exploding letters, anthrax, and other biological and chemical agents with the intention of harming mail recipients. Presently, recipients are warned to exercise caution when opening and handling mail. Some precautions include, don&#39;t open mail from an unknown recipient or mail which has wires in it, for example. These instructions provide some useful benefit but little comfort to mail recipients. A primary exposure still exists for the recipient who physically filters through potential mail hazards. Namely, a chemical or biological agent could potentially be on the outside of the envelope. While the prior art does not provide a means for individual mail recipients to filter out unwanted mail (such as mail from unknown origins) prior to actually physically receiving it, the present invention provides a digital image means to achieve this object.  
           [0003]    Capturing and distributing digital images has been brought to a fine art in recent decades. Likewise high speed mail handling, metering, routing and distribution equipment has been well known and widely used for decades. The process for automatically digitizing the image of a hardcopy mail article and sending the image to the article&#39;s intended recipient via networked computers and enabling the user to select whether or not to receive the mail article without having physically handled the article has not been anticipated in the prior art. The present invention discloses this novel and unanticipated process and system.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0004]    This invention relates to insulating a hardcopy mail recipient from receiving unwanted mail articles. More specifically, a mail scanning and digital image storing process is disclosed wherein a scanning service computer sends digital images of an intended mail recipient&#39;s mail to the intended recipient&#39;s computer. Said scanning service computer and said intended mail recipient&#39;s computer being interconnected by a computer network. The intended mail recipient views images of his mail remotely via his computer and sends signals via computer electing which pieces to receive and which pieces to discard. The scanning service computer receives the intended recipient&#39;s elections. The scanning service mails the hardcopy mail for which acceptance has been indicated and discards mail for which rejection has been indicated. The intended recipient can also instruct (via computer) the scanning service to open and scan (capture the image of) the contents of a particular mail piece. This process enables a mail recipient to pre-select which mail he wishes to receive and which he wishes to discard. By discarding unwanted mail in advance of actual receipt, this process reduces an intended mail recipient&#39;s potential exposure to explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents that terrorists may attempt to distribute to the intended recipient through the US and international postal systems.  
         OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES  
         [0005]    Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are apparent. It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for intended hardcopy mail recipients to select which mail articles they wish to receive and which they wish to discard without their having to physically handle articles. It is an object of the present invention to thereby dramatically reduce an intended mail recipient&#39;s potential exposure to terrorist weapons such as explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents. It is an advantage of the present invention that a service is provided to digitally record the image of the intended recipient&#39;s mail. It is an advantage that the image is sent from said service&#39;s computer to said intended recipient&#39;s computer via a network. It is an advantage that said recipient can decide which mail to receive and which mail to discard based upon the digital images. It is an advantage that the user&#39;s computer sends elections to the scanning service&#39;s computer via a network such that the scanning service can exercise the intended recipient&#39;s elections. It is an advantage that the scanning service sends only the hardcopy mail wanted by the intended recipient. It is an advantage of the present invention that unwanted mail is discarded by the scanning service prior to ever being received by its intended recipient. Thus the object of minimizing unwanted mail and minimizing concomitant potential for terrorist exposures are dramatically achieved by the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DRAWING FIGURES  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 prior art is a flowchart describing the typical home hardcopy mail stream in the US.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 prior art is a flowchart describing the typical office hardcopy mail stream in the US.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail interception at the home mailbox.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail scanning via a service address.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail scanning performed by the US Postal Service.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail scanning performed by an office mail processing system.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 7 illustrates the computers interconnected by network.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating hardcopy mail flow integrated with the computers interconnected by network.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 9 illustrates the GUI with an image received by the intended hardcopy recipient.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 prior art is a flowchart describing the typical home hardcopy mail stream in the US. A vast number of potential mail senders exist in the modem worldwide postal system. Some mail sender&#39;s are known to a mail recipient  29 , many other&#39;s are unknown. A first mail sender  21  and a second mail sender  23  each send mail through a US Postal System  25 . Under the present system, the mail receiver has no control whatsoever as to which mail he will receive or not receive. Thus the mail recipient must be prepared to deal with mail from anyone including terrorists which may arrive any day at his home mail box  27 .  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 prior art is a flowchart describing the typical office hardcopy mail stream in the US. Similarly to FIG. 1, a vast number of potential mail senders exist in the modem worldwide postal system. Some mail sender&#39;s are known to the mail recipient many other&#39;s are unknown. Under the present system, the mail receiver has no control whatsoever as to which mail he will receive or not receive. Thus a mail recipient  39  must be prepared to deal with mail from anyone including terrorists which may arrive any day at his office mail box  38  courtesy of his office mail distribution system  37 .  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail interception at the home mailbox of the present invention. The present invention provides a mail scan service  49 . In this illustration, the mail scan service is intercepting the intended recipient&#39;s  55  mail at his home mail box  47 . The  49  scans (records a digital image) of the mail which it provides electronically over the internet, thereby enabling the intended recipient to virtually view the mail prior to receiving it. Internet communication channel between  49  and  55  is indicated by a dotted line. The  55  elects to accept or to reject each specific mail article. Rejected mail  51  is discarded by the  49  and accepted mail  53  is routed to the user by the  49 . Thus the user of the scanning service receives and personally handles only the mail that he wishes to and discards the unwanted mail without ever having handled it. This reduces potential for exposure to explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents distributed by terrorists.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail scanning via a service address. FIG. 4 provides an alternate, more efficient, process than FIG. 3. A mail receiver  71  officially changes his mailing address to a service address location  63 . Thus all mail intended for the recipient goes to the service address for processing. A mail scan service  65  records digital images of the mail which it sends by computer over the internet to an intended mail receiver&#39;s computer  71 . Internet communication channel between  65  and  71  is indicated by a dotted line. The intended receiver elects which pieces to accept and which to reject. His computer notifies the  65  computer of these elections via the internet. The  65  accordingly discards rejected mail  67  and sends to the intended recipient&#39;s home mail box  69  only accepted mail. Thus the user of the scanning service receives and personally handles only the mail that he wishes to and discards the unwanted mail without ever having handled it. This reduces potential for exposure to explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents distributed by terrorists.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail scanning of the present invention if performed by the US Postal Service. After the postal service  77  receives the mail from multiple senders, it provides a mail scanning service (digital images of the mail are created). An intended receiver  87  is given access to the digital images via the internet (indicated with dotted line) which interconnects the  87  computer and the  81  computer. Also over the internet, the  87  sends elections to accept or reject each mail article to the  81  computer. The Postal Service then delivers only the accepted mail to a home mailbox  85  and discards the rejected mail. Thus the user of the US Postal scanning service receives and personally handles only the mail that he wishes to and discards the unwanted mail without ever having handled it. The scanning service thus reduces the user&#39;s (mail recipient&#39;s) potential for exposure to explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents distributed by terrorists.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail scanning performed by an office mail processing system. Many buildings use internal mailroom personnel to distribute mail through out the building, the present invention can be used at the building level as well. After the postal service  93  delivers mail to an office mail processing system  95 , the office mail service provides a mail scanning service (digital images of the mail are created). An intended receiver  105  is given access to the digital images via the intranet (indicated with dotted line) which interconnects the  97  computer and the  105  computer. Also over the intranet, the  105  sends elections to accept or reject each mail article to the  97  computer. The office mail processing system then delivers only the accepted mail to the  105  and discards the rejected mail. Thus the user of the office mail scanning service receives and personally handles only the mail that he wishes to and discards the unwanted mail without ever having handled it. This reduces potential for exposure to explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents distributed by terrorists.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 illustrates the computers interconnected by network. The scanning service or hardcopy mail processing operation  113  receives incoming mail  111 . It scans the mail (creates digital images) in a scanning operation  115 . Images are stored in a mail database  117 . Images from the  117  are served to a mail receiver computer  123  via a scan service computer  119 , both computers being interconnected by a network  121 . The  123  sends elections to  119  concerning what to do with each mail article. The  119  stores these elections in the  117  and sends processing instructions to the  113 . Mail is process according to the  123  instructions including some sent out to the  123  as outgoing hardcopy mail  125 .  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating hardcopy mail flow integrated with the computers interconnected by network. Hardcopy mail  131  is received by a mail scan service  133  as received hardcopy mail  135 . As its first processing, hardcopy mail is scanned (digital images are created), assigned a barcode number, stored, and its digital image is stored at  137 . A computer  139  sends digital images to the mails intended recipient at user computer  143  via a network  141 . The  143  computer sends elections back to the  139  computer at the message received box  144  (via the network  141 ). The  144  computer sends instructions for handling of each mail article according to the  143   10  elections. Accepted mail  147  is sent through the internal (office or building mail system) and/or external (postal service) system where the hardcopy mail is given to the user hardcopy mail box  149 . Mail rejected by  143  is rejected mail  145  and is destroyed. The  143  user can opt for other processing options as well one such option is to open the mail  151 . Opened mail is itself recorded to a digital image  153 . This opened mail image is sent to the user at  155 . Again the user  143  is given the option to accept or reject via the network connection. The user elects options and the processing service either sends accepted mail  157  or destroys rejected mail  159 . Thus the user of the scanning service receives only mail that he elects to receive. This significantly reduces his potential risk to mail delivered terrorist weapons.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9 illustrates the GUI with an image received by the intended hardcopy recipient. This is a representation of what the scanning service computer sends to the mail recipients computer via the network. A graphical user interface (GUI)  171  contains two basic areas. A first area is the image view area  173 . It contains the image of an envelope  175  that was received by the scanning service which digitally recorded its image and sent it over the internet to a user of the scanning service. If the user wants to receive the mail, he uses his curser arrow  183  to click on the accept mail icon  177 . The user can also click on a reject mail icon  179  to reject the mail or an open mail icon  181  to further inspect the mail&#39;s content. The instructions are sent to the scanning service for execution via the network connect. Thus the user of the scanning service receives only mail that he elects to receive. This significantly reduces his potential risk to mail delivered terrorist weapons.  
         [0024]    Operation of the Invention  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 prior art is a flowchart describing the typical home hardcopy mail stream in the US. A vast number of potential mail senders exist in the modern worldwide postal system. Some mail sender&#39;s are known to a mail recipient  29 , many other&#39;s are unknown. A first mail sender  21  and a second mail sender  23  each send mail through a US Postal System  25 . Under the present system, the mail receiver has no control whatsoever as to which mail he will receive or not receive. Thus the mail recipient must be prepared to deal with mail from anyone including terrorists which may arrive any day at his home mail box  27 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 prior art is a flowchart describing the typical office hardcopy mail stream in the US. Similarly to FIG. 1, a vast number of potential mail senders exist in the modem worldwide postal system. Some mail sender&#39;s are known to the mail recipient many other&#39;s are unknown. Under the present system, the mail receiver has no control whatsoever as to which mail he will receive or not receive. Thus a mail recipient  39  must be prepared to deal with mail from anyone including terrorists which may arrive any day at his office mail box  38  courtesy of his office mail distribution system  37 .  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail interception at the home mailbox of the present invention. The present invention provides a mail scan service  49 . In this illustration, the mail scan service is intercepting the intended recipient&#39;s  55  mail at his home mail box  47 . The  49  scans (records a digital image) of the mail which it provides electronically over the internet, thereby enabling the intended recipient to virtually view the mail prior to receiving it. Internet communication channel between  49  and  55  is indicated by a dotted line. The  55  elects to accept or to reject each specific mail article. Rejected mail  51  is discarded by the  49  and accepted mail  53  is routed to the user by the  49 . Thus the user of the scanning service receives and personally handles only the mail that he wishes to and discards the unwanted mail without ever having handled it. This reduces potential for exposure to explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents distributed by terrorists.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail scanning via a service address. FIG. 4 provides an alternate, more efficient, process than FIG. 3. A mail receiver  71  officially changes his mailing address to a service address location  63 . Thus all mail intended for the recipient goes to the service address for processing. A mail scan service  65  records digital images of the mail which it sends by computer over the internet to an intended mail receiver&#39;s computer  71 . Internet communication channel between  65  and  71  is indicated by a dotted line. The intended receiver elects which pieces to accept and which to reject. His computer notifies the  65  computer of these elections via the internet. The  65  accordingly discards rejected mail  67  and sends to the intended recipient&#39;s home mail box  69  only accepted mail. Thus the user of the scanning service receives and personally handles only the mail that he wishes to and discards the unwanted mail without ever having handled it. This reduces potential for exposure to explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents distributed by terrorists.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail scanning of the present invention if performed by the US Postal Service. After the postal service  77  receives the mail from multiple senders, it provides a mail scanning service (digital images of the mail are created). An intended receiver  87  is given access to the digital images via the internet (indicated with dotted line) which interconnects the  87  computer and the  81  computer. Also over the internet, the  87  sends elections to accept or reject each mail article to the  81  computer. The Postal Service then delivers only the accepted mail to a home mailbox  85  and discards the rejected mail. Thus the user of the US Postal scanning service receives and personally handles only the mail that he wishes to and discards the unwanted mail without ever having handled it. The scanning service thus reduces the user&#39;s (mail recipient&#39;s) potential for exposure to explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents distributed by terrorists.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 6 is a flowchart describing hardcopy mail scanning performed by an office mail processing system. Many buildings use internal mailroom personnel to distribute mail through out the building, the present invention can be used at the building level as well. After the postal service  93  delivers mail to an office mail processing system  95 , the office mail service provides a mail scanning service (digital images of the mail are created). An intended receiver  105  is given access to the digital images via the intranet (indicated with dotted line) which interconnects the  97  computer and the  105  computer. Also over the intranet, the  105  sends elections to accept or reject each mail article to the  97  computer. The office mail processing system then delivers only the accepted mail to the  105  and discards the rejected mail. Thus the user of the office mail scanning service receives and personally handles only the mail that he wishes to and discards the unwanted mail without ever having handled it. This reduces potential for exposure to explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents distributed by terrorists.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 7 illustrates the computers interconnected by network. The scanning service or hardcopy mail processing operation  113  receives incoming mail  111 . It scans the mail (creates digital images) in a scanning operation  115 . Images are stored in a mail database  117 . Images from the  117  are served to a mail receiver computer  123  via a scan service computer  119 , both computers being interconnected by a network  121 . The  123  sends elections to  119  concerning what to do with each mail article. The  119  stores these elections in the  117  and sends processing instructions to the  113 . Mail is process according to the  123  instructions including some sent out to the  123  as outgoing hardcopy mail  125 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating hardcopy mail flow integrated with the computers interconnected by network. Hardcopy mail  131  is received by a mail scan service  133  as received hardcopy mail  135 . As its first processing, hardcopy mail is scanned (digital images are created), assigned a barcode number, stored, and its digital image is stored at  137 . A computer  139  sends digital images to the mails intended recipient at user computer  143  via a network  141 . The  143  computer sends elections back to the  139  computer at the message received box  144  (via the network  141 ). The  144  computer sends instructions for handling of each mail article according to the  143  elections. Accepted mail  147  is sent through the internal (office or building mail system) and/or external (postal service) system where the hardcopy mail is given to the user hardcopy mail box  149 . Mail rejected by  143  is rejected mail  145  and is destroyed. The  143  user can opt for other processing options as well, one such option is to open the mail  151 . Opened mail is itself recorded to a digital image  153 . This opened mail image is sent to the user at  155 . Again the user  143  is given the option to accept or reject via the network connection. The user elects options and the processing service either sends accepted mail  157  or destroys rejected mail  159 . Thus the user of the scanning service receives only mail that he elects to receive. This significantly reduces his potential risk to mail delivered terrorist weapons.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 9 illustrates the GUI with an image received by the intended hardcopy recipient. This is a representation of what the scanning service computer sends to the mail recipients computer via the network. A graphical user interface (GUI)  171  contains two basic areas. A first area is the image view area  173 . It contains the image of an envelope  175  that was received by the scanning service which digitally recorded its image and sent it over the internet to a user of the scanning service. If the user wants to receive the mail, he uses his curser arrow  183  to click on the accept mail icon  177 . The user can also click on a reject mail icon  179  to reject the mail or an open mail icon  181  to further inspect the mail&#39;s content. The instructions are sent to the scanning service for execution via the network connect. Thus the user of the scanning service receives only mail that he elects to receive. This significantly reduces his potential risk to mail delivered terrorist weapons.  
         [0034]    Conclusions, Ramifications, and Scope  
         [0035]    Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are apparent.  
         [0036]    Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are apparent. It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for intended hardcopy mail recipients to select which mail articles they wish to receive and which they wish to discard without their having to physically handle articles. It is an object of the present invention to thereby dramatically reduce an intended mail recipient&#39;s potential exposure to terrorist weapons such as explosives, biological agents, and chemical agents. It is an advantage of the present invention that a service is provided to digitally record the image of the intended recipient&#39;s mail. It is an advantage that the image is sent from said service&#39;s computer to said intended recipient&#39;s computer via a network. It is an advantage that said recipient can decide which mail to receive and which mail to discard based upon the digital images. It is an advantage that the user&#39;s computer sends elections to the scanning service&#39;s computer via a network such that the scanning service can exercise the intended recipient&#39;s elections. It is an advantage that the scanning service sends only the hardcopy mail wanted by the intended recipient. It is an advantage of the present invention that unwanted mail is discarded by the scanning service prior to ever being received by its intended recipient. Thus the object of minimizing unwanted mail and minimizing concomitant potential for terrorist exposures are dramatically achieved by the present invention.  
         [0037]    It should be noted that other configurations are possible using the art described herein. While my above description describes many specifications, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof Many other variations are possible. For example, many means of digitizing images are well known and are not described herein. Many means for physically processing, storing and routing mail are well known and are not described herein. Many software programming languages can be used and one skilled in the art can easily compose the necessary software and GUI&#39;s.