Time limited business reply mail

Systems and methods for utilizing time-dependent markings in systems including a mail delivery system for utilizing time-limited business reply mail are described. A business reply mail authorization permit is applied to a business reply mail piece using a time-dependent marking such as time-dependent ink. After the time-dependent ink changes state, the mail piece is no longer marked as an authorized business reply mail piece.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to commonly-owned patent application Ser. No. 11/967,686, entitled “Systems and Methods for Producing and Processing Time Dependent Dynamic Barcodes in a Mail Delivery System” and filed contemporaneously herewith by Douglas B. Quine and Luis A. Sanchez, which related application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The illustrative embodiments described in the present application are useful in systems including those for utilizing mail systems and more particularly are useful in systems including those for utilizing time-limited reply mail.

BACKGROUND

The United States Postal Service (USPS) operates a national mail and parcel delivery network including hundreds of major mail Processing and Distribution Centers (P&DCs) that process and forward mail pieces toward the destination address. The P&DCs process a tremendous volume of mail that may include hundreds of millions of letters and packages per day. The P&DCs employ automated processing equipment in the form of optical character readers, automated facer-cancellers, barcode sorters, and material handling systems. As a machineable mail piece is automatically processed in the P&DC national network, the destination barcode is used when the P&DC in possession of the mail piece decides where to send it next.

The USPS currently typically collects its delivery fee from the sender of an item through the use of postage stamps, a postage meter or a postage permit mark (used to charge against a permit postage account). However, the USPS does offer a reply mail service known as BUSINESS REPLY MAIL (BRM) that is frequently used for advertisement responses (e.g., magazine advertisement response cards) and customer reply mail (e.g., order fulfillment return envelopes). BUSINESS REPLY MAIL uses preprinted FIRST-CLASS MAIL pieces for which the business and not the customer pays for the return postage. The business interested in using the service applies for an advance deposit permit account and funds the account. The mail pieces (e.g., envelopes and postcards) are pre-addressed and marked with a BRM postage authorization. The USPS also offers volume discounts to businesses that receive a large quantity of such BRM mail pieces. Since the business does not pay the return postage unless the BRM mail piece is used, the business is not charged any postage for the printed BRM mail pieces that are discarded and never returned. Accordingly, the business does not have to waste postage by placing stamps on all of its reply mail.

Since the postage is charged to an advance deposit permit account that the business funds and maintains with the USPS, the business must maintain sufficient funds in that account relative to the BRM mail pieces that will be returned. A system for managing BRM accounts is described in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,131,572 B2, entitled Automatic Business Reply Mail Funding, issued Nov. 7, 2006 to Miller, et al. and incorporated herein by reference. The preprinted BRM mail pieces sent to the public then remain a liability since they can be placed in the mail at any time. Unfortunately, for publicly distributed BRM mail pieces, there may be many BRM mail pieces that would not normally be returned, but that might be placed in a mail collection box by a prankster.

SUMMARY

The present application describes illustrative embodiments of systems and methods for utilizing mail systems and in certain embodiments described systems including those for utilizing time-limited business reply mail.

In one illustrative example, a reply mail envelope or label applied to the envelope is marked with a time-dependent authorization permit using time-dependent ink. After a period of time, the time-dependent ink changes visible states such that the reply envelope is no longer recognized as authorized recipient paid reply mail.

In another illustrative embodiment, an envelope is fitted with a display in order to produce a time-dependent reply mail authorization permit. The display includes a timer that determines when the display is set to switch from an authorized reply mail permit display to a different display that is not recognized as authorized recipient paid reply mail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The illustrative embodiments of the present application describe systems and methods for utilizing mail systems and in certain embodiments describe systems including those for utilizing time-limited reply mail.

BUSINESS REPLY MAIL is a valuable marketing tool because the prepaid and preaddressed mail piece encourages impulse purchases and eliminates the need to address and apply postage to a return mail piece. Many people do not maintain an inventory of postage at home. The inconvenience, cost and delay associated with obtaining postage to respond to an interesting offer causes many prospective buyers to abandon their purchase plans and causes lost business to direct mail marketers. However, such offers may be limited in time. Yet, there is no mechanism to force compliance with such time limits in returning a BRM mail piece. While a business may sometimes be willing to accept an order from a customer after the deadline, the date may represent the end of a manufacturing run, a deadline for production planning, or the end of an event season (e.g. tickets for sporting events). In such cases, BRM mail pieces received after the deadline would require postage payments to the USPS for mail which the business could not convert into revenue.

In at least certain embodiments, a reply mail envelope or label applied to the envelope is marked with a time-dependent authorization permit using time-dependent ink. After a period of time, the time-dependent ink changes visible states such that the reply mail is no longer recognized as authorized recipient paid reply mail. As described herein, several time-dependent marking systems may be utilized with the illustrative embodiments. However, an inkjet ink containing a reactive dye such as Reactive Blue 19 is described in detail.

In at least certain embodiments, an envelope is fitted with a display in order to produce a time-dependent reply mail authorization permit. The display includes a timer that determines when the display is set to switch from an authorized reply mail permit display to a different display that is not recognized as authorized recipient paid reply mail.

In certain illustrative embodiments described herein, a time-dependent marking such as a time-dependent ink permit authorization block may provide dynamic information to the legacy USPS mail processing equipment without requiring any equipment hardware or software changes.

Referring toFIG. 1, a schematic diagram of a representative envelope1according to an illustrative embodiment of the present application is shown. Envelope (mail piece)1is a business reply mail piece. It includes several markings including a standard FIM mark4and a postage block5. The envelope1also includes markings for a BUSINESS REPLY MAIL authorization block2and the business address provided to receive the return mail3. A destination POSTNET barcode6marking is provided which decodes as shown in7and provides a delivery information code. Such markings may be collectively referred to as postal information. In this illustrative example, all of the markings on envelope1are printed with a time-dependent ink that changes from dark to clear over time. Accordingly, the envelope1will convert to a blank condition (not shown) after the time-dependent ink changes state to a colorless state.

Referring toFIG. 2, a schematic diagram of a representative envelope11according to another illustrative embodiment of the present application is shown at a first point in time. Envelope (mail piece)11is a business reply mail piece. It includes a standard FIM mark14and a postage block15. The envelope11includes a BUSINESS REPLY MAIL authorization block12and the business address provided to receive the return mail13. A destination POSTNET barcode16is provided which decodes as shown in17. In this illustrative example, some of the markings on envelope11are printed with permanent ink and others are marked with a time-dependent ink that changes from dark to clear over time. As used herein, a permanent ink is a traditional ink that is not designed to change visible states within a time period of hours, days, weeks or months. Of course, permanent inks may degrade in unintended adverse conditions.

An offer text21indicates to the customer that prompt response will result in free postage. A blocking box22is printed over a barcode as will be apparent with reference toFIG. 3. The text21as well as the blocking box22, the FIM14, the POSTNET barcode16, and most of the business reply indicia15are printed in a time-dependent ink that will fade away after a defined interval (variable according to the chemistry selected). The portions of indicia15that are printed in permanent ink will be apparent below with reference toFIG. 3. For example, a reactive ink chemistry that provides for ink fade in approximately one month may be used as appropriate for a time dependent offer.

Referring toFIG. 3, the envelope11is shown after the time-dependent reactive ink has changed visible states to the clear state. The POSTNET BARCODE16, offer text21and authorization block12have completely disappeared. Blocking box22has also disappeared to reveal the permanent ink barcode24. Additionally, most of indicia15has disappeared leaving behind the permanent ink portions that now become stamp template26to indicate that postage is now required. Accordingly, the postal indicia postal information field is partially printed in permanent ink and partially printed in time-dependent ink.

FIG. 3illustrates the envelope of the present embodiment after the time-dependent ink visible state change interval has passed. Now the free postage offer, the business reply indicia and endorsement, and the original POSTNET barcode have disappeared. The envelope will no longer be directed to the USPS business reply mail accounting system (BRMAS) for automatic deduction from the standing account (large business). Small businesses will no longer be called to the postmaster's office for payment of postage due (with a significant surcharge) on the received business reply mail envelopes. Now the envelope is an ordinary courtesy reply envelope with a standard POSTNET (24). The postage area endorsement (26) indicates that postage is required. Accordingly, the envelope11will not be recognized as an authorized recipient paid business reply mail piece after the period of time required for the time-dependent ink to undergo its visible state change to clear.

Referring toFIG. 4, a schematic diagram showing the barcodes ofFIG. 2andFIG. 3is shown.FIG. 4illustrates the POSTNET barcode16for the business reply mail (sector-segment 9999) as decoded at17and the standard address barcode24for Pitney Bowes (sector-segment 0700) as decoded at25. Differences in the barcodes can be observed at reference27.

Referring toFIG. 5, a flowchart of a representative method for processing the envelope ofFIGS. 2-3according to an illustrative embodiment of the present application is shown.FIG. 5shows an illustrative process for using time-limited business reply mail. If they wished, businesses could charge back postage (and even add a service charge or nuisance fee) to a customer who mailed expired envelopes and attempted to avoid postage payment.

In step100, a BRM envelope (mail piece)11is pre-printed with a time-dependent barcode and other time dependent sections as described herein and then provided to a customer, for instance, such as included with a monthly credit card statement. In step105, the time-dependent markings of envelope11starts aging so that the BRM postage is only prepaid for a limited time. In step110, the customer places the mail pieces11in the mailstream and the time-dependent ink continues to age as the mail piece is processed through the USPS network and P&DC sorters.

In step115, the destination barcode sorter reads the barcode. If it is a Rapid BRM barcode, in step120, the sorter sorts the mail piece to a BRMAS stacker and the business recipient pays for the postage using the permit account as described. If the barcode is the aged barcode, in step125, the sorter sorts the mail piece to a standard stacker and the customer must have paid the postage.

Referring toFIG. 6A, a graphical representation of a general chromophore formula500of an Anthraquinone dye according to an illustrative embodiment of the present application is shown. In this marking alternative for the embodiments described herein, a reactive ink changes visible state from dark to clear over time. This ink may be used to create a time-dependent barcode by positively printing the first barcode using the reactive ink and then printing a “reverse print” dark block for a second barcode nearby. The oxidized reactive ink is printed on the portions of the block that must disappear to reveal the second (replacement) barcode.

The printing process involved includes a two step print process in which the constant marking portions are printed first and then any portions that must disappear over time are overprinted with an oxidizing solution to make those portions time dependent. The chemical reaction involved is:
Reactive Dye formulated inks+oxidizing agent→new product (colorless)   (EQ. 1)

Because this reaction is pH, metal type and oxidizing concentration dependent, these variables are used to control the marking ink fading time. Reactive dyes suitable for the inks described include Anthraquinone dyes of the general chromophore formula500. Two specific examples are Reactive Blue 4 and Reactive Blue 19. Some examples of the oxidizing agents suitable for the time-dependent ink include (1) copper, manganese and other transition metal oxidizing salt solutions and (2) hydrogen peroxide solutions. An illustrative example of a reactive ink formulation is shown in Example 1:

ComponentWt. %CommentReactive Blue 195%Reactive dyeEthylene Glycol15%HumectantsButyl Carbytol5%PenetrantsBuffer Solution10%Biocide1%Water64%
In an alternative, the permanent portions of the time-dependent marking such as a barcode are printed using a multi-ink print head using a first color of normal black ink and then using a second color having reactive ink to print the variable portions of the time-dependent marking. In yet another alternative, the reactive ink may be pre-mixed and used in an air-tight ink supply for a printer such as a collapsible bladder ink supply.

Referring toFIG. 6B, a graphical representation of a reaction of a Azo group marking compound510, catalyst530and reaction520according to an illustrative embodiment of the present application. As an alternative, an Azo containing group will react as shown inFIG. 6Bto produce a colorless product.

Certain known time changing marking systems may also be alternatively advantageously utilized with the printed illustrative embodiments described herein. For example, certain visitor badge systems have been employed utilizing time-dependent markings. In another alternative applicable as a substitute marking system to any of the illustrative embodiments herein, the “dark to light” conversions and “light to dark” conversions applicable to the described embodiments are achieved instead using microencapsulated dyes or inks such as those available in carbonless copy paper from NCR Corporation of Dayton, Ohio.

In another alternative applicable to any of the printed illustrative embodiments herein, disappearing inks such as those described and referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,982, issued Oct. 23, 1979 to Lin may be utilized and such patent is incorporated herein by reference. Similarly, methods for determining formulations have appropriate reactive oxidations times are known and such methods may be used such as those described and referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,091 B1, issued Feb. 21, 2006 to Knight and U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,246, issued Jun. 2, 1998 to Frey, et al., such patents being incorporated herein by reference.

Referring toFIG. 7, a schematic diagram of a representative display211according to an illustrative embodiment of the present application is shown. BRM mail piece211is shown at a first time frame. The mail piece211is a business reply envelope and includes standard FIM markings214, a postage block215and permit field212. The recipient address213and POSTNET barcode216is also displayed. The display includes a flexible EINK display adhered to the mail piece such as glued to a reusable envelope or as a reusable window or package insert. The display includes a processor (or state machine) including a timer (or counter) and appropriate memory for storing a second image to provide for a time dependent display. EINK flexible displays and associated processors are available from E Ink Corporation of Cambridge, Mass. and Plastic Logic Limited of Cambridge, United Kingdom.

At the second period of time, after the associated timer counts down, the display switches to a second period display (not shown) that will not be recognized as authorized business reply mail such as shown inFIG. 3.

Referring toFIG. 8, a schematic diagram of a display circuit220according to an illustrative embodiment of the present application is shown. The display circuit includes a display driver circuit222and a display processor224including at least one timer and a memory. The EINK flexible display211and display circuit226is powered by portable power source226. The power source226includes a battery, but may instead include a capacitor, ultra capacitor, paper battery, solar energy or inertia driven energy system. The display circuit220may be printed on the substrate including the display or may be contained in a traditional silicon chip.

Limited time BRM envelopes can be used to encourage prompt payment of bills. Although postage is not a major cost in most household budgets, free postage is a remarkably powerful incentive for action. This has been documented by the Disabled American Veterans who study response rates associated with stamped response envelopes. The float on the funds associated with early payment of a credit card or other bill more than pays the cost to the business of paying postage for early bill payment. An additional slower responding ink can be used to allow collect payment for business reply mail that expired “in transit”. This would prevent customer dissatisfaction (or unjustified charge backs of postage) when an envelope is mailed just before the ink switched states.

In the EINK alternative embodiments, a reusable EINK bill payment envelope is provided by a biller (credit card company, utility) as a business reply envelope for a limited time. A biller would be enticed to utilize such a system since the biller would benefit from a “float” related to early payment that repays postage cost; the customer gets the convenience of a prepaid envelope. These reusable envelopes may alternatively be sold to the customer (“lifetime prepaid remittance envelope”). At the time of mailing to the customer the e-ink configuration would be switched to the starting image configuration and the timer started. It might also be designed to have the timer start when the envelope is removed from the envelope by the customer), although some customers may not open their credit card bills immediately upon receipt.

EINK displays permit any pixel to display black or white (and later to change any pixels as desired). As can be appreciated with reference to the embodiments described above, a mail piece such as a return envelope with an EINK display front could be programmed at the time of mailing from business to customer to display: time-dependent business reply markings, a variety of time-dependent barcodes and time-dependent notifications such as for limited time offers (e.g., 10% off until December 24th).

Upon a set date or time (preprogrammed into timer electronics such as a 555 integrated circuit, clock, or other timer the timing could be very precise and instantaneously switch desired pixels from black to white or from white to black), the display on the face of the envelope could be changed to display a courtesy reply envelope, changed barcodes and/or a different permanent offer to replace the time-dependent offer (e.g., free monogramming with $500 purchase).

In any of the illustrative embodiments described herein, an optional grace period is employed such as to allow a biller to pay the applicable postage to accommodate a situation in which the time-dependent markings on the envelope flipped states just after the customer deposited the envelope in a mailbox.