SYSTEM FOR RELIEVING OVERBURDENED POSTAL SORTING EQUIPMENT

Abstract: A solution is provided to the technical problem of postal sorting equipment overburdened by medium-sized batches of unsorted mail. The solution identifies and diverts such batches for processing at a separate facility before the batch is tendered to the postal service. The batches may be placed in containers that are pooled together with others for pre-sorting. The invention further provides a method and system for collecting relatively small batches of mail that, alone would not qualify for mailing at a pre-sorted postage rate and pooling them together with others for pre-sorting into a qualified batch of pre-sorted mail. The mail may be metered at a reduced program rate. The system creates a cooperative of participating mail senders working together to earn a lower effective postage rate.

Description: SYSTEM FOR RELIEVING OVERBURDENED POSTAL SORTING EQUIPMENT Technical Field The present invention relates generally to the field of mail handling. More particularly, the invention provides a solution to the technical problem of overburdened postal sorting equipment. The invention reduces the sorting burden by collecting and pooling small batches of mail for pre-sorting at a private facility before the batch is tendered to the postal service. Background of the Invention Government postal services typically sort incoming mail pieces using both manual labor and expensive sorting machines. Commercial pre-sorting, where available, reduces the processing burden on the postal service and speeds delivery. Most pre-sorting businesses, however, will only sort large batches of mail; for example, greater than two thousand pieces. Smaller batches, therefore, are often submitted directly to the postal service for sorting and delivery. The burden of sorting these smaller batches of up to two thousand pieces creates additional expense for the postal service and causes a delay in mail delivery. Increased sorting expenses often result in higher postage rates and/or unacceptable delays in delivery. Where commercial pre-sorting is not available, the postal service must carry the burden of sorting incoming batches of all sizes. Many postal services lack the resources to continually upgrade and install new sorting equipment. As the number and variety of incoming mail increases, the need to successfully manage and allocate sorting resources becomes more important. In some cases, a postal service depends on commercial pre-sorting to handle the very large batches of mail, while depending upon its own sorting equipment to handle the smaller batches. Many businesses in the developing economies generate medium-sized batches of mail that are too small for commercial pre-sorting (less than two thousand pieces, for example), but yet are so large that the batch imposes a significant burden on the postal service. For example, if a few businesses each submit a batch of eighteen hundred mail pieces on a single day to be sorted, such a request may be beyond the sorting capacity of the post office. The burden caused by these medium-sized batches is a technical problem requiring an innovative solution. Most mail senders lack the technology, equipment, and knowledge to do their own pre-sorting. Some postal services promulgate rules and regulations for pre-sorted mail that are difficult or impractical to learn and understand for the customer who only has an occasional, medium-sized batch of mail. Furthermore, many postal services require documentation such as a certificates and detailed manifests to certify compliance with the applicable postal regulations. Customers who do not pre-sort on a regular basis will be unfamiliar with the current requirements. While some postal services publish reduced postage rates for pre-sorted mail, many government postal services only offer reduced postage rates to customers who have the knowledge and the willingness to negotiate for a lower rate. Customers with ongoing relationships with the local postal service may be able to achieve a lower rate, but customers who only seldom have a large batch of mail typically lack the resources and information to contact the postal service and obtain a lower rate. Also, customers unfamiliar with the local customs and practices typically decide to submit their medium-sized batches directly to the postal service for sorting instead of taking the time and incurring the expense associated with learning about and negotiating with the postal service. Because of these barriers to entry for lower- volume mail senders, many government postal services face increasing demands on already-overburdened sorting equipment. In some countries, the postal service has established a graduated tier of postage rates for different types of mail and for different levels of pre-sorting. Several government postal services, such as the United States Postal Service, publish reduced postage rates for pre-sorted mail. Pre-sorting reduces the processing burden on the postal service and speeds delivery. Postal service regulations often impose stringent standards for pre-sorted mail which are expensive and difficult to meet, especially for mail senders with fewer than several thousand mail pieces. Standards governing such characteristics as batch volume, size uniformity, destination variety, batch certification, typeface, zip code length, and bar coding, make it difficult to obtain the lowest rate for pre-sorted mail. A mail sender may employ personnel and buy specialized equipment to presort its mail, or it may use the services of a private mail pre-sorting facility. Mail pre-sorting facilities stay abreast of postal regulations and offer pre-sorting services along with documentation certifying that each batch of pre-sorted mail complies with postal service regulations. Most mail pre-sorting facilities, however, only serve customers with large batches of mail; for example, greater than two thousand pieces. Low-volume customers, therefore, must perform their own sorting and regulation compliance or pay the higher postage rate. Many low-volume customers lack the technology and the personnel to pre-sort and meet the stringent postal regulations, so instead they pay the higher postage rate. Customers with the technology, equipment, and personnel may be able to achieve the level of pre-sorting necessary to qualify for a reduced postage rate. The postal regulations typically include a list of published rates which are correlated to the degree of pre-sorting accomplished and other factors. For example, a batch of two thousand or more mail pieces, of similar weight and size, may qualify for a lower rate such as 32.2 cents instead of the first-class or full rate of 34.0 cents. To earn this kind of discount, the customer must learn and comply with the regulations and published rates of the local postal service, apply postage to each mail piece at the published rate using a postage meter to accommodate a decimal rate such as 32.2 cents, pre-sort the entire batch as required, prepare documents such as a certificate and/or a manifest certifying compliance with the applicable postal regulations, and then deliver the sorted batch to the local post office because such a batch would be too large for collection by a mail carrier. The low- volume customer, therefore, is faced with multiple barriers to entry when seeking a reduced postage rate. From the pre-sorting task to the burden of transporting the batch to a post office, the low-volume customer is prohibited in many cases from obtaining a reduced postage rate in an economically feasible manner. Thus, there is a need for a solution to the technical problems experienced by the postal service when faced with the burden of sorting medium-sized batches of mail. There is a related need for a solution to lessen the burden placed on the postal service when mail volume increases due to batches that cannot be processed by a mail pre-sorting facility. There is a further need for a system of processing small batches of mail that fosters participation by mail senders who only need pre-sorting occasionally. There is a related need for a system of mail processing that takes advantage of published or negotiated rates for mail senders without requiring extensive and ongoing familiarity with local customs and practices. Additionally, there is a need for a method and system of processing mail pieces for low-volume mail senders that earns a reduced postage rate without incurring the high costs associated with pre-sorting relatively small batches of mail. There is a further need for a method and system for enabling low-volume mail senders to participate in a discounted-rate mail system of a local postal service, where available. There is a related need for a method and system to facilitate the participation of low- volume mail senders in the services offered by private mail pre-sorting facilities. A further need exists for a method and system capable of earning a lower postage rate, where available, for a batch of mail than the mail sender could earn outside such a system. Summary of the Invention The above and other needs are met by the present invention which, generally described, provides a solution to the technical problem of overburdened postal sorting equipment. The invention reduces the sorting burden by collecting and pooling small batches of mail for pre-sorting at a private facility before the batch is tendered to the postal service. In one aspect of the invention, the method of processing medium-sized batches of mail into a larger batch suitable for pre-sorting includes the steps of establishing one or more holding facilities and establishing a mail pre-sorting facility separate from the postal service facility. The method further includes monitoring the size of incoming batches of mail and identifying medium-sized batches. The mail pieces may bear a program postage rate. The medium-sized batches are diverted into one or more containers, which are transported to one of the holding facilities, where the containers are gathered into one or more pools. A medium-sized batch is generally defined by a lower limit and an upper limit. The lower limit depends in part upon the total sorting load at the postal service facility on a particular day. The upper limit depends in part upon the sorting capacity and the total sorting load at the mail pre-sorting facility on a particular day. When a pool includes enough mail pieces to be accepted for pre-sorting, the method of the present invention further includes transporting the pool to a mail presorting facility, where it is sorted into a pre-sorted batch suitable for mailing at an entry rate of postage. In another aspect of the present invention, medium-sized batches of unsorted mail pieces are pooled into a larger pre-sorted batch for delivery to a postal service. In this aspect, the mail preparation system includes one or more holding facilities and a private mail pre-sorting facility. The method of processing medium-sized batches includes the steps of monitoring the size of incoming batches of mail and identifying medium-sized batches. The mail pieces may bear a program postage rate. The medium-sized batches are diverted into one or more containers, which are transported to one of the holding facilities, where the containers are gathered into one or more pools. The method of the present invention further includes transporting the pool to a mail pre-sorting facility, where it is sorted into a pre-sorted batch suitable for mailing at an entry rate of postage. The postal service pays a rebate to the presorting business. The rebate per mail piece represents the difference between said entry rate and said program rate. In another aspect of the invention, a transport business accomplishes a method of supplying medium-sized batches of unsorted mail pieces to one or more mail pre-sorting businesses. The method includes receiving requests from mail senders, distributing empty containers to the senders, and then collecting and transporting the containers to one or more of the holding facilities. At the holding facility, the filled containers are gathered into one or more pools for later distribution to the pre-sorting business. The method may further include communicating a program postage rate to the mail senders, with instructions to apply the program rate to each mail piece. In one embodiment, the transport business receives a transport fee from each mail sender in exchange for collecting and transporting the container. In another aspect of this method, the transport business receives a transporter rebate from the mail pre-sorting business in exchange for the pools of containers gathered by the transport business. In another aspect of the invention, a mail pre-sorting business accomplishes a method of collecting mail pieces from a plurality of mail senders. The method includes receiving the pools of containers, opening the containers, sorting the mail pieces into a pre-sorted batch, and tendering the pre-sorted batch to the postal service facility for mailing at an entry rate of postage. The method may further include commingling the mail pieces with others. The method may also include preparing a certificate or manifest certifying that the pre-sorted batch is qualified for mailing at the entry rate. In one embodiment, where a program postage rate is applied to each mail piece by the sender, the method further includes receiving a rebate from the postal service which represents the difference between the entry rate and the program rate, times the number of mail pieces in the pre-sorted batch. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to solve the technical problems experienced by the postal service caused by the burden of sorting medium-sized batches of mail. It is a related object of the present invention to reduce the burden on the postal service when mail volume increases using a method of identifying, diverting, and pooling together medium-sized batches for processing by a separate mail pre-sorting facility. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of processing mail that fosters participation by mail senders who only need presorting occasionally. It is a related object of the present invention to provide a solution that allows mail senders to take advantage of published or negotiated postage rates without requiring extensive and ongoing familiarity with local customs and practices. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and system of processing mail pieces for low- volume mail senders that earns a reduced postage rate without incurring the high costs associated with pre-sorting relatively small batches of mail. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and system for enabling low- volume mail senders to participate in the discounted-rate mail system of the local postal service. It is a related object of the present invention to facilitate the participation of low- volume mail senders in the services offered by mail pre-sorting facilities . It is also an object of the present invention to provide an economical system for financing the pooling and processing of mail which is based in part on the postal service rebate earned by pre-sorting. It is a related object of the present invention to use the effective rate savings to drive the system and thereby enable low-volume mail senders to reap the benefits of pre-sorting that were otherwise available only to high- volume mail senders. These and other objects accomplished by the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 depicts the flow of mail pieces according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 shows the handling and processing of mail pieces in detail, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 depicts the flow of funds and information between and among the participating entities, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a graph showing the relative postage rates within the system, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Drawings Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, Fig. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of mail according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 10 contemplates participation by a plurality of mail senders 100, a transport business 200, one or more pre-sorting businesses 300, and a postal service 400. The flowchart in Fig. 1 is generally divided into four columns, each containing the facilities of the participants in the system 10. The mail processing generally proceeds from left to right. Fig. 1 depicts a variety of mail senders 100, including without limitation individual consumers, small or large businesses, and small or large organizations. One type of mail sender 100 who may benefit from participation in the system 10 typically has a batch of mail that is too small to be accepted for processing by a mail pre-sorting business 300. Many mail pre-sorting businesses 300 only serve senders 100 who have large batches of mail; for example, greater than two thousand pieces. A mail sender 100 with a medium-sized batch of mail, such as fifteen hundred pieces, may benefit from participation in the system 10 because such a batch is too large for the sender 100 to pre-sort in an economically feasible manner. Also, such a batch is generally too large for collection by a mail carrier from the postal service 400, so the sender 100 must transport the sorted batch to a postal service facility 45. Faced with this dilemma, many mail senders 100 choose to stamp the unsorted mail at the first-class or full postage rate and then transport the stamped batch to a postal office 40 for delivery. The system 10 of the present invention offers an easy and cost-effective alternative. The Flow of Mail Broadly described, each participating sender 100 places unsorted mail into a container 50. The containers 50 are collected and transported to a holding facility 70, where the containers 50 are gathered into one or more pools 80. The pools 80 are then collected and transported to a mail pre-sorting facility 75, where the pools 80 are commingled and sorted into one or more pre-sorted batches 90. The presorted batches 90 are then transported to a postal facility 45 for delivery at a reduced postage rate without requiring a significant amount of further processing. Diversion of mail in this manner reduces the postal service's reliance on its own mail sorting equipment and personnel at the postal facility 45. The transport business 200 may include a transport office 20 and one or more holding facilities 70. In one embodiment, the holding facilities 70 are part of the postal service 400. In one alternative embodiment, the holding facilities 70 are regional or local hubs of the transport business 200. The holding facility 70 might also be a separate, independent entity, such as a temporary warehouse. When the transport business 200 or holding facility 70 is described in this application as receiving items, the act of receiving may include collecting and transporting. The pre-sorting business 300 may include a pre-sorting office 30 and a plurality of regional and local pre-sorting facilities 75. In one embodiment, the pre-sorting facility 75 is part of the postal service 400. Where the pre-sorting facility 75 is described as being separate from the postal service facility 45, it should be understood that the two facilities may reside in the same building or they may be physically separated. The concept of separation implies a division of the sorting tasks, not necessarily a division of the structure where such tasks are performed. One or more holding facilities 70 may be used in the system 10. When the pre-sorting business 300 is described in this application as receiving items, the act of receiving may include collecting and transporting. The postal service 400 generally includes a postal office 40 and a plurality of regional and local postal service facilities 45. Although one postal service facility 45 is shown in Fig. 1, it should be understood that the system 10 may include multiple postal service facilities 45. In one embodiment, the postal service 400 extends beyond the border shown in Fig. 1 to include one or more mail presorting facilities 75 and one or more holding facilities 70. It should be understood that various government postal services 400 include a variety of systems and facilities that maybe adapted to operate according to the system 10 of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, the transport business 200 monitors and administers the inventive system 10 in a way that ensures a profitable and economical result for each participant. Transportation The transportation steps between and among the facilities in the system 10 include, from left to right on Fig. 1, container transport 53, pool transport 55, and batch transport 58. Container transport 53 includes the collection and shipment of containers 50 to one or more holding facilities 70 via one or more container transport vehicles 24. Pool transport 55 includes the collection and shipment of pools 80 from holding facilities 70 to one or more pre-sorting facilities 75 via one or more pool transport vehicles 34. Batch transport 58 includes the collection and shipment of pre-sorted batches 90 from mail pre-sorting facilities 75 to one or more postal service facilities 45 via one or more batch transport vehicles 44. Container transport 53, in one embodiment, transfers containers 50 from a postal facility 45 to one or more holding facilities 70 after a medium-sized batch of unsorted mail has been identified and diverted. In another embodiment, container transport 53 is accomplished by a transport business 200. The transport office 20 may dispatch a fleet of container transport vehicles 24 on a plurality of routes, some of which may include regular customers of the transport business 200. In one aspect, a participating sender 100 may submit a request 110 to the transport office 20 (see Fig. 3) to pickup one or more containers 50. In another aspect, a participating sender 100 may drop a container 50 at a designated location 120 such as a retail mailing center or a drop box, where containers 50 may be routinely collected at a regular time by a container transport vehicle 24. A medium-sized batch of unsorted mail pieces can be described as having a quantity between a lower limit and an upper limit. The lower limit depends in part upon the sorting load experienced on a particular mailing day. For example, on a high load day, a postal service 400 may find it efficient to divert batches of as few as two hundred pieces for pre-sorting elsewhere, whereas batches as high as one thousand pieces might be pre-sorted at the postal facility 45 when the load is low. The upper limit generally depends in part upon the capacity of the mail pre-sorting facility 75 and upon the number of mail pieces required for acceptance by a mail pre-sorting business 300. If, for example, the batch must contain at least two thousand pieces before a mail pre-sorting business 300 will accept it for presorting, then batches below this upper limit may be diverted and pooled with other such batches until the pool contains a sufficient quantity of mail pieces to be accepted for pre-sorting. Pool transport 55, in one embodiment, is accomplished by the mail presorting business 300. Pool transport 55, however, may be accomplished by the transport business 200, by another carrier, or by a combination of these, depending upon the number, location, and size of the pools 80 to be collected for processing. It should be understood that multiple pre-sorting businesses 300 may participate in the system 10 of the present invention. Batch transport 58, in one embodiment, is accomplished by the mail presorting business 300. The postal service 400, however, or another carrier may accomplish the batch transport 58 step. The number, location, and size of the presorted batches 90 to be collected may affect the participants in the batch transport 58 step. It should be understood that the example routes shown for the transport steps 53, 55, 58 in Fig. 1 are simplified for clarity. The container transport step 53 may start, in one embodiment, at a postal facility 45 where a medium-sized batch of unsorted mail has been identified and diverted for pre-sorting. The number and variety of mail senders 100 is only limited by the extent to which the senders 100 may benefit from participating in the system 10. The container transport step 53 may include multiple hubs, intermediate stops, transfer points, and a variety of vehicles in order to transport the containers 50 to the most appropriate holding facility 70. Similarly, the pool transport 55 and batch transport 58 steps may take place in a hub-and-spoke arrangement of facilities and transfer points not shown in Fig. 1. Moreover, almost any kind of transportation device, including without limitation trucks, package cars, aircraft, and rail systems, may be used as a transport vehicle 24, 34, 44 within the system 10 of the present invention. Preferably, every step of the described method and system 10 is completed within a twenty-four-hour period. In addition to the economic benefits of the present invention, the mail sender 100 may receive same-day processing and transportation of the mail pieces to the postal service 400. Processing Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the mail processing steps depicted more generally in Fig. 1. From left to right, Fig. 2 shows a sender 100, a holding facility 70, a mail pre-sorting facility 75, and a postal service facility 45. The discrete mail processing steps are depicted inside each facility. Also, the transport steps 53, 55, 58 are indicated generally between the facilities. Sender Tasks In one aspect of the present invention, the sender 100 may apply 51 postage onto each mail piece. It should be understood that the decimalization (including tenths of a cent) of reduced postal rates established by a postal service 400 might requires the sender 100 to use a postage machine instead of a stamp for applying postage to each mail piece. The sender might also obtain a postage label electronically. The term "meter" as used herein includes any and all methods of applying postage to a mail piece. Generally, the unsorted mail pieces 95 are metered 51 at a program rate 60 (see Fig. 3). The program postage rate 60, in some cases, maybe the same as the full or first-class postage rate. The sender 100 then fills 52 a container 50 with the unsorted mail pieces 95. In one alternative embodiment, the sender 100 applies no postage before filling 52 the container 50 with the unsorted mail pieces 95. The step of metering 51 the program rate 60 onto each mail piece is performed at the pre-sorting facility 75, after which the cost of the postage applied (plus an additional fee, perhaps) is charged to the sender 100. Although this alternative requires an additional billing step, it relieves the sender 100 of the burden of purchasing or leasing and maintaining a postage machine and eliminates the task of metering 51 postage onto each mail piece 95. In another aspect of the present invention, each container 50 maybe pre- addressed to a particular holding facility 70. In one embodiment, the transport business 200 may provide a plurality of empty containers 50 to one or more participating mail senders 100. The containers 50 maybe durable and suitable for repeated uses. Each container 50 may be encoded for tracking purposes in a manner known to those skilled in the art. The tracking system may include scanning the unique code on each container 50 at key checkpoints along the way and may further include making such information available to the mail senders 100, thereby allowing the sender 100 to follow the progress of each container 50. The tracking and scanning of the present invention enables the transport business 200 to monitor the progress of each container 50. If, for example, a delivery scan does not occur on the same day as an origin scan, an exception or fault notice will be generated. If and when such an exception is generated, the transport business 20 may immediately activate its exception solution function and track the container 50 to resolve the delay. It should be noted that the steps of applying postage to the mail pieces and filling some type of container are tasks that, typically, are already performed by mail senders 100 who process mail in sufficient quantities to potentially earn a discounted postage rate. In another aspect of the present invention, the system 10 operates efficiently and economically without the need to count the number of unsorted mail pieces 95 in each container 50. As will be understood, the transport fee 102 for shipping, preferably, is paid on a flat rate, per-container basis instead of on a per-mail-piece basis, thereby eliminating the need for the sender 100 or the transport business 200 to count mail pieces in order to calculate a fee. In one alternative embodiment, the transport fee 102 is paid according to the weight of the container 50 instead of a flat rate. In this embodiment, the amount of the transport fee 102 would depend, in part, on the number of mail pieces 95 inside the container 50. Still, the task of counting the number of mail pieces 95 may be avoided when the transport fee 102 is paid on a by-weight basis. The batch of unsorted mail pieces 95 is described herein as being "unqualified" because it does not qualify for a discount, if offered, from the postal service 400 for pre-sorted mail. A completely unsorted batch of mail, of course, would not qualify as pre-sorted mail. It should be understood, however, that a batch of mail may be sorted to some degree, but still not qualify as a pre-sorted batch under the regulations of the postal service 400. Hence, the term unqualified as used herein includes partially sorted batches of mail. The container transport step 53 moves the container 50 from the sender 100 to a holding facility 70. Holding Facility Tasks In another aspect of the present invention, the collected containers 50 are gathered or pooled 54 into a pool 80 at a holding facility 70. In one embodiment, where the holding facility 70 is part of the transport business 200, the transport business pools 54 the containers 50. The pool 80 is held in a designated location for later pickup and transport. The pool 80 may be held on a particular loading dock at the holding facility 70 or, in some cases, at the mail pre-sorting facility 75. Preferably, the containers 50 are not opened during the pooling 54 step. The act of pooling 54 maybe as simple as putting the containers 50 in a designated bin, or as elaborate as queuing the containers 50 in a staging area into different pools 80 for pickup by certain pool transport vehicles 34 (shown in Fig. 1). The pool transport 55 step moves the pools 80 from the holding facility 70 to a mail pre-sorting facility 75. It should be noted that the containers 50 collected from a plurality of mail senders 100 participating on a given day may contain different types of mail pieces. For example, the mail pieces 95 in a certain container 50 may be unsorted or partially sorted. The container 50 may contain many mail pieces 95 or relatively few. Thus, the plurality of containers 50 received at a holding facility 70 may include an unknown quantity of mail pieces 95 in an unknown or mixed sort condition. Pre-Sorting Tasks In another aspect of the present invention, the pre-sorting facility 75 opens the containers 50 and commingles 56 the mail pieces therein. The commingled mail pieces 85 are then pre-sorted 57 into a pre-sorted batch 90. In one embodiment, the act of commingling 56 occurs when the container 50 is opened and the unsorted mail pieces 95 are placed into the machine for presorting 57. The commingling 56 may or may not result in a mixing of unsorted mail pieces 95 from the system 10 of the present invention with mail pieces from senders who did not participate in the system 10. The act of commingling 56 as contemplated by the system 10 of the present invention generally includes the integration of unsorted mail pieces 95 from disparate senders 100 into the batch- by-batch mail pre-sorting system typically performed by a mail pre-sorting business 300. In certain systems, for example, the mixing of mail pieces may occur in the ordinary manner, by filling a bin or hopper with the unsorted mail pieces 95. In other systems, however, the physical mixing of mail pieces may occur only during an ongoing pre-sorting process 57. In other words, the steps of commingling 56 and pre-sorting 57 may occur simultaneously instead of as discrete tasks. In either instance, the commingling 56 occurs when the unsorted mail pieces 95 are incorporated into the system used by the particular mail pre-sorting business 300. In another aspect of the present invention, the pre-sorting facility 300, at some place and time, officially tenders 136 the pre-sorted batch 90 to the postal service 400. The official tender 136 may take place, for example, on the loading dock at the pre-sorting facility 75 if the postal service 400 has sent a batch transport vehicle 44 to collect the batch 90. On the other hand, the tender 136 may occur at the loading dock of the postal service 400 if the pre-sorting facility 75 delivers the batch 90. Hence, the act of tendering 136 may include a transporting the batch 90. Although the tender 136 is shown taking place inside the mail presorting facility 75 in Fig. 3, it should be understood that the tender 136 may occur at any location. In any event, the participating mail sender 100 is relieved of the step of transporting its mail pieces and tendering the batch to the local postal service facility 45. The burden of transporting a relatively small batch of mail is another one of the administrative tasks that a mail sender 100 need not perform if it participates in the inventive system 10. In a related aspect of the invention, the tender 136 of the batch 90 is typically accompanied by a sorting certificate 36 (see Fig. 3). Depending upon the postal regulations, the information required in a sorting certificate 36 may be contained in a manifest or in another shipping document describing the attributes of the pre-sorted batch 90 in sufficient detail. As used herein, the term "certificate" shall include a certificate, a manifest, or other documentation required to satisfy the regulations of the postal service 400. The certificate 36 must be in proper form to earn a rebate 42 (see Figs. 3 and 4) from the postal service 400. The pre-sorting business 30 is already accustomed to and equipped for preparing certificates 36 in the most cost-effective way. The burden and complexity of preparing a proper certificate 36 is one of the administrative tasks that a mail sender 100 need not perform when it participates in the inventive system 10. The batch transport step 58 moves the pre-sorted batches 90 from the mail pre-sorting facility 75 to the postal service facility 45. Postal Service Tasks In another aspect of the present invention, the postal service 400 receives the batch 90 when it is tendered 136 by the pre-sorting business 300. The batch 90 is then inspected 59 by the postal service 400 to determine the entry rate 62 (see Fig. 3) for the mail pieces contained within the batch 90. The step of inspecting 59 the batch 90 generally includes an examination of the certificate 36. The batch 90 is then readied for delivery to the individual addressees. The pre-sorting 57 accomplished at the pre-sorting facility 75 reduces the processing burden placed upon the postal service 400. The Postage Rates The economy of the system 10 of the present invention is realized through the reduced demand placed upon the mail sorting machinery and personnel at the postal service facility 45. The reduced demand manifests itself in a variety of ways, such as reduced wear and tear on postal equipment, less need for additional postal sorting equipment, and fewer employees needed for manual sorting tasks. By reducing the burden on the postal service 400, the solution offered by the system 10 of the present invention helps reduce the expense and delay caused by increased sorting loads. Referring briefly to the graph in Fig. 4, the economy of the system 10 of the present invention is also driven, in some instances, by the reduced postage rates for pre-sorting offered by the postal service 400. The full postage rate 64 is for unsorted mail. The program postage rate 60 is applied by the sender 100 to each unsorted mail piece 95. Generally, the program rate 60 is somewhat less than the full rate 64, providing a savings to program participants. The entry postage rate 62 is based upon the degree of pre-sorting accomplished, as established by the postal regulations and as detailed in the sorting certificate 36. As an example, the full rate 64 for unsorted first-class mail may be 34.0 cents, the program rate 60 may be set at 32.2 cents, and the entry rate 62 earned by pre-sorting maybe 28.0 cents per mail piece. In system 10 where the postal service 400 offers reduced postage rates, the entry rate 62 secures an immediate rebate 42 for the mail pre-sorting business 300, in exchange for the degree of sorting accomplished. The rebate 42 per mail piece generally represents the difference between the program rate 60 (which has already been metered 51 onto each mail piece 95 by the sender 100 or by another participant in the system 10) and the entry rate 62. The Flow of Information and Funds Fig. 3 is similar in form and outline to Fig. 1. The dotted lines represent the flow of information and the solid lines represent the flow of funds in the system 10 of the present invention. In one aspect, the system 10 of the present invention may begin with a request 110 from a mail sender 100 who wants to participate in the system 10. The request 110 may be directed toward the transport business 200 which, in one embodiment, acts as the administrator of the system 10. Alternatively, the request 110 maybe directed toward the postal service 400 which administers the system 10 and selects batches of unsorted mail pieces 95 to be diverted for pre-sorting. A request 110, however, is not always necessary or required. Certain mail senders 100 may participate on a standing daily or other periodic basis. Other senders 100 may prepare a container 50 for pickup on a day when other parcels are being collected by the transport business 200, making a request 110 unnecessary or redundant. Still other senders 100 may transport a container 50 to a designated location 120 such as a retail mailing center or a drop box, eliminating the need for a specific request 110. In another aspect of the present invention, the administrator of the system 10 may notify 160 the participating senders 100 of the program postage rate 60 to be metered 51 onto each unsorted mail piece 95. Setting the program rate 60 may include an analysis of a variety of system factors, including the number of senders 100, the expected contents of the pools 80 for a given day, the location and number of holding facilities 70 required to handle the volume, the location and number of pre-sorting facilities 75 required to pre-sort the mail pieces, and the location and number of postal service facilities 45 where the pre-sorted batches 90 will be received for delivery. In a stable operating environment, the program rate 60 may remain generally constant. The program rate 60, however, may range from zero cents (unstamped) to the full rate 64, depending upon conditions within the system 10. The task of metering 51 is included in Fig. 3 as a step in the flow of funds because the mail sender 100 is applying postage at a cost equal to the program rate 60 to each mail piece. Metering 51 is the first step, in one embodiment, in the flow of funds in the system 10 of the present invention. In one alternative embodiment, described above but not shown in Fig. 3, metering 51 is a later step, performed by the pre-sorting business 300 when the pool 80 is received. In this embodiment, the pre-sorting business 300 opens each container 50 when it is received at the pre-sorting facility 75 and meters 51 the program rate 60 onto each mail piece 95. This embodiment requires counting the number of mail pieces 95 in each container 50 because the cost of the postage applied (specifically, the program rate 60 times the number of mail pieces 95) must be charged to the sender 100. The total metering charge billed to the sender 100 may also include a handling fee to compensate the pre-sorting business 300 for accomplishing the task of metering 51 each piece 95. The Transport Fee 102 In another economic aspect of the system 10, each sender 100 pays a transport fee 102 to the transport business 200, preferably to a transport business office 20, in exchange for the collection and transportation of each container 50 to the holding facility 70. In one embodiment, the transport fee 102 includes not only the fee for the container transport 24 but also compensates the transport business 200 for administering and monitoring the system 10. Preferably, the transport fee 102 is lower than the additional operating costs per piece that would be incurred to accomplish the pre-sorting of unqualified mail pieces 95 by the sender 100 internally. Preferably, the transport fee 102 is not based on the number of unsorted mail pieces 95 in each container 50, thereby eliminating the need for any participant to count the mail pieces 95. In one embodiment, the transport fee 102 is paid on a flat rate, per-container basis, allowing the insertion of a maximum number of mail pieces 95 regardless of number or weight. In one alternative embodiment, the transport fee 102 is paid according to the weight of the container 50, allowing the economical transport of smaller, lightweight batches of unsorted mail pieces 95. The Entry Rate 62 and The Rebate 42 In another aspect of the invention, the pre-sorted batch 90 is officially tendered 136 to the postal service facility 45, as described above, along with the sorting certificate 36. The information contained hi the certificate 36 allows the postal service 400 to determine the entry rate 62 for the mail pieces contained in the pre-sorted batch 90. The entry rate 62 is based upon the degree of pre-sorting accomplished. In another aspect of the information flow of the system 10, the postal facility 45 reports 162 the entry rate 62 to a postal office 40. The entry rate 62 is used by the postal office 40 to establish the rebate 42. It should be understood, however, that the act of reporting 1 2 the entry rate 62 may occur immediately upon the tender 136 and inspection 59 of the pre-sorted batch 90 (see Fig. 2), without a discrete step of communication between a postal facility 45 and a separate postal office 40. In a related aspect of the flow of funds in the system 10, the mail presorting business 30 receives a rebate 42 from the postal service 400. The rebate 42 generally represents the difference between the entry rate 62 and the metered program rate 60 on each mail piece, times the number of mail pieces. For example, the postal service regulations may allow mail pieces initially metered at a program rate 60 of 32.2 cents to be mailed at a entry rate 62 of 28.0 cents, resulting in a rebate 42 to the pre-sorting business 300 in the amount of 4.2 cents per mail piece. In embodiments where the postal service 400 owns and operates the mail pre-sorting facility 75, the rebate 42 is realized not in cash but in the form of reduced demand placed upon the mail sorting machinery and personnel at the postal service facility 45. By reducing the burden on the postal service 400, the solution offered by the system 10 of the present invention helps reduce the expense of postage and reduce delays in mail delivery. The Transporter Rebate 32 In one preferred embodiment, the mail pre-sorting business 300 pays a transporter rebate 32 to the transport business 200. The transporter rebate 32 may be thought of as a portion of the rebate 42 earned by the pre-sorting business. The terms and amount of the transporter rebate 32 are agreed upon between the transport business 200 and the pre-sorting business 300. For example, the transporter rebate 32 may be a flat fee tied to the number of pools 80 created, or it may be a per-piece fee based upon the number of mail pieces in the batch 90, or it may be a fixed percentage of the rebate 42 received from the postal service 400. In one embodiment, the transporter rebate 32 compensates the transport business 200 for accomplishing the container transport 53 step, for pooling 54 the containers 50 into a pool 80, and for administering and monitoring the system 10. The amount of the transporter rebate 32 is preferably larger than the amount of the rebate 42. The rebate 42 paid by the postal service 400 is generally a per-piece rebate because the mail pieces 95 were initially metered at the program rate 60 by the sender 100. The transporter rebate 32, however, may be paid per-piece, as a flat rate, or as a percentage of the rebate 42, depending upon the agreement between the transport business 200 and the pre-sorting business 300. hi embodiments where the postal service 400 transports and pools 54 its own containers 50, the transporter rebate 32 is realized not in cash but in the form of reduced demand placed upon the mail sorting machinery and personnel at the postal service facility 45. The transporter rebate 32 can be seen in the reduced expenses of processing and in the delays avoided because of more efficient transportation and handling of medium-sized batches of mail. Advantages In one aspect of the present invention, the inventive system 10 diverts medium-sized batches of mail for pre-sorting at facilities that are separate from the main processing facility 45. Medium-sized batches are diverted sometimes without request from the mail senders 100. The participating senders 100 may change from day to day, depending upon the number and kind of batches tendered to the postal service 400. It should be understood that a distinct advantage of the system 10 is that the savings realized by pre-sorting medium-sized batches at a separate mail pre-sorting facility 75 is high enough to profitably fund the identification, diversion, and transportation of the batches. While the economics of the system 10 is in some cases driven by the rebate 42 earned for pre-sorting, the intangible savings in equipment, human resources, and time are sufficient to allow any postal service 400 to benefit from the system 10. Where postal services 400 offer reduced postage rates, the program postage rate 60 provides an immediate savings for the sender 100 for each mail piece 95. In a related aspect of the present invention, the mail sender 100 need not count the number of mail pieces 95 being placed into each container 50 because, preferably, the transport fee 102 for shipping is paid on a per-container basis. This aspect of the preferred pricing structure, together with the reduced program postage rate 60 per piece, allows the sender 100 to offset the cost of the transport fee 102 against the savings (per piece) provided by the program rate 60. For example, a relatively small difference between the full rate 64 and the program rate 60, such as 1.8 cents per mail piece, may offset a transport fee 102 of $8.00, for example, if the quantity of mail pieces is sufficiently large. A batch of eight hundred mail pieces, for example, at a gross savings of 1.8 cents per mail piece would yield a total savings of $14.40 which, offset against a transport fee of $8.00, would yield a net savings of $6.40. In one alternative embodiment, the transport fee 102 is paid according to the weight of the container 50 instead of a flat rate. In this embodiment, the by- weight pricing structure allows the sender 100 to offset the cost of the transport fee 102 (per ounce, for example) against the savings (per piece) provided by the program rate 60. For example, a sender 100 has a very small batch of two hundred mail pieces 95. Using a gross savings of 1.8 cents per mail piece would yield a total savings of only $3.60, which would not fully offset a flat-rate transport fee 102 of $8.00. The alternative per-ounce transport fee 102, however, might be less than $3.60, resulting in a net savings for the sender 100 when sending a small batch. The transport business 200, if any, by participating in the inventive system 10, receives a transport fee 102 from the sender 100 and a transporter rebate 32 from the mail pre-sorting business 300. In one preferred embodiment, the fees earned by the transport business 200 provide a profit over and above the cost of collecting and pooling the containers 50 and, in one embodiment, administering the system 10. Furthermore, as a participant in the inventive system 10, the transport business 200 may establish a relationship with a plurality of participating mail senders 100 and develop good will for other services to be offered. Thus, the present invention provides a comprehensive system 10 in which cooperating mail senders 100, service businesses 200, 300 and the postal service 400, may collect and pool mail pieces, earn a rebate 42 by commingling and sorting the mail pieces into a large, qualified, pre-sorted batch 90, and distribute the rebate 42 and/or intangible savings among the participants in the system 10 according to agreed terms. Thus, the present invention provides a system and method for facilitating the entry of low- volume mail senders 100 into the discounted-rate mail system of a postal service 400, were available. For the mail sender 100, the inventive system 10 earns a lower postage rate, eliminates the sorting task, provides economical transportation of the unsorted mail pieces 95 in a standard container 50, allows tracking of each container 50, and accomplishes the delivery of pre-sorted mail to the postal service 40 within a twenty-four-hour period. For the postal service 400, the inventive system 10 reduces reliance on the sorting apparatus and personnel at the postal facility 45, provides economical transportation of the unsorted mail pieces 95 in a standard container 50, diverts the sorting of medium-sized batches to a separate mail pre-sorting facility 75, and accomplishes the delivery of pre-sorted mail to the postal service 400 within a twenty-four-hour period. While this invention has been described in specific detail with reference to the disclosed embodiments, it will be understood that many variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the invention as described in the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS What is claimed is: 1. In a postal service (400) having a postal service facility (45) and a plurality of mail senders (100), a method of processing medium-sized batches of unsorted mail pieces (95) into a larger pre-sorted batch for mailing, said method characterized by the steps of: establishing one or more holding facilities (70); establishing a mail pre-sorting facility (75) separate from said postal service facility (45); monitoring the size of batches of mail tendered by said senders (100); identifying said medium-sized batches of unsorted mail pieces, said batches having a quantity between a lower limit and an upper limit, said mail pieces (95) within said batches bearing a program postage rate (60); diverting each of said medium-sized batches into one or more containers (50) and transporting said containers to one of said holding facilities (70), where said containers (50) are gathered into one or more pools (80); transporting said pools (80) to said mail pre-sorting facility (75) for sorting into a pre-sorted batch (90); receiving said pre-sorted batch (90) for mailing at an entry rate of postage (62) at said postal service facility (45). 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said entry rate (62) is less than said program rate (60). 3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said lower limit depends in part upon the total sorting load at said postal service facility (45) on a particular day. 4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said upper limit depends in part upon the sorting capacity and the total sorting load at said mail pre-sorting facility (75) on a particular day. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said mail pre-sorting facility (75) is owned and operated by a private mail pre-sorting business (300). 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said postal service (400) pays a rebate (42) to said pre-sorting business (300), said rebate (42) representing the difference between said entry rate (62) and said program rate (60). 7. In a mail preparation system, a method of processing medium-sized batches of unsorted mail pieces (95) into a larger pre-sorted batch for delivery to a postal service (400), said method characterized by the steps of: establishing one or more holding facilities (70); establishing a mail pre-sorting facility (75) separate from a postal service facility (45); monitoring the size of batches of mail tendered by a plurality of mail senders (100); identifying said medium-sized batches of unsorted mail pieces, said batches having a quantity between a lower limit and an upper limit, said mail pieces (95) within said batches bearing a program postage rate (60); diverting each of said medium-sized batches into one or more containers (50) and transporting said containers to one of said holding facilities (70), where said containers (50) are gathered into one or more pools (80); transporting said pools (80) to said mail pre-sorting facility (75) for sorting into a pre-sorted batch (90); delivering said pre-sorted batch (90) for mailing at an entry rate of postage (62) to said postal service facility (45). 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said entry rate (62) is less than said program rate (60). 9. The method of claim 7, wherein said lower limit depends in part upon the needs of the sender (100) and the costs of participating in the system (10). 10. The method of claim 7, wherein said upper limit depends in part upon the minimum number of mail pieces in a batch acceptable for processing at a mail pre-sorting facility (75) by a mail pre-sorting business (300). 11. The method of claim 7, wherein said postal service (400) pays a rebate (42) to said pre-sorting business (300), said rebate (42) representing the difference between said entry rate (62) and said program rate (60). 12. In a mail preparation system having a postal service facility (45), a plurality of mail senders (100), and a mail pre-sorting facility (75), a method of supplying medium-sized batches of unsorted mail pieces to said mail pre-sorting facility (75), said method characterized by the steps of: receiving requests (110) from said senders (100); distributing empty containers to said senders (100), said containers to be filled with said mail pieces; transporting said containers (50) from said senders (100) to one or more holding facilities (70); and gathering said containers (50) into one or more pools (80) for distribution to said pre-sorting facility (75). 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of notifying (160) said senders (100) of a program postage rate (60) to be applied (51) to each of said mail pieces (95). 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving a transport fee (102) from said senders (100) for transporting (53) said containers (50). 15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving a transporter rebate (32) from said mail pre-sorting facility (75) for collecting said pools (80). 16. In a mail preparation system having a postal service facility (45), a plurality of mail senders (100), and a mail pre-sorting facility (75), a method of collecting medium-sized batches of unsorted mail pieces for processing, said method characterized by the steps of: receiving one or more pools (80) of containers (50), each of said containers (50) collected from said senders (100), each of said containers (50) filled with said mail pieces (95); opening said containers (50); sorting (57) said mail pieces (95) into a pre-sorted batch (90); tendering said pre-sorted batch (90) to said postal service facility (45) for mailing at an entry rate of postage (62). 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of commingling (56) said mail pieces (95). 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of preparing a document (36) certifying to said postal service (400) that said pre-sorted batch (90) is qualified for mailing at an entry rate (62). 19. The method of claim 16, wherein said postal service (400) pays a rebate (42) to said pre-sorting business (300), said rebate (42) representing the difference between said entry rate (62) and a program rate (60), said program rate (60) representing the postage applied to each of said mail pieces (95) by said sender (100).

Inventors: BREHM CHRISTOPHER SCOTT, ENGEL STANLEY ALAN, MCALPIN MICHAEL TODD, PITTMAN SANDY LEE, TEATE JOSEPH CLAY, BREHM, CHRISTOPHER, SCOTT, ENGEL, STANLEY, ALAN, MCALPIN, MICHAEL, TODD, PITTMAN, SANDY, LEE, TEATE, JOSEPH, CLAY
Applicants: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC, UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B07C3
IPC codes: B07C3, B65G1