Abstract:
A manually operated mail sorting station includes a case having numerous bins in which sorted mail will be placed. The mail sorting station also includes a scanner that reads an address printed on the pieces of unsorted mail. The scanner includes a communications interface over which the scanner sends signals during operation. A computer for the mail sorting station is connected to the communications interface of the scanner. The computer further includes a program responsive to the signals transmitted by the scanner on the communications interface. The program defines or stores a scheme representing an assignment of addresses to bins in the sorting case, a separate assignment of bins to locations in the sorting case, as well as instructions that match the internal address representation against the scheme to select one of the bins as the correct bin for the piece of unsorted mail. The bins include at least one region bin indicative of an airport or a city or state remote from the sorting station.

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of 09/053,314, filed Apr. 1, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,060. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an apparatus for mail sorting. In particular, the present invention relates to a computer controlled mail sorting system that eliminates the memorization of scheme knowledge and case or rack diagram knowledge inherent in previous manual mail sorting processes. 
     Vast quantities of mail are entrusted with postal services around the world for accurate and timely delivery. In the United States, the Postal Service processed approximately 182.7 billion pieces of mail in 1996 alone, an average of approximately 603 million pieces of mail each day. Approximately 53.3% of the mail processed was First Class mail, approximately 39.3% was Standard Mail (A) and approximately 5.5% was Periodicals. Nearly one billion pieces of mail were Foreign mail. The delivery network in the United States reaches nearly 128 million addresses and the United States Postal Service (USPS) handles over 43% of the worldwide mail volume. In comparison, Japan, the second largest carrier of cards and letters, handles only 6%. The foregoing statistics and additional information are available on the official USPS world wide web site at www.usps.gov. 
     The USPS in a given city, for example Chicago, generally segments the bulk mail collected between mail destined for Chicago, and mail destined for other cities (“outgoing” mail). The outgoing mail is shipped to receiving post offices located in the other cities, while the mail destined for Chicago is further sorted into Primary and Secondary mail, and finally goes through a Carrier assignment before delivery. Mail destined for sections of the city served by the main USPS office is termed Primary mail, and is delivered by routing each piece of mail to the individual carrier handling the section of the city indicated by the address. The carrier then hand delivers the mail. Mail bearing addresses handled by branch USPS offices is termed Secondary mail and is forwarded to the particular branch office handling those addresses. In Chicago, for instance, Station 41 handles secondary mail to a section of the city corresponding to the zip code 60641. At each secondary station, each piece of mail is sorted to an individual carrier handling the address on the mail. 
     In order to efficiently handle the vast quantities of mail it is called upon to deliver, the USPS uses electronic sorting and automation equipment. From 1987-1996, the USPS committed approximately $4.3 billion for installation of equipment at postal facilities throughout the country to automate letter mail processing. The equipment includes, for example, optical readers, and delivery barcode sorters. One type of high-speed sorting apparatus is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,811 to Yoshimura, entitled “Flat-Article Sorting Apparatus for an Automatic Mail Handling System and the Like”. Even with the sophisticated sorting equipment of today, however, a certain percentage, and consequently large numbers of pieces of mail are not read correctly (or at all) and wind up as reject letters for additional processing. Although machine handling technology has rapidly advanced, the processing of unsorted reject mail is still accomplished manually by USPS employees. In other words, high speed sorting apparatuses are unable to further sort rejected letters. 
     Highly trained USPS employees (hereafter “sorters”) are responsible for manually sorting the reject mail. Each unsorted rejected letter must eventually be assigned to a carrier for delivery. Each carrier may, for example, be assigned to a bin in a sorting case in which the sorted mail is placed awaiting carrier pickup. In particular, when the rejected letter needs to be sorted to particular carriers for delivery, the sorters require nearly perfect knowledge of an elaborate and complicated “scheme” as well as a case diagram to perform their responsibilities. 
     A scheme is a mapping between addresses (or ranges of address) and bins in a case (corresponding to carriers who deliver to those addresses and to secondary stations). A scheme may require, for example, knowledge of 1000 address areas. A piece of mail that falls outside of the scheme address area is placed in a holding bin for delivery to another sorter. 
     Furthermore, each sorter needs to memorize a case or rack configuration. The case and rack configuration includes knowledge of where each bin in the case is located, and knowledge (in conjunction with scheme knowledge) of how each bin in the case is assigned to carriers and addresses. Even when a small number of streets and a small number of carriers exist, the number and complexity of the different possible schemes and case configurations grows exponentially. 
     The scheme may also include a foreign address component that directs the sorter to place letters with foreign addresses in an assigned bin. It is noted that the general term “bin” as used in this specification may correspond to holding areas in, for example, a rack (used to sort small parcels), a case (used to sort letters), or a container (used to sort large parcels). It is further noted that the mail sorting apparatus described in this specification is not limited to letters, but may be used to sort parcels, periodicals, priority mail, and the like. 
     Teaching sorters a scheme is a time, labor, and money consuming task. In Chicago, for instance, it is not uncommon to train a sorter for over six months before the sorter becomes proficient in a single scheme. After a sorter learns a scheme, the sorter is then limited to sorting mail destined for delivery in that scheme, and may not move to other schemes without extensive retraining. Thus, the USPS operations are sensitive to sorters who become sick and cannot work, sorters who quit, or sorters who desire to change work location. 
     Furthermore, many sorters in training become discouraged at the complexity of the knowledge they have to acquire, and quit partially through training. Thus a new sorter must begin training from the beginning. Assuming the sorter makes it through training, there is no guarantee that the sorter will be able to retain the complex scheme knowledge. Thus, sorters often make mistakes which lead to late delivered, reprocessed, or undelivered mail. Moreover, the complexity of the schemes, in combination with the time pressures involved in delivering the mail, contributes greatly to a stressful work environment at the USPS. 
     Because of the extensive training needed to teach a sorter a scheme, the USPS only reluctantly reassigns carriers to new or different routes. Such changes would require the sorter to relearn a portion of, or in some cases, all of the scheme. Thus, the USPS is hampered in its attempts to dynamically assign carriers to delivery addresses in order to keep schemes efficient as the city changes, for example, as the city grows and streets are added, extended, or changed to residential zoning. 
     In the past, the USPS has sorted and delivered mail by collecting the mail at a collection site, forwarding the mail to a distribution center, sorting the mail, and finally delivering the mail. Mail destined for other cities (or handled for any reason by air carrier) requires yet another forwarding operation to deliver the mail to the correct airline terminal, delivering the mail via air carrier to a destination city, and again collecting the mail at a collection site where the process begins again. 
     Thus, substantial delays may be encountered in delivering mail which is destined for other cities (for example, priority mail, which strives for overnight service). In particular, the delays associated with the first forwarding operation to a distribution center, the first sorting operation, and the second forwarding operation to the air carrier occurs could be eliminated by determining at the collection site which mail should be forwarded directly to an air carrier. 
     It must be noted as well that the mail is susceptible to being lost, damaged, or destroyed during any additional handling, including the first forwarding operation, the first sorting operation, and subsequent delivery to the air carrier. This problem, however, is not unique to mail delivered by the USPS. Major magazine publishers and other package delivery services such as the United Parcel Service also encounter the same problem. 
     A need has long existed in post offices for a computerized manual mail sorting system that eliminates scheme knowledge and case knowledge and that routes mail to its destination without undue delay. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the necessity for sorters to memorize scheme knowledge and case configurations. 
     It is another object of the present invention to more quickly sort mail rejected by high speed automated sorting. It is noted that the present invention may also handle foreign mail and mail of widely varying types, including letters, small parcels, large parcels, bulk mail, priority mail, and business mail. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to reduce the costs associated with sorting mail rejected by high speed automated sorting. 
     Another object of the present invention is to increase the accuracy of sorting of mail rejected by high speed automated sorting. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to allow a post office to change its schemes without requiring expensive, complex, and time consuming retraining of sorters. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide statistics concerning the sorter, for example, sorting speed and accuracy, and statistics concerning the sorted items, for example, the volume and characteristics of sorted items. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide region bins which allow mail to be sorted directly to an air carrier for immediate delivery. 
     The present invention provides a manually operated mail sorting station which includes a case having numerous bins in which sorted mail will be placed. The mail to be sorted typically includes articles rejected, for example, from high speed mail sorting machines, but may also include mail gathered from other sources. The manually operated mail sorting station includes a scanner that reads an address printed on the pieces of unsorted mail. The scanner includes a communications interface over which the scanner sends signals during operation. A computer for the mail sorting station is also provided and is connected to the communications interface of the scanner. 
     The computer further includes a program responsive to the signals transmitted by the scanner on the communications interface. The program generally includes instructions that store the signals in an internal address representation (translating, if necessary, the signals sent by the scanner) which may be a sequence of letters and numbers representing an address). The program also defines or stores a scheme representing an assignment of addresses to bins in the sorting case, including a region bin, as well as instructions that match the internal address representation against the scheme to select one of the bins as the correct bin for the piece of unsorted mail. 
     Optionally, the manually operated mail sorting station provides each of the bins in the sorting case with an indicator having an ON state and an OFF state. The indicator may be a light, bell or chime, computer generated voice, or the like. The computer is further connected to the case for controlling each of the indicators. The program also includes instructions selectively setting an indicator to the ON state in response to the matched bin as determined by the instructions that match the internal address representation against the scheme. The program also includes instructions that set the indicator to the OFF state in response to the piece of unsorted mail being placed in the matched bin. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates the components of one embodiment of a mail sorting station according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows an example case, bins in the case, and assignments for each bin in the case. 
     FIG. 3 shows a flowchart disclosing the step-by-step operation of the mail sorting station. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a convenient folding case including a letter sorting section and a flat sorting section. 
     FIG. 5 shows one example of a case that includes region bins. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates one mapping of cities and states to region bins. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a mail sorting station  100  is shown. The mail sorting station includes a computer  102 , a scanner  104 , and a case  106 . The computer  102  includes an interface  108 , program memory  110 , and may also include input/output devices including keyboards, mice, and printers, for example. The scanner  104  includes an interface  112  and the case  106  includes numerous bins  114  in which mail may be placed. 
     The computer communicates with the scanner  104  using a connection between the computer interface  108  and the scanner interface  112 . The connection may be a direct wire connection or cable connection, or may be a wireless connection (for example, an infrared or RF connection). Furthermore, the computer interface  108  and the scanner interface  112  may be implemented, for example, as serial ports, parallel ports, or network connections. Similarly, the computer  102  may connect to the case  106  through a direct wire or cable connection, or may connect to the case  106  through a wireless connection. 
     In operation, a sorter uses the scanner  104  to scan a rejected letter. The scanner  104  may, for example, be an optical scanner similar to those available from Bell &amp; Howell, 3000 E. Malmo Dr. Arlington Heights, Ill. 60005. The scanner  104  is preferably installed in the case  106  but may be also be a hand-held scanner. The scanner  104  sends signals representing the result of the scanning operation to the computer  102  using the scanner interface  112 . With sophisticated scanners, the signals may directly represent address information from the rejected letters. For example, the scanner may scan the mail, interpret the scanning results, then send the result to the computer  102  as signals representing a series of ASCII characters defining an address. Alternatively, a less sophisticated scanner may send signals to the computer  102  that the computer  102  interprets using Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) or Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software to determine the address on the rejected letters. Such software is available, for example, from Acumen Systems Inc., 1481 47 Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11219. 
     The characters forming the address on the rejected letters are stored in an internal address representation in the computer memory  110  for further manipulation and retrieval. The internal address representation may, for example, be a series of ASCII characters making up the address stored sequentially in memory. Alternatively, the internal address representation may be implemented, for example, as a data structure with entries for address, city, state, and zipcode. Once a piece of unsorted mail has been scanned, the internal address representation is matched against a scheme stored in the program memory  110 . 
     A scheme defines a mapping between addresses and bins  114  in the case  106 . The bins  114  are generally assigned to particular USPS carriers who take the contents of the bins  114  on their routes for hand delivery. Turning now to FIG. 2, one example of a case  106  with bins  114  is shown. The bins  114  are generally labeled numerically according to the carrier assigned to that bin or to a postal station assigned to the bin (for Secondary mail). Special bins (“SPEC”), overseas bins, (“overs”), and slot locations (“A”-“D”) are provided for mail for special delivery, foreign mail, and for slots in which the scanner  104  may be installed. 
     As one simple example of a scheme, all addresses on Main street may be assigned to carrier/bin  7 , all addresses on Clark street may be assigned to carrier/bin  32 , all other United States addresses assigned to bin  58  (corresponding, for example, to a secondary postal station), and all other foreign addresses assigned to bin  12 . At the secondary postal station, another scheme may be implemented that maps additional addresses to bins and additional secondary stations. 
     In operation, the computer matches the internal address representation against the scheme to select one of the bins as the correct bin for the piece of unsorted mail. Thus, the computer may determine that the internal address representation corresponds to a Main street address and select bin  7  as a match. As another example, an internal address representation that corresponds to Jackson street may match bin  58  for delivery to a secondary postal station for eventual delivery by a USPS carrier working at the secondary postal station. 
     The computer  102  may display the matching bin on an attached screen (not shown). The sorter may then place the unsorted mail into the matched bin according to the bin identified on the screen. Alternatively, the computer may print out the matched bin number or use a text-to-speech converter in conjunction with a speaker to pronounce the matched bin number. In a preferred embodiment, however, the computer controls an indicator associated with the matched bin to indicate to the sorter into which bin the unsorted mail should be placed. In this respect, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,948 to Jackson et al., entitled “Computer Directed Manual Sorting Aid” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     As noted above, individual indicators are provided for each of the bins  114  covered by the scheme. The indicators generally have an ON state and an OFF state. For example, a light, LED, or other display may be turned ON to indicate the matching bin. Alternatively, a voice output may be generated that audibly guides the sorter to the correct bin (e.g., a voice that announces: “bin  15 ”). As another example, the indicator may be a tone, bell, or chime that in the ON state produces an audible frequency that guides the sorter to the matching bin and that in the OFF state is quiet. The indicator may then be turned OFF when a detector (for example, a photodetector) associated with the matching bin senses that a piece of mail has been placed in the matching bin and communicates the sensory information to the computer  102 . Furthermore, detectors attached to non-matching bins may send back an error signal over the connection between the case  106  and the computer  102  in the event they sense that the unsorted mail has been placed in a non-matching bin. The computer  102 , in turn, may sound an alarm, display an error message, or the like. 
     In addition, any indicator may be returned to the OFF state after a CLEAR event. A CLEAR event may occur, for example, when a predetermined time has elapsed without a detector sensing that the unsorted mail has been placed in the correct bin. A CLEAR event may also occur, for example, when a key assigned to the CLEAR event is pressed on a keyboard attached to the computer. 
     The connection between the computer  102  and the case  106  may be constructed as a wire or cable connection or as a wireless link implementing a serial, parallel, network connection, or the like. The case  106  may include an independent microcontroller with programmable outputs to control the indicators, communications, and sensor data. Alternatively, the case  106  may include simple discrete logic to control the ON/OFF states of the indicators, handle communications, and send back sensor data. 
     Turning now to FIG. 3, that figure illustrates the general flow of operation  300  of the software instructions stored in the program memory  110 . At step  302 , the computer  102  waits for the scanner  104  to scan an address and send signals to the computer  102  through the scanner interface  112 . At step  304 , the internal address representation is generated and stored in the program memory  110 . Next, step  306  matches the internal address representation against the scheme stored in the program memory  110  (or implemented as a data segment of the software instructions stored in the program memory  110 ). The match selects a bin in  114  in which the unsorted mail should be placed. At step  308 , the computer  102  communicates with the case  106  to turn on the indicator associated with the matched bin. Subsequently, the software instructions wait at step  310  for the unsorted mail to be placed in the matched bin, or for a CLEAR event. Finally, at step  312 , the computer  102  returns the indicator to the OFF state and resumes processing at step  302 . 
     Thus, the present invention eliminates the need for time consuming, limiting, and expensive sorter scheme training. The sorting of rejected letters is accomplished more quickly, accurately, and cost effectively (and with less manual labor) than was required with the manual sorting process in the past. Schemes and case configurations may be changed without undue delays in retraining sorters simply by updating the scheme stored in the computer  102 . Updated schemes and case configurations may be quickly and easily updated via floppy disk, network connection, and the like. Furthermore, the schemes may handle domestic mail in addition to foreign mail. 
     A convenient folding case  400  is illustrated in FIG.  4 . The folding case  400  includes a computerized letter case  401  and a computerized flat case  402 . The computerized letter case includes a letter scanner slot  403  (where a letter scanner may be mounted), letter bins  406 , and letter storage drawers  408  (used to store letters when the capacity of the letter bins  406  are exceeded). Similarly, the computerized flat case  404  includes a flat scanner slot  404  (where a flat scanner may be mounted), flat bins  407 , and flat storage drawers  409 . The folding case  4  further includes a latch  410  for locking the folding case  400 , handles  411  for closing the folding case  400 , and cups  412  for holding rubber bands, paper clips, and the like. 
     The folding case  400  further includes interfaces  413  for connecting to one or more computer interfaces  108 . The interfaces  413  may be physical connectors for coupling to a wire cable from the computer  102 , or may be sensors or transceivers for communicating via RF or infrared channels. Hinges  405  are provided for closing the folding case  400 . Legs  414  are also provided. Attached to the legs  414  are wheels  416  and wheel locks  415 . The folding case  400  may also be used in conjunction with the computer  102  to match addresses to schemes. 
     The folding case  400  folds along hinges  405  for easy storage and rolls on the wheels  416  for easy movement. The folding case  400  may include a set of sensors and indicators for the letter bins  406  and the flat bins  407  as described above and independently controllable by the computer  102 . 
     It is further noted that any type of case used for sorting rejects need not be initially manufactured with sensors, indicators, or an interface for the computer  102 . Rather, the sensors, indicators, and interface may be added later using, for example, a frame that outlines each bin in the case. The frame may then include the sensors and indicators described above and be fitted into place on the case. Furthermore, the interface may be positioned at any location on the frame to provide communications between a case (with frame) and the computer  102 . 
     The computer  102  may further gather statistics on the sorting process, including both the sorter and the items sorted. For example, the computer  102  may monitor, using its connection to the case  106  and indicator feedback from the case  106 , the speed with which a sorter places mail into a bin, how often the sorter places mail in an incorrect bin, and the like. Additionally, the computer  102 , using its connection to the scanner  104 , may gather statistics relating to the sorted items. For instance, the computer  102  may monitor the volume of letters destined for particular addresses. Increases in volume may be useful, for example, in identifying high speed sorting machinery that needs service or that is malfunctioning. 
     The present invention is also useful in non-postal settings to sort any type of article. As an example, the address scheme representation in the computer  102  may be replaced with an electronic parts scheme. The scanner  104  may then read bar codes or other indicia on the electronic parts and the computer may then store an internal identification representation corresponding, for example, to ASCII characters representing a part number, serial number, or the like. The computer  102  may then match the internal identification representation to the electronic parts scheme, and turn on the indicator corresponding to the bin into which the electronic part should be placed. Again, the computer  102  may gather statistics relating to the sorter or the sorted articles. 
     Turning now to FIG. 5, an airline sorting case  502  is illustrated and includes multiple bins  114 . The airline sorting case  502  is conceptually similar to the case  106  detailed above, but also includes “region bins” specifically assigned to cities and particular regions of the country other than those in which the scanning process is taking place. For example, the airline sorting case  502  in a Chicago USPS office may incorporate region bins including an Atlanta/Southeast bin  504 , a Dallas/Southwest bin  506 , and a Miami/Southeast bin  508 . The region bins may also be organized in whole or in part according to an airline that will act as the air carrier for a city or region. 
     In order to support the region bins, the scheme described above is extended to include a mapping of addresses, including states and cities, for example, to region bins. Thus, the scheme may indicate that mail bearing Atlanta, Ga. addresses should be sorted to the Atlanta/Southeast bin  504 , while mail bearing Texas addresses should be sorted to the Dallas/Southwest bin  506 . FIG. 6 shows a listing of twenty cities and states (covering a surrounding population of over 80 million individuals) assigned to the bins  114  of the airline sorting case  502 . 
     The scheme may further indicate that particular addresses in a city are served by particular airlines and are therefore to be sorted into different region bins further associated with an air carrier. For example, certain addresses in Atlanta may be serviced by a USPS office associated with one airport in Atlanta into which American Airlines flies, while other addresses in Atlanta may be serviced by a USPS office associated with a different airport in Atlanta into which United Airlines flies. Beyond airlines, the region bins may also be associated with other long distance carriers such as rail and sea carriers. 
     With the extended scheme stored in the computer  102 , mail may be sorted at a collection center (or any other initial collection site) using the airline case  502  and the above described mail sorting station  100 . As a result, the mail is sorted, at the outset, for the correct air carrier. Subsequently, the sorted mail is delivered, in the first instance, to the air carrier. In other words, the present invention eliminates the time, expense, and potential for mishandling associated with forwarding mail to a distribution center, only to have the mail eventually sorted and reforwarded to the air carrier in the end. 
     It is noted that the present invention is not limited to use by the USPS. In fact, major magazine distributors, the United Parcel Service, and other companies requiring efficient delivery of periodicals and packages may benefit from the present invention. As an example, a magazine distributor may collect the magazines to be delivered at a central location, sort the magazines by address using the mail sorting station  100 , and forward magazines for out of town delivery directly to the appropriate air carrier. 
     While particular elements, embodiments and applications of the present invention have been shown and described, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teaching. It is therefore contemplated by the appended claims to cover such modifications and incorporate those features which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.