Abstract:
A method and system for providing a delivery confirmation service to a mailer who uses a postage meter to pay the postage for mailing a mail piece. The mailer applies a shipping label containing an identification number on the mail piece to identify the mail piece and the mailer. The identification number is retrieved by the postage meter which sends the identification number to a data processing center or a meter refill data center for processing. Upon receiving the identification number, the data processing center sends a shipping file to the carrier. When the mail piece is delivered, a message regarding the delivery status of the mail piece is sent to the carrier by the mail deliverer. With the shipping file and the delivery status message, the carrier makes available the delivery status of the mail piece to the data processing center which stores the delivery status. Upon request, the data processing center communicates at least a portion of the delivery status to the mailer via a meter refill system.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates generally to a postal delivery confirmation service and, in particular, to the United States Postal Service Accountable Mail Services and the USPS Delivery Confirmation electronic service option to the electronic service option mailers. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Presently, the United States Postal Service (USPS) provides a delivery confirmation service option to allow a mailer to receive delivery status information on the Internet. When mailing a mail piece, the mailer can provide a barcode, representing a Package Identification Code (PIC) on a shipping label or use a pre-printed barcode label provided by the USPS. The PIC used for delivery confirmation, which has been standardized by the USPS, contains (1) a two-digit application identifier code; (2) a two-digit service type code; (3) a nine-digit D-U-N-S number; (4) an eight-digit package sequence number; and (5) a one-digit check number. The application identifier code is used to denote that delivery confirmation service is required for the package. The service type code is used to describe the product and service type, such as Priority Mail, or Standard Mail (B). The D-U-N-S number is assigned to the mailer by the Dun &amp; Bradstreet Corporation. The package sequence number is assigned by the mailer to each package. The check number is used to detect errors resulting from manual data entry or errors from data transmission. 
   All the mailer has to do is affix the shipping label containing the barcode to the package; drop the package in any USPS mailbox or postal facility; electronically send a shipping file including the PIC to the USPS; and obtain the delivery status information on the Internet. The shipping file should contain a header record to identify the mailer and a detail record for each mailed package. When the package is delivered, the barcode on the shipping label is scanned by the mail carrier and the delivery status information is sent to a USPS data center for processing. From the USPS Web site, the delivery status information can be accessed by performing individual package inquiries. As for the electronic service option mailer, the delivery status information can be accessed from a daily file containing scanning information on the packages from the previous day. The information provided by the USPS includes date and time of delivery, ZIP code and whether delivery was made, attempted, forwarded or returned. 
   To use the delivery confirmation service by the USPS, the mailer must have access to the Internet and own a personal computer or other type of computer. Furthermore, the mailer must have means to prepare the shipping file and electronically to send the shipping file to the USPS. 
   It is advantageous and desirable to provide a delivery confirmation service to a mailer without requiring the mailer to have access to the Internet or to own a computer. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a method and system for providing a delivery status confirmation service to a mailer who uses a postage meter with a modem, and Pitney Bowes Inc. Postage By Phone® postage meter and meter resetting service to pay the postage for mailing a mail piece. Without any additional cost to the mailer, the mailer may obtain the delivery status of the mail piece without generating or sending a shipping file to the USPS data center as required by the USPS Accountable Mail Services. Furthermore, the mailer is not required to have access to the Internet or to download delivery information from the USPS to a computer. 
   The method, according to the present invention, uses a data processing center or, more specifically, a Postage By Phone® data center as an interface between the USPS data center and the mailer who uses a postage meter capable of sending electronic data to the Postage By Phone® data center. Based upon the information gathered by the postage meter, the Postage By Phones data center generates the necessary electronic file identifying the mail piece and the mailer, and then sends the electronic file to the USPS. When the mail piece is delivered, the mail carrier scans the barcode on the mail piece. With such scanning, a confirmation message is sent to the USPS data center. Upon receiving the confirmation message relayed from the USPS data center, the Postage By Phone® data center sends the same message to the mailer. In order to receive the delivery status information, the mailer may make a telephone call or send a facsimile to the Postage By Phone® data center, or request that the delivery confirmation be sent to the mailer by facsimile, or to the mailer&#39;s computer. 
   The method and system of the present invention takes advantage of the fact that a postage meter, such as a SPARK (F900) Postage Meter manufactured by Pitney Bowes Inc. of One Elmcroft Road, Stamford, Conn., may retrieve the PIC information and automatically transmit the PIC information along with the meter number and other postage related information to the Postage By Phone® data center. The SPARK (F900) may contain a scale that provides postal information. 
   Accordingly, the first aspect of the present invention is a method for providing a postal delivery confirmation service in accordance with the USPS Accountable Mail Services to a mailer who uses a postage meter to pay the postage for mailing a mail piece to a destination address, wherein the postage meter has a unique meter number associated with the mailer. The method comprises the steps of providing an identification code to identify the mail piece; inputting the identification code into the postage meter; the postage meter relaying the identification code to a data processing center; the data processing center sending a shipping file containing information related to the identification code to a USPS data center; creating and transferring delivery status information to the USPS data center when the mail piece is delivered to the destination address; the data processing center receiving delivery status information of the mail piece from a USPS data center; and the data processing center relaying delivery status information to the mailer. 
   The second aspect of the present invention is a system for providing a postal delivery confirmation service in accordance with the USPS Accountable Mail Services or the USPS Delivery Confirmation electronic service option to a mailer who uses an identification code for mailing a mail piece. The system comprises a postage meter electronically linked to a data processing center; a device for inputting the identification code into the postage meter; and a device for receiving delivery status information regarding the mail piece. In the above system, the postage meter electronically sends the identification code to the data processing center which generates a shipping file containing information related to the identification code and electronically sends the shipping file to a USPS data center, and the data processing center obtains the delivery status information from the USPS data center and relays the delivery status information to the receiving device. 
   A postage meter, the Postage By Phone® data center and a Voice Response Unit (VRU) have been used for meter refill purposes. The Postage By Phone® data center places a message containing the delivery status information in the VRU messaging data base which may be accessed by a mailer via telephone or personal computer. 
   The third aspect of the present invention is a procedure for providing a postal delivery confirmation service in accordance with a USPS delivery confirmation service to a mailer who uses a postage meter for printing a postage indicia on a mail piece for mailing the mail piece to a destination address and an identification code to identify the mail piece, said procedure comprising the steps of (a) the mailer selecting a class of mail for the mail piece to be delivered to the destination address; (b) the mailer selecting a service level regarding mailing of the mail piece; (c) inputting the identification code into the postage meter; (d) the meter sending a record containing the identification code to a Postage By Phone® data center; (e) the Postage By Phone® data center sending the record to the USPS; (f) the Postage By Phone® data center retrieving the delivery status of the mail piece from the USPS; and (g) the Postage By Phone® data center relaying the delivery status to the mailer. 
   Additionally, the above disclosed procedure may comprise the steps of (h) the mailer providing the destination address to the postage meter; and (i) the postage meter validating the destination address. 
   The method and system for providing a delivery confirmation service to a mailer, according to the present invention, will become apparent upon reading the description taken in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-6 . 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the overall flow of the method and system for providing the delivery confirmation service. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a more detailed flow of the procedure in providing the delivery confirmation service. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart describing an information gathering procedure at a postage meter. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart describing a more detailed process flow regarding the information gathering procedure at the postage meter. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart describing the delivery confirmation process with regard to a Postage By Phone® data center. 
       FIG. 6  is an exemplary shipping label having a shipping code that can be understood by a postage meter with PIC capability. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  shows a mailer  10  who uses a shipping label  20  for mailing a mail piece  30 . The mailer  10  uses a postage meter  40  to pay the postage for mailing. The label  20  can be generated by the mailer  10 , or obtained from a Postal Office which provides a free, pre-printed shipping label by the USPS. The label  20  can also be a special label having a code understood by the postage meter  40 . The shipping label  20  contains a Package Identification Code (PIC)  22  and a barcode  24  representing the PIC  22 . If the label  20  is a pre-printed label provided by the USPS, then the PIC  22  contains: (1) a two-digit application identifier code; (2) a two-digit service type code; (3) a nine-digit D-U-N-S number (4) an eight-digit package sequence number; and (5) a one-digit error check number. The D-U-N-S number is assigned to the mailer by the Dun &amp; Bradstreet Corporation. If the label  20  is a special label having a special code understood by the postage meter, it is preferred that the D-U-N-S number be replaced by a meter number, and the special code contained a service code allocated to meter business (see FIG.  4 ). 
   The postage meter  40  is linked electronically to a data processing center, such as a Postage By Phone® data center  60 . With adequate postage provided on the mail piece  30 , the mailer  10  submits the mail piece  30  directly or indirectly to a USPS postal facility. 
   Separately, the postage meter  40  sends information  44  related to the PIC  22  to the Postage By Phone® data center  60 . The Postage By Phone® data center  60  generates a shipping file  62  containing a package identification code in compliance with the requirements as set forth by the USPS regarding the USPS Accountable Mail Services or the USPS Delivery Confirmation electronic service option. The Postage By Phone® data center  60  sends the shipping file  62  to the USPS data center  50 . When the mail piece  30  is delivered to the destination address  70 , the barcode  24  on the shipping label  20  is scanned and the information  72  containing delivery status is sent to the USPS data center  50 . By correlating the shipping file  62  to the delivery status information  72 , the USPS data center  50  generates a message  52  containing delivery status of the mail piece  30 . The message  52  is accessible to the Postage By Phone® data center  60 . After receiving the message  52 , the Postage By Phone® data center  60  places the delivery status message  52  in a database which is accessible by the mailer  10 . The mailer  10  can make a telephone call  82  to the Postage By Phone® data center  60  to retrieve the delivery status message  52 . Alternatively, the mailer  10  can request that the message  52  be sent to a message device  80  specified by the mailer  10 . For example, the message device  80  can be a facsimile machine, a personal computer, a telephone set, an answering machine, a voice mail device, or a message displaying device. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the mail piece  30  contains a shipping label  20 , a destination address  32  and a postage indicia  36  produced by the postage meter  40 . The PIC  22  (see  FIG. 1 ) on the shipping label  20  can be manually inputted into the postage meter  40 . It is possible that a code reader such as a barcode reader (BCR)  26 , which is electronically linked to the postage meter  40 , can be used to read and send the PIC  22  to the postage meter  40 . The destination address  30  can be manually inputted into the postage meter  40 . It is possible to use a text scanner such as an Optical Character Recognition device (OCR)  28  to read the destination address  32  and send the same to the postage meter  40 . It is also possible to use a printer  27  operatively connected to the postage meter  40  to print the PIC  22  and/or the destination address  30  and directly input the PIC to the postage meter  40 . The mail piece  30  can be dropped off at any USPS postal facility or entry point  42 . In the Postage By Phone® data center  60 , a meter link  72  is provided for receiving data from the postage meter  40 ; a delivery confirmation database  74  is provided for storing information related to the PIC  22  and the delivery status information  52  provided by the USPS data center  50 ; and a VRU messaging database  76  is used to provide data access to the mailer  10 . Preferably, the Postage By Phone® data center  60  validates information  44  sent by the postage meter  40 , including parameters such as the meter number, date, time sequence, D-U-N-S number (if present), validity of the ZIP code of the destination address  32 , and so forth. The Postage By Phone® data center  60  sorts files regarding information  44  by the ZIP code of the entry point  42  and creates a batch file per entry point  42 , for example. Preferably, the shipping file  62  for any mail piece  30  that contains invalid parameters is not sent to the USPS data center  50 . Instead, a record regarding the mail piece  30  containing invalid parameters is moved to a VRU mailer report/edit process. The VRU reports any records that need correction by the mailer  10 . Upon receiving correction from the mailer  10 , the VRU submits a corrected shipping file  62  to the USPS data center  50 . 
   The VRU reports any delivery confirmation updates via the message device  80  to the mailer  10 . To receive a confirmation report, the mailer  10  can request that a facsimile be sent to a specified facsimile machine, an e-mailed version of the report be sent to a specified e-mail address, a mailed report delivered to a specified mailing address, or a voice-mail version of the report be sent to a specified voicemail receiving address. The confirmation report can also be sent to the mailer&#39;s pager. Preferably, the Postage By Phone® data center  60  archives all reports for the mailer  10  for one year, for example. 
   When a mailer  10  wishes to use a postage meter  20  for mailing, he or she may be asked to provide a range of information regarding delivery services. For example, the mailer  10  is asked to provide the destination address  32  including the ZIP code for domestic mail or the country code for international mailing. The mailer  10  may be required to select a service level. If the mailer wishes to use the delivery confirmation services, he or she may be required to specify the class of mailed desired, such as Priority, First-Class or Standard Mail (B). The meter-based mail delivery confirmation process is illustrated in FIG.  3 . 
   As shown at block  100 , when the postage meter  40  detects the presence of a mail piece  10  (see FIGS.  1  and  2 ), the mailer  10  is asked in block  102  if Delivery Confirmation service is desired. If the answer is no, the postage meter  40  considers the mail piece  10  regular mail and provides a postage indicia for regular mailing at block  104 . If the answer is yes, the postage meter  40  prompts with Priority or Standard Mail (B)? at block  106  and waits for an answer. The mailer  10  is then asked to select the service level at block  108  and to enter the Package-Identification-Code  22  on the shipping label  20  (see  FIG. 1 ) at block  110 . At block  112 , the mailer  10  is asked whether the mail piece  30  is destined to a domestic address or to an overseas address. If the destination is within the U.S., then a ZIP code is entered at block  114 . Otherwise a country code is entered at block  116 . At block  118 , the postage meter  40  validates all the entries provided by the mailer  10  at blocks  106  through  116 . After all the entries are validated, the postage meter  40  creates a header for record regarding the mail piece  30  and store the header in the postage meter  40  at block  120 . Subsequently, the postage meter  40  produces a postage indicia  36  for the mail piece  30  at block  122 . At block  124 , the mailer  10  is asked whether there is more mail to be processed. If there is no more mail to be processed, the postage meter  40  sends an electronic file containing one or more headers and other postage related information to the Postage By Phone® data center  60  at block  126 . If the mailer  10  has more mail to process, the loop goes back to block  100 . 
   Additionally, after the postage meter  40  sends the electronic file to the Postage By Phone® data center  60 , the display on the postage meter  40  may say “DC file sent to Postage By Phone®, please wait for Postage By Phone® confirmation of data”. At the same time, the Postage By Phone® data center  60  validates the file to check and append the meter serial number, the date, the time sequence, the D-U-N-S number if present, and the validity of the ZIP code or country code. If any of the entries is invalid, the meter display prompts the mailer  10  to correct the invalid entry. When all the entries are validated, the Postage By Phone® data center  60  returns a RECORD ACCEPTED message to the postage meter  40 , for example. 
   A more detailed process flow is illustrated in FIG.  4 . As shown at block  200 , the mailer requests Delivery Confirmation (DC) service which provides a pre-printed shipping label to the mailer and notifies the Postage By Phone®  60  to set up an account for the mailer. At block  202 , the mailer is asked to enter the user identification number such as the mailer&#39;s D-U-N-S number into the postage meter if needed. At block  204 , the postage meter prompts with Priority or Standard Mail (B) display, for example. At prompt, the mailer selects the desired class for the mail piece. At block  206 , the mailer selects the mail piece service level from a menu provided on the postage meter. At block  208 , the postage meter prompts with the corresponding postage value, such as $3.20 for Priority Mail. If the mailer does not accept the prompted postage value, the mailer can adjust the postage value as needed, as shown at block  212 . Note that the PIC  22  as shown in  FIG. 1  contains an eight-digit package sequence number. This sequence number can be increased automatically by 1 by the postage meter whenever the next mail piece is processed. Furthermore, the difference between the PIC  22  for one mail piece from another mail piece in the same batch is the package sequence number. Thus, the Package Identification Number of the mail piece is only required to be entered when starting a new batch of mail processed by the postage meter. At block  216 , the mailer is asked to enter the PIC or barcode as shown on the pre-printed shipping label on the mail piece only if the mail piece is the first one in a new batch. The postage meter prompts with the next sequence number in a pre-established sequence, as shown at block  218 . If the mailer does not accept the sequence number, he or she may edit the sequence number at block  222 . At block  224 , the postage meter performs a check sum check on the number entered and warns the user if an error occurs. For mailing to a U.S. address, the mailer is required to enter the ZIP code, at block  234 . Otherwise, the mailer is required to enter the country code of the non-U.S. destination address, as shown at block  232 . At block  236 , the postage meter validates the number of digits of the ZIP code or country code entered. The postage meter creates a header record at block  238 , adding the postage meter number, the date, the time, the user D-U-N-S number or any other identification number, as needed. The record is checked and stored. At this stage, the postage meter prompts the user to apply the pre-printed label to the mail piece, as shown at block  240 . The postage meter then asks “printed receipt requested” at block  242 . If a receipt is desired, the mailer inserts a tape/card/envelope for the postage meter to print the date, the time, the postage meter number, the package identification number, the destination ZIP code, and the service level, as shown at block  244 . At this stage, the processing of the mail piece by the postage meter is completed. The postage meter asks “another mail piece to process?”. If the answer is yes, the process step goes back to block  204  and the mailer is asked to select the mail class. If no more mail pieces are to be processed, the postage meter sends the stored records to the Postage By Phone® data center in sequence one at a time, as shown at block  248 . At the same time, the postage meter annunciates “DC file sent to Postage By Phone®, please wait for Postage By Phone® confirmation of data”, for example. Upon receiving records from the postage meter, the Postage By Phone® data center validates the uploaded files. The Postage By Phone® data center further checks and appends the postage meter serial number, the date, the time sequence, the user identification, the validity of the ZIP code etc., as shown at block  250 . If the Postage By Phone® data center detects an error, the meter is notified of the error at block  254 . For example, if an invalid ZIP code is entered, the postage meter display prompts the mailer to correct the ZIP code. If no error is detected, the Postage By Phone® data center may add any other required data to the file header. 
   The Postage By Phone® data center returns a “RECORD ACCEPTED” message to the postage meter, as shown at block  256 . 
   It is understood that after the postage meter processes the mail in accordance with the process flow as shown in  FIG. 4 , the mailer drops off the mail at a USPS postal facility. Independently, the Postage By Phone® data center prepares the necessary electronic file in compliance with the requirements as set forth by the USPS regarding the delivery confirmation service. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the Postage By Phone® data center sorts the uploaded files by the entry ZIP code at block  300 ; creates a batch file per entry ZIP code at block  302 , sends the processed batch or batches to a USPS data center at a desired interval at block  304 ; requests and receives a new Delivery Confirmation (DC) batch file from the USPS one or more times a day as shown at block  306 ; and sends a DC update to the mailer at block  308 . 
   There are many ways a mailer can obtain the DC information from the Postage By Phone® data center. For example, the mailer can call the Postage By Phone® VRU for a DC update. The mailer can also request a facsimile to have a DC record sent to the mailer&#39;s facsimile. The mailer can also download the DC record file from the Postage By Phone® data center to message device  80  or postage meter  40  etc. 
   If errors are detected, the Postage By Phone® VRU reports any records that need mailer correction. Accordingly, the mailer uses receipts or other records to correct the errors with the VRU. 
   As described above in conjunction with  FIG. 1 , the mailer  10  can use a special shipping label having a special code understood by the postage meter  40 . An exemplary shipping label  21  is shown in FIG.  5 . As shown, the shipping label  21  contains a PIC  23  and a barcode  25  representing the PIC  23 . The PIC  23  contains a two-digit service type code, a nine-digit PB code which may be related to the meter number, an eight-digit package sequence number and a single-digit error check number. It should be noted that the PIC  23  can contain more or less digits than the code shown in FIG.  6 . 
   Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and deviations in the form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.