Abstract:
A computer implemented method for a mail tracking service provider to manage mail tracking identification codes for customers. A master list is maintained of identification codes that have been provided to customers. A customer sends a request for a block of identification codes to use with their mailing. The service generates a block of identification codes, referring to the master list to determine identification codes that are not already being used. The generated block is sent to the customer. The service updates the master list to identify the customer and the block sent. The mailer sends mailing job data back to the tracking service. The job data identifies which codes from the block have been placed on mail to be delivered. The service gathers data about the delivery of the mail from the carrier service, and the tracking data is consolidated and provided in a report to the customer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Individuals and companies that send mail are often interested in tracking delivery of mail as it passes through the delivery system. In addition to providing assurance that mail is reaching its destination, tracking is useful for determining whether the timing of the mail is meeting the sender&#39;s business needs. For example, someone sending a bill may want the mail to be delivered in time for the recipient to receive it and pay before the due date. Marketing messages may be timed to coincide with a sale or a special event. 
     Delivery services, like the United States Postal Service (USPS), offer tracking services to meet these interests in tracking. Typically, a special barcode is placed on the mail item. As the mail is transported through the delivery system, barcode scanners are used to scan the codes on the mail and identify each individual piece and its location within the USPS processing facilities. Data related to the processing and delivery of the mail pieces can then be sent back to an originator associated with a particular code. 
     Use of USPS mail tracking services requires that an account with the USPS be arranged in advance, and a mailer must subscribe to the tracking service. Tracking codes and mailer identification codes are assigned to subscribers, and subscribers are required to inform the USPS when mail to be tracked is being inducted into the delivery system. 
     Rather than dealing directly with the USPS, some mailers find it desirable to obtain tracking capabilities through a third party tracking service, such as those provided at the website www.trackmymail.com. The tracking service takes responsibility for interacting with the USPS in fulfilling the requirements to assign tracking numbers to mail pieces and to initiate tracking for particular mail pieces. Also, such third party services will process the raw, and difficult to interpret, USPS tracking data, and prepare a report for mailers that is more user friendly. Third party services achieve economies of scale by handling tracking codes for many different customers. Such services may be particularly attractive to mailers who only have an occasional need for tracking their mail, and who can benefit from the tracking services&#39; quick access to tracking capabilities. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention includes a computer implemented method for a mail tracking service to manage mail tracking identification codes for customers. The service maintains a master list of identification codes that have been provided to customers. A customer sends a request for a block of identification codes to use with their mailing. In response, the service generates a block of identification codes, referring to the master list, to determine identification codes that are not already being used. The selected block is sent back to the customer&#39;s computer. The service updates the master list to identify the customer and the corresponding block of identification codes that was sent. After preparing its mailing with the codes, the mailer sends mailing job data back to the tracking service. The job data identifies which codes from the block have been placed on mail to be delivered. The mail tracking service gathers data about the delivery of the mail from the carrier service. The tracking data is consolidated and provided in a report to the customer. In a preferred embodiment, the customer is billed only for the portion of the block of identification codes that is used by the mailer. 
     In a further embodiment, the tracking service verifies that the mailing job data received from the customer does not include identification codes that are identical to codes that were used within a previous predetermined time. Such reuse of codes might result in less accurate tracking data and in postal penalties. The tracking service may also provide a service of counting a quantity of identification codes used by the customer and sending a low balance alert to the customer when a quantity of unused identification codes becomes less than a predetermined amount. The tracking service can also track the customer&#39;s usage patterns to determine an appropriate sized block of codes to provide in response to future requests. 
     In a further embodiment the identification codes may include both a mailer identifier field and a serial number field. The mailer identifier field identifies an entity that will be used for purposes of mail tracking, and the serial number field identifying a specific mail piece. When the customer provides the mailing job data to the tracking service the request may include a user mailer identifier number different than a default mailer identifier number. With such a customer selected mailer identifier, the tracking service&#39;s ability to check for duplicate or reused codes is particularly valuable, since the makeup of the overall code is taken out of the control of the tracking service. The check of the customers mail job data can also be used to check on the customer&#39;s compliance with the postal carrier&#39;s mail tracking requirements. A report can be provided to the customer indicating whether the use of the tracking numbers is in compliance. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows the operation of a prior art mail tracking service. 
         FIG. 2  shows a preferred embodiment of components at the tracking service and at the customer for implementing the invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows steps occurring at the mailer and at the tracking service for implementing a preferred embodiment. 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  show steps for processing mailing job data at the mail tracking service. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts a prior art process used for providing mail tracking services. In this system, the mailer  10  determines that it wants to track the mail for a particular mail job. The mail job data  11  is sent to the tracking service  12  so that the appropriate tracking code and barcode can be prepared. The mail job data  11  describes the various mail pieces that will comprise the mail to be tracked. The tracking service  12  assigns a tracking code for each of the mail pieces in the mail job. In addition, the tracking code is encoded to a particular barcode format that is used for tracking. Such barcode formats may be PLANET code or an Intelligent Mail barcode, that are both commonly known and used by the USPS. The mail job data and the corresponding encoded barcodes  13  are then transferred back to the mailer  10  from the tracking service  12 . In this type of prior art service, the tracking service  12  typically charges the mailer  10  based on the quantity of tracking codes requested to fill the need for all the mail in the mail job. 
     The mailer  10  then prints out the tracking barcodes  18  on the mail pieces  14 . In this example, tracking barcode  18  is an Intelligent Mail barcode. The intelligent mail barcode  18  includes several different data fields. Those data fields include a “mailer identifier number” and a “serial number.” The “mailer identifier” is a unique number that identifies the entity that the USPS will send the tracking information to. When the third party tracking service  12  is being used, the mailer identifier field is most likely to be the number for the service  12 , who will receive and process the tracking data on behalf of the mailer  10 . The “serial number” field typically includes a unique number identifying the specific mail piece. The tracking service  12  has associated serial numbers with each of the mail items being tracked. 
     The printed envelope  14  is provided to the deliver service  15  (in the preferred embodiment, the USPS) for delivery. During the course of delivery processing the tracking barcode  18  is scanned by the USPS sortation and delivery equipment. The delivery service  15  gathers information about the scanned codes, the time and location of the scanning, the type of processing, and sends (or otherwise makes available) the gathered tracking data  16  to the tracking service  12 . The delivery service  15  determines the appropriate recipient for the tracking data based on the “mailer identifier” portion of the tracking barcode  18 . Finally, the tracking service  12  processes the raw tracking data  16  into a tracking report  17  that is provided to the mailer  10 . 
       FIG. 2  depicts the basic components resident on the respective computer systems of the tracking service  27  and the mailer  28  in accordance with the preferred embodiment. The tracking service keeps a master list  21  of tracking codes. The master list  21  includes unused codes that are available to be provided to mailers. The master list  21  also associates ranges of used codes with the corresponding mailer to whom the codes were provided. The master list  21  further indicates which of the codes that have been provided to mailers have been used on mail. 
     A further significant component of the tracking service  27  are the code content rules  22  stored on the services computers. The USPS requires a particular arrangement of fields within the tracking codes in order for tracking services to be provided. The USPS also requires that tracking codes not be reused within a predetermined period of time (for example: 45 days). Accordingly, when the mailer  28  provides information about the mail and the corresponding tracking codes that it intends to use, the tracking service  27  can confirm that the tracking codes to be used comply with the USPS requirement. This capability is particularly relevant using the preferred embodiment whereby the mailer  28  associates the particular tracking codes to mail pieces. In the prior art, tracking codes were assigned to particular mail items by the service provider. Thus, it is important to have the capability to detect mistakes made by the mailer  28  under the new arrangement. 
     The tracking service  27  further stores the mail tracking data  23  received from the USPS (or other delivery service). Tracking data  23  is provided to the tracking service  27  because the tracking code identifies the tracking service  27  as the appropriate party to whom the information should be sent. The tracking service  27  can then use the specific identification code to determine which of its customers the mail piece was sent by, and to compile and direct the results accordingly. Typically the tracking service  27  and the mailer  28  exchange data over a network  20 , such as the Internet. 
     The components of the tracking service  27  may be stored and executed on a server computer configured with network and Internet communication, and modified to include the software to perform the steps and components described herein. Alternatively, the steps and components may be resident under more than one computer that are networked under the control of the tracking service  27 . 
     The mailer  28  also includes some basic components for utilizing the preferred embodiment. The mailer has a mail file  24  that describes the mail job that is going to be tracked. The mail file  24  will typically identify individual mail pieces and characteristics of those mail pieces, such as the intended recipient and address. By linking the tracking barcodes to the mail file  24 , the mailer  28  is able to track delivery of individual pieces. 
     The mailer  28  also maintains a block of tracking codes  25  that have been received from the tracking service  27 . As a mailing job is developed, unused tracking codes from the block of tracking codes  25  are associated with individual mail pieces in the mail file  24 . A tracking barcode encoder  26  is resident at the mailer  28  to convert the numerical identification numbers of the block of codes  25  into a graphical barcode that can be printed on the mail pieces. Since printing of mail pieces is likely to occur at the mailer  28 , it is advantageous to perform the encoding of the barcodes locally with the encoder  26 , and it is possible to avoid transmitting data intensive graphical information over the network  20 , between the mailer  28  and the tracking service  27 . The functionality of mailer  28  is preferably resident on a personal computer configured for Internet communication and modified to include the mail file  24 , the block of tracking codes  25 , and the barcode encoder  26 , along with other software components as may be described in this application. 
       FIG. 3  depicts a preferred embodiment of the steps carried out by the tracking service and the mailer to manage mail tracking data. When the mailer decides that they wish for a mail job to be tracked, the mailer requests a block of tracking ID&#39;s from the tracking service (step  30 ). This request is typically sent over the Internet from the mailer&#39;s computer via a web browser. The quantity of tracking ID&#39;s that the tracking service is willing to provide might be limited. In this preferred embodiment, the mailer is not charged for the tracking ID&#39;s until they are used. Therefore, there is no incentive to be conservative on how may ID&#39;s to request. Since the tracking service does only maintain a finite number of tracking ID&#39;s available at any particular time, it may be necessary to limit the maximum number of ID&#39;s that can be requested at a time. The tracking service may choose to limit the number of ID&#39;s based on the mailer&#39;s ID usage over a previous period of time. For example, a mailer may be limited to a quantity that is approximately the number of ID&#39;s that were used over the past six months. The functionality for limiting the quantity of ID&#39;s that can be provided may be at the mailer or at the tracking service. 
     At step  31 , the tracking service creates the block of tracking ID&#39;s for the mailer. The block is selected from a larger set of tracking ID&#39;s that the tracking service has reserved from the USPS (or other delivery service). Blocks of ID&#39;s are typically consecutive numbers, but not necessarily so. The tracking services master list of tracking ID&#39;s is updated to identify which numbers have been provided to which mailers (step  32 ). The mailer receives and stores the block of tracking ID&#39;s provided (step  33 ), and in the preferred embodiment the mailer will not be charged until they are used. 
     At step  34 , the mailer associates tracking ID&#39;s from the stored block with particular mail items that are part of a mailing job. Thus, a mail job data file will be typically be updated to indicate particular ID&#39;s that are associated with particular pieces. Using barcode encoding software, a graphical barcode will be generated based on the tracking ID&#39;s that are being associated with mail pieces (step  35 ). The preferred barcode format is the Intelligent Mail Barcode developed by the USPS and known in the art to include enough digits and information to uniquely track mail pieces in the U.S. postal system. At step  36 , the generated barcodes with the tracking ID&#39;s are placed on the mail pieces. Typically, the barcodes will be printed on envelopes, or printed on labels that can be placed on the mail items. 
     At step  37 , the mailer further prepares a mailing job summary for the tracking service. The step of providing the summary may be done before, after, or concurrently with the step  36  of placing the barcode on the mail piece. An advantage of doing the job summary before, is that the tracking service may have an opportunity to identify any errors in connection with the tracking service before the expense of printing is incurred. At step  38 , the tracking service receives the mailing job summary. The tracking service checks the tracking ID&#39;s proposed for use in the mailing job summary to make sure that they are in compliance with postal tracking requirements (for example, that they are not being reused within a certain amount of time, or that there are not duplicates). When the tracking service sees the quantity of tracking ID&#39;s that are being used by the mailer, that is the preferred time to bill the mailer for the quantity used (step  43 ). Mailers can better manage costs of tracking ID&#39;s by only being invoiced for tracking ID&#39;s as they are used (step  44 ). After receiving and validating the mailing job summary, the tracking service updates the master list of tracking ID&#39;s to indicate which of the ID&#39;s issued to the mailer have been put into use. 
     As the mail is processed by the delivery service, the barcodes on the mail pieces are scanned. Tracking data relating to the identification codes is transmitted from the delivery service to the tracking service (step  40 ). As discussed above, the tracking numbers include a “mailer identification” portion that indicates the party to whom tracking data should be sent. In the preferred embodiment, the “mailer identification” field of the code identifies the mail tracking service. However, the validation steps  39  may also be performed on identification codes that are being used by the mailer that are not using the mail tracking service for collecting tracking data. For example, a mailer may have some ID codes that it has received itself directly from the USPS, and it wishes to incorporate those codes in the mailing. In that case, the mail tracking service can test whether the codes appear to meet postal requirements, but the delivery tracking data will not be available to the mail tracking service, and no tracking will be done for those mail pieces where the mailer identification field on the ID is not the tracking service&#39;s default ID. 
       FIG. 4  shows some of the validation steps that the mail tracking service can provide. Upon receiving the mailing job summary (step  50 ), the mail tracking service can check to see whether ID&#39;s are being reused. Reuse may be improper if the same number is being used within the same mailing. Reuse may also be improper if the same number is being reused within a certain amount of time since it was used for another mail piece (45 days for USPS) (step  53 ). The service can also check to see if there are gaps in the tracking ID&#39;s that are being used for the job (step  52 ). Such a gap might indicate a problem with the data. The service can provide a report back to the mailer identifying any errors, or irregularities that may be of interest. 
       FIG. 5  depicts another automated feature of the mail tracking service. Upon receiving the mailing job summary (step  60 ), the service updates its master list to indicate which of the mailer&#39;s block of ID&#39;s have been used (step  61 ). If it is seen that the number of unused ID&#39;s in the mailer&#39;s outstanding block falls below a threshold level, then the service can send an automated reminder instructing the mailer that they may wish to order another block of ID&#39;s. Alternatively, the service could be set up to automatically replenish the mailer with a new block of ID&#39;s when the quantity gets too low. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.