Abstract:
Radio frequency identification tags are placed on mail contained in trays or tubs to locate and reroute mail that is misdirected, i.e., being routed to the incorrect destination. The method involves the carrier reading the identifying information contained in the radio frequency identification tags on each mail piece while each mail piece is in the trays or tubs and removing one or more mail pieces in the tray or tub that are to be routed differently than the routing information contained on the outside of the trays or tubs.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Reference is made to commonly assigned co-pending patent applications Docket No. F-457 filed herewith entitled “Method For Detecting And Redirecting Misdirected Mail” in the names of Ronald P. Sansone, Claude Zeller, Robert A. Cordery, Marc Morelli, Arthur Parkos, Leon A. Pintsov and Ronald Reichman; Docket No. F-483 filed herewith entitled “Method For Processing and Delivering Registered Mail” in the name of Leon A. Pintsov; and Docket No. F-538 filed herewith entitled “Method For Maintaining The Integrity Of A Mailing Using Radio Frequency Identification Tags” in the names of Leon A. Pintsov, Kenneth G. Miller, Kwan Cheung Wong and John H. Winkelman.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates generally to the field of mailing systems and, more particularly, to systems for locating mail.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Governments have created post offices for collecting, sorting and distributing the mail. The post offices typically charges mailers for delivering the mail. Mailers may pay the post office for this service by purchasing a stamp, i.e., a printed adhesive label, issued by the post office at specified prices, that is affixed to all, letters, parcels or other mail matter to show prepayment of postage. The placing of one or more stamps on a mail piece is a labor-intensive endeavor. Many individuals, small or home offices, and small businesses typically use stamps.  
           [0004]    Another means of payment accepted by the post office is mail that is metered by a postage meter. A postage meter is a mechanical or electromechanical device that maintains, through mechanical or “electronic registers” or “postal security devices,” an account of all postage printed, and the remaining balance of prepaid postage, and prints postage postmarks (indicia) or provides postage postmarks (indicia) information to a printer, that are accepted by the postal service as evidence of the prepayment of postage.  
           [0005]    The United States Postal Service (hereinafter “Post) currently handles large volumes of normal mail, i.e., first class mail, second class mail, third class mail, etc. However, when it comes to special service mail, i.e., priority mail, certified mail, registered mail, etc., the Post uses gummed service stickers and forms to indicate and process the special service mail. The unnecessary use of gummed service stickers and completion of forms by hand is time consuming, error prone and raises the expense for receiving these services. Furthermore, the use of some services, i.e., certified mail, requires the mailer to physically deliver the mail piece to the Post.  
           [0006]    Normal mail and special service mail, correspondences, bills, sales literature, marketing material, advertisements, coupons, dunning letters, etc., may be inserted into mail pieces produced by major mailers. Files that represent the mail piece are typically stored in a computer where the files may be presorted for the trays in which they will be transported. Historically, major mailers had to produce a new batch run for any special service mail that was produced. The reason for the foregoing was that each special service mail piece was manually marked. Manual marking of special service mail is a time-consuming, labor-intensive process. Special service mail also had to be separated from normal mail before the major mailer deposited the special service mail with the Post.  
           [0007]    Special services mail should be expeditiously handled by the Post. If the special service mail is not properly identified, the special service mail will travel with regular mail and may be delivered with regular mail without the special service being performed or subsequently delivered with the special service. Hence, the party paying for the special service may not receive the special service.  
           [0008]    A disadvantage of the prior art is that once a special service mail piece is accepted by the Post or other carrier and placed in a tray or bag, the Post or other carrier has no process for determining the current location of the special service mail piece.  
           [0009]    Another disadvantage of the prior art is that the carrier is not able to determine the location of misdirected mail until the mail is delivered to the delivery Post office or delivery office. Rerouting the mail to the correct delivery post office or delivery office is time consuming and expensive.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by utilizing a system that enables special service mail to be produced by major mailers on high-speed mail finishing machines. The requested special service is written into a radio frequency identification device around the time the device is inserted the mail. While processing the mail, the device is activated, if present, the special service previously written is read, and the cost for the selected service is added to the total cost for this mail piece. Special service mail may also be detected from and separated from normal mail. The invention also enables the carrier, i.e., United States Postal Service, FedEx®, Emory, Airborne®, DHL, ®, UPS®, etc., to determine the location of special service mail as it travels within their system.  
           [0011]    By the carrier knowing the location of the mail, the carrier is able to redirect misdirected mail, saving the carrier time and money, since the carrier determines that the mail is misdirected earlier in the delivery cycle. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1A is a drawing of a mail piece having a radio frequency identification tag affixed to the mail piece;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1B is a drawing of a mail piece having a radio frequency identification tag inserted into the mail piece;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a drawing showing how mail is processed in the entry office of a carrier;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a drawing showing how mail is processed from the entry office of a carrier to the recipient; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a drawing showing major mailer  20  of FIG. 2 in greater detail. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]    Referring now to the drawings in detail and, more particularly, to FIG. 1, the reference character  11  represents a mail piece that has a sender address field  12 , a recipient address field  13 ; a postal indicia  14 ; a radio frequency identification tag  15 ; and a bar code  16  that contains specified information. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tag  15  may be the 4×6 RFID Smart Label Philips manufactured by RAFEC USA of 999 Oakmont Plaza Drive, Suite 200, Westmont, Ill. 60559. The information contained in tag  15  is the sender address field  12 , recipient address field  13  and type of special service to be performed by the carrier, i.e., priority mail, certified mail, registered mail, express mail etc. The information contained in bar code  16  and the recipient&#39;s expected delivery time are written into tag  15  by a radio frequency identification tag printer (not shown). The radio frequency identification tag printer may be the Zebra R140 printer manufactured by Zebra Technologies Corporation of 333 Corporate Woods Parkway, Vernon Hills, Ill. 60061. Indicia  14  and tag  15  may be placed on a paper tape  17  that is adhered to mail piece  11 , or indicia  14  may be printed directly on mail piece  11  and tag  15  adhered to mail piece  11 .  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1B is a drawing of a mail piece having a radio frequency identification tag inserted into the mail piece. Mail piece  11  has a sender address field  12 , a recipient address field  13  a postal indicia  14  and a bar code  16  that contains specified information. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tag  15  is inserted into mail piece  11 . The information contained in tag  15  is the sender address field  12 , recipient address field  13  and type of special service to be performed by the carrier, i.e., priority mail, certified mail, registered mail, express mail, etc. The information contained in bar code  16  and the recipient&#39;s expected delivery time.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a drawing showing how mail is processed in the entry office  18  of a carrier. Letter mail that is deposited in tray  19  by major mailer  20  contains a bar code  21  on the outside of tray  19 . Major mailer  20  will be described in the description of FIG. 4. Bar code  21  indicates the destination of tray  19 . Tray  19  is delivered to bulk mail center  22  of office  18 . Optical character/bar code reader  23  reads the information contained in bar code  21 , and radio frequency identification reader  24  reads the information contained in tag  15  (FIG. 1). Tray  19  may contain only special service mail with tags  15 , or special service mail with tags  15  and normal mail, or only normal mail. Mail that contains a tag  15  will be placed in a tray  44  that has a bar code  45  that is going to the same destination office as tray  44 . Tray  44  will pass through outbound exit  28  of entry office  18  as the delivery process of tray  44  proceeds. Outbound exit  28  contains optical readers  29  that read bar code  45  and radio frequency identification readers  30  that read any tag  15  that may be present. If mail containing a tag  15  is detected in a tray  44 , that mail is sent back to the input of RFID/Sorter  25  if it is not going to the same destination office as tray  44 .  
         [0020]    Radio frequency identification (RFID) reader  24  may be the model SL EV900 reader manufactured by Philips Semiconductors of 1109 McKay Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95131. Some mail containing a tag  15  will go to RFID/Sorter  25  where the mail will be placed in a tray  26  that has a bar code  27  on the outside of tray  26 . Bar code  27  indicates the destination office of tray  26 . Only mail that has a tag  15  affixed thereto is contained in tray  26 . Tray  26  contains mail with tags  15  affixed thereto that will pass through outbound exit  28  of entry office  18  as the delivery process of tray  26  proceeds. Outbound exit  28  contains optical readers  29  that read bar code  27  and radio frequency identification readers  30  that read tags  15 . If mail containing a tag  15  does not go to the destination indicated by bar code  27 , that mail is sent back to the input of reader  99  so that it may be placed in a special service mail tray that is going to the correct destination office.  
         [0021]    Collection letter mail may be metered letter mail that is produced at a mailer site  35  that is able to place postal indicia  14  on mail  11  (FIG. 1) with a postage meter (not shown) and a tag  15  on the mail with a radio frequency identification label printer (not shown), or stamped mail or metered mail. Collection mail may also be mail that is received from a household  31 . Collection letter mail is sent to advanced facer canceller (hereinafter “AFCS”)  36 . AFCS  36  contains a radio frequency identification reader  37  that reads tags  15 .  
         [0022]    AFCS  36  faces the letter mail, and then AFCS  36  electronically identifies and separates prebarcoded mail, handwritten addresses and machine-imprinted address pieces for faster processing through automation. Letter mail that AFCS  36  determines is optical character readable is sent to OCR read and sort  38 . Read and sort  38  reads the entire address on the mail sprays a bar code on the mail if needed; and then sorts the mail. The mail is then placed in a tray  39  that has a bar code  40  on the outside of tray  39 . Bar code  40  indicates the destination of tray  39  and other information about the contents of tray  39 . Only mail that does not have a tag  15  affixed thereto should be contained in tray  39 . Tray  39  will pass through outbound exit  28  of entry office  18  as the delivery process of tray  39  proceeds. Outbound exit  28  contains optical readers  29  that read bar code  40  and radio frequency identification readers  30  that read any tag  15  that may be present. If mail containing a tag  15  not for the destination office is detected in a tray  39 , that mail is sent back to the input of reader  99  so that it may be placed in a tray that is going to the correct destination office. Letter mail that AFCS  36  determines is not optical character readable is sent to manual look up scan and merge  41  where the mail is manually processed. Radio frequency identification reader  37  reads tags  15  and sends the mail containing a tag  15  to RFID/Sorter  25 .  
         [0023]    Mail that is produced at household  31  and other mail may be brought directly to the carrier at lobby counter  42 . The mailer will pay the carrier the necessary amount to deliver the mail in accordance with the delivery service requested. Postal meter  43  and/or RFID tag printer  48  will print postal indicia on normal mail, i.e., first class mail, standard A mail and standard B mail, and postal indicia with a radio frequency identification tag on special service mail, i.e., priority mail, certified mail, registered mail, express mail, etc. Postal meter  43  will place postal indicia on normal mail, i.e., first class mail, standard A mail and standard B mail. Mail that just contains postal indicia will be sent to the input of optical character reader  99 . RFID tag printer  48  will print a tag  15  (FIG. 1) on special service mail, i.e., priority mail, certified mail, registered mail, etc., and meter  43  will print a postal indicia  14  on special service mail. Printer  48  may be the Zebra model R140 manufactured by Zebra Technologies Corporation of 333 Corporate Woods Parkway Vernon Hills, Ill. 60061-3109. Special service mail will be sent to the input of RFID/Sorter  25 .  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a drawing showing how mail is processed from entry office  18  of a carrier to the recipient. At outbound mail exit  28 , optical scanners  29  read the information contained in bar codes  21 ,  27 ,  40  and  45  that are respectively affixed to trays  19 ,  26 ,  39  and  44  and radio frequency identification readers  30  read any tag  15  that may be present in a tray or tub that bar codes  21 ,  27 ,  40  and  45  are affixed to.  
         [0025]    All mail in tray  26  that has a tag  15  and is going to the destination specified in bar code  27  will be sent to special transport distribution node  50 . Optical scanner  51  and RFID scanner  52 , respectively, will read code  27  that is affixed to tray  26  and tags  15  as they enter special distribution node  50 , and optical scanner  53  and RFID scanner  54 , respectively, will read code  27  and tags  15  as tray  26  exits distribution node  50 . The aforementioned scanners verify that no mail piece containing a tag  15  has been removed from tray  26 . Tray  26  containing mail having tags  15  affixed thereto will be delivered to destination carrier office  55 .  
         [0026]    At this point, RFID sorter  56  will sort the mail contained in tray  26 . Then, the mail will be delivered to the recipient by being deposited in mail box  57 . The mail may also be delivered directly to the recipient or to a representative of the recipient based upon the special services requested by the sender.  
         [0027]    Trays  19 ,  39  and  44  will be delivered to standard transportation distribution node  60 . Then trays  19 ,  39  and  44  will be delivered to destination carrier office  55 . Sorter  61  will sort the mail contained in trays  19 ,  39  and  44 . Then, the mail will be delivered to the recipient by being deposited in mail box  57 . The mail may also be delivered directly to the recipient or to a representative of the recipient based upon the special services requested.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4 is a drawing showing major mailer  20  of FIG. 2 in greater detail. Computer/printer  70  produces documents that are going to be inserted into mail piece  11 . The mail pieces have been presorted by zip code for output traying  75 . The documents printed by computer/printer  70  are folded and inserted into mail pieces  11  (FIG. 1) by folding/inserting  71 . Finishing  72  places sender and recipient addresses on mail pieces  11 . Then finishing  72  seals mail pieces  11 . Computer/printer  70  sends information via path  77  about mail piece  11  so that print/affix indicia  73  and RFID data write  74  may write the correct information into tag  15  and indicia  14 . Print/affix indicia  73  affixes a postal indicia  14  having the correct postage to mail piece  11 . RFID data write  74  writes the information hereinbefore described into tag  15 . Mail pieces  11  now are placed in tray  76  by traying  75  which adds a tray label  78  to tray  76 .  
         [0029]    The above specification describes a new and improved method for detecting and redirecting major mailer&#39;s mail that is transported in trays or tubs. It is realized that the above description may indicate to those skilled in the art additional ways in which the principles of this invention may be used without departing from the spirit. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.