Abstract:
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a system and methodology for sorting and/or distributing items and articles being shipped to a receiving party through private and/or commercial delivery systems. Various characteristics of an article being shipped are obtained and assembled in a database. In an exemplary embodiment, the descriptive characteristics of the article are acquired at a first site and the processing and desired disposition of the article is determined at a second site which is physically separate from the first site. The descriptive characteristics of the article being shipped are displayed at the second site and are sufficient to identify the article to a processing individual located at the second site. The processing individual is then enabled to indicate a desired disposal of the article from the second site without being exposed to the physical article located at the first site. In an exemplary embodiment, the descriptive characteristics of the article may include one or more images of the article along with various other descriptive physical characteristics of the article such as the size and weight of the article. In one example, the processing individual is enabled to authorize the opening of an article in which case, descriptive characteristics of the contents of the article are acquired at the first site and displayed to the processing individual at the second site for use in determining an appropriate disposition of the article.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to information processing systems and more particularly to a methodology and implementation for enabling improved processing functionality in article sorting systems. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In the past, article delivery and receiving systems have been mis-used by individuals to have unsolicited articles, items and packages delivered to people and/or organizations. Such practices have become widespread for delivering unsolicited marketing materials including advertisements and promotions, for products being offered for sale. The very nature of mail has allowed mass mailings of unsolicited commercial materials including low-interest, “pre-approved” credit cards to people who must spend time to collect such materials at the mailbox and then spend time to open, read and dispose of such materials. The destruction of unwanted materials is essential in many cases in order to avoid the possibility that such “credit cards” can not be mis-used by third parties who may retrieve improperly discarded “credit cards”. 
         [0003]    Another disadvantage of the mail system is that an individual cannot access the mail addressed to the individual if the individual is away from the receiving mailbox because the review of incoming mail necessarily involves the receipt, opening, and appropriate disposition, all of which, in the past, have required the physical handling of mailed pieces and articled by the receiving party. 
         [0004]    A more serious mis-use of article delivery systems involves the use of delivery systems to deliver dangerous materials to a receiving party. In most cases, the receiving party is unaware of the potential danger of opening the received item or article until it is too late and the received item or article has already been opened. 
         [0005]    The recent reports of the delivery of dangerous biological materials such as anthrax, using the postal system, has made people in all countries vulnerable to a delivery system which has been trusted for many years. Private and/or commercial article delivery systems are also vulnerable to such mis-uses. Such delivery systems have been used for sending a wide-ranging array of hazardous and potentially life-threatening materials like plastic explosives, poisons, and other biological and chemical materials, to unsuspecting victims and organizations often with fatal and disastrous results. 
         [0006]    The above noted vulnerabilities of most current delivery systems have caused many organizations to seek additional inspection systems to further safeguard employees from dangerous items and articles which are shipped between various individuals and/or corporations and/or government organizations. Thus, there is a need for a methodology and system for enabling improved processing of physical items received by an entity from a variety of sources. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a system and methodology for sorting and/or distributing items and articles being shipped. Various characteristics of an article being shipped are obtained and assembled in a database. In an exemplary embodiment, the descriptive characteristics of the article are acquired at a first site and the processing and desired disposition of the article is determined at a second site which is physically separate from the first site. The descriptive characteristics of the article being shipped are displayed at the second site and are sufficient to identify the article to a processing individual located at the second site. The processing individual is then enabled to indicate a desired disposal of the article from the second site without being exposed to the physical article located at the first site. In one example, the processing individual is enabled to authorize the opening of an article in which case, descriptive characteristics of the contents of the article are acquired at the first site and displayed to the processing individual at the second site for use in determining an appropriate disposition of the article. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a system which may be used in an exemplary implementation of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram illustrating several of the major components of an exemplary user terminal connected within the article processing system of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a high level functional flow sequence of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary functional flow sequence used in obtaining predetermined characteristics of articles being shipped in connection with the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an exemplary database which may be used in association with the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary user interface function in association with the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary functional flow sequence in processing articles being shipped in connection with the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is an illustration of an exemplary user screen display which may be implemented in connection with the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is an illustration of a mail piece which may be processed in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is an illustration of an exemplary screen display which may be used in displaying contents of an article being processed in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    It is noted that circuits and devices which are shown in block form in the drawings are generally known to those skilled in the art, and are not specified to any greater extent than that considered necessary as illustrated, for the understanding and appreciation of the underlying concepts of the present invention and in order not to obfuscate or distract from the teachings of the present invention. 
         [0020]    The various methods discussed herein may be implemented within any communication device capable of receiving and transmitting electronic signals as herein described, over any interconnection network, including but not limited to the Internet and the World Wide Web. In the present disclosure such devices include, but are not limited to, cellular and other wireless devices, cell phones, so called Digital Personal Assistants or DPAs, laptop and personal computers and also desk top computers connected in local area or wide area networks. The present discussion will be directed to a server-based information processing application although it is understood that the principles involved in the present invention may be applied, inter alia, to all of the above noted receiving and transmitting devices and systems. 
         [0021]    The present invention involves separating the physical handling of articles being transported or shipped from the visual inspection of such articles such that the physical placement of articles is accomplished at a first location while the inspection of various characteristics of the article is accomplished at a second location separate from the first location. The physical separation of the first and second locations may be in terms of feet where the second location is in a room adjacent to the physical handling of articles being processed, or in terms of miles where the second location is miles away from the first location and connected only through a wired or wireless network connection. Further, the present invention is applicable to shipped articles including all kinds of envelopes and packages, and the terms “item”, “piece”, “article” and “package” are used interchangeably to refer to any and all kinds of items capable of being transported from one location to another. Similarly, the terms “remote” and “separate” refer to locations which are distinct from each other regardless of the actual distance involved. 
         [0022]    In  FIG. 1  there is shown an exemplary mail system in which the present invention may be implemented. An incoming incoming mail module  101  capable of receiving incoming mail is coupled to an incoming mail store module  103  which is arranged to store incoming mail items or articles. The incoming mail store module includes a scale device  104  which is used to weigh (W) an article of interest and also a measuring device or system  106  which may be used to obtain the length, width and height (X-Y-Z) dimensions of the article being inspected. Module  103  is further connected to a mail or article handling unit  105  which, in turn, is connected to an outgoing mail store and/or disposal unit  107  and a remote control unit  109 . A wireless camera device  111  is physically arranged so as to be able to selectively take pictures  112  of mail items or articles at the incoming mail store unit  103  or to take pictures  114  of such articles at the mail handling unit  105 . The wireless camera  111  is capable of taking pictures of articles being transported and converting the pictures or images into digital files in any of various formats. The wireless camera  111  and the remote control unit  109  are also coupled through an interconnection network  113  to any of several available user devices such as a wireless phone  115 , a laptop personal computer  117 , a desktop personal computer or terminal  118  or a personal digital assistant device (PDA)  119 . In accordance with the present invention, the mail or article handling system is located at a first site (illustrated in the drawings above the interconnection network  113 ) while the user devices are located at a second site separate and distinct from the first site. The actual distance separating the first and second sites may only be a matter of feet separating one possibly explosion-proof or air-tight article handling room from an adjacent viewing room in which a user is enabled to view article characteristics on a display device and initiate article disposition as hereinafter explained in more detail. 
         [0023]    Several of the major components of a computerized user device which may be programmed for use in connection with the present invention are illustrated in  FIG. 2 . A processor circuit  201  is connected to a system bus  203 . It is noted that the processing methodology disclosed herein will apply to many different bus and/or network configurations and is not limited to the configuration of the present example. A cache memory device  205  and a system memory unit  207  are also connected to the bus  203 . The exemplary system also includes a system storage devices  209 . The system bus  203  is also connected through an input interface circuit  211  to a keypad or keyboard  213  as well as alternate input devices  215  which may include voice and/or stylus input devices. The bus  203  is also coupled to a transmitter/receiver section  217  which enables the receipt and transmission of digital information. The illustrated system may also be coupled to a network system through the transmitter/receiver section  217 . The exemplary system also includes a sound subsystem  224 . Input means such as a microphone  226  and output means such as speaker  225  may also be included to enable a user to communicate with the device using voice commands and voiced menu and message playbacks. A video subsystem  227 , which may include a graphics subsystem, is connected between the bus  203  and a display device  228 . 
         [0024]    The overall flow of one aspect of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The present methodology may be implemented at any point in the transit path of an article being shipped or distributed. Typically, a stream of articles are separated and placed in sequence such that they move into an incoming mail module  101  one article at a time. In the mail store module  103 , each article may be placed on a separate tray with slightly raised edges for example to insure that the articles do not get mixed together or overlap. The acquisition of article characteristics process may be initiated by a user at a user terminal or it may be initiated automatically on a periodic basis. As the process begins  301  and a check is made to determine that it is time to process the mail  303 , the next article or piece of mail is moved to a location  305  where it can be electronically inspected, i.e. at a position where the article or mail piece can be photographed  112  by the camera  111 , weighed by a scale device  104 , and measured using, for example, a laser or other optical measuring system  106 . The article being inspected is assigned a piece or identification (ID) number  307  and the piece characteristics such as the dimensions, the weight and the image of the article are obtained  309 , and the characteristics are then related to the piece ID number  311 . The piece ID and related characteristics are then stored  313 . The process will continue processing piece-by-piece  315  until there are no more mail pieces to be processed. As a result of this inspection and characteristic acquisition phase, a record is created which identifies each article being received by item number, size and weight, along with one or more image files which may be stored in any of many available image file formats. The article being inspected may be photographed from several different angles to provide several image files in order to obtain as much information as is considered necessary for the particular application. 
         [0025]    In obtaining the piece characteristics  309 , the flow chart illustrated in  FIG. 4  may be implemented. When the process begins  401 , the piece or article is photographed  403  and an image file is created  405 . In some applications, the image obtained may include an X-ray image in addition to or instead of the visual image of the article. It is noted that the characteristics of the article being inspected may be obtained in any order and need not be accomplished in the order shown in the present example. The measurements of the article, including the length, the width and the height, are obtained  407  and the article is weighed  409 . In many applications, it will be sufficient to obtain only the length and the width of the article although in the preferred embodiment the height or thickness of the article is also obtained. Other perceivable and/or measurable characteristics, such as color, smoothness of surface, etc. may also be obtained or measured and converted into digital information capable of being electronically processed. After the desired characteristics have been obtained, the characteristics are correlated  411  and stored  413  for system and user access, and the inspecting processing is ended  415 . 
         [0026]    An example of a database format which may be used in storing the characteristics of the articles being inspected is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The exemplary format for the mail piece or article information database  501  includes a first row which identifies sequential pieces or articles of mail which have been inspected. Subsequent rows show corresponding characteristics for each piece including size, weight, image file(s), date of receipt of the article, the date the article was inspected and processed, the date that the article was disposed of, the particular disposition of each article and the sender of the article. The database may also include other information concerning the articles being inspected as hereinbefore noted. The sender of the articles may be obtained by scanning the image of the return address section of the article being inspected and either reproducing the return address image in the database space for “Sender” or by translating the return address image to text and inserting the text into the “Sender” space on the database. The database may be viewable by a user on command from a user device and the image files may be called up by the user for display on the user device by pointing and clicking on the “Image File” block which may be designed to contain a hypertext identification of the image file. The system is designed to automatically fill-in the date fields with the appropriate dates on which the corresponding actions have been completed by the system or by the user. 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary sequential functional flow which may be initiated by a user through a user device. As shown, the process begins  601  by creating and/or updating the database from incoming mail pieces  603 . This function may be accomplished periodically as a batch process to log-in mail pieces. A check is made to determine if there is a user request or inquiry  605 . If there is no user inquiry, the process may be terminated  607  until the next scheduled updating of the mail piece database. When there is a user inquiry  605  from a second site to review the characteristics of mail pieces logged-in at the first site, an article or mail piece information data and user input screen is displayed  609  on the particular device  115 ,  117 ,  118  or  119  being used by the user. The format of the user input screen is shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , the user input screen  801  displays to the user all of the obtained characteristics for one or more pieces (0001, 0002, etc.) of received mail. In the illustrated example, the user is enabled to point and click  803  on the image file hypertext and a window  805  will appear showing the image of the article being considered for disposal by the user. For example, as shown in  FIG. 9 , an envelope image may be reproduced within the window  805  which shows various portions of the envelope. The image processing may include typical enhancements to allow a user to enlarge the entire image or only selected portions of the image. These enhanced functions, which are enabled by taking the pictures of the articles as they are being inspected, are extremely valuable where hazardous items are suspected since very close-up views of portions of mailed items may be viewed by a user in a safe location separate from a location where the articles are being physically handled. As shown, the various areas of a mailed envelope include a return address area  901 , an addressee area  903 , a date stamp area  905  and a postage area  907 . Any of these areas may be magnified and inspected in detail by viewing a display screen removed from the mailed item. The user input screen  801  further includes additional information acquired from the inspection of the article and enables the user to provide input with regard to the disposition of the article based upon the observations of the user. For example, after reviewing the characteristics of the article as presented on the user input screen  801 , the user is enabled to retain, discard or open the article being considered by checking the corresponding block and clicking on the “ENTER DISPOSALS” hypertext  807 . Alternatively, the user may cancel the processing by clicking on the “CANCEL” hypertext  809 . 
         [0029]    Referring again to  FIG. 7 , after the user has selected to enter the chosen disposals for the articles being considered, the processing determines which selections were made by the user, i.e. for each item  703 , whether to retain  705 , open  715  or discard  711 . If the user selected to retain an article  705 , the article is marked for retention and placed in a retention bin  707 , the database is updated  709  to reflect the disposal and the user input screen is checked  725  for more mail disposals. When there are no more mail disposals designated by the user on the user input screen  801 , the processing is ended, otherwise the processing continues by getting the next mail ID designated for disposition by the user. 
         [0030]    If, for any mail item the user has selected the “OPEN” command  715 , the system will run an “OPEN” process  717  in which the particular mail item will be opened at the first site. This opening function may be done either on a contemporaneous basis or on a delayed batch process basis. The opening process includes the opening of the designated mail piece and the inspecting of each sheet or element within the opened article. The inspecting process for the elements inside the mailed article may be the same as that for the article itself, i.e. weight, size, image, etc., but may be comprised of only taking a photograph of the contents, from both sides of each element contained in the mailed piece. In the present example, only images of the contents are obtained. The images of the contents are then displayed  719  to the user and the user is enabled to input a desired disposal  721  for the item being considered. The display of the contents of an article may be presented to the user as shown in  FIG. 9  where an image of both sides  1003  and  1005  of each sheet are presented on a content display screen  1001 . The presented images will show text and/or handwriting which can be enlarged through the use of a pointer  1011  and reviewed in great detail for investigative purposes. Both sides  1007  and  1009  of other elements in the mail piece being opened such as unmarked packages containing unknown substances, are also displayed for user review and disposition. When the item or article being considered is disposed of in accordance with the user input  723 , the database is updated  709  with the disposal information and the user input information is again check for additional disposals  725 . 
         [0031]    When the user designates the “DISCARD” option on the user input screen  801 , the article being considered is moved to a discard bin  713  for appropriate disposal in accordance with a predetermined default protocol. The database is then updated with the disposal information  709  and when there are no more disposals indicated by the user on the user input screen  801  the process is ended. Appropriate predetermined disposals include trashing, shredding or burning designated articles. Articles designated for the retention bin  707  may be held for physical inspection and/or use as evidence by appropriate authorities. 
         [0032]    The method and apparatus of the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment as disclosed herein. The disclosed methodology may be implemented in a wide range of sequences, menus and screen designs to accomplish the desired results as herein illustrated. Although an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described in detail herein, along with certain variants thereof, many other varied embodiments that incorporate the teachings of the invention may be easily constructed by those skilled in the art, and even included or integrated into a processor or CPU or other larger system integrated circuit or chip. The disclosed methodology may also be implemented solely or partially in program code stored in a portable or fixed memory device, such as so-called “Flash” memory, from which it may be loaded into other memory devices and executed to achieve the beneficial results as described herein. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the invention.