Abstract:
A method that enables the USPS to be aware of the contents of mail and the identity of the party who licensed the postal meter that paid for the mailing. The foregoing is accomplished by placing human readable postal meter indicia on the mail that contains information that uniquely identifies the mail and the licensee of the meter in addition to incorporating a radio frequency identification tag on the mail that identifies the contents of the mail and the information that uniquely identifies the mail. Additional security will be obtained by knowing the identity of the mailer and the contents of the mailing. The radio frequency tags may be remotely read, enabling the USPS to be aware of the contents of the mail permitting different content mail to be handled differently.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/256,434 filed Sep. 27, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,217. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to the field of mailing systems and, more particularly, to systems for indicating the contents of mail. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Governments have created postal services for collecting, sorting and distributing the mail. The United States Postal Service (USPS) typically charges mailers for delivering the mail. Mailers may pay the USPS for its service by purchasing a stamp, i.e., a printed adhesive label or tape, issued by the postal service at specified prices, that is affixed to all letters, parcels or other mail matter to show prepayment of postage. Another means of payment accepted by the USPS is mail that is metered by a postage meter. Postage meters are approved by the USPS and licensed to the meter user by the meter manufacturer. A postage meter is an electromechanical device that maintains, through “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 printed and accepted by the USPS as evidence of the prepayment of postage. 
     The USPS currently handles large volumes of normal mail, i.e., first class mail, second class mail, third class mail, etc. The USPS also handles large quantities of special service mail, i.e., priority mail, certified mail, registered mail, etc. For all of the above types of mail the physical contents of the mailing is not written on the face of the mail. 
     Currently the USPS does not charge the mailer additional fees for the mailing of goods that may have special treatment requirements, i.e., mail that needs to be refrigerated and/or mail that has certain pressure requirements. Examples of mail that may require special treatment requirements are radioactive materials; chemical compounds; poisons; carcinogenic materials; caustic chemicals; drugs; biological materials; viruses; vaccines; DNA; blood samples; food; plants; photosensitive materials; thermo-sensitive materials; etc. 
     Many different categories of goods are ordered and delivered via the USPS. Oftentimes, it is legal for a purchaser to buy certain categories of goods and illegal for the purchaser to buy other categories of goods. For instance, each of the components of a submachine may be legally purchased by an ordinary citizen without a license, while the complete submachine gun may not be legally purchased by an ordinary citizen without a license. Heretofore, the USPS was unable to determine when people were purchasing goods from one shipper that may be combined with other goods that were purchased from different shippers to produce illegal goods. 
     Soon after the Sep. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the United States, someone and/or a group of people has been adding harmful biological agents to the mail. The addition of harmful biological agents to the mail submitted to the USPS has caused the death of some people and necessitated the closure of some postal services, other government office buildings, and some businesses. Thus, there is an urgent need for the USPS to be aware of the contents of mail. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by utilizing a method that enables the USPS to be aware of the contents of mail and the identity of the party who licensed the postal meter that paid for the mailing. The foregoing is accomplished by placing human-readable postal meter indicia on the mail that contains information that uniquely identifies the mail and the licensee of the meter in addition to incorporating a radio frequency identification tag on the mail that identifies the contents of the mail and the information that uniquely identifies the mail. Additional security will be obtained by knowing the identity of the mailer and the contents of the mailing. The radio frequency tags may be remotely read, enabling the USPS to be aware of the contents of the mail permitting different content mail to be handled differently. 
     An additional advantage of this invention is that the USPS may be able to determine when individuals are purchasing goods from one shipper that are combined with other goods that were purchased from a different shipper to produce illegal goods. The USPS may accomplish the foregoing by keeping track of the categories of goods that are sent to individuals or groups of individuals and determining if a suspicious pattern is present that requires further investigation. For instance, a pattern of purchasing certain types of goods or of goods that have dual usage may indicate that an investigation is in order. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a drawing of a mail piece having a label with a postal meter indicia printed on the label and a radio frequency identification tag device embedded in the label that is affixed to the mail piece; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a dual meter that contains a electronic postage meter and a radio frequency identification reader/writer; 
         FIG. 3  is a drawing showing how mail is received and processed in the mail entry office of a carrier; 
         FIG. 4  is a drawing showing how mail is processed from the mail entry office of a carrier to a recipient and how data is captured and distributed; 
         FIG. 5  is a drawing of content categorization of goods data center  78 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a database of the components of a 45-caliber colt government model pistol. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , the reference character  11  represents mail, i.e., a mail piece or a package that has a sender address field  12 , a recipient address field  13 , a postal indicia  14 , and a radio frequency identification tag  15  that contains specified information. Postal indicia  14  may be a permit indicia, information-based indicia, printed indicia, penalty indicia, etc. 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 , type of special service to be performed by the carrier, i.e., priority mail, certified mail, registered mail, express mail, etc., and the category of the goods contained in mail  11 . The expected recipient&#39;s delivery time may also be written into tag  15 . Indicia  14  and tag  15  may be placed on a label  17  that is adhered to mail  11 . 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a dual meter  49  that contains electronic postage meter  50 , a radio frequency identification reader/writer  51 , tape feed module  48  and a tape attach module  49 . Postage meter  50  may be the B700 Post Perfect postage meter manufactured by Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Conn. 
     Metering controller  52  functions as a meter controller for postage meter  50  and a controller for radio frequency identification reader/writer  51 . Controller  52  is coupled to last tag buffer  57 , comparator  58 , current read tag buffer  59 , radio frequency identification read non-volatile memory buffer  60 , radio frequency identification encode/decode routines  61 , radio frequency identification read, erase and record routine  2 , current carrier contents list non-volatile memory  139 , and issued tag data registers non-volatile memory  140 . Comparator  58  is coupled to last tag identification buffer  57  and current tag read buffer  59 . Buffer  59  is coupled to radio frequency identification read module  76 , and radio frequency identification encode/decode routines  61  is coupled to radio frequency identification read, erase and record routine  2 . Routines  2  are also coupled to radio frequency identification read/erase/record module  77 . 
     Electronic meter  50  includes meter routines  53 , modem  54 , indicia image routines  55 , clock calendar non-volatile memory registers and battery  56 , I/O routines  7 , I/O ports keyboard and display  8 , buffer memory  9  and compose and print indicia image and data fields  65 . Controller  52  is coupled to modem  54 , I/O routines  7 , meter routines  53 , I/O port keyboard and display  8 . Compose and print indicia  65  is coupled to meter indicia print module  73 . 
     Meter  50  begins to function when a user  70  sets the postage dollar amount by weighing mail  11  on scale  71  and enters the type of service and category of the goods contained in mail  11  into I/O ports, keyboard and display  8  of meter  50 . The weight and amount of postage for mail  11  is displayed by display  8 . Controller  52  will compose an image of indicia  11  ( FIG. 1 ) using the fixed graphic indicia images from indicia images ROM  55  and compose and print indicia images and data field  65 . The above image will be stored in buffer memory  59 . Buffer memory  9  will provide the above image to meter controller  52 . 
     Meter routines  53  will handle the accounting functions of meter  50 . Routines  53  are not being described, because one skilled in the art is aware of their operation and function. Clock calendar non-volatile memory registers and battery  56  will transmit the date and time to controller  52 . 
     Modem  54  may communicate with meter data upload data center  72  during a refill of postage meter  50  by exchanging funds. User  70  of dual meter  49  communicates with I/O ports keyboard display  8 . Postal scale  71  is coupled to I/O ports keyboard display  58  and is used to determine the weight of mail  11 . Content categorization of goods of content data center  78  is coupled to mail entry office  18 . Office  18  receives mail that has been processed by dual meter  49 . Mail flows from office  18  to destination delivery office  85  (currently the USPS has approximately 35,000 mail entry and destination offices). Meter data upload data center  72  is coupled to content categorization of content data center  78 , and data center  78  is coupled to mail entry office  18 . I/O routines  7  will control the interfacing of various components so that content categorization of goods will be sent to data center  78  soon after the contents of mail piece  11  are written in tag  15 . The images and data fields of indicia  14  will be transmitted from compose and print indicia  65  to meter indicia print module  73 . 
     Radio frequency identification tag read/writer  51  will begin to function when controller  52  enters the last tag identification value in buffer  57  and current tag read buffer  59  receives the information that module  76  read from the tag  15  portion of label  17  ( FIG. 1 ). Comparator  58  will compare the last tag identification value stored in buffer  57  with the value read by module  76 . If comparator  58  determines that the above values are the same, then tag  15  is being used a second time for adjustment purposes, i.e., corrected information is going to be recorded into tag  15 . 
     Radio frequency identification read buffer  60  is a nonvolatile memory that is used to store the information that is read from tag  15  in case of a power failure, and radio frequency identification encode/decode routines  61  are used to decode the information read from tag  15  and encode data that is going to be recorded in tag  15 . Radio frequency identification read, erase and record routine  2  are used to read, erase and record information into tag  15 . 
     Current carrier contents list nonvolatile memory  139  contains the current categories of goods databases that identify the contents of goods that may be placed in mail  11 . The databases were downloaded from data center  78  via data center  72 , and a database for a particular pistol will be described in the description of  FIG. 6 . Issued tag data registers nonvolatile memory  140  stores the information recorded in tag  15 , which is uploaded to data center  78  via data center  72 . 
     Tape and feed module  48  contains a stack of labels  105  that include tag  15 . Label  17  is transported past radio frequency identification read module  76 . Module  76  is positioned in a manner that it will be able to read the information recorded in tags  15  so that module  76  will be able to determine whether or not information has been previously recorded into tag  15 . Then label  17  will be transported to module  77  where information will be read, erased and recorded on tag  15 . Then label  17  will be transported to paper tape attach module  49 . After information is recorded or re-recorded on tag  15 , label  17  will be positioned adjacent module  73  so that indicia  14  may be printed on label  17 . Module  49  will affix label  17  to mail  11  ( FIG. 1 ). 
       FIG. 3  is a drawing showing how mail is received and processed in the mail entry office 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 . 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 special service mail with tags  15  or mail in certain specified categories that are identified in tags  15  or normal mail. 
     Optical reader/radio frequency identification reader and sorter  43  will place mail that does not contain a tag  15  in a tray  44  that has optical/RFID tag  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 and bar code readers  29  that read the optical portion of tag  45 , and radio frequency identification readers deflectors  30  that read the RFID portion of tag  45  and any tag  15  that may be present. If mail containing a tag  15  is detected in tray  44 , that mail is sent back to the input of sorter  43  to re-tray the mail. Optical reader/radio frequency identification reader and sorter  43  will input mail that contains a tag  15  in radio frequency identification read and route sort by contents  25 . 
     Radio frequency identification (RFID) read and route sorter  25  may use the model SL EV900 reader manufactured by Philips Semiconductors of 1109 McKay Drive, San Jose, Cali. 95131. Sorter  25  will read tag  15  and place the same content mail in a tray  26  that has an optical/RFID tag  27  on the outside of tray  26 . Optical/RFID tag  27  indicates the destination office of tray  26  and the content type of the mail in tray  26 . Only mail that has a tag  15  affixed thereto that indicates mail of specified contents, i.e., film, guns, drugs, chemicals, food, biological materials, etc., and a destination office is contained in tray  26 . Depending on the contents of the mail in tray  26 , tray  26  may be a specialized tray or container. For instance, tray  26  may be insulated, refrigerated, lead-lined, pressurized, lined to hold caustic materials, etc., to safely carry the mail contained in tray  26 . Tray  26  contains mail with tags  15  affixed thereto that will pass through outbound exit  28  of mail entry office  18  as the delivery process of tray  26  proceeds. Outbound exit  28  contains optical readers  29  that read the visual part of tag  27 , and radio frequency identification readers  30  that read the RFID portion of tags  27  and tags  15 . If mail containing a tag  15  that does not have the same contents specified in tag  27  and does not go to the destination indicated by tag  27 , that mail is sent back to the input of sorter  43  so that it may be re-trayed or rerouted. 
     Collection letter mail may be metered letter mail that is produced at a mailer site  35  that is able to place postal indicia  14  and tag  15  on mail  11  with dual meter  49 . 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 outsort reader  37  that reads tags  15 . 
     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 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 tray  39 , that mail is sent back to the input of sorter  38  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 . 
     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 and the contents of mail  11 . Dual meter  49  will print postal indicia  14  and radio frequency identification tag  15  on label  17 . Mail containing a label  17  with a tag  15  will be sent to RFID read and route sort by contents  25 . Special service mail will be sent to the input of RFID/sorter  25 . 
       FIG. 4  is a drawing showing how mail is processed from mail entry office  18  of a carrier to a recipient and how data is captured and distributed. Mail  11  that is produced by dual meter  49  enters mail entry office  18  where it is sorted by RFID read outsort  37 . The contents data obtained from reading tag  15  is transmitted to content categorization data center  78 . RFID read and route source by contents sorts and routes mail to postal RFID based special container distribution process  86  where mail containing certain materials or goods that require special treatment, i.e., radioactive materials; chemical compounds; poisons; carcinogenic materials; caustic chemicals; drugs; biological materials; viruses; vaccines; DNA; blood samples; food; plants; photosensitive materials; thermo-sensitive materials; etc., will be placed in special mail containers or trays. The special mail containers or trays may be pressurized, refrigerated, lead-lined, etc. Mail that does not require the use of special trays or containers will be placed in normal trays. 
     Meter  49  transmits information regarding the data in label  17 , i.e., the data contained in indicia  14  and tag  15  ( FIG. 1 ) to meter data center  72 . Data center  72  informs content categorization data center  78  of the identity of meter  49 , of the goods placed in mail  11 , and the identity of the recipient of mail  49  as well as the activity of dual meter  11 . Data center  78  will be more fully described in the description of  FIG. 5 . Government law enforcement data center  79  is coupled to data center  78 . Data center  79  transmits the current categories of goods databases that identify the contents of goods that may be placed in mail  11 . An example of a particular identification table for a colt government model  45  caliber pistol is described in  FIG. 6 . Data center  79  also informs data center  78  of the items in the identification tables in which it wants data center  78  to monitor. Postal inspection service data center  80  is coupled to data centers  78  and  79 . Data center  78  prepares reports that indicate the items which data center  79  wants to monitor. The reports indicate the monitored item, the licensee of dual meter  49 , the sender&#39;s name and address, the recipient&#39;s name and address, and the date of mailing. An entry in the report will be made for each monitored item that is being sent to a particular recipient. 
     Normal trays and special mail containers will be delivered to postal destination office  85 . Data centers  79  and  80  may inform postal destination office  85  of the mail  11  that they want held in hold bin  83 . Data centers  79  and  80  may investigate and/or arrest people who are receiving or sending items that may be used for illegal purposes. Mail sorter  82  sorts the mail to allow mail  11  if it does not contain illegal items to be delivered to mail box  84 . 
       FIG. 5  is a drawing of content categorization of goods data center  78 . Data center  78  includes master mail content combinations reference database  90 , which is coupled to data center  79 , search engine  93  which is coupled to data base  90 , yellow flag database  95  which is coupled to search engine  93 , red flag database  94  which is coupled to search engine  93 , indicia usage database  91  which is coupled to search engine  93  and meter upload data center  72 , mail content database  92  which is coupled to database  91 , search engine  93  and mail entry office  18 , and report engine  96  which is coupled to red flag database  94 , data center  79  and data center  80 . 
     Master mail content combinations reference database  90  contains a description of all of the goods and components that make up the goods that the government wants to monitor. For instance, for each good that the government is monitoring, the government will prepare a database similar to the database described in  FIG. 6 , i.e., a Colt 45 parts list. Thus, there may be tables for all illegal and harmful goods. Data center  79  uploads to database  90  the information the government wants to monitor. Indicia usage database  91  receives the identity of dual meter  49 , the contents of the goods placed in mail  11 , and the identity of the recipient of mail  11  as well as the activity of dual meter  49  from data center  72 . Mail content database  92  receives the information read from tag  15  ( FIG. 1 ) from mail entry office  18 . When search engine  93  is activated, search engine  93  reads databases  91  and  92  for mail  11  and examines database  90  for matches, i.e., the content of mail  11  includes items the government is monitoring. If search engine  93  finds an item or component of a good that the government is monitoring and the government does not think it is hazardous or illegal unless it is combined with other items, that item and the relevant information obtained from mail  11  will be placed in yellow flag database  95 . Yellow flag database  95  is reread by search engine  93  for each mail  11  to look for new hazardous or illegal combinations. If search engine  93  finds a good or an item or component of a good that the government is monitoring and the government thinks it is hazardous or illegal or suspicious, then that item and the relevant information obtained from mail  11  will be placed in red flag database  94 . Red flag database  94  sends the information in database  94  to reports engine  96 . Reports engine  96  sends reports to data centers  79  and  80 . The aforementioned reports may contain information regarding who sent, and who received, any hazardous, illegal, or suspicious items. 
       FIG. 6  is a database of the component parts of a 45 caliber Colt Government Model Pistol. Database  990  contains a parts list, part numbers and description of all of the items that are needed to make a 45 caliber Colt Government Model Pistol. 
     The government may be interested in monitoring the obtaining or selling of specific items or combinations of specific items contained in database  990 . For instance, if mail  11  ( FIG. 1 ) contained item  34 , a receiver, the government may want that fact entered into red flag database  94  ( FIG. 5 ) so that data centers  79  and  80  may receive the information and determine if an investigation is warranted. If mail  11  contained item  6 , an ejector, and item  18 , a magazine assembly, or if one of the above items was previously sent to the same recipient, the government may want the foregoing information entered into red flag database  94  ( FIG. 5 ). If mail  11  contained only item  6 , an ejector, or only item  18 , a magazine assembly, the government may want the above information entered into yellow flag database  95  ( FIG. 5 ). Thus, when any item listed in database  990  is in mail  11 , a description of that item and any relevant information concerning that item will be placed in yellow flag database  95 . However, if the item listed in database  990  is deemed to be important by itself and that item is contained in mail  11 , then a description of that item and any relevant information concerning that item will be placed in red flag database  94 . However, if an item listed in database  990  is contained in mail  11  and previous items in database  990  have been received by the same recipient or specified groups of recipients, the government may consider the combination of these items hazardous, illegal or suspicious. Thus, the foregoing will be recorded in red flag database  94 . 
     It would be obvious to one skilled in the art that different databases similar to database  990  may be constructed for all types of goods, chemicals, biologicals, etc., that the government wishes to monitor. 
     The above specification describes a new and improved method for indicating the contents of mail. 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.