Abstract:
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by enabling a sender to easily and automatically track mail. The foregoing is accomplished by first requiring the sender to register the sender&#39;s acquisition and possession of a booklet of tracking labels. Sender may indicate to the system the nature of the automated tracking sender wishes (delivery only, failure only, mailing events forwarding, etc.) Sender may override the system for specific mail. Sender is in possession of the labels contained in the booklet which may be wrapped with tamper evidencing material, may register the labels by entering the booklet security code as well as the first sequential label tracking code in a system. The booklet security code is not obtained until the tampering evidencing material is opened.

Description:
[0001]    This Application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/474,169 filed May 29, 2003, which is owned by the assignee of the present Application. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates generally to tracking items and, more particularly, to methods for tracking mail.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Previously, when a sender wanted to track letter, flats, or packages, (hereinafter referred to as “mail”), the sender attached a tracking sticker to the mail. The sender recorded the tracking number that appeared on the tracking sticker before the mail was sent. In some cases, the tracking label provided a receipt, which made it easier to remember this information, but in all cases, it was necessary for the sender to “pull” the information by entering the tracking number into a computer system to track the mail. Typically, the tracking number had 22 digits; thus, someone had to be careful to enter the correct tracking number.  
           [0004]    If a postage meter was used for the payment of the postage of the mail, the operator of the meter would enter the tracking label number into the meter, and the meter would upload information to a database. Then the operator would log onto a system and enter an account number that would indicate all the mail that was recorded for that meter and all the mail that was processed under that Postage-By-Phone account number. One of the problems with the foregoing procedure is that the operator would receive a list of all of the mail received from the meter.  
           [0005]    Currently, carriers are placing serialized tracking numbered labels at outlets that may be obtained by senders. One of the difficulties of the foregoing is that nefarious people may record the serialized tracking numbered labels and utilize the tracking numbers to track other peoples&#39; mail.  
           [0006]    Another disadvantage of the prior art is that a nefarious person may predict the serialized tracking number and use the number to track mail in an authorized fashion.  
           [0007]    A further disadvantage of the prior art is that, in tracking systems that utilize predicable serialized tracking numbers and which allow exclusive tracking for the first person who enters the tracking label number permit nefarious people to disable the utility of the system by registering predictable blocks of numbers since the tracking numbers have a predictable order.  
           [0008]    An additional disadvantage of the prior art is that, when carriers include accounting information on the label and use the label to facilitate the payment of mail, nefarious people may enter known account numbers which will redirect the payment of items mailed to unsuspecting carrier account holders.  
           [0009]    Another disadvantage of the prior art is that the sender is not able to specify in which medium the sender would receive notification of the status of the tracked mail.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by enabling a sender to easily and automatically track mail. The foregoing is accomplished by first requiring the sender to register his/her acquisition and possession of a booklet of tracking labels. Senders may indicate to the system the nature of the automated tracking they wish (delivery only, failure only, mailing events forwarding, etc.) Senders may override the system for specific mail. Senders in possession of the labels contained in the booklet which may be wrapped with tamper evidencing material may register the labels by entering the booklet security code as well as the first sequential label tracking code. The booklet security code is not obtained until the tampering evidencing material is opened.  
           [0011]    Senders would obtain booklets of labels that allow them to continue to either provide a receipt or from the page to a ledger type page that remains in the book when the label is removed from the page. In the case of tracking systems that do not provide the full destination address, the users may enter only the information necessary to remember the destination of the mail. For forms such a bills of lading used with shipping systems, this information is residual, retained by the customer by means of NCR or carbon paper. This information also may be recorded online.  
           [0012]    Before the first use of the book of labels, the sender goes to an online system to register the labels as being “owned” by them. To prevent fraud, a booklet security code, which is attached to the book, must be provided to the system. This prevents nefarious people from randomly guessing and registering other sender&#39;s labels. As illustrated in the Figures, the system allows the user a wide amount of flexibility as to what mailing events will be reported for mail that has attached to it a tracking label from the sender&#39;s registered booklet. The sender may specify default reporting of mail events for all mail that has a booklet tracking label attached thereto. For any specific piece of mail that has a tracking label attached to the mail piece, the sender may specify reporting options that overide the default reporting options previously specified by the sender for the tracking labels in the booklet.  
           [0013]    Therefore, the overall operation is as follows:  
           [0014]    1. A sender acquires a booklet of labels.  
           [0015]    2. The sender removes the tamper evidencing material to use the booklet.  
           [0016]    3. The sender obtains the booklet security code.  
           [0017]    4. The sender notifies the carrier of the senders booklet security code.  
           [0018]    5. The sender, optimally, may overide default mail event reporting options with alternate reporting options.  
           [0019]    6. Mail system scans label.  
           [0020]    7. Mail system matches label to registered sender.  
           [0021]    8. Mail follows registered sender&#39;s requests in notification of mailing events for the mail.  
           [0022]    If the mail was forwarded, the carrier could send the new address to the sender via email, in some sort of standard address format such as vCard. Furthermore, if the carrier does not or cannot provide that information, a third party operating the system, upon noticing the mail has been forwarded, may look up the old address in a mail forwarding database and provide the new address to the sender utilizing a standard file format such as vCard.  
           [0023]    The system also may be extended to allow the registered owner of the booklet of labels, i.e., sender, to “give” a label from his/her booklet to another user of the system and allow that user of the system to “take ownership” of the label. Each individual label has a security label code on it. If Alice gives Bob a label from her previously registered booklet containing a security code, Bob logs into the system, enters the numeric confirmation code of the label in his possession and the security label code, Bob could not have guessed the label security code. The system knows that Bob is now in possession of the label, removes it from Alice&#39;s list of previously registered labels, and places it on Bob&#39;s list. Of course, the system could allow Alice to assign the label to Bob. The system may also allow Alice to provide Bob&#39;s email for a label which was previously registered, which causes tracking information to be sent to Bob as well as, or instead of, Alice. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0024]    [0024]FIG. 1 is a drawing of a prior art label on a mail piece;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 is a drawing of the cover page of the booklet of labels;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 is a drawing of the booklet of labels contained in a tamper evidencing material;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 is a drawing showing one of the labels that is attached to a sheet that is contained within the booklet of labels;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5 is s a block diagram showing the process flow of this invention; and  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 6A-6C is a flow charts showing how booklets of labels are managed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0030]    Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the reference character  11  represents a prior art label that is attached to mail piece  12 . Label  11  has a sender address field  13 , a delivery confirmation bar code  14 , and a numeric confirmation code  15 . Mail piece  12  has a recipient address field  16  and a place for postal payment  17 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 2 is a drawing of cover page  20  of the booklet of labels  19 . Page  20  is made of an opaque material, i.e., cardboard.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 is a drawing of booklet of labels  19  contained in a tamper evidencing material. Cover page  20  and sheets  21  are encapsulated with a tamper evidencing material  22 , i.e., plastic shrink-wrap.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 is a drawing showing one of the labels  23  that is attached to sheet  21  that is contained within booklet of labels  19  (FIG. 2). Label  23  may be removed from sheet  21  by peeling it from Sheet  21 . Label  23  has a delivery confirmation bar code  26 , a numeric confirmation code  27 , and a security code  28 . Each label in booklet of labels  19  has a different label security code  28 , that are not in sequential order. The security codes  28  may contain alphanumeric characters and be cryptographically generated using known cryptographic algorithms like MD 5  (Message Digest  5  which is disclosed in the R. L. Rivest RFC  1321  distributed by the Internet Activities Board in  1992 , incorporated herein by reference).Side  29  of sheet  21  includes numeric confirmation code  27 , label security code  28 , and booklet security code  50 . Booklet security code  50  may contain alphanumeric characters. Side  29  also includes space  51  where the sender may enter information into space  51  regarding the intended recipient of the mail piece.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 is s a block diagram showing the process flow of this invention. Sender  30  obtains booklet of labels  19  and removes the booklet&#39;s tamper evidencing wrapper (shown in FIG. 3). Then the sender goes to sender&#39;s computer  31  and notifies carrier&#39;s computer  33  via the Internet, of the acquisition of booklet of labels  19  specifying the security booklet code and the sender&#39;s name and other sender personal information. It would be obvious to one skilled in the art that the sender may give the carrier the abovementioned information via facsimile, telephone, physical mail, etc. At some point the sender affixes a label  23  (FIG. 4) to mail piece  34  and deposits mail piece  34  in postal receptacle  35 .  
         [0035]    Carrier truck  36  transfers mail piece  34  to mail acceptance facility  37 , and scanner  38  scans the face of mail piece  34  including label  23 . The information scanned from mail piece  34 , including the time of scanning and the location of scanner  38 , is transmitted to carrier computer  33 . Carrier computer  33  will notify sender&#39;s computer  31  via e-mail of the location and time of scanning. It would be obvious to one skilled in the art that carrier computer  33  may give the sender the location and time of scanning via facsimile, telephone, physical mail, etc., if so requested. Information from other scanners  39  during the delivery process will be sent to the sender via carrier computer  33 . Postal deliver agent  41  may scan mail piece  34  with scanner  40  when agent  41  delivers mail piece  34  to recipient  42 . The time of scanning and the location of scanner  40  are transmitted to carrier computer  33 . Carrier computer  33  will notify sender&#39;s computer  31  via e-mail of the location and time of scanning.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIGS. 6A-6C is a flow charts showing how booklets of labels are managed. The program begins in block  100  where the sender accesses carrier&#39;s computer  33 . Then the program goes to decision block  101 . Block  101  determines whether the sender is a registered user of the carrier&#39;s system. If block  101  determines that the sender is not a registered user, the program goes to block  102 . Block  102  prompts the sender to enter personal information and to select a password. After the sender has entered the information requested in block  102 , or if block  101  determines that the sender is a registered user, the program goes to block  103 . Block  103  asks the sender to enter sender&#39;s e-mail address and their password. Now the program goes to decision block  104 . Block  104  whether or not the sender entered the proper e-mail address and password. If block  104  determines that the sender did not enter the proper e-mail address and password, the program goes back to the input of block  103 . If block  104  determines that the sender entered the proper e-mail address and password, the program goes to block  105 . Block  105  presents a menu to the sender, i.e., register booklet, register label, change reporting defaults, change label reporting, and show tracking.  
         [0037]    Then the program goes to decision block  106 . Decision block  106  determines whether the sender wishes to register booklet  19 . If block  106  determines that the sender wishes to register booklet  19 , the program goes to block  200  (FIG. 6B). In block  200 , carrier computer  33  prompts the sender to enter booklet security code  50  and the first label security code  28  in booklet of labels  19 . Then in block  201 , computer  33  uses cryptographic algorithm MD 5  to compute a hash for the first label security code  28  in booklet of labels  19 . Now the program goes to decision block  202 . Decision block  202  decides whether booklet security code  50  matches the MD 5  hash. If block  202  determines that booklet security code  50  does not match the MD 5  hash, the program goes back to block  200 . If block  202  determines that booklet security code  50  matches the MD 5  hash, the program goes back to block  203  to prompt the sender for default mail event reporting. Now the program goes to decision block  205 . Block  205  determines whether booklet  19  has been registered. If block  205  determines that booklet  19  has not been registered, the program goes to the input of block  203 . If block  205  determines that booklet  19  has been registered, the program goes to block  206 . Block  206  logs the fact that someone is trying to register a previously registered booklet and is attempting to attach the system&#39;s integrity. Now the program goes back to block  200 . Then the program stores the booklet registration in database  204 . Now the program goes back to the input of block  105  (FIG. 6A).  
         [0038]    Block  105  presents a menu to the sender, i.e., register booklet, register label, change reporting defaults, change label reporting, and show tracking.  
         [0039]    Then the program goes to decision block  106 . Decision block  106  determines Whether the sender wishes to register booklet  19 . If block  106  determines that the sender does not wish to register booklet  19 , the program goes to decision block  107 . Block  107  determines whether the sender registered a label. If block  107  determines that the sender wishes to register a label, the program goes to block  210  (FIG. 6B).  
         [0040]    In block  210 , carrier computer  33  prompts the sender to enter label security code  28  and confirmation code  27 . Then in block  211 , computer  33  uses cryptographic algorithm MD 5  to compute a hash for the label security code  28  on the label that is going to be used in booklet of labels  19 . Now the program goes to decision block  212 . Decision block  212  decides whether label security code  28  matches the MD 5  hash. If block  212  determines that label security code  28  does not match the MD 5  hash, the program goes back to block  210 . If block  212  determines that label security code  28  matches the MD 5  hash, the program goes back to block  213  to prompt the sender for mail event reporting. Then the program stores the label registration in database  214 . Now the program goes back to the input of block  105  (FIG. 6A).  
         [0041]    Block  105  presents a menu to the sender, i.e., register booklet, register label, change reporting defaults, change label reporting, and show tracking. If block  106  determines that the sender did not wish to register booklet  19  and block  107  determines that the sender did register a label, the program goes to decision block  108 . Decision block  108  determines whether the sender wants to change the reporting defaults. If block  108  determines that the sender wants to change the reporting defaults the program goes to block  220  (FIG. 6C). In block  220  information regarding the senders booklet of labels  19  currently registered is displayed on the senders computer screen and the sender is allowed to pick one of the displayed items.  
         [0042]    Then in block  221 , the sender&#39;s current event reporting options are reported, i.e., via e-mail, telephone, facsimile, physical mail, etc for the mail piece that is going to be posted having a label  23  from booklet  19 . Now the program goes to block  222  to prompt the sender to specify new reporting options for this booklet of labels  19 . Then the program stores the default reporting options in database  223 .  
         [0043]    Now the program goes back to the input of block  105  (FIG. 6A). If block  106  determines that the sender did not wish to register booklet  19 , and block  107  determines that the sender did not wish to register a label, and block  108  determines that the sender does not wish to change reporting defaults, the program goes to decision block  109 .  
         [0044]    Decision block  109  determines whether the sender wants to change the label reporting. If block  109  determines that the sender wants to change the label reporting, the program goes to block  230  (FIG. 6C). In block  230 , information regarding the sender&#39;s labels  23  that are currently registered to the sender individually or from booklets  19  is displayed on the sender&#39;s computer screen. Then in block  231 , the sender is prompted to specify the label sender wishes to change. Now the program goes to block  232  to prompt the sender to specify new reporting options for this label. Then the program goes to block  233  to store the label reporting option in database  233 .  
         [0045]    At this point the program goes back to the input of block  105  (FIG. 6A). If block  106  determines that the sender did not wish to register booklet  19 , and block  107  determines that the sender did not wish to register a label, and block  108  determines that the sender did not wish to change the reporting defaults, and block  109  determines that the sender does not want to change the label reporting, the program goes to decision block  110 . Decision block  110  determines whether the sender wants to show tracking.  
         [0046]    If decision block  110  determines that the sender wants to show tracking the program goes to block  240  (FIG. 6C). In block  240 , information regarding the sender&#39;s labels  23  that are currently registered to the sender individually or from booklets  19  is displayed on the sender&#39;s computer screen. Then in block  241 , the sender is prompted to specify the label sender wishes to track. Now the program goes to block  242  to display tracking information for the sender.  
         [0047]    At this point the program goes back to the input of block  105  (FIG. 6A). If block  106  determines that the sender did not wish to register booklet  19 , sender did not wish to register a label, and block  108  determines that the sender does not wish to change the reporting defaults, and block  109  determines that the sender does not want to change the label reporting, and block  110  determines that the sender does not want to change the tracking, the program goes to block  111  and signs off.  
         [0048]    The above specification describes a new and improved method for tracking 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.