Abstract:
A method of processing a batch of mixed mail includes the steps of scanning each of the mail pieces to obtain the dimensions of the mail piece, using the mail piece dimensions to calculate an indicia print position on the mail piece, conveying the mail pieces to a printer; and moving a movable print head to the calculated print position and printing the indicia at the calculated print position.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The invention relates to mail processing for delivery, and in particular, to a method of pre-processing mixed mail.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Currently in the United States many companies that produce mass mailings such as catalogues, brochures, magazines, advertisements and similar mailings rely on pre-sort mailers to prepare, bundle and deliver the mailing to the United States Postal Service (USPS). Preparation of a mass mailing includes pre-sorting the mail to different delivery zip codes, producing mailing lists and applying indicia such as bar codes and other markings to the individual mail pieces.  
         [0003]     The process of pre-sorting mail requires the collection of information from the mail pieces and the printing or labeling of additional information on the mail piece. Such information includes the recipient addresses, identification codes such as zip codes, postal indicia such as stamp marks, permit indicia and/or Information Based Indicia Program (IBIP) indicia. Other information appearing on mail pieces may include Facing Identification Marks (FIM), bar codes, auto marks, identification codes, mail class and weight class. Most of this information has a designated location on the mail piece. For example, postage payment information is located in the upper right hand corner of the mail piece while the Postal Numeric Encoding Technique (POSTNET) bar code appears in a USPS specified zone on the bottom of the mail piece.  
         [0004]     Processing mail pieces having varying dimensions (mixed mail) in a system that requires placement of specified information or indicia in a designated location on the mail piece requires additional processing steps insofar as some of the information has to be applied at different heights corresponding to the designated location on the mail pieces. For example, postage indicia must appear in a designated location at the upper right hand corner of the mail piece.  
         [0005]     Since the height of the postage indicia relative to the base of a conveying device will vary in the case of mixed mail having varying dimensions, current practice is to apply postage indicia to mixed mail with a metering machine, by hand or during an additional pass through a mail sorting machine in which the mail pieces are fed upside down in order to print the postage indicia in the designated location. Sorting the mail pieces, gathering mailing information and applying a postal bar code and/or other indicia that must be applied in a designated area is performed as separate operation. The method and apparatus described herein are intended to eliminate the need for an additional pass through a mail sorting machine to apply indicia at locations measured from the upper edge of mail pieces having varying heights.  
         [0006]     The method and apparatus described herein may be used in a variety of mail sorting applications. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/969,274 (Publication No. 20020070149) filed Oct. 2, 2001 for a Mixed Mail Sorting Machine, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein for all purposes, describes a mail sorter wherein the method and apparatus described below may be employed. In particular, the printer module described herein may be utilized as printer  124  of the mixed mail sorting machine.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A method of processing a batch of mixed mail includes the steps of: a) scanning each of the mail pieces to obtain a mail piece image, b) processing the image to obtain the recipient address and the mail piece dimensions, c) using the mail piece dimensions to calculate a postage indicia print position on the mail piece, d) weighing each of the mail pieces on a scale and calculating the weight class of each mail piece and, e) moving a movable print head to the calculated print position and printing the postage indicia at the calculated print position.  
         [0008]     In one embodiment, the method further includes singulating the batch of mail having varying dimensions to create a stream of individual mail pieces that are consecutively scanned. The method also includes printing a bar code on each mail piece in a designated clear zone. The bar code may be a POSTNET code, a PLANETCODE or another destination code. After processing, the mixed mail is sorted to a plurality of receptacles based upon a predetermined sort scheme. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a view of the address side of a typical pre-sort mail piece;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of a system for processing pre-sort mail; and  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a partial side view of a printer suitable for use in the method of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a typical layout for pre-sort mail piece  10  includes the sender&#39;s return address  11  in the upper left hand corner of the mail piece and the recipient&#39;s address  13  on the right hand side on the address side of the mail piece. The mail piece also includes postage indicia  18  printed in a zone  19  that is designated by the USPS. The location of postage indicia  18  is indexed from the top and right side of the mail piece. Postage indicia  18  must be printed in the upper right hand corner of the mail piece at least 0.25 inches from the top and right edges of the mail piece. Indicia  18  must be oriented with the longest dimension parallel to address  13  and must not infringe on areas reserved for the Facing Identification mark (FIM), the bar code clear zone  15  or the OCR clear zone.  
         [0013]     Mail piece  10  also bears a bar code  16  printed at a location on the mail piece that is indexed from the bottom and right hand edges of the mail piece. Bar code  16  may be a POSTNET code, a PLANETCODE, a 4-state bar code or another identifier. In accordance with postal specifications, bar code  16  is printed 0.25+0.0625 inches from the bottom edge of the mail piece within bar code clear zone  15 . Bar code clear zone  15  is a rectangular area extending inward of the right and bottom edges of the mail pieces with top and left edge boundaries defined by the USPS Domestic Mail Manual (DMM). Other indicia appearing on pre-sort mail piece  10  include manifest key line information  12  and auto marking  14 . Auto marking  14  includes a five digit zip code and an alpha numeric identifier of the OCR, the mail class and weight class. Finally, the mail piece  10  may include an endorsement  17 . In accordance with the invention, postage indicia  18 , bar code  16  and optionally, key line manifest information  12  and auto marking  14  are applied to mail piece  10  in a single pass sorting operation.  
         [0014]     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , an apparatus  30  suitable for applying both bar code  16  and postage indicia  18  in a single pass sorting operation includes a singulator  32  for separating a stack of mail pieces having varying dimensions into a stream of individual mail pieces  20 . Singulator  32  includes one or more take off rolls  34  that direct the individual mail pieces to a conveyor  33  that transports mail pieces  20  along a mail path through apparatus  30 . Mail pieces  20  are first transported past a scanner  36  which includes an optical character reader (OCR)  38 . Scanner  36  scans destination information appearing on the address side of each mail piece  20  and determines the dimensions of the mail piece. The destination information and the dimensions of each mail piece  20  are transmitted to a system control computer  40  for use in connection with a predetermined sort plan for downstream sorting of the mail pieces. The dimensions of the mail pieces are also stored on system control computer  40  for use in connection with printing postage indicia  18  on each mail piece.  
         [0015]     System control computer  40  also determines the speed of mail pieces  20  traveling through apparatus  30  by direct measurement or calculation and measures or calculates the gap between succeeding mail pieces. Instrumentation, systems and methods for measuring and/or calculating the speed of mail pieces  20  and the gap between individual mail pieces are well known in the art. After mail pieces  20  have been scanned, the mail pieces are transported to a scale  42  which weighs the mail pieces as the pieces move across the scale and electronically transmits the weight of each mail piece to system control computer  40 . U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/251,625 (Publication No. 20040055790), for a Method for Weighing Mail Pieces to Gerstenberg et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein for all purposes, discloses method for weighing mail pieces conveyed through a weighing module that may be utilized in connection with mail pieces  20 .  
         [0016]     After weighing, mail pieces  20  are then carried to a bar code printer  44  where bar code  16  is printed on each mail piece  20  based on information transmitted to bar code printer  44  by system control computer  40 . Optionally, bar code printer  44  also applies key line manifest information  12  and auto marking  14  to the mail pieces. After bar code  16  has been applied, each mail piece  20  is conveyed past a bar code scanner  46  which scans bar code  16  and communicates with system control computer  40  to verify that the bar code applied to each mail piece  20  is correct.  
         [0017]     After bar code  16  has been verified, mail pieces  20  are conveyed to a postage indicia printer  50 . System control computer  40  utilizes the previously collected and stored destination information along with the mail piece weight to determine the appropriate postage indicia  18  for each mail piece  20  and transmits the information to a postage indicia printer  50 . For example, the mail piece class may be determined from a combination of operator inputs, results of the OCR scan and from the weight of the mail piece  20 . In embodiment, printer  50  is connected to a postage metering device such that printer  50  applies indicia  18  evidencing prepayment of postage to mail pieces  20 .  
         [0018]     Since the vertical dimensions of mail pieces  20  vary, printer  50  must be capable of printing postage indicia  18  at different vertical positions corresponding to the specified location  19  for each mail piece. For example, the print head  52  ( FIG. 3 ) of printer  50  may be required to move between the positions indicated in  FIG. 1  in order to apply postage indicia  18  on succeeding short and tall mail pieces  20  in the designated zone  19  on the mail pieces.  
         [0019]     Turning to  FIG. 3 , to provide the capability of printing at different heights, printer  50  includes a vertical belt driven linear drive assembly  54  configured to move print head  52  in a vertical direction so as to apply postage indicia  18  in the specified location  19  on succeeding mail pieces  20  having differing heights. As shown, print head  52  is mounted on a carriage  56  that moves vertically along a pair of rails  58  (one shown) to position print head  52 . Carriage  56  is attached to an endless timing belt  60  that passes around drive pulley  62  and an idler pulley  64 . Drive pulley  62  is driven with a motor  66  to move carriage  56  and print head  52  along rails  58  to vertically position print head  52  at the desired height above transport base plate  68 .  
         [0020]     A motion controller  74  which may be a program linear controller or other microprocessor based computer, communicates with system controller  40  to control the operation of linear drive assembly  54 . Since one complete rotation of motor  66  moves print head  52  a known distance, motion controller  74  can utilize an encoder or similar device coupled to motor  66  to control the operation of motor  66  and the vertical movement of print head  52  along rails  58 . Alternatively, linear drive assembly  54  may be directly controlled by system control computer  40 , depending upon the particular design and application.  
         [0021]     In one variation, system control computer  40  transmits the dimensions of each mail piece  20  to linear motion controller  74  which determines the vertical position for print head  52  required to apply postage indicia  18  in the designated zone  19  on each mail piece  20 . The height of print head  52  relative to transport base plate  68  required to apply postage indicia  18  at the correct location on a given mail piece  20  is calculated as follows: 
 
 I   h   =MP   height   +MP   tansgap   −C   zu  
 
 where: I h =Height of upper line of postage indicia 
        MP height =Mail piece height     MP tansgap =Gap between mail piece and base of transport.     C zu =Upper clear zone between postage indicia and upper edge of mail piece (approximately 6 mm).        
 
         [0025]     Typically, mixed mail is sized between 89×127 mm (3.5×5 inches) to 254×356 (10×14 inches). Assuming that the gap between the transport base plate  68  and the bottom edge of the mail piece is approximately 5 mm, I h  for the minimum sized mail piece having a height of 89 mm is 88 mm while the value of I h  for the maximum sized mail piece having a height of 356 mm is 355 mm. Thus, in the worst case, print head  52  will be required to move a vertical distance of 267 mm (355 mm-89 mm) between succeeding mail pieces  20  to print postage indicia  18  in the designated areas  19  on the mail pieces.  
         [0026]     In order to actuate printer  50  when a mail piece  20  is properly positioned for application of postage indicia  18  with print head  52 , the time required to position print head  52  for succeeding mail pieces of different dimensions is calculated as follows: 
 
 T   move =((( MP   1   1   −LCZ   MP1   −I   MPIL   +G   L   +LCZ   MP2 )/ V   MP )− S   t ) 
 
 Where: T move =Time to move from print position for mail piece  1  to the print position for mail piece  2 ; 
        MP 1   1 =Length of mail piece  1 ;     LCZ MP1 =Length of clear zone between the leading edge of mail piece  1  and the postage indicia applied to mail piece  1 ;     I MPIL =Length of the indicia applied to mail piece  1 ;     G L =Gap length between mail piece  1  and mail piece  2 ;     LCZ MP2 =Length of clear zone between the leading edge of mail piece  2  and the postage indicia applied to mail piece  2 ;     V MP =Travel speed of the mail pieces; and     S t =Stabilization time for print head.        
 
         [0034]     The information required to calculate T move  is available to system control computer  40 . The speed of mail pieces  20  and the gap length between the mail pieces have previously been determined and stored on system control computer  40 . The length of the clear zone between the leading edges of succeeding mail pieces  20  and postage indicia  18  applied to mail pieces  20  is calculated based on the scanned dimensions of the mail pieces. The length of the postage indicia  18  applied to each mail piece  20  may be one or more fixed values, depending upon the particular indicia applied, that are stored on system control computer  40 . Alternatively, the length of the indicia  18  may be recorded as the indicia is applied to each mail piece  20  and transmitted to system control computer  40  and/or stored on linear motion controller  74 . Thus, system control computer  40  can calculate the time at which a given mail piece  20  will be properly positioned at printer  50  to receive postage indicia  18  and activate the printer accordingly. Alternatively, a sensor such as a photocell or proximity switch may be used to sense when the mail piece  20  is properly positioned and signal system control computer  40  to activate printer  50 .  
         [0035]     After postage indicia  18  has been applied to mail pieces  20 , the mail pieces are sorted to a series of receptacles such as bins  48 , based upon a pre-defined sort plan implemented with the information stored on system control computer  40  for each mail piece  20 . For example, the mail pieces may be sorted by ZIP+4 code for delivery to a local or regional USPS distribution center. In some cases it may be desirable to further sort mail pieces  20  by size, weight or class, in which case these parameters are incorporated into the pre-defined sort plan or scheme and implemented with the information stored on system control computer  40 . System control computer  40  may also generate a mailing list, including the names and addresses of mailers and recipients, codes associated with the mailers and recipients, the total number of pieces in a given mailing, number of mail pieces directed to different zip codes, the postage applied to each mail piece and/or the total postage associated with a mailing and other information that may be of use to the pre-sort mailer or the postal service.  
         [0036]     While the invention has been described in connection with the exemplary embodiments it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown. For example, an alternative linear drive, such a spindle type drive may be substituted for the belt drive used to position print head  52  of printer  50 . Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications, combinations, methods, and subcombinations of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.