Patent Publication Number: US-2005131576-A1

Title: Mail delivery support system

Description:
The present invention relates to a mail delivery support system.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      As is known, mail is delivered by a carrier, who collects a number of mail items (in particular, packaged items in containers), loads them onto a transport vehicle (e.g. a van), drives the vehicle along a delivery route, and stops at successive delivery points along the route to deliver the mail.  
      The carrier is therefore required to perform various functions: drive the vehicle, locate the next delivery point to which mail is addressed, sort out and check the mail for delivery, actually deliver the mail, and perform any additional related functions, such as obtaining signatures for registered mail. Such a work load obviously calls for a good deal of care and concentration. To save time, the carrier may overlap certain functions, thus endangering his own safety and that of other road users, or may perform functions in series, which, however, reduces efficiency and causes traffic holdups, particularly in crowded city areas.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is an object of the present invention to provide a mail delivery support system designed to make the carrier&#39;s job easier.  
      According to the present invention, there is provided a mail delivery support system, characterized by comprising: at least one central station communicating and exchanging data with a mail sorting system; a number of mobile peripheral units, in particular, peripheral units housable in respective vehicles; and a link connecting said central station to said peripheral units; each peripheral unit having a central processing unit receiving data transmitted by the central station over said link, and processing and video display means for supplying a user with information about a number of successive delivery points along a delivery route for mail processed by said mail sorting system.  
      Delivery data is thus transmitted punctually to the carrier, who can concentrate on driving the vehicle, thus greatly increasing his own and other road users&#39; safety. Moreover, since all the essential delivery data (items for delivery, additional functions, delivery routes and points) are supplied directly and automatically by the central station, the carrier no longer wastes time sorting out delivery details, thus greatly improving the reliability and efficiency of the service.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      A preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  shows, schematically, a mail delivery support system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  shows a detail of the  FIG. 1  system;  
       FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of operations performed by the system according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Number  1  in  FIG. 1  indicates as a whole a mail delivery support system.  
      System  1  comprises a central station  3  communicating over a telecommunications link, e.g. a two-way radio relay system  5  or cellular telephone technology (e.g. GPRS, GSM, UMTS) link, with a number of peripheral units  7  housed in respective vehicles, in particular vans,  10 .  
      Central station  3  comprises a number of processing units  12  communicating with one another over one or more common data lines (BUSES)  13 . Processing units  12  communicate and exchange data with a number of bodies, including: 
          a mail sorting system  15  for sorting, for example, ordinary mail and supplying groups of mail items divided according to successive delivery points along a delivery route of a carrier;     an image acquisition system  17  for acquiring a digital image of the mail items and/or groups of mail items sorted by system  15 ;     a route planning system  19 , which transmits planning data to data line  13 , and in which a computerized unit  20 , controlled by one or more planning operators  22 , defines one or more of the following: 
            mail delivery routes;     approach routes to reach the delivery route and return routes at the end of the delivery route;     connecting routes between a mail depot and receiving offices;     routes between receiving offices and delivery routes.    
            a traffic monitoring system  24 , which transmits road traffic data to data line  13 , and in which a computerized unit  26 , controlled by one or more operators  28 , monitors road traffic conditions in the area comprising central station  3  and the mail delivery routes;     a monitoring system  21 , in which a computerized unit  32 , controlled by one or more operators  34 , supervises operation of central station  3  as a whole monitoring system  21  is conveniently equipped with wall monitors  36  for displaying information to operator  34 ;     a number of external, e.g. traffic information, providers  40  communicating with data line  13 .        

      Provision may also be made to connect common data line  13  to a call centre (not shown) for receiving user service (or service change) requests.  
      More specifically, Route planning system  19  defines delivery routes; for which purpose, system  19  may comprise a tool allowing access by operator  22  to an interface graphically defining a given portion of territory. The tool allows the operator to map out a broken line representing the route and enabling the operator to determine the delivery points and any additional points required to define the route correctly. To each mapped delivery point, the operator assigns the relative postal code and the time taken to reach the delivery point from the previous delivery point. At the end of the above operations, operator  22  may save the route together with a relative code.  
      Operator  22  may also access statistical load and travel time data relative to a given route or all the routes as a whole. This function provides for determining critical routes, i.e. with an above-average load and/or travel time, and so enables planning operator  22  to determine the nature of the anomaly and work out possible solutions.  
      Monitoring system  21  provides for monitoring the service and for communicating directly with operators  44  in vehicles  10  to transmit the following information over telecommunications link  5 : 
          anomalous situations (e.g. wrong routes, prolonged stops, serious delays with respect to set schedules, etc.); and     critical traffic situations (heavy traffic, traffic jams, road blocks).        

      System  21  also responds to problem messages from operators  44  (breakdowns, accidents, sickness, etc.).  
      Communication may be vocal or by dedicated messages.  
      Monitor  36  may indicate various information, including: 
          location of vehicles  10  along delivery routes;     traffic conditions in the mail delivery area.        

      Displaying the location of peripheral units  7  along the delivery routes, by means of colour-coded icons representing the vehicles, is especially useful in determining critical situations (delays, need to communicate with the central station, breakdowns, etc.) and so enabling immediate intervention.  
      Central station  3  comprises a transmitting-receiving radio station  42  connected by an interface  43  to data line  13  to send/receive digital data packages to and from peripheral units  7 . Radio station  42  also ensures two-way sound connection between operators  22 ,  28 ,  34  at central station  3  and operators  44  in vehicles  10 . Obviously, in the event telecommunications link  5  is based on cellular telephone (GSM, GPRS, UMTS) technology, the radio station is replaced with the appropriate (known) equipment.  
      Sorting system  15  typically comprises a number of sorting units (not shown) for sorting mail of one or more types, and, by means of image acquisition system  17 , also supplies digital images of the sequenced outgoing mail.  
       FIG. 2  shows a detail of a peripheral unit  7 .  
      Peripheral unit  7  comprises a central processing unit conveniently defined by a particularly robust personal computer  50  with a video terminal  51  (e.g. a backlighted liquid-crystal colour video) and an alphanumeric keyboard  52 , which may conveniently comprise a buzzer  54  and predetermined function keys.  
      Central unit  50  is connected over a serial line to a magnetic or smart card reader or biometric scanner  57  used as explained later on.  
      Central unit  50  is also connected over respective serial lines to a GPS unit  60  and optional odometer  62 , and has an expanded (e.g. optical-media-based) memory  64  storing a number of digital maps.  
      Central unit  50  may communicate with a cellular telephone (GSM, GPRS, UMTS) system to integrate data and voice communication.  
      Data connection to the radio communication medium (radio relay or cellular telephone system) is by a modem  66  connected over a serial line to personal computer  50  and cooperating with a transmitting-receiving device  67 .  
      Transmitting-receiving device  67  also provides for two-way sound connection to central station  3 .  
      Peripheral unit  7  may be powered by the battery  70  of vehicle  10 .  
      The operations performed by peripheral units  7  of system  1  will be described with particular reference to  FIG. 3 .  
      When peripheral unit  7  is turned on (block  100 ), a block  110  waits for identification of the user  44  (hereinafter referred to as the carrier). Such identification is acquired automatically by reading the biometric characteristics of the carrier or a magnetic or smart card inserted by carrier  44  into card reader  57 . Block  110  is followed by a block  120 , which waits for an alphanumeric code indicating a specific delivery route assigned to carrier  44 . When the route code is entered correctly by carrier  44 , block  120  goes on to a block  130 .  
      Block  130  is supplied over telecommunications link  5  with information about the mail items to be delivered along the specific route selected in block  120 ; which information has been generated by sorting system  15  and transmitted to data line  13 , where it has been processed by monitoring system  21 .  
      More specifically, block  130  receives information about the number and characteristics of the containers containing the mail items to be delivered along the route of that particular carrier; which information is stored in the buffer memory of personal computer  50  and displayed on video  51 .  
      Block  130  is followed by a block  140 , which waits for a manual command (e.g. entered on keyboard  52 ) by carrier  44  confirming the container information on video  51  corresponds with the actual containers in vehicle  10 .  
      On receiving confirmation, block  140  goes on to a block  150 , which is supplied over telecommunications link  5  with information about the first delivery point to which one or more mail items are to be delivered. This information has been generated in central station  3  by combining the information from sorting system  15  with the information generated by route planning system  19 , and may be displayed on video  51 , e.g. by a digital map graphically showing the delivery route, the area surrounding the delivery route, and the delivery point along the route. Block  150  also supplies information about the number and type of mail items to be delivered at the next delivery point.  
      Block  150  is followed by a block  160 , which may request display of an image of the mail items for delivery.  
      If so, block  160  is followed by a block  170 , which shows carrier  44  a digital image on the video (in background mode) of the mail item/s for delivery at the next delivery point.  
      The image, acquired by image acquisition system  17 , has been transmitted over telecommunications link  5 . Block  170  and block  160  (if no image is requested or available) are followed by a block  180 , which compares the location of vehicle  10  (detected by GPS  60  and optional odometer  62 ) with the location of the next delivery point to determine approach of vehicle  10  to the delivery point.  
      Mail display may be conducted differently from the method described with reference to blocks  160  and  170 , e.g. by initially entering (e.g. when personal computer  50  is turned on) various options, such as: 
          permanent background display of mail image;     display mail image by request.        

      The display itself may be executed in various ways, including: 
          background image display with superimposed delivery point information in text form;     alternative image and text-form information display;     cyclic function key selection: text only/image only/superimposed.        

      Provision may also be made for displaying more than one next delivery point, e.g. the next two or three, to give the carrier a wider picture of the next deliveries.  
      When the distance between the detected vehicle location and the location of the next delivery point is below a given threshold, block  180  goes on to a block  190 , which activates an audio-visual message (e.g. a message displayed on video  51  and accompanied by sounding buzzer  54 ) to alert carrier  44  of arrival at the next delivery point. Block  190  is followed by a standby block  200 , which awaits actual delivery of the mail item/s at the delivery point reached.  
      Block  200  is followed by a block  210 , which waits for a manual command by carrier  44  confirming delivery.  
      Block  210  may interpret carrier  44  pulling away from the delivery point as a signal confirming delivery.  
      Block  210 , requested at the initial configuration stage, may even be eliminated.  
      Carrier  44  may enter a command confirming delivery on keyboard  52 ; in which case, block  210  goes on to a block  220 , which transmits a mail delivery confirmation message over telecommunications link  5  to central station  3 , which, in response to the message, transmits information relative to the mail item/s to be delivered at the next delivery point.  
      Carrier  44  may even enter a no-delivery command on keyboard  52 ; in which case, block  210  goes on to a block  230 , which memorizes and/or transmits a no-delivery message (over radio relay system  5 ) to central station  3 , which, in response to the message, logs the non-delivery and supplies information relative to the mail items/s to be delivered at the next delivery point.  
      Both blocks  220  and  230  are followed by a block  240 , which waits for an end-of-delivery information which terminates the operating sequence; conversely, block  240  goes back to block  150 .  
      In actual use, when coming on duty, carrier  44  first identifies himself (block  110 ) and selects the route to be worked (block  120 ) by pressing a delivery-round-start function key and either inserting a badge, defined by a magnetic, proximity, or smart card, into reader  57  or undergoing a biometric scan. Once this is done, the system requests carrier  44  to enter the route code defined by a sequence of alphanumeric keys.  
      In response to the route code, the system transmits and displays a list of the containers assigned to that particular route (block  130 ); and, after checking the list corresponds to what is actually loaded on the vehicle (block  140 ), carrier  44  enters a confirm message.  
      By pressing a given function key (block  160 ), carrier  44  may also request a background image of the mail items in the containers to assist in checking the load.  
      As stated, carrier  44  may also choose between “request/background/multiple” display modes.  
      Once the container list is checked, the system transmits the first address (block  150 ) to carrier  44 , with the number and type of items for delivery in the foreground, and a background image of the bundle for delivery.  
      On approaching the delivery point (blocks  180  and  190 ), the carrier is informed on the next delivery point.  
      Once the mail is delivered, carrier  44  confirms delivery by pressing a given key or by simply pulling away from the delivery point.  
      At this point, the system indicates the next delivery point, and operation continues in the same way until all the mail is delivered.  
      Any system-detected delays with respect to schedule are shown on the screen.  
      On completing the round, the carrier reports to the system the end of the round; this operation disables the terminal until it is activated again.  
      Some of the mail items through system  15  may call for manual processing and therefore be out of sequence; in which case, central station  3  signals the presence of manually sequenced or unaddressed items, i.e. items to be delivered indiscriminately to all delivery points.  
      Central station  3  may also transmit additional information to peripheral units  7 , e.g. relating to additional functions to be performed at given delivery points.  
      Such information may include, for example 
          delivering registered/insured mail which must be signed for;     delivering mail to be paid for on delivery by the user; and     picking up mail at the user.        

      The advantages of the system according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description. In particular, the system provides for: 
          on-round assistance of carriers, by supplying information relative to the delivery and duties to be executed, delivery routes, and delivery points along the routes;     integrating mail delivery with the sorting process to enable use of information available at the sorting stage;     automatically defining delivery routes, and downloading the relative delivery data automatically to the vehicles;     providing the carrier with an assigned container list, which can be checked against the containers actually loaded on the vehicle;     information gathering concerning delivery, thus enabling the carrier to report immediately any problems preventing delivery;     round monitoring from a central station, by monitoring vehicle locations and delivery progress;     delivery time statistics gathering, so that delivery points can be redistributed evenly over new routes according to available resources.        

      What is more, the delivery support system according to the present invention performs the above functions with no need for additional mail delivery coding (system  1  provides, for example, for sorting ordinary mail).  
      Clearly, changes may be made to the system as described herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.  
      For example, telecommunications link  5  may be replaced by a direct link for full data transfer to peripheral units  7  in a data loading step.  
      The direct link may be made in various ways, including: 
          direct cable link;     short-range radio link, e.g. infrared-ray or public-frequency link (Wireless, Ethernet std IEEE 802.11, Blue Tooth, etc.).        

      In this case, there would be no on-round data flow from peripheral units  7  to central station  3 , e.g. to permit location of the peripheral units. The potential of such a system is obviously reduced, by permitting no online interaction between carrier  44  and central station  3 . Information concerning the mail to be delivered is still made available to carriers, by being downloaded to peripheral units  7 ; and information concerning delivery may be downloaded from peripheral units  7  to central station  3  over a subsequent direct link (e.g. cable or short-range radio link) upon return of carrier  44  to central station  3  at the end of the round.