Abstract:
A formal mechanism for defining a broad variety of postal products using measurable attributes. The mechanism for the products then may be formalized into data structures and procedures executable by computer systems. Once the above is executed an automated production is established for the mail unit and suitable for delivery of the new services to assist postal operators in effective execution of all operations specified by the services selected. In order to fulfill the mailer&#39;s requirement as expressed in computer processible format and captured by the mailer&#39;s computer the software may make decisions regarding the creation and sending of each mail unit. Based upon the mailer&#39;s requirements and available carrier services the mailer&#39;s computer may determine the need to modify the content of the mail units and create instructions or controls for the mail units.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This Application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/849,552 filed Oct. 4, 2006, which is owned by the assignee of the present Application. 
         [0002]    This invention relates to mailing systems and more particularly to automating the use of postal products in a networked environment. 
     
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Governments have created postal services for collecting, sorting and distributing the mail. It is difficult for government and private postal services to define and supply new services to the public. The postal service produces and performs operations on a physical item called a mail unit and obtains detailed information about operations and supplying this information to end users i.e., senders and recipients. The postal service or post office communicates product features geared to humans not machines. Humans are inefficient to change, machines more readily accept changes. 
         [0004]    Traditional postal product like first class and standard mail can be defined and explained in simple terms and therefore end users do not have problems creating mail for first class and standard mail services. With increased sophistication of postal products and associated requirements effective use of new postal products by mailers is hindered by the lack of automation. 
         [0005]    Even if mailers understood the features of new and more sophisticated postal products creating mail units that would meet the access requirement by the products is increasingly difficult i.e., many new products also known as valuated services require presenting a unique identifier on the mail unit and an indication of the type of service being requested. Both of the aforementioned data elements would have to be properly formatted and positioned on the mail unit in order that the postal operator can accurately capture and interpret these data elements to deliver the requested service. 
         [0006]    Thus, one of the problems of the prior art is that the creation of the data elements involves human operations which are notoriously prone to errors. 
         [0007]    Modern postal networks and their internal operations are designed around traditional inflexible and rigid workflows and schedules. This impedes creation and implementation of services of postal products that demand dynamic changes in postal operations, i.e., changing the route or destination for a given mail unit when it becomes clear that it is nearly impossible to deliver the mail units on time to their original destinations. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by automating the use of postal products in a networked environment. The invention describes a formal mechanism for defining a broad variety of postal products using measurable attributes. The mechanism for the products then may be formalized into data structures and procedures executable by computer systems. Once the above is executed an automated production is established for the mail unit and suitable for delivery of the new services to assist postal operators in effective execution of all operations specified by the services selected. In order to fulfill the mailer&#39;s requirement as expressed in computer processible format and captured by the mailer&#39;s computer the software may make decisions regarding the creation and sending of each mail unit. Based upon the mailer&#39;s requirements and available carrier services the mailer&#39;s computer may determine the need to modify the content of the mail units and create instructions or controls for the mail units. 
         [0009]    The postal products from the senders prospective contains physical elements. The physical elements of the mail unit are physical parameters “dimensions, volume, density, material characteristics and content”. Content is restricted for certain services for instance you cannot mail liquids or powders. The physical elements also include the geography of induction, geography of delivery of the mail unit, routing information, i.e., the options for selecting a route between induction and delivery points and timing and frequency of collection and delivery of the mail unit. 
         [0010]    The informational elements of the postal product from a sender&#39;s perspective include the following: sender directed information about events that occurred during the mail unit processing; sender directed information about other mail units that are directly linked to the mail unit that is being served; sender directed information about objects directly linked to the mail unit being served; customer directed information about other mail communications, sent, received or replied by sender and recipient directed information about the mail unit; and customer service provider negotiated information defining remedies for instances when service could not be delivered as specified. 
         [0011]    The sender may also specify rules expressing desired conditions imposed on physical and informational elements. 
         [0012]    Regarding informational elements the customer may supply directed information about events in their corresponding attributes that occurred during mail unit processing. Information describing significant changes in values of attributes of the mail unit being served, including information concerning events as deposit, delivery, receipt, impossibility of delivery, mail unit damage or discarding information concerning defects of the mail unit obtained as a result postal processing including such attributes of mail unit as its digital image or digital image of its content. 
         [0013]    The standard of evidence required from a sender&#39;s perspective may include defining the information security services for presentation of events information to the sender in both physical and electronic format. Evidence of the data origin authentication, data integrity and privacy may also be required. 
         [0014]    The following are other examples of events from a senders perspective: depositing of the mal unit; delivery of the mail unit into recipients mailbox; delivery of the mail unit to the recipient; refusal of the mail unit by the recipient; forwarding of the mail unit to another party; diverting and sending the mail unit to another facility; returning the mail unit to the sender; and destroying the mail unit. 
         [0015]    Informational elements customer directed information about other mail units that are directly linked to the mail unit that is being served. Information concerning the whereabouts of reply mail units that is mail items sent by the recipient of the given mail unit as a response to receiving it. Customer directed information about other objects directly linked to the mail unit being served. Information about the structure “building, post office box” identified in the destination address, information about intended or actual recipient of the mail unit. 
         [0016]    Informational elements. Customer directed information about other mail communications sent, received or replied to by sender or recipient. Information how many directed mail units has been replied to by the recipient identified in the address block. Recipient directed information about the mail unit. Notification about up coming delivery or problems with delivery. Any invaluable to recipient information typically not available to sender at the time of mail unit creation. Customer service provider negotiated information defining remedies when service could not be delivered as specified. Insurance for lost items or refunds for late delivery in similar occurrences and events. 
         [0017]    The following is an example of rules from a sender&#39;s perspective. If given mail unit cannot be delivered destroy it and send the digital image of the mail unit back to the sender. 
         [0018]    If given mail unit cannot be delivered before this date/time, return mail unit and credit mailers account. If given mail unit is located in this facility, do not deliver it but send a digital image of the content and identity of the mail unit to this e-mail address. If given mail item unit is located in this facility after this date, send mail unit to different address. If given mail unit weighs less than the given value “e.g. 20 grams.” Send a digital image of the mail unit to the sender or notify the sender by electronically sending the mail unit identifier and the value of the attribute named for instance weight. 
         [0019]    The following describes a postal product from a postal operator&#39;s perspective. The postal product contains physical elements, informational elements and rules, i.e., access requirements. The mail unit makeup “data elements, format emplacement” computerized information to accompany the mailing, its timing, messaging and protocol requirements. Grouping and containerization requirements i.e., presort and packaging rules. Pricing and payment requirements. 
         [0020]    The term “mailer” refers to the mailer or parties acting on behalf of the mailer. Examples of tasks fulfilled by the mailer are: selection and creation of the mail units, printing the mail units, folding, inserting, franking, packing and induction of the mail units. The term “requirements” is derived from business needs and refers to desires or needs of the communicator wants, i.e., delivery time for the communication, proof of delivery, costs, color and material of the mailing envelope and insert and the availability of the color and material of the mailing envelope and insert. The term “constraints” refers to a set of restrictions imposed on the physical composition of the mail units in terms of their attributes (names, values), i.e., location and size of address block, position and encoding scheme for the identifier. Likewise, their may be constraints on sending and receiving information in electronic form to and from other parties, i.e., timing format protocols, etc. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a system diagram of this invention with one mailer and one post; and 
           [0022]      FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  2 C are a flow chart describing the mailer&#39;s process flow of this invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , the reference character  100  represents a computer. Computer  100  may be a mailer&#39;s computer, a carrier&#39;s computer, or a third party computer. Computer  100  is coupled to database of mailer&#39;s needs and desires  102 , data base of mailer&#39;s constraints  104 , mailer&#39;s data center  106  printer  120 , inserter  118 , franking machine  116 , mail sorter  114 , and data base of carrier services  110 . Database of carrier services  110  is coupled to carrier&#39;s data center  108 . Mail processing infrastructure  112  is coupled to carrier&#39;s data center  108 . 
         [0024]    Database of mailers needs and desires  102  contains formal computer processable information regarding the mailer&#39;s requirements. For instance, information regarding the delivery time for the communication, proof of delivery, costs, color and material of the mailing envelope and insert, availability of the color and material of the mailing envelope and insert of the of the mail units. Database of mailer&#39;s constraints  104  contains formal computer processable information regarding the mailer&#39;s, requirements i.e., a set of restrictions imposed on the physical composition of the mail units in terms of their attributes, i.e., location and size of address block, position and encoding scheme for the identifier, color and material of the mailing envelope and insert. Likewise, in database  104  there may be constraints on sending and receiving information in electronic form to and from other parties, i.e., timing format protocols, etc. Database  110  contains a formal description of carrier&#39;s products and services i.e., rules pertaining to what mail units may be sent and what they may contain, i.e., delivery time, area of collection and delivery, how sorted, read, print, unbundled, bundle, price, etc. 
         [0025]    After computer  100  receives information from databases  102 ,  104  and  110  computer  100  instructs printer  120 , inserter  118 , franking machine  116  and mail sorter  114  of the manner in which computer wants the mail units to be created and sorted. Printer  120  will print the envelopes and one or more inserts that comprise the mail units in the format indicated by computer  100  on the color and type of paper instructed by computer  100 . Then inserter  118  will insert one or more inserts into an envelope and seal the envelope to form a mail unit. Franking machine  116  will then apply postage to the mail units and/or prepare a carrier manifest. At this point mail sorter  114  will sort the mail units into some sortation pattern that is desirable by the carrier, i.e., tray the mail units according to zip code, bundle the mail units according to a geographic pattern, bundle the mail units as to requested carrier service, unbundled the mail units, etc. 
         [0026]    Computer  100  will transmit to mailer; data center  106 , information regarding the composition of the mailing units and the fees and/or postage paid for the mailing units and data center  106  will transmit the forgoing information and postage funds to carrier&#39;s data center  108 . The output of mail sorter  114  will be inducted into mail processing infrastructure  112  so that the carrier may further process and deliver the mail units to their intended recipient&#39;s. 
         [0027]    Individual steps described in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  2 C may be implemented in more than one computer. For example in  FIG. 2A  step  214  may be implemented in computers that are used to supervise the production of mail units, while steps  212 , and  216  may be implemented in computers that belong to other functions in the organization i.e., IT, marketing, etc. at the same or different locations. Similarly, computers that together implement the workflow described in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  2 C may belong to more than one party. For example, steps  200 ,  202 ,  204 ,  206 ,  208 ,  210  and  212  may be outsourced to a third party and thus, the aforementioned steps may be implemented on a separate computer which is operated by the third party. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2A  describes what is done for one mail unit. The process is repeated for all desired mail units. After the process starts, in step  200  formally described mailer&#39;s requirements are obtained and stored in database of mailer&#39;s needs and desires  102 . Then in step  202  formally described carrier products from one or more carrier&#39;s are obtained and stored in data base of mailer&#39;s constraints  104 . Step  204  compares the mailer&#39;s requirements with the carrier&#39;s products for each mail unit and obtains a subset of carrier services that match the mailer&#39;s requirements for each mail unit. A match refers to the proximity between a mailer&#39;s requirement and the carrier&#39;s products based on specified criteria. The foregoing is accomplished utilizing computer  100  and database of carrier services  110 . 
         [0029]    At this point step  206  determines whether or not there is at least one carrier service acceptable to the mailer for each mail unit. If step  206  determines that there is not at least one carrier service acceptable to the mailer for each mail unit the process ends. If step  206  determines that there is at least one carrier service acceptable to the mailer for each mail unit the next step will be step  208 . Step  208  selects a candidate for optimum carrier product based upon prioritized requirements. In cases where there is more than one choice of carrier products selection is made in step  208  based on prioritized requirements. 
         [0030]    Then step  210  determines whether or not the list of candidates is empty. If step  210  determines that the list is empty the process ends. If step  210  determines that the list is not empty the process goes to step  212 . Step  212  creates specifications for mail unit&#39;s physical attributes, information to be sent to the carrier, packing attributes, information to be received from the carrier, payments, evidencing methods, etc. Next step  214  validates the feasibility of the specification or adjusts the specification within the limits of existing constraints. The foregoing is more fully described in the description of  FIG. 2B . 
         [0031]    Now step  216  determines whether or not the specifications are available. If step  216  determines that the specification is not available the process goes to step  217 . Step  217  removes the current candidate from the list. Then the process goes back to step  208 . If step  216  determines that the specification is available the process goes to step  218 . Step  218  produces the mail unit according to the specifications, which is more fully described in the description of  FIG. 2C . Then the process ends. 
         [0032]    After the process starts in  FIG. 2B  decision step  240  determines whether or not the physical attributes of the mail units match the operations constraints of the mail units. If step  240  determines that the physical attributes of the mail units do not match the operations constraints of the mail units, the next step will be step  242 . Step  242  modifies the mailer&#39;s specifications according to the constraints on the physical attributes. Then step  244  checks the feasibility of the physical attributes against the mailer&#39;s and carrier requirements. Then step  246  will determine whether or not the new physical attributes are feasible. If step  246  determines that the physical attributes are not available the process will fail and go to step  217  ( FIG. 2A ). If step  240  determines that the physical attributes of the mail units match the operations constraints of the mail units or step  246  determines that the new physical attributes are feasible, step  250  will be the next step in the process. 
         [0033]    Step  250  determines whether or not the information attributes match. If step  250  determines that the information attributes do not match, the next step will be step  252 . Step  252  modifies the mailer&#39;s specifications according to constraints on information attributes. Then step  254  checks the feasibility of information to be sent against mailer and carrier requirements. Now step  256  will determine whether or not the new information attributes are feasible. If step  256  determines that the new information attributes are not available the process will fail and go to step  217  ( FIG. 2A ). If step  250  determines that the information attributes of the mail units match the operations constraints of the mail units or step  256  determines that the new information attributes are feasible, step  260  will be the next step in the process. 
         [0034]    Step  260  determines whether or not the standard of evidence match. If step  260  determines that the standard of evidence do not match, the next step will be step  262 . Step  262  modifies the mailer&#39;s specifications according to constraints on the standard of evidence attributes. Then step  264  checks the feasibility of standard of evidence against mailer and carrier requirements. Now step  266  will determine whether or not the new standard of evidence is feasible. If step  266  determines that the new standard of evidence is not feasible the process will fail and go to step  217  ( FIG. 2A ). If step  260  determines that the standard of evidence match or step  266  determines that that the new standard of evidence is feasible, step  270  will be the next step in the process. 
         [0035]    Step  270  determines whether or not the expected information match. If step  270  determines that the expected information do not match, the next step will be step  272 . Step  272  modifies the mailer&#39;s specifications according to constraints on information attributes expected from the carrier. Then step  274  checks the feasibility of information to be received against mailer and carrier requirements. Now step  276  will determine whether or not the new expected information is feasible. If step  276  determines that the new expected information is not feasible the process will fail and go to step  217  ( FIG. 2A ). If step  270  determines that the expected information match or step  276  determines that that the new expected information is feasible, the process is successful and the next step will be step  218  ( FIG. 2A ). 
         [0036]    After the process starts in  FIG. 2C  step  280  creates and formats information to be printed on the mail unit in accordance with selected carrier services. Then step  281  accounts for the mail unit in accordance with the selected carrier product. Now step  282  formats the data elements to be printed. Then step  284  prints data elements on the mail unit. Now step  286  creates and finishes the physical mail unit (insert, seal). 
         [0037]    At this point step  288  will determine whether or not the selected carrier product requires electronic information from the mailer. If step  288  determines that the selected carrier product requires electronic information from the mailer, step  296  will be the next step in the process. Step  296  creates and formats the required information describing the mail unit in accordance with the selected carrier service. Then step  298  sends information describing the mail unit in accordance with the selected carrier service to carrier data center  108  ( FIG. 1 ). After the completion of step  298  or step  288  determining that the selected carrier product does not require electronic information from the mailer, the next step in the process will be step  290 . Step  290  packages the mail unit in accordance with the selected carrier product. Then step  294  pays for the mail unit in accordance with the selected carrier service. Then the process ends. 
         [0038]    The above specification describes a new and improved method for automating the use of postal products in a networked environment. It is realized that the above description may indicate to those skilled in the art additional ways in which the principals 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.