Patent ID: 8301295

Claim:
A method for processing mailpieces within a mail transportation and distribution system comprising at least a first mail distribution center, a second mail distribution center and an electronic parcel compartment facility located in the area of the second mail distribution center, the method comprising: acquiring data present on a mailpiece in the first mail distribution center, the acquired data comprising at least information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece as well as information about the recipient of the mailpiece, wherein destination information for an electronic parcel compartment facility is associated with the information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece; transmitting the acquired data to a first data processing unit of the first mail distribution center; comparing the data indicating the recipient of the mailpiece with data about registered customers stored in a database; acquiring a data record that is stored for a customer in the database on the basis of the acquired data about the recipient; providing the acquired data record of a customer to the first data processing unit; ascertaining a re-routing instruction from the data record of the customer; ascertaining a second mail distribution center located in the area of the electronic parcel compartment facility; sorting the mailpiece in the first mail distribution center on the basis of the destination information; transmitting the acquired data from the mailpiece and the destination information by the first data processing unit to a second data processing unit, the second data processing unit being of the second mail distribution center; transporting the mailpiece to the second mail distribution center located in the area of the electronic parcel compartment facility; acquiring the information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece with a reading device of the second mail distribution center; determining the destination of the mailpiece on the basis of the information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece; sorting the mailpiece in the second mail distribution center on the basis of the destination information; and transmitting the information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece as well as the associated destination information to a mobile device; ascertaining the re-routing instruction from the data record of the customer; associating destination information with the electronic parcel compartment facility; and reserving a compartment in the electronic parcel compartment facility by a data processing unit of a mail distribution center.