Patent ID: 7313460

Claim:
A processing system for packages having symbology thereon, the packages being sequentially movable along a processing path, the system comprising: a reader adjacent to the processing path and positioned to read the symbology on the packages; a controller coupled to the reader, the controller having a database with first and second package data about each package, the first package data being related to an actual condition of a package at the reader, and the second package data being related to an expected condition of the package at the reader, the controller configured to analyze the first and second package data; a label dispenser adjacent to the processing path and coupled to the controller, the label dispenser being configured to apply a shipping label to the package if the first data and the second data sufficiently match indicating the package is in suitable condition to continue along the processing path, the label dispenser configured to apply a kickout label to the package if the first and second data do not sufficiently match, the kickout label having machine-readable data thereon and a human-readable message thereon, the human-readable message relating to instructions for further processing of the package; a package director coupled to the controller and positioned to direct the package along a kickout path away from the processing path after the kickout label has been applied; and an analyzer coupled to the controller and configured to collect and automatically compare data related to the package to which the kickout label was applied to other data related to other packages to which kickout labels were applied, the analyzer automatically determining whether modification is needed in the package handling process and automatically initiating a modification in the package handling process.