Patent ID: 7165679

Claim:
A system for identifying and processing a delivery item having a front with destination information and a back, comprising: a front code sorting component configured to sort the delivery item using a code on the front of the delivery item, if there is a code on the front of the delivery item; an identifying component configured to identify the delivery item using a code on the back of the delivery item, if there is a code on the back of the delivery item; and an identification code system configured to sort the delivery item, if the delivery item does not have the code on the front or on the back of the delivery item, the identification code system including: an identification code applying component configured to apply an identification code to the back of the delivery item; a destination code applying component configured to apply a destination code to the front of the delivery item in accordance with the destination information on the delivery item; and a creating component configured to create an identification file corresponding to the identification code, wherein the identification file is accessible by a plurality of nodes in the identification code system.