Mail piece verification system

1. A mail piece verification system for processing a mail piece in a path of travel, the mail piece having associated therewith mail piece data, the system comprising:

an incoming mail processing center including a plurality of mail processing machines that perform automated processing of mail pieces, the incoming mail processing center receiving the mail piece and obtaining the mail piece data;

an outgoing mail processing center located downstream in the path of travel from the incoming mail processing center, the outgoing mail processing center including a plurality of mail processing machines that perform automated processing of mail pieces; and

a data center in operative communication with the incoming mail processing center and the outgoing mail processing center, the data center establishing a priority for uploading of mail piece data by the incoming mail processing center to the data center and downloading of instructions by the data center to the outgoing mail processing center based on a service class for the mail piece; and

wherein:

the incoming mail piece processing center using the mail piece data to determine a service class for the mail piece;

the incoming mail processing center uploading the mail piece data to the data center based on the priority for uploading of mail piece data by the incoming mail processing center to the data center and the determined service class for the mail piece;

a processing device of the data center performing a verification check on the mail piece data and downloading instructions based upon the verification check to the outgoing mail processing center based on the priority for downloading of mail piece data by the data center to the outgoing mail processing center and the determined service class for the mail piece; and

the outgoing mail processing center using the instructions to control operation of at least one of the mail processing machines located at the outgoing mail processing center to process the mail piece.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the incoming mail processing center performs a preliminary check on the mail piece data that is different from the verification check performed by the data center; and

the verification check includes cryptographic calculations to determine whether or not the mail piece data is valid.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the data center uses the mail piece data to determine a delivery route for the mail piece;

the outgoing mail processing center represents a particular one of a plurality of outgoing mail processing centers that corresponds to the delivery route; and

the data center limits the download of the instructions to the particular one of the plurality of outgoing mail processing centers.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:

the preliminary check includes a check to confirm that the mail piece data includes at least one of the following: (i) recognition of a valid meter serial number; (ii) a posting date within an acceptable range; and (iii) a valid recipient address; and

the verification check further includes a duplicate detection analysis to determine whether or not the mail piece data has been fraudulently copied.

5. A method of operating a mail piece verification system to process a mail piece, the method comprising:

obtaining, by at least one of a plurality of mail processing machines that perform automated processing of mail pieces, mail piece data associated with a mail piece, the plurality of mail processing machines being located at an incoming mail processing center;

uploading the mail piece data by the incoming mail processing center to a data center;

performing, by a processing device of the data center, a verification check on the mail piece data;

downloading, by the data center to an outgoing mail processing center located downstream in a path of travel from the incoming mail processing center, instructions based upon the verification check, the outgoing mail processing center including a plurality of mail processing machines that perform automated processing of mail pieces;

using, by the outgoing mail processing center the instructions to control operation of at least one of the plurality of mail processing machines to process the mail piece;

using, by the incoming mail processing center, the mail piece data to determine a service class for the mail piece; and establishing, by the processing device of the data center, a priority for the upload of mail piece data by the incoming mail processing center to the data center and the download of instructions by the data center to the outgoing mail processing center based on the determined service class.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step(s) of:

assigning a global identification number to the mail piece; and

using the global identification number to access the mail piece data and the instructions associated with the mail piece; and

wherein:

the mail piece is of a physical type; and

the mail piece data includes a postal indicium.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step(s) of:

performing a preliminary check on the mail piece data at the incoming mail processing center that is different from the verification check performed by the data center; and

using cryptographic calculations during the verification check to determine whether or not the mail piece data is valid.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step(s) of:

within the preliminary check step, checking to confirm that the mail piece data includes at least one of the following: (i) recognition of a valid meter serial number; (ii) a posting date within an acceptable range; and (iii) a valid recipient address; and

within the verification check step, performing a duplicate detection analysis to determine whether or not the mail piece data has been fraudulently copied.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step(s) of:

using the mail piece data to determine a delivery route for the mail piece; and

limiting the download of the instructions to a particular one of a plurality of outgoing mail processing centers that corresponds to the delivery route.

10. A method for processing mail piece data associated with a mail piece, the method comprising:

receiving by a data center the mail piece data from a remotely located incoming mail processing center, the mail piece data being obtained by at least one of a plurality of mail processing machines that perform automated processing of mail pieces located at the incoming mail processing center; performing, by a processing device of the data center, a verification check on the mail piece data;

using, by the incoming mail processing center, the mail piece data to determine a service class for the mail piece;

establishing, by the processing device of the data center a priority for downloading of instructions from the data center to an outgoing mail processing center located downstream in a path of travel from the incoming mail processing center based on the determined service class, the outgoing mail processing center including a plurality of mail processing machines that perform automated processing of mail pieces;

downloading, by the data center to the outgoing mail processing center, the instructions for processing the mail piece, the instructions being based upon the verification check; and

using, by the outgoing mail processing center, the instructions to control operation of at least one of the plurality of mail processing machines located at the outgoing mail processing center to process the mail piece.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:

using cryptographic calculations during the verification check to determine whether or not the mail piece data is valid.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step(s) of:

using the mail piece data to determine a delivery route for the mail piece; and

limiting the download of the instructions to a particular one of a plurality of outgoing mail processing centers that corresponds to the delivery route.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step(s) of:

associating the instructions with a global identification number; and

downloading the instructions with the global identification number; and

wherein:

the mail piece is of a physical type; and

the mail piece data includes a postal indicium.