Granted Patent B2

US 7,834,289 · App. 11/848,136 · Granted Nov 16, 2010

Abstract

Claims (59)

1. A method for processing a mailing including one or more mail pieces on mail processing equipment, the method comprising steps of:

(a) image capturing address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data associated with each respective mail piece of the mailing;

(b) determining a unique identifier for the respective mail piece and determining a delivery point address code for the respective mail piece based at least in part on the captured address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data;

(c) generating a machine readable code comprising at least a mailer identifier for the mailing, address change service request and the unique identifier;

(d) printing the machine readable code on the respective mail piece; and

(e) sorting each respective mail piece.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising initializing the mail processing by receiving a selection of one or more predetermined processing parameters for the mailing, receiving a selection at least one address change service request, determining the mailer identification code, or receiving a selection of a process for determining the unique identifier, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the unique identifier comprises generating a match back code for accessing an address record in an address list, wherein the matchback code is based at least in part on the captured address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the unique identifier comprises determining a unique number defining the uniqueness of a respective mail piece for a predetermined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the delivery point address code comprises retrieving address data, or address and addressee data from at least one data record in a move data file based on the captured address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the delivery point address code comprises retrieving the delivery point address code from a national data directory based on the captured address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generated machine readable code further comprises the delivery point address code.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

verifying the machine readable code on each respective mail piece to determine the accuracy, quality, or accuracy and quality of the printed machine readable code; and

sorting each respective mail piece with a verified machine readable code from each mail piece with an unverified machine readable code.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising delivering the verified and sorted one or more mail pieces having printed machine readable code to a postal authority.

10. A method for processing a mailing including one or more mail pieces on mail processing equipment, the method comprising steps of:

(a) capturing address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data associated with each respective mail piece of the mailing;

(b) determining a unique identifier for the respective mail piece and determining a delivery point address code for the respective mail piece based at least in part on the captured address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data;

(c) generating a machine readable code comprising at least a mailer identifier for the mailing, address change service request and the unique identifier; and

(d) printing the machine readable code on the respective mail piece,

wherein the determining the unique identifier comprises retrieving a predetermined match back code from a lookup file, the predetermined match back code associated with the address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data.

11. A mail processing system for processing a mailing including one or more mail pieces, the system comprising:

(a) an image capture device configured to capture address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data associated with each respective mail piece of the mailing;

(b) a processor configured to:

determine a unique identifier for the respective mail piece and determine a delivery point address code for the respective mail piece based at least in part on the captured address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data;

generate a machine readable code comprising at least a mailer identifier for the mailing, address change service request and the unique identifier;

(c) a printer communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the printer is configured to print the machine readable code on the respective mail piece; and

(d) a sorter for sorting each respective mail piece.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the mail processing system is configured to receive a selection of one or more predetermined processing parameters for the mailing, receive a selection of at least one address change service request, determine the mailer identification code, or receive a selection of a process for determining the unique identifier, or any combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate a match back code for accessing an address record in an address list, wherein the matchback code is based at least in part on the captured address data, addressee data, of address and addressee data.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a unique number defining the uniqueness of a respective mail piece for a predetermined period of time.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the delivery point address code by retrieving address data, or address and addressee data from at least one data record in a move data file based on the captured address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the delivery point address code by retrieving the delivery point address code from a national data directory based on the captured address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate machine readable code using the delivery point address code.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the mail processing system is further configured to:

verify the machine readable code on each respective mail piece to determine the accuracy, quality, or accuracy and quality of the printed machine readable code; and

sort each respective mail piece with a verified machine readable code from each mail piece with an unverified machine readable code.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the mail processing system is further configured to deliver the verified and sorted one or more mail pieces having printed machine readable code to a postal authority.

20. A mail processing system for processing a mailing including one or more mail pieces, the system comprising:

(a) an image capture device configured to capture address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data associated with each respective mail piece of the mailing;

(b) a processor configured to:

determine a unique identifier for the respective mail piece and determine a delivery point address code for the respective mail piece based at least in part on the captured address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data:

generate a machine readable code comprising at least a mailer identifier for the mailing, address change service request and the unique identifier;

retrieve a predetermined match back code from a lookup file, the predetermined match back code associated with the address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data; and

(c) a printer communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the printer is configured to print the machine readable code on the respective mail piece.

21. A method for processing a mailing including one or more mail pieces on mail processing equipment, the method comprising:

(a) image capturing address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data associated with each respective mail piece of the mailing;

(b) accessing a move data file associated with the mailing, the move data file having at least address data, addressee data, or address data and addressee data for move updates, using the captured address data from the mailing;

(c) retrieving a delivery point address code from the move data file;

(d) generating a machine readable code using the delivery point address code, address change service request and a unique identifier; and

(e) printing the machine readable code on the respective mail piece.

22. A system for processing a mailing including one or more mail, the system comprising:

(a) an image capture device configured to capture address data, addressee data, or address and addressee data associated with each respective mail piece of the mailing;

(b) a processor configured to:

access a move data file associated with the mailing, the move data file accessed from at least one digital storage device using the captured address data from the mailing, the move data file having at least address data, addressee data, or address data and addressee data for move updates;

retrieve a delivery point address code from the move data file; and

generate a machine readable code using the delivery point address code, address change service request and a unique identifier; and

(c) a printer configured to print the machine readable code on the respective mail piece.

Assignments (14)