Mail processing tracking system and method
US8608068B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 5, 2008 |
| Grant date | Dec 17, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 13, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07B2017/00709
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method is described for tracking position of a mail piece within a facility. It includes steps of scanning a series of mail pieces to obtain identifying indicia therefrom, sorting the series of mail pieces according to a destination-based postal sorting strategy; and placing the sorted mail pieces into a container together with a marker comprising an RFID tag. In a computerized control system, identifiers for the RFID marker are identified with a sequence of mail pieces in the container. The RFID tag is scanned to associate a position of the container at the time of scanning with the mail in the container. The container is then transported, e.g. by loading a tray as the container onto a cart and then moving the cart. The method further includes video tracking the container from the position at the time of scanning to a later, different position at which a further postal operation takes place, such as loading of the trays onto a truck or feeding the mail from the trays onto the feeding ledge of a sorting machine hen a subsequent sorting step is needed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.