Patent Application
20060294029
This invention relates to the preparation of large mailings and the like. More particularly, it relates to systems, and methods of operation of such systems, for the assembly of mailpieces and evidencing payment for such mailpieces (hereinafter “franking”).
The term “mailpieces” as used herein means items intended to be delivered by a postal service or private courier service. Typically, preparation of mailpieces includes, but is not limited to, printing or otherwise providing documents including variable information pertaining to addressees of the mailpieces and the assembly of such documents with other elements of the mailpiece. The term “assembly” as used herein means the execution of actions to incorporate the documents into mailpieces. Typically, such actions can include accumulating documents with other materials such as preprinted inserts; folding and inserting the resulting accumulations into envelopes; and printing addresses and other information on the outside of the envelopes. Typically, before delivery to a postal service, a mailpiece is franked to provide visible evidence that the appropriate postage has been paid for that mailpiece. Methods of franking include, but are not limited to, application of an adhesive postal stamp purchased from the postal service, imprinting of a mailpiece with a permit mail indicium, and imprinting of a mailpiece with a postage meter indicium.
Inserter systems for the preparation of mailpieces are well-known. A typical inserter system can include a burster/feeder which inputs preprinted documents in fanfold form, separates the documents and removes and discards sprocket feed strips from the edges of the document. Each set of documents for a particular mailpiece includes at least a control document. On control documents the feed strips are marked with a code which is read by a scanner before the strips are removed. In simpler systems, code BC can be a “dash code” of the type known for use in directly controlling inserter systems. In newer, more capable systems, the code can be a conventional bar code which serves as a pointer to a mailpiece record which record contains information for controlling the inserter. In other known inserter systems, the documents can be in cut sheet form, and a cut sheet feeder can be used in place of a burster/feeder. The control document and any additional associated pages then are fed from the burster/feeder to an accumulator, where documents for each mailpiece are formed into separate accumulations and folded.
If inserts are to be included in the mailpiece (e.g., advertising inserts) the accumulation is then fed to one or more insert stations where specified inserts are added to the accumulations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the number of such insert stations used will vary from application to application.
The burster/feeder, scanner, accumulator and insert stations, if any, (or equivalent apparatus) together form what will hereinafter be referred to as an “accumulation station”.
In such known inserter systems, the accumulation is fed from the accumulation station to an envelope feeder where it is inserted into an envelope and sealed to form a mailpiece. The mailpiece is then fed to an address printer which prints a delivery address on the outside of the envelope. Depending on the size of the print field of the printer, the printer also can be used to print other information such as a variable return address or other text message. Those skilled in the art will recognize that dash codes as described above typically cannot include sufficient information to define even a delivery address, so that systems incorporating dash codes typically use window envelopes to provide addressing information and need not include an address printer.
Such systems would then feed the assembled mailpieces to an evidencing station, typically including one or more postage meters preset to different postage amounts, for franking with the appropriate postage amount in a conventional manner.
Known inserter systems also can include an out stacker for diverting mailpieces in any convenient manner when an error is detected. Such error detection and correction form no part of the subject invention and will not be described further here.
As noted above, inserter systems wherein the code is a barcode which is used as a pointer to a mailpiece record (i.e., an electronic record associated with a mailpiece to be assembled) are known. By incorporating data for controlling assembly of mailpieces in mailpiece records, an essentially unlimited amount of data can be associated with each mailpiece. Thus addresses, return addresses, logos, and postal bar codes can be specified in addition to specification of the number of inserts to be added at each insert feeder, postage amounts, etc. Systems incorporating such mailpiece records are described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,505 to Axelrod et al. entitled “Mail Preparation System” issued Jan. 24, 1989, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Embodiments of the system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,505 are marketed by the assignee of the present application under the name “Direct Connection”, described in The Direct Connection, version 1.30.
While systems such as those described above have proven highly successful, certain disadvantages remain. It is well known that recipients of mailpieces prepared as part of large mailings often think of such mailpieces as “junk mail” and discard such junk mail without opening it. Thus, mailers who send such large mailings are vitally concerned with the “openability” of mailpieces. That is, mailers are concerned with the degree to which the external appearance of a mailpiece will influence the recipient to open the mailpiece and at least briefly consider the contents. In particular, it is known that some recipients base their decision to open or not open a mailpiece, at least in part, on the particular method chosen to frank that mailpiece e.g., stamp, meter indicia, permit indicia, etc.
Thus it is an object of the subject invention to provide a system and method for the preparation of mailpieces having improved openability.
The above object is achieved and the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome in accordance with the subject invention by means of an apparatus and a system and method for preparing mailpieces and the like. The system includes: a) a data processing system for generating a document set, the set including a control document; the data processing system including: a data processor; a preference data store for storing a database of recipient preferences for methods of evidencing payment of postage for the mailpiece, a document data store, for storing a database of document data; and a printer system responsive to the data processor for printing the document sets; wherein the data processing system is programmed to access the document data store to recover document data for the mailpiece from the document data database; control the printer system to print the document set in accordance with the recovered document data; access the preference data store to recover a recipient evidencing preference for the mailpiece from the evidencing preferences database; and control the printer system to print the control document with a code indicative of the evidencing preference for the mailpiece. The system also includes an inserter system for preparing a mailpiece, the mailpiece including the document set; the inserter system including a plurality of apparatus for evidencing payment of postage for the mailpiece, each of the apparatus providing a different method of evidencing; a scanner for scanning the control document to recover the code; an envelope feeder station for inserting an accumulation, the accumulation including the control document, into an envelope to form a mailpiece; and a controller responsive to the scanner to select a method of evidencing payment for the mail piece in accordance with said code and to control the inserter system to select one of the apparatus in accordance with the selected method.
In accordance with one aspect of the subject invention, the apparatus includes an inserter system where the envelope feeder station includes a plurality of envelope feeders, the evidencing apparatus including at least one of the envelope feeders, the one envelope feeder providing envelopes pre-marked with evidence of payment, the controller selecting one of the feeders in accordance with the code.
In accordance with another aspect of the subject invention, the evidencing apparatus includes an evidencing station, the evidencing station including a plurality of evidencing mechanisms for marking a blank envelope with a different form of evidence of payment, and the envelope feeder station includes an envelope feeder for providing blank envelopes, the controller being responsive to the scanner to select the blank envelope feeder and one of the mechanisms in accordance with the code.
In accordance with still another aspect of the subject invention, a method for generating a document and for preparing a mailpiece containing the document includes the steps of accessing a document database to recover document data for the mailpiece; printing the document in accordance with the recovered document data; accessing a database of recipient preferences for methods of evidencing payment of postage to recover a recipient evidencing preference for the mailpiece; printing the document with a code indicative of the recovered evidencing preference for the mailpiece; and inputting the document to an inserter system for preparing a mailpiece, the inserter system including a plurality of apparatus for evidencing payment of postage for the mailpiece, each of the apparatus providing a different method of evidencing; and controlling the inserter system to select one of the apparatus in accordance with the code.
In accordance with still another aspect of the subject invention, the code directly represents a method of evidencing payment of postage for the mailpiece.
In accordance with still another aspect of the subject invention, the code is a pointer to a mailpiece record, the mailpiece record identifying a method of evidencing payment of postage for the mailpiece.
Other objects and advantages of the subject invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description set forth below and the attached drawings.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements or steps and in which:
a and 1b show a schematic block diagram of an inserter system in accordance with the subject invention.
c shows a more detailed plan view of control document CD.
a and 1b together show inserter system 10, which includes a conventional accumulation station 12, station 12 including a conventional scanner 14 and other conventional apparatus (not shown) for inputting a document set including at least a control document CD and forming an accumulation AC in a known manner. System 10 also includes envelope feeder station 16 for inserting accumulation AC into an envelope to form a mailpiece, a conventional address printer 20 (shown in
c shows a more detailed plan view of control document CD, which includes printed page P, feed strips FS, having sprocket holes SH, removably affixed to the edges of page P, and a barcode BC printed on one of strips FS. Code BC is a pointer to one of the above described mailpiece records which record contains information for controlling the inserter. In other embodiments of the invention, different forms of coding such as optical character recognition, magnetic ink recognition or two-dimensional barcodes can be used. By incorporating data in mailpiece records for controlling preparation of mailpieces an essentially unlimited amount of data can be associated with each mailpiece. Thus, addresses, return addresses, logos, and postal barcodes can all readily specified in addition to specification of the number of inserts to be added at each insert feeder, postage amounts, etc.
Systems incorporating such mailpiece records are described in aforementioned commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,505.
In simpler systems, code BC can be a “dash code” of the type known for use in directly controlling inserter systems, and can directly represent a method of evidencing. In either case, control of such aspects, other than the method of evidencing payment of postage for the preparation of mailpieces is known, and further description here is not necessary for an understanding of the subject invention.
Returning to
Turning now to
It should be noted that only a mailpiece formed with a blank envelope will be franked by evidencing station 22, and that mailpieces formed with pre-marked envelopes, after addressing, are diverted around station 22 or, in other embodiments of the subject invention, simply are transported through station 22 without any operation taking place. It should also be noted that in other embodiments of the subject invention, address information can be provided through use of window envelopes and printer 20 can be omitted.
The program starts and then at step 32, controller 24 controls system to input a document set, including at least control document CD, and controls accumulation station 12 to form accumulation AC in a conventional manner. As accumulation AC is formed, controller 24 controls scanner 14 to read code BC, which is a pointer to a mailpiece record, from one of strips FS and accesses a corresponding mailpiece record in data store 26 to determine which method of payment evidencing has been selected. As described above, the mailpiece record can also define other parameters for preparation of the mailpiece. Implementation of these parameters during preparation of a mailpiece by system 10 is conventional and need not be discussed further here for an understanding of the subject invention.
At step 32, controller 24 determines if the selected method of evidencing is not consistent with the configuration of system 10, e.g., calls for a pre-stamped envelope when no pre-stamped envelopes have been loaded. If the selected method is inconsistent with the configuration of system 10 controller 24 goes to error routine 36; details of which form no part of the subject invention.
Otherwise, at step 40, controller 24 selects an envelope feeder at envelope feeder station 16 in accordance with the selected method of evidencing and controls the selected feeder to form an appropriate mailpiece: MPP, MPM, MPS, or MPB. Then, at step 42, controller 24 controls address printer 20 to print delivery address A and return address RA on the mailpiece in a conventional manner. In other embodiments of the subject invention, printer 20 can also print additional material such as additional messages or logos on a mailpiece; and, in still other embodiments, address information can be provided by use of window envelopes.
At step 44, controller 24 determines if the mailpiece is franked, that is, if an envelope which is pre-marked with evidence of payment has been selected, or if a blank envelope has been selected. If a pre-marked envelope has been selected, controller 24 goes to step 50 and controls system 10 to output the mailpiece. If a pre-marked mail piece has not been selected, controller 24 goes to step 48. In step 48, controller 24 selects the appropriate mechanism at evidencing station 22. The mechanism may be a stamp applicator 22-1, a high speed permit indicia printer 22-2, or a postage meter 22-3, all of which are known and which need not be discussed further here for an understanding of the subject invention. Station 22 franks the mailpiece forming an appropriate mailpiece: MPS, MPP, or MPM; and goes to step 50.
Then at step 52, controller 24 determines if this is the last mailpiece. If so the program ends, and otherwise returns to step 32.
Compilation of databases of the affect on openability of various external features of a mailpiece is known and is typically done by means of contests or lotteries, where a recipient's entry will show that the mailpiece has been opened. Alternatively, techniques such as surveys or focus groups can be used.
Then at step 72, processor 60 accesses preference database 62 to determine the recipient's preference as to the method used to evidence payment of postage for the mailpiece, and at step 74 determines if such a preference has been found. If no preference is found, then at step 78, processor 60 downloads a code indicating a default evidencing method to a corresponding mailpiece record in data store 26 (shown in
Then, at step 82, processor 60 controls printer system 66 to generate document set DS, including control document CD, for the mailpiece. Control Document CD is printed with appropriate text and with code BC, preferably on feed strips FS (shown in
Where the print field of printer system 66 will not accommodate printing on strips FS, printer system 66 can include an auxiliary barcode printer system 66bc (shown in
Then, at step 84, processor 60 determines if this is the last set of documents and, if not, returns to step 71. Otherwise, at step 88, document set DS and other accompanying sets are input to inserter system 10 (shown
The embodiments described above and illustrated in the attached drawings have been given by way of example and illustration only. From the teaching of the present application, those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous other embodiments in accordance with the subject invention. Particularly, those skilled in the art will recognize that the mechanisms for evidencing payment of postage shown in
