Claims
- 1. A bar code symbol having encoded thereon a data structure, the data structure including a plurality of module elements, each module element being configured as a bar symbol or a space symbol, the data structure comprising:
a start character including a predetermined number of module elements arranged in a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces, each bar being one module wide; at least one data character configured to encode a single numerical value, the at least one data character including one termination data character and zero (0) to N continuation characters, wherein N is an integer value, the at least one data character including a predetermined number of module elements arranged in a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces, each bar being one module wide; and a one module stop character.
- 2. The data structure of claim 1, wherein the continuation character also functions as a termination data character when the at least one data character only includes the continuation character.
- 3. The data structure of claim 1, wherein a bar symbol consists of only one module element.
- 4. The data structure of claim 1, wherein a space symbol includes one or more module elements.
- 5. The data structure of claim 1, wherein the data portion includes at least nine module elements.
- 6. The data structure of claim 5, wherein the at least nine module elements include three bar symbols, each separated by a space symbol.
- 7. The data structure of claim 6, wherein the single numerical value is defined by the width of the space symbols.
- 8. The data structure of claim 6, wherein each bar symbol consists of only one module element.
- 9. The bar code symbol of claim 5, wherein the at least nine module elements includes ten module elements.
- 10. The data structure of claim 1, wherein the start character includes more contiguous spaces than any data termination character or the continuation character.
- 11. The data structure of claim 10, wherein the start character includes five contiguous space symbols.
- 12. The data structure of claim 10, wherein the start character includes three bar symbols.
- 13. The data structure of claim 1, wherein the stop character includes a single bar symbol.
- 14. The data structure of claim 1, wherein the bar code symbol includes a human-readable indicia associated with the single numerical value.
- 15. The data structure of claim 14, wherein the human-readable indicia is an alpha-numeric symbol.
- 16. The data structure of claim 14, wherein the human-readable indicia is a color.
- 17. A method for processing mail, comprising:
marking at least one piece of mail with a bar code symbol, the bar code symbol including a start character, at least one data character, and a single stop character, the start character including a predetermined number of module elements arranged in a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces, the at least one data character being configured to encode a single numerical value, the at least one data character including one termination data character and zero (0) to N continuation characters, N being an integer value, the at least one data character including a predetermined number of module elements arranged in a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces, whereby each bar is one module wide; capturing the bar code symbol with an optical reader, whereby the bar code symbol is converted into electrical signals; decoding the electrical signals to thereby recover the single numerical value; and making a mail processing decision based on the single numerical value.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the mail processing decision relates to an automated method for sorting mail.
- 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the mail processing decision relates to an automated method for determining the orientation of the piece of mail.
- 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the mail processing decision relates to an automated method for a categorizing the piece of mail.
- 21. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:
capturing a bar code symbol with an optical indicia reader, whereby the bar code symbol is converted into electrical signals, the bar code symbol including a start character, at least one data character, and a one module stop character, the start character containing a predetermined number of module elements arranged in a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces, the at least one data character being configured to encode a single numerical value, the at least one data character including one termination data character and zero (0) to N continuation characters, N being an integer value, the at least one data character also being arranged in a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces, whereby each bar is one module wide; decoding the electrical signals to thereby recover the single numerical value; and making a mail processing decision based on the single numerical value.
- 22. An optical indicia reader for reading a bar code symbol, the reader comprising:
a reader assembly configured to convert the bar code symbol into data, the bar code symbol including a start character, at least one data character, and a stop character, the start character containing predetermined number of module elements arranged in a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces, the at least one data character encoding a single numerical value, the at least one data character including one termination data character and zero (0) to N continuation characters, N being an integer value, the at least one data character being arranged in a pattern of bars and spaces representing the single numerical value, whereby a bar is one module wide; and a processor coupled to the reader assembly, the processor being programmed to decode the bar code symbol to recover the single numerical value.
- 23. A mail sorting system comprising:
a labeling device configured to affix a bar code symbol on a mail item, the bar code symbol having stored thereon a data structure, the data structure including a plurality of module elements, each module element being configured as a bar symbol or a space symbol, the bar code symbol including a start character, at least one data character, and a stop character, the start character containing predetermined number of module elements arranged in a predetermined pattern of bars and spaces, the at least one data character encoding a single numerical value, the at least one data character including one termination data character and zero (0) to N continuation characters, N being an integer value, the at least one data character being arranged in a pattern of bars and spaces representing the single numerical value, whereby a bar is one module wide the at least one data character being arranged in a pattern of bars and spaces representing the single numerical value, whereby a bar is one module wide; an optical reader configured to read the bar code symbol, the bar code symbol being converted into a signal corresponding to the bar code symbol; a processor coupled to the optical reader, the processor being configured to decode the signal to thereby determine the single numerical value, the processor also configured to transmit a command corresponding to the single numerical value; and a mail sorter coupled to the processor, the mail sorter being configured to route the mail item in accordance with the command transmitted by the processor.
- 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the bar code symbol is associated with a 3 digit bundle-mark pre-sort label and the single numerical value corresponds to the first three (3) digits of a zip code.
- 25. The system of claim 24, wherein the mail sorter routes the mail item to a mail facility corresponding to the first three (3) digits of the zip code.
- 26. The system of claim 23, wherein the bar code symbol is associated with a 5 digit bundle-mark pre-sort label and the single numerical value corresponds to a zip code.
- 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the mail sorter routes the mail item to a mail facility corresponding to the zip code.
- 28. The system of claim 23, wherein the command directs the mail sorter to route the mail item to an automated distribution center associated with a zip code disposed on the mail item.
- 29. The system of claim 23, wherein the single numerical value indicates that pieces of mail contained in the mail item are unrelated.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/382,305, filed May 22, 2002, the contents of which are relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60382305 |
May 2002 |
US |