Patent Application
20120066153
The present invention pertains to shipping and mailing and in particular to a method and system for generating a mailing label for mailing an item.
Self-service kiosks are already being used by the United States Postal Service (USPS) as a convenient way for mailing and shipping packages, letters or parcels without the assistance of a clerk or a sales associate. The self-service kiosk has equipment that allows a customer to buy stamps or mail letters and packages in a self-service environment where the customer performs the operations of inputting data (e.g., destination zip code, etc.) and weighing the package, etc. without any assistance from a postal clerk. The self-service kiosk or equipment is often located in a post office lobby. Customers can purchase stamps or mail letters, packages and parcels using debit or credit cards.
A USPS self-service kiosk is equivalent to a bank automated teller machine (ATM). In this respect, the USPS self-service kiosk is also often referred to as Automated Postal Center (APC). APCs provide a quick, easy and convenient way for customers to weigh, calculate and apply exact postage, and ship Express Mail and Priority Mail items, packages and First-Class letters. APCs also provide easy access to other postal products and services the same way ATMs provide access to banking products and services.
APCs dispense information based indicia (IBI) postage in any First-Class Mail, Priority Mail®, Parcel Post®, and Express Mail® denomination. APCs also dispense First-Class postage stamps, print the Click-N-Ship™-style electronic label and Return Receipt, and provide Postal Service and mailing information, including ZIP Code lookup. The APCs provide a touch-screen customer interface, an integrated scale for weighing and rating mailing items, and a debit/credit card swipe and pin pad.
However, USPS self-service kiosks or APCs are provided within the confines of a post office. Therefore, there is a need for a method a system for generating a label for mailing an item in a self-service environment by using a self-service kiosk that can be provided outside the confines of a post office, for example in a hotel, retail business, or the like.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for generating a mailing label. The method includes inputting data relating to an item to be mailed into a first computer system; printing, by the first computer system, an information-bearing mark onto a base material, the information-bearing mark associated with the data relating to the item; reading, by a second computer system, the information-bearing mark on the base material; and printing, by the second computer system, the mailing label for mailing the item based on the read information-bearing mark.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for generating a mailing label including a first computer system configured to print an information-bearing mark on a base material, the information-bearing mark associated with data relating to the item; and a second computer system configured to read the information-bearing mark on the base material, and print the mailing label for mailing the item based on the read information-bearing mark.
Although the various steps of the method of providing or printing postage stamps are described in the above paragraphs as occurring in a certain order, the present application is not bound by the order in which the various steps occur. In fact, in alternative embodiments, the various steps can be executed in an order different from the order described above or otherwise herein.
These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structure and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
In the accompanying drawings:
In one embodiment, the input device 121 and the display device 122 are provided in a public environment in a form of a kiosk 125 so as to be publicly accessible. The processor or processing unit (CPU) 124 can be localized within the kiosk 125 or provided remote from the kiosk 125.
In one embodiment, the first computer system 12 may further include a weighing scale 126 for weighing the package to measure its weight for proper mail rate evaluation. In one embodiment, the weighing scale 126 is located within the kiosk 125. The weighing scale 126 is accessible to the user so as to allow the user to weigh the package to be shipped. The printer 123 or a an output of the printer 123 is also accessible to the user so as to allow the user to collect a printed base material (e.g., printed paper slip).
The second computer 14 includes an input device 141, a display device 142, a printing device or printer 143 and a processor 144. The input device 141, the display device 142 and the printer 143 are in communication with the processor 144. The input device 141 includes a scanning or image reading device such as, but not limited to, a barcode reader. The display device 142 can be of any type, for example, a LCD device, a projection screen or HIVID device or any combination thereof. The printer 143 can be any type of printer. In one embodiment, the printer 143 is a DYMO printer, from ENDICIA.
Upon clicking on the button “Next” 23, a window 20B is displayed on display device 122.
The method may further include weighing the item to be mailed on the weighing scale 124, at S12. In one embodiment, the weight is automatically captured or read by the processor 124 and entered into the graphical user interface 20H, at 26A.
In addition, in the case where the package is to be shipped to a foreign country, the first software application can also display on the display device 122 a window 201 for allowing the user to input a description of the contents or items of the package to be shipped for customs handling purposes.
The method further includes computing a cost of shipping based upon the input data and optionally the weight of the item or package, at S14, and displaying the cost of shipping on the display device 122, at S 16. In one embodiment, the shipping cost is displayed at window 26C within graphical user interface or window 20C, as shown in
After the customer or user retrieves the paper slip 30. The customer can take the paper slip 30 and present the paper slip 30 to a clerk having access to the second computer system 14 (e.g., at a counter of a hotel or retail store) for capturing or reading the data on the paper slip 30 and printing a shipping label.
The method further includes capturing or reading the data on the printed paper slip 30 using the input device 141 of the second computer system 14, at S20. In one embodiment, reading the data on the printed slip 121A includes scanning the two dimensional barcode 30A using the input device 141 (e.g., a barcode reader). In one embodiment, the reading can be performed by a sales person or clerk where the user or customer does not have direct access to the second computer system 14. The data on the printed slip 121A is captured by a second software application executed by the second computer system 14. The captured or read data is displayed in a graphical user interface 40 of the second software application on display device 142 of the second computer system 14.
After paying for the amount or cost for shipping (e.g., $5.75), the user, clerk or sales associate can click on the button “Print Shipping Label” 51 to print a shipping label 60 using the printing device. 143 of the computer system 14, at S22. After printing the shipping label 60, the shipping label 60 can be affixed or otherwise attached to the item, package or mail to be shipped and then the item, package or mail inducted into the mail stream for delivery (e.g., inducted into the USPS mail stream for delivery).
For example, one benefit of using a system or method according to an embodiment of the present invention with two distinct operations: an information gathering phase (e.g., where a user or customer inputs the mailing information such as the address and zipcode, etc.) and a postage label printing phase (e.g., performed by a mail clerk) is that such system can reduce the chances of fraud (e.g. stealing of postage).
For example, the mailing information and key decisions are made on the first computer system by a first party (the customer) desiring to use the shipping service for mailing an item to produce or output an information-bearing mark based on data input by the customer or user. The second computer reads (e.g., scans) in the resulting information-bearing mark and is able to produce a postage-bearing label or mail piece based on the read (e.g., scanned) information-bearing mark. This allows the actual “money handling” to be performed by a second party different from the user or customer (the party can be for example a mail clerk or hotel attendant, etc.). The second party (e.g., the mail clerk) can process a payment by credit card, cash, etc. Hence, in one embodiment, the first party (the customer) is not permitted to actually print postage using the second computer system.
For example, the present two-phase approach can also be implemented in a corporate or campus like environments. In such environments, the mailing room may want to control all shipping and postage expenditures. However, the mailing room does not want to be burdened with typing in address or customs information for a shipment. The mailing room simply wants to control expenditures by processing the payment for the postage and pass the package on to the courier (e.g., USPS). The two-phase approach is well suited for such environments. For example, an employee of a corporation can prepare a package, input the complete delivery address in a first computer system such as a client computer (through a web or stand alone interface), and print on a base material (e.g., paper) an information-bearing mark (e.g., a barcode) and optionally human readable data (e.g., a destination address, zipcode, etc.). For example, the employee can attach the base material having the information-bearing mark on the package and have the package picked up by mail room staff. When the package arrives at the mailroom, the mail room staff or mail room clerk processes the package. The information bearing mark can be read by a second computer system and all of the relevant data (service type, insurance, customs data) is transferred to a postage printing software. In this way, the mailroom (the second party) retains control over disbursements and payment for postage and yet the end customer (e.g., the first party on the 4th floor of the corporation) can fully specify where and how the package is to be shipped. In one embodiment, the information-bearing mark (e.g., barcode) may further include a cost code such that when the information bearing mark is read (e.g., scanned) by the second computer, the cost of shipping is reported to a postage log of the entity implementing the present mailing system and method for cost accounting.
This two-phase approach can also be used in a scenario where the first computer system 12 is a personal computer, located at a user's home, for example, and the second computer system 14 is located at a remote location from the user's home, such as a hotel, a retail store, etc. The user can take the printed paper slip 30 and present the paper slip 30 to a clerk, cashier or postal agent having access to the second computer system 14 for capturing or reading the data on the paper slip 30 and printing a shipping label. Therefore, as it can be appreciated, the first computer system 12 and the second computer system 14 may or may not be co-located in a same area, room or building.
The 1D barcode 62 is a tracking barcode which can be a “delivery confirmation” barcode in USPS First Class and/or Priority Mail or “an express mail tracking code” in USPS Express Mail. In one embodiment, the 1D tracking barcode includes a postal service issued mail identification number (MID). In one embodiment, the MID number is placed around a middle portion of the 1D tracking barcode 62. For example, as shown in
In some embodiments, application programs for performing methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention can be embodied as program products in a computer(s) such as a personal computer or server or in a distributed computing environment comprising a plurality of computers. The computer(s) may include, for example, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a handheld computing device such as a PDA, etc. The computer program products may include a computer readable medium or storage medium or media having instructions stored thereon used to program a computer to perform the methods described above. Examples of suitable storage medium or media include any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, DVDs, CD ROMs, magnetic optical disks, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, hard disk, flash card (e.g., a USB flash card), PCMCIA memory card, smart card, or other media. Alternatively, a portion or the whole computer program product can be downloaded from a remote computer or server via a network such as the internet, an ATM network, a wide area network (WAN) or a local area network.
Stored on one or more of the computer readable media, the program may include software for controlling both the hardware of a general purpose or specialized computer or processor. The software also enables the computer or processor to interact with a user via output devices such as a graphical user interface, head mounted display (HMD), etc. The software may also include, but is not limited to, device drivers, operating systems and user applications.
Alternatively, instead or in addition to implementing the methods described above as computer program product(s) (e.g., as software application products) embodied in a computer, the method described above can be implemented as hardware in which for example an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) can be designed to implement the method or methods of the present invention.
Although the various steps of the method(s) are described in the above paragraphs as occurring in a certain order, the present application is not bound by the order in which the various steps occur. In fact, in alternative embodiments, the various steps can be executed in an order different from the order described above.
Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment.
Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those of skill in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation described herein. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents should be considered as falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/374,804, filed Aug. 18, 2010, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61374804 | Aug 2010 | US |
