EP1286791B1 - Method and device for the creation and distribution of flat mailings for circular posting - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method for mass mailing is disclosed which operates from the perspective of the receiver. Herein, data comprising mass mail items is electronically distributed to a receiving center where it is sorted by region, then to a service center assigned to the region. At the service center, the data is again sorted by the line of route distribution which includes the addressee address and the data is printed. The printed data is then stuffed into envelopes. Alternatively, an envelope face layout may also be included in the data and printed on the envelope. The envelope, comprising the mail item, is then distributed to the local distribution center, where the mail item is delivered, the mail item having been received in the line of route distribution order. Alternatively, the printing may be performed at the distribution center.

Description

The invention relates to the generation and distribution of Mail items for bulk mail. In doing so, document files with associated recipient files electronically at service centers transferred and there with the help of the transferred files the recipient automatically generates targeted shipments.

Mail is currently being sent for bulk mail for one Client (bank, advertising agency, etc.) still predominantly in created by a letterpress company. Of course, this requires the data such as addressees, letter content, etc. are available. The contents of the letter are printed and, if necessary, using so-called inserting machines put in envelopes and at the nearest mail center, the so-called departure center. There they will "sorted by departure" (usually by city or postcode) and transported to the entrance center, where they go to Street names are "sorted by input". The last sorting process takes place in the delivery center, where the postman Swiss Post in the order of its delivery route (order of delivery) sorted. The letter is then delivered. The whole Process of conventional bulk mail processing is shown in FIG.

On the basis of the rapid development of computer technology the so-called "Hybrid Mail" was introduced, which is a bridge between the purely electronic mail "E-Mail" and the represents conventional letter post. Here the text and address information electronically to a service center transferred where the letters are then generated. This edged "Hybrid Mail" system is based on a typical example of the "Account statements" explained (FIG 2). Typically it comes from an order from a bank to a postal administration, corresponding Generate bank statements. For this, the customer, as in conventional case, of course, the data (addresses, account balances, etc.). The postal administration then sorts them the data in such a way that every hybrid mail center receives the data for the customers in its geographical area. Of course, the customer should not have the account balance open neutral paper, but on suitably designed colored layout with bank logo (in original color!), etc. to get presented. It is with the technology available today typical and imperative that the hybrid mail center do so the appropriate blank forms for each of its customers Warehouse holds, either in an upstream operation self-created or externally sourced. The same applies if promotional letters are also added to the bank statements should. The blank forms are now inserted into the printer and the variable customer data printed in black and white, according to the data provided by the customers. After that the bank statements, typically with a so-called Enveloping machine, in unprofessional looking envelopes inserted with window and franked the letters.

A solution was also known in which the Envelopes are printed with the addresses and secured is that the associated, also printed content pages to be put in the envelope (EP 536 640 B1). As a result, it is no longer necessary to use window envelopes. To ensure this process, the content scanned, the address part determined and with this information printed on the envelope. Two pressure lines are required: one for the content and one for the envelope, where the coordination of the printing and compilation of the programs is complex.

Another variant for distribution and generation of "hybrid mails" is known from WO 99/21330, in contrast to EP 536 640 B1, the content electronically transmitted to the postal administration.

If you also want to add advertising inserts, this is done usually also when inserting through the inserting machine.

The letters created in this way now become the closest Entrance center transported and in the same way as that conventional post processed.

Of the currently 70 to 90% of the total mail volume Bulk mail is currently depending on the country only relatively modest 5 to 15% processed as hybrid mail, although this Bulk mail today almost exclusively generated by EDP the data would be available and therefore essential The prerequisite for hybrid mail is given. The Reason for the still very limited use of Hybrid mail lies in the lack of economic effectiveness.

The only saving is besides the waste sorting process the saved transportation of the letters from the outgoing sorting center to the entrance sorting center. This saving is in terms of area small states, of course, very low. on the other hand this also explains why u.a. the degree of use of Hybrid mail in so-called area states, e.g. the Scandinavian States is still the largest today.

Another major limitation is, of course, that practically all blank forms and additions (e.g. advertising leaflets) for all customers in every hybrid mail center are available in sufficient number, i.e. in stock must be kept. This "storage problem" limits of course the number of potential hybrid mail customers (i.e. banks, insurance companies, etc.) considerably in practice.

The invention specified in claims 1 and 12 is therefore the object of a method and a device for creating and distributing flat mail items for To create mass mail, with the help of sorting and Transport costs reduced when using "Hybrid Mail" technology becomes.

Instead of creating the letters in a sender-oriented manner, they become recipient-oriented in the distribution order of the the respective deliverer, i.e. all letters for the recipient UVW, then all letters for his neighbor XYZ. This is achieved with fast color laser printers that allow without changeover times, with from one sheet to another completely variable content, inexpensive, colored and with a lot print at high speed. Every service center leads a database in which the data of the new orders of all major customers (Banks, insurance companies, etc.) fed in and after Sort recipients. Only then are the shipments generated, of course in the order of recipients, i.e. in the order in which the postmen deliver the post later become.

There is an integrated one in these service centers System in which the two components "four color printer and Inserting machine "integrated, possibly even coupled and be controlled by a computer system. Of course you can printable advertising inlays can also be found online in the corresponding Order are generated.

• Die Notwendigkeit der Lagerhaltung für die Leerformulare entfällt. Die Lagerung von Werbebeigaben reduziert sich auf ganz speziell gestaltete Drucksachen (die z.B. ein ganz besonderes Finish benötigen, z.B. geklebt werden müssen) und auf nicht druckbare Objekte (z.B. Kugelschreiber, Chipkarten, etc.).
  Damit wird ein wesentliches Hindernis zur weiteren Verbreitung von Hybrid Mail beseitigt.
• Gegenüber dem heute eingesetzten absenderorientierten Hybrid Mail - Verfahren werden durch das empfängerorientierte Hybrid Mail - Verfahren zwei weitere physikalische Sortierprozesse eingespart:
• 1. Das Eingangssortieren, d.h. sortieren nach Straßennamen
• 2. Das sog. Gangfolgesortieren, d.h. Sortieren in der Reihenfolge der Zustellung
Die Sortierung erfolgt nur noch auf den Daten der Sendungen, d.h. die Sortierkosten gehen auf einen sehr kleinen Wert zurück.

The new process has two main advantages:

• The need for warehousing for the empty forms is eliminated. The storage of advertising supplements is reduced to very specially designed printed matter (which, for example, requires a very special finish, e.g. must be glued) and to non-printable objects (e.g. ballpoint pens, chip cards, etc.).
  This removes a major obstacle to the further spread of hybrid mail.
• Compared to the sender-oriented hybrid mail process used today, the recipient-oriented hybrid mail process saves two additional physical sorting processes:
• 1. The input sorting, ie sorting by street name
• 2. The so-called order sorting, ie sorting in the order of delivery
Sorting now only takes place on the data of the consignments, ie the sorting costs go back to a very small value.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are in the subclaims shown.

It is advantageous if the sender sends the files to a central acceptance center electronically transmitted from where they distributed to the regionally assigned service centers on the recipients become. The shipments can be made in the service centers in fixed intervals or depending on the number of the broadcast data are generated.

To generate the shipment, it is advantageous to create files for a colored layout of the front of the corresponding envelopes in addition to the files for documents that are both texts and Images can contain, generate and transfer. The The files are then printed out using a quick one Laser printer so that the printed pages for each Consignments, each consisting of the document pages and the page with the layout of the front of the envelope, consecutive. Then the envelopes with the printed page with the layout of the complete front of the shipment completed. This can be realized advantageously by sticking the pages with the complete layout of the front of the envelopes on the front of the provided blank labels. After that is done inserting the document pages into the corresponding ones Envelope. This allows the electronically dispatched Post producing high quality mail items, which hardly differs from original broadcasts in terms of aesthetic demands differ. It is no longer necessary, for further information in addition to the recipient address, such as logos, Orders (back to the sender) etc. preprinted special Keep envelopes ready for printing.

In another variant, the envelopes can be completed done by sticking the sides with the complete Layout of the front pages of the envelopes provided Back of the envelope with narrow adhesive flaps for production of the finished envelopes.

In order to carry out the printing process as economically as possible, it is advantageous to print the transferred files on paper webs. Then the pages are separated and cut to the required format if necessary.

It is to save the online cutting and cutting operations also possible on format and type-appropriate Print out single sheets.

It is also advantageous in the colored layout of the front of the envelope all necessary for the purpose of the shipment Imprints, such as recipient address, sender address in graphic Design, orders (e.g. forwarding or return orders), Logos, stamps and, if necessary, machine-readable Include distribution codes. As a result of the printed machine-readable Code is with coded full address no reading of the recipient address with OCR reader necessary. This could be put together for additional machine sorting with other shipments may be necessary.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the value of the stamps to be printed by means of a database stored tariff table and the measured or a priori known shipment properties required according to the table determined. The passage of the shipments through a separate system for machine franking is no longer necessary.

FIG 1

eine schematische Darstellung der konventionellen Erzeugung und Verteilung von Massenpost nach dem Stand der Technik

FIG 2

eine schematische Darstellung der Erzeugung und Verteilung von Massenpost mittels absenderorientierter "Hybrid Mail"-Technik nach dem Stand der Technik

FIG 3

eine schematische Darstellung der Erzeugung und Verteilung von Massenpost mittels empfängerorientierter "Hybrid Mail"-Technik

FIG 4-7

schematisch den Ablauf bei der Erzeugung einer Briefsendung

The invention is then explained in more detail in an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing.
Show

FIG. 1

is a schematic representation of the conventional generation and distribution of bulk mail according to the prior art

FIG 2

is a schematic representation of the generation and distribution of bulk mail using sender-oriented "hybrid mail" technology according to the prior art

FIG 3

is a schematic representation of the generation and distribution of bulk mail using recipient-oriented "hybrid mail" technology

FIG 4-7

schematically the process of creating a letter

1 and 2, as already mentioned, the prior art is shown in more detail.
In contrast, the proposed method of generating and distributing bulk mail using a recipient-oriented "hybrid mail" technique is explained in FIG.

From a major customer, e.g. A bank 10 will send the data to transmit an acceptance center 20. There are the files sorted according to the different regions on the these regions assigned service centers 30 for hybrid mail electronically distributed. Each service center 30 maintains a database in which the data of the new orders of all senders (major customers such as banks, insurance companies) and by recipient and distribution order according to the routes of the deliverers be sorted. After that, the shipments are in these orders generated and to the relevant delivery centers 40 transported. The consignments are then delivered there in the distribution or gear order.

To generate the shipments, the documents are used as content of the shipments printed out and, if necessary, with additional inserts in Envelopes put. The envelopes are then sealed. If window envelopes are used, so must the recipient addresses are only on the documents. Nevertheless these envelopes must be franked and other Orders are printed. A much more elegant one Solution is together with the respective documents for each shipment a front cover with all information in a layout that corresponds to the original layout of the sender, print out and as the front of the envelope too apply.

For this purpose, there is an integrated system in the service center, consisting of a fast four-color laser printer with appropriate Cutting devices and an inserting machine, which also completes the envelopes. Both machines are advantageously coupled and are controlled together.

The process of making a shipment with a printed one The front cover is now closer with reference to FIG 4-7 shown.

As shown schematically in FIG. 4, is in a Service center a fast color laser printer 3 on paper webs 2 prints. The paper webs 2 are on rolls 1 wound up and are subtracted from these for printing. The Control of the color laser printer 3 with corresponding print jobs takes place by means of files 5 which are sent to the sender or also generated in receiving service centers and electronically to the service center (s) producing the shipment be transmitted. The printing is done so that for each Consignment (letter) first one page 4 with the complete layout of the front of the envelope and then printed out the associated document pages 7 become. Page 4 with the complete layout of the front cover contains, as shown in the drawing, the Recipient address, sender details in graphic design or a logo (closed circle of arrows) and a printed one Stamp. The stamp value is calculated using one in one Database stored tariff table and the required according to the table Shipment properties determined. The shipment properties can vary the shipment size depending on the tariff table (Standard letter, large letter), weight, distance zone, postal class (normal transportation, express delivery). you are at the task of the broadcast known, so that the concrete Stamp layout can be transferred with. The page 4 with the layout of the front cover can also Information not shown in FIG. 1, such as dispositions (e.g. If moved, returned to sender) included. Furthermore can if necessary, a machine-readable distribution code can be printed. The machine readable distribution code can also be used as the shipment identifying identification code to be executed, the the recipient address is assigned via a database. He follows this also in the last service center, so the identification number the shipment only in the distribution area of this service center identify for a set time. are make the machine-readable distribution codes fluorescent, so this is done with an additional inkjet printer. As shown in FIG. 1, after printing, the Page 4 the separation from the paper web, indicated by the illustrated scissors.

The separate page 4 with the layout of the front cover is then shown in FIG 2 on the front of a Stack of blank and blank envelope provided 6 glued. This process corresponds to applying one large labels and belongs to the steps of applying one Adhesive layer on the back, merging and pressing from page 4 and cover 6 with synchronization of the movement processes so that the side 4 is glued in the middle to State of the art in labeling technology. As can be seen, the paper web has 2 a slightly smaller width than the envelope 6, so that the sticking and also the insertion of the content without problems can be realized.

The separate page 4 with the layout of the front cover can also be used in an additional variant on one out of one Stack provided envelope back to be glued. This The back of the cover shows on its side edges and narrow adhesive tabs on their lower edge, which are caused by folding and fixing by gluing narrow protrusions as well Provide the resulting tabs with an adhesive surface be generated. The top of the page with the The front cover layout protrudes from the back cover and serves as a locking tab.

According to page 4 with the layout of the front cover the associated document pages 7 printed out and page by page separated (indicated by scissors). The documents can be made from text pages with company logo, as shown Drawings, pictures, graphics, etc., and also from mixed forms exist (FIG 3).

Then the document pages 7 are folded and into the Envelopes 6 inserted with the complete front layout (FIG 4). This process step is from inserting technology known per se and need not be explained in more detail here.

Of course it is also possible to add more Put supplements in the corresponding large envelopes.

After that, the shipments are distributed. To do this, they must be in a given distribution order. Should in the Distribution of traditionally produced and dispatched items are included, this is done on sequence sorting machines, which the shipments based on the machine readable Sort distribution codes. If this merging is not necessary, because the hybrid mail delivery for the deliverer is relatively high, so as already explained, sorting is possible be dispensed with if the shipments are in the distribution order can be printed out.

Of course, it is also possible to view document pages 7 and page 4 with the complete layout of the front cover on separate and proper-made provided Print pages.

Claims (12)

1. Method of creating and distributing flat items of mail for mass mailings, in which document files (5) with associated recipient data files are transmitted electronically to service centres (30), and in which, with the aid of the files transmitted, items of mail directed to the recipients are created automatically by the document pages (7) being printed out with the recipient information, folded, if necessary with enclosures, being stuffed into envelopes (6) which are provided, which are then closed and distributed,
   characterized in that, in the service centres (30) assigned regionally to the recipients, the document files (5) transmitted with associated recipient files are sorted in accordance with the recipients, and then the items of mail are created, organized in accordance with recipients, the order corresponding to the distribution order for the respective deliverer.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the files are sent from the senders to a central acceptance centre (20), from where they are transmitted electronically to the service centres (30) assigned regionally to the recipients.
3. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the items of mail are created at fixed time intervals.
4. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the items of mail are created in the service centres (30) on the basis of the number of files transmitted.
5. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that

   files for a coloured layout of the front sides of the associated envelopes are also created and transmitted,

   on the basis of these files, for each item of mail, the document pages (7) and a page (4) having the complete layout of the front side of the envelope, as in the case of an original envelope, are printed out successively for each item of mail by means of a fast colour laser printer (3),

   for each item of mail, the envelope is completed with the page (4) having the complete layout of the front side of the envelope, and the associated document pages (7) and, if appropriate, enclosures are stuffed into this finished envelope (4, 6).
6. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that, for each item of mail, the page having the complete layout of the front side of the envelope is stuck onto the front side of the envelope (6), which is provided but unlabelled.
7. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that, for each item of mail, the page (4) having the complete layout of the front side of the envelope is stuck to the rear side of an envelope (6) which is provided and which has narrow adhesive tabs (8) on its lateral edges and on its bottom edge, the page (4) having the complete layout of the front side of the envelope projecting beyond the outer edge of the rear side (6) of the envelope and this projection being folded to form the closure flap.
8. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that, on the basis of the files (5) transmitted, for each item of mail, the document pages (7) and the page (4) for the front side of the envelope are printed out successively on paper webs (2), the pages are then separated from one another and, if required, are cut to the necessary format.
9. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that, for each item of mail, the document pages (7) and the page (4) for the front side of the envelope are printed out successively on paper sheets provided in suitable format and grade.
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coloured layout of the front side of the envelope contains the recipient addresses, sender addresses in a graphic configuration, instructions, logos, postage stamps and machine-readable distribution codes, as required.
11. Method according to Claim 10, characterized in that the value of the postage stamp to be printed on is determined by means of a tariff table stored in a database and the measured or known properties of the items of mail needed in accordance with the table.
12. Apparatus for implementing the method according to Claim 1.

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