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EP1776197A1 - Method for sorting non-addressed postal mailings - Google Patents

Method for sorting non-addressed postal mailings

Info

Publication number
EP1776197A1
EP1776197A1 EP06776760A EP06776760A EP1776197A1 EP 1776197 A1 EP1776197 A1 EP 1776197A1 EP 06776760 A EP06776760 A EP 06776760A EP 06776760 A EP06776760 A EP 06776760A EP 1776197 A1 EP1776197 A1 EP 1776197A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sorting
stack
reference feature
stacks
mail
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP06776760A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1776197B1 (en
Inventor
Thomas Bayer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Siemens AG
Siemens Corp
Original Assignee
Siemens AG
Siemens Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Siemens AG, Siemens Corp filed Critical Siemens AG
Publication of EP1776197A1 publication Critical patent/EP1776197A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1776197B1 publication Critical patent/EP1776197B1/en
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C3/00—Sorting according to destination
    • B07C3/10—Apparatus characterised by the means used for detection ofthe destination
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S209/00—Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
    • Y10S209/90—Sorting flat-type mail

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for sorting unaddressed mail items according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • Advertising mail represents an ever-increasing volume of mail (mail) that has to be integrated into the daily stream of regular mail addressed. So far, this mail flow has been handled in parallel with the regular addressed mail stream, but this has led to high litigation costs for a post office.
  • the senders / producers of this advertising email want to specifically address their customers. In particular, they do not want to send this message to every household, but to selected ones, and set the time of sending that mail on a particular day.
  • the different batches of unaddressed mail will be delivered to different sets of delivery points; For example, advertisements on small children's items will probably be distributed to completely different delivery points (households) than commercials for equestrian items.
  • the invention has for its object to provide an efficient method for sorting unaddressed mail.
  • each stack is derived and registered by at least one image of a pictorial reference feature of a mailpiece which uniquely describes the stack (i.e., clearly identifies the stack of other stacks),
  • the figurative reference feature is linked to a stack of unaddressed mail and an associated sorting plan, - in a subsequent sorting of all batches, each batch is newly recorded and recognizes its reference feature and after the sorting plan is possibly distributed to a final delivery point.
  • the different batches of commercials to be delivered at a time are first detected by including a small amount of examples of each batch.
  • a pictorial representative is determined by eg averaging the 10 images.
  • This representative forms exactly the pictorial reference feature.
  • the reference feature is thus determined from recordings of a plurality of mailpieces deposited in stacks, preferably by averaging recorded areas of identical mailpieces of a stack. These areas may include images or copywriting, this does not affect the core invention.
  • the recording takes place with a digital means such as a scanner, preferably by means of binary, gray-scale or color-level coding values.
  • a digital means such as a scanner
  • binary, gray-scale or color-level coding values are used to indicate the graphic aspect of the commercials in the stack.
  • the advantage of binary coding is a minimal amount of memory required.
  • the link between the reference feature and a specific stack of commercials is also produced electronically and stored in a registration database which is retrievable.
  • a number of copies of a stack may also be displayed, which are necessary for sorting. Because of a knowledge of the reference feature in conjunction with the stack, the sorting logistics for a delivery of the stack is simplified and accelerated. Furthermore, the link between the pictorial reference feature and a delivery point is remotely retrievable. That is, the reference feature may be e.g. be transmitted and retrieved remotely from a sorting point to control where a local stack should be delivered. A particular advantage is that even from the sorting point to the household a stack always remains identifiable.

Landscapes

  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Character Discrimination (AREA)

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for sorting non-addressed postal mailings that are arranged in several stacks. According to said method, each stack is differentiated and registered by means of at least one image of a pictorial reference mark of a postal mailing, which is linked to a sorting plan, a new image is taken of each stack when all stacks are subsequently sorted, and the reference mark of said stack is identified and distributed in accordance with the sorting plan. The invention creates an efficient fingerprint-based method for sorting non-addressed promotional mailings, for example.

Description

Beschreibungdescription

Verfahren zur Sortierung von unadressierten PostsendungenMethod of sorting unaddressed mail

Die Erfindung betrifft ein Verfahren zur Sortierung von unadressierten Postsendungen nach dem Oberbegriff des Anspruches 1.The invention relates to a method for sorting unaddressed mail items according to the preamble of claim 1.

Werbepost stellt eine immer größer werdende Menge an Postsen- düngen (Mail) dar, die in den täglichen Strom der regulären adressierten Mail integriert werden muss . Bisher wurde dieser Mail-Strom parallel zum regulären adressierten Mail-Strom behandelt, was allerdings zu hohen Prozesskosten eines Postamts geführt hat .Advertising mail represents an ever-increasing volume of mail (mail) that has to be integrated into the daily stream of regular mail addressed. So far, this mail flow has been handled in parallel with the regular addressed mail stream, but this has led to high litigation costs for a post office.

Darüber hinaus möchten die Versender/Erzeuger dieser Werbemail ihre Kunden spezifisch ansprechen. Insbesondere möchten sie diese Werbemail nicht an jeden Haushalt versenden, sondern an ausgewählte, und den Zeitpunkt der Zusendung dieser Mail auf einen bestimmten Tag festlegen.In addition, the senders / producers of this advertising email want to specifically address their customers. In particular, they do not want to send this message to every household, but to selected ones, and set the time of sending that mail on a particular day.

Daraus ergeben sich für den Sortierungsprozess (z.B. die Gangfolgesortierung) des Postdienstes neue Anforderungen:This results in new requirements for the sorting process (e.g., sequence sorting) of the postal service:

Sortieren eines oder mehrerer Stapel unadressierter Mail an bestimmte, bekannte Zustellpunkte zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt. In der Regel werden die unterschiedlichen Stapel unadressierter Mail an unterschiedliche Mengen von Zustellpunkten zugestellt werden; so werden beispielsweise Werbesendungen zu Kleinkinderartikeln wahrscheinlich an ganz andere Zustell- punkte (Haushalte) verteilt werden als Werbesendungen zu Reitsportartikeln .Sort one or more stacks of unaddressed mail to specific, known delivery points at a specific time. Typically, the different batches of unaddressed mail will be delivered to different sets of delivery points; For example, advertisements on small children's items will probably be distributed to completely different delivery points (households) than commercials for equestrian items.

Insbesondere wenn diese Stapel von Werbesendungen an einem bestimmten Tag an Haushalte zugestellt werden sollen, ergibt sich für den Postdienst die Herausforderung, diesen Prozess effizient zu gestalten. Der Erfindung liegt die Aufgabe zugrunde, ein effizientes Verfahren zur Sortierung von unadressierten Postsendungen anzugeben .In particular, if these batches of commercials are to be delivered to households on a particular day, the challenge for the postal service is to make this process efficient. The invention has for its object to provide an efficient method for sorting unaddressed mail.

Erfindungsgemäß wird die Aufgabe durch die Merkmale des Anspruches 1 gelöst.According to the invention the object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

Dabei wird ein Verfahren zur Sortierung von unadressierten und in mehreren Stapeln abgelegten Postsendungen beschrieben, demgemäss :In this case, a method for sorting unaddressed and stored in multiple stacks of mail items is described, accordingly:

- jeder Stapel durch mindestens eine Aufnahme eines bildhaf- ten Referenzmerkmals einer Postsendung abgeleitet und registriert wird, welches den Stapel eindeutig beschreibt (d.h. den Stapel von anderen Stapeln deutlich identifiziert) ,each stack is derived and registered by at least one image of a pictorial reference feature of a mailpiece which uniquely describes the stack (i.e., clearly identifies the stack of other stacks),

- das bildhafte Referenzmerkmal mit einem Stapel unadressier- ter Post und einem dazugehörigen Sortierplan verknüpft wird, - bei einer anschließenden Sortierung aller Stapel jeder Stapel neu aufgenommen und dessen Referenzmerkmal erkennt und nach dem Sortierplan ggf. bis zu einem Endzustellpunkt verteilt wird.- the figurative reference feature is linked to a stack of unaddressed mail and an associated sorting plan, - in a subsequent sorting of all batches, each batch is newly recorded and recognizes its reference feature and after the sorting plan is possibly distributed to a final delivery point.

Vorteilhafte Ausgestaltungen der Erfindung sind in den Unteransprüchen dargelegt.Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in the subclaims.

Dabei werden die zu einem Zeitpunkt auszuliefernden unterschiedlichen Stapel von Werbesendungen zunächst erfasst, in- dem eine kleine Menge von Beispielen jedes Stapels aufgenommen wird. Für jeden Stapel stehen somit z.B. 10 elektronische Bilder zur Verfügung. Aus dieser Menge wird nun ein bildhafter Repräsentant durch z.B. Mittelwertbildung der 10 Bilder ermittelt. Dieser Repräsentant bildet genau das bildhafte Re- ferenzmerkmal . Das Referenzmerkmal wird also aus Aufnahmen mehrerer in Stapel abgelegten Postsendungen ermittelt, vorzugsweise durch Mittelung von aufgenommenen Bereichen identischer Postsendun- gen eines Stapels. Diese Bereiche können Bilder oder Werbetexte umfassen, dies beeinflusst den Kern Erfindung nicht.In doing so, the different batches of commercials to be delivered at a time are first detected by including a small amount of examples of each batch. For each stack there are eg 10 electronic pictures available. From this set a pictorial representative is determined by eg averaging the 10 images. This representative forms exactly the pictorial reference feature. The reference feature is thus determined from recordings of a plurality of mailpieces deposited in stacks, preferably by averaging recorded areas of identical mailpieces of a stack. These areas may include images or copywriting, this does not affect the core invention.

Die Aufnahme erfolgt mit einem digitalen Mittel wie einem Scanner, vorzugsweise mittels binärer, graustufiger oder farbstufiger Kodierwerten. Die Wahl zwischen diesen Einstellmöglichkeiten ist durch den graphischen Aspekt der Werbesendungen im Stapel bedingt. Der Vorteil bei Binärkodierung ist ein minimaler benötigter Speicherplatz . Dadurch wird auch die Verknüpfung zwischen Referenzmerkmal und einem bestimmten Stapel von Werbesendungen elektronisch hergestellt und in einer Registrierungsdatenbank abgelegt, die abrufbar ist.The recording takes place with a digital means such as a scanner, preferably by means of binary, gray-scale or color-level coding values. The choice between these settings is due to the graphic aspect of the commercials in the stack. The advantage of binary coding is a minimal amount of memory required. As a result, the link between the reference feature and a specific stack of commercials is also produced electronically and stored in a registration database which is retrievable.

Im Postsortierungsprozess werden nun die Stapel zu einem beliebigen Zeitpunkt in die Sortierungsmaschinen gegeben. Ab- bilder dieser Sendungen werden nun mit allen Referenzmerkmalen bzw. Repräsentanten verglichen. Dabei wird entschieden, aus welchem Stapel von Werbesendungen die gerade zu sortierende Sendung stammt, wie bei einem Fingerabdruck (Fin- gerprint) basierten Erkennungsverfahren. Nach dem mit den Repräsentanten verknüpften Sortierplan kann nun jede dieser erkannten Sendungen an den richtigen Zustellpunkt (Haushalt) sortiert werden.In the mail sorting process, the batches are now placed in the sorting machines at any given time. Images of these programs are now compared with all reference features or representatives. It is decided from which batch of advertising broadcasts the program currently being sorted originates, as in the case of a fingerprint (fingerprint) -based recognition method. After the sorting plan linked to the representatives, each of these recognized consignments can now be sorted to the correct delivery point (household).

Der Vorteil besteht darin, dass beliebige Stapel unadressier- ter Mail nach Vorgaben des Versenders gezielt an Haushalte zugestellt werden können, und dass dieser Prozess nahtlos in den üblichen Postsortierungsprozess integriert ist und keine manuellen zusätzlichen Arbeitsschritte anfallen.The advantage is that any batch of unaddressed mail can be delivered to households according to the sender's specifications, and that this process is seamlessly integrated into the usual mail sorting process and no manual additional work steps are required.

Weiterhin vorteilhaft ist, dass bei der Registrierung der unterschiedlichen Stapel automatisch geprüft werden kann, wie gut sich die Repräsentanten unterscheiden, und damit sehr einfach im nachfolgenden Erkennungsprozess Exemplare unterschiedlicher Stapel unterschieden werden können. Wenn eine zu große Ähnlichkeit festgestellt wird (automatisch) , kann der Benutzer die Unterscheidungsaufgabe manuell unterstützen, in- dem er die wirklich unterschiedlichen Bereiche der ähnlichen Repräsentanten markiert.It is also advantageous that when registering the different batches it is possible to check automatically how well the representatives differ, and thus very much simply in the subsequent recognition process copies of different stacks can be distinguished. If too much similarity is found (automatically), the user can manually support the discrimination task by marking the really different areas of similar representatives.

Eine Anzahl von Exemplaren eines Stapels kann ebenfalls angezeigt werden, welche für eine Sortierung notwendig sind. AIl- gemeiner wird aufgrund von einer Kenntnis des Referenzmerkmals in Verknüpfung mit dem Stapel die Sortierungslogistik für eine Zustellung des Stapels vereinfacht und beschleunigt. Weiterhin ist die Verknüpfung zwischen dem bildhaften Referenzmerkmal und einem Zustellpunkt fern abrufbar. Das bedeu- tet, das Referenzmerkmal kann z.B. auch fern von einer Sortierstelle übertragen und abgerufen werden, um zu kontrollieren, wohin ein dortiger Stapel zugestellt sein soll. Ein besonderer Vorteil liegt darin, dass auch aus der Sortierstelle bis zum Haushalt ein Stapel immer identifizierbar bleibt. A number of copies of a stack may also be displayed, which are necessary for sorting. Because of a knowledge of the reference feature in conjunction with the stack, the sorting logistics for a delivery of the stack is simplified and accelerated. Furthermore, the link between the pictorial reference feature and a delivery point is remotely retrievable. That is, the reference feature may be e.g. be transmitted and retrieved remotely from a sorting point to control where a local stack should be delivered. A particular advantage is that even from the sorting point to the household a stack always remains identifiable.

Claims

Patentansprüche claims 1. Verfahren zur Sortierung von unadressierten und in mehreren Stapeln abgelegten Postsendungen, demgemäss : - jeder Stapel durch mindestens eine Aufnahme eines bildhaften Referenzmerkmals einer Postsendung registriert wird,1. A method for sorting unaddressed and stacked mailpieces, according to which: each stack is registered by at least one image of a pictorial reference feature of a mailpiece, - das bildhafte Referenzmerkmal mit einem Sortierplan verknüpft wird, - bei einer anschließenden Sortierung aller Stapel jeder Stapel neu aufgenommen und dessen Referenzmerkmal erkennt und nach dem Sortierplan verteilt wird.- the figurative reference feature is linked to a sorting plan, - in a subsequent sorting of all stacks each batch newly recorded and recognizes its reference feature and distributed according to the sorting plan. 2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, dass das Referenzmerkmal aus Aufnahmen mehrerer in Stapel abgelegten Postsendungen ermittelt wird, vorzugsweise durch Mittelung von aufgenommenen Bereichen identischer Postsendungen eines Stapels.2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the reference feature is determined from images of a plurality of mailpieces stored in stacks, preferably by averaging recorded regions of identical mailpieces of a stack. 3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1 oder 2 , d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, dass die Aufnahme digital erfolgt, vorzugsweise mittels binärer, graukodierter oder farbgestufter Kodierwerten.3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the recording takes place digitally, preferably by means of binary, gray-coded or color graduated coding values. 4. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3 , d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, dass eine Anzahl von Exemplaren eines Stapels angezeigt wird, welche für eine Sortierung notwendig sind.4. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of copies of a stack are displayed, which are necessary for a sorting. 5. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, dass die Verknüpfung zwischen dem bildhaften Referenzmerkmal und einem Zustellpunkt fern abrufbar ist. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the link between the pictorial reference feature and a delivery point is remotely retrievable.
EP06776760A 2005-08-26 2006-08-11 Method for sorting non-addressed postal mailings Not-in-force EP1776197B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102005040664A DE102005040664A1 (en) 2005-08-26 2005-08-26 Method of sorting unaddressed mail
PCT/EP2006/007941 WO2007022879A1 (en) 2005-08-26 2006-08-11 Method for sorting non-addressed postal mailings

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1776197A1 true EP1776197A1 (en) 2007-04-25
EP1776197B1 EP1776197B1 (en) 2009-01-07

Family

ID=37067539

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP06776760A Not-in-force EP1776197B1 (en) 2005-08-26 2006-08-11 Method for sorting non-addressed postal mailings

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US7943879B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1776197B1 (en)
JP (1) JP2008505764A (en)
CN (1) CN100571899C (en)
DE (2) DE102005040664A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2007022879A1 (en)

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DE102007038186B4 (en) * 2007-08-13 2009-05-14 Siemens Ag Method and device for transporting bulk mail
EP2025416B1 (en) 2007-08-13 2011-04-06 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method and device for transporting mass mailings

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DE4419430A1 (en) * 1994-06-03 1995-12-07 Licentia Gmbh Method for controlling the input station for a letter sorting system
FR2729589B1 (en) 1995-01-23 1997-04-25 Const Et D Innovations Sa Atel POSTAL SORTING MACHINE
DE19646522C2 (en) * 1996-11-12 2000-08-10 Siemens Ag Method and device for recognizing distribution information on shipments
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US6466336B1 (en) * 1999-08-30 2002-10-15 Compaq Computer Corporation Method and apparatus for organizing scanned images
DE19947259C1 (en) 1999-09-30 2000-09-28 Siemens Ag Sorting packages involves changing/emptying containers when full, storing packages in same sequence, entering package data in database and re-ordering during subsequent sorting runs
US6735335B1 (en) * 2000-05-30 2004-05-11 Microsoft Corporation Method and apparatus for discriminating between documents in batch scanned document files
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20080264835A1 (en) 2008-10-30
CN101031369A (en) 2007-09-05
US7943879B2 (en) 2011-05-17
EP1776197B1 (en) 2009-01-07
DE102005040664A1 (en) 2007-03-01
DE502006002564D1 (en) 2009-02-26
CN100571899C (en) 2009-12-23
WO2007022879A1 (en) 2007-03-01
JP2008505764A (en) 2008-02-28

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