Processing shiny mail pieces

摘要

Methods, apparatus, software and systems are disclosed for improved processing of mailpieces in order to reduce expensive manual steps. Shiny mail, i.e., mailpieces having glossy surfaces that sometimes interfere with printing of barcodes and or ID Tags may lead to rejects. In some embodiments, shiny mailpieces are identified, and at least one new (non-shiny) label is over-labeled in the POSTNET clear zone (108), the ID Tag zone (202), or both. In one embodiment, a specially-configured Reject Encoding Machine (REM) (1142) is employed to label or over-label a POSTNET clear zone (1110), resolve the destination address (1112) if possible, and print the barcode (1114) in a single operation. Thereafter, the mailpiece may be transferred from the REM into a downstream DBCS (1144), thereby re-introducing the mailpiece into the automated mail stream rather than being relegated to a manual stream.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
automatically sorting a plurality of mail pieces according to a delivery point sequence (DPS) sorting, wherein the DPS sorting comprises a first pass for sorting the plurality of mail pieces by delivery stop and a second pass for sorting the plurality of mail pieces by mail carrier; identifying a mail piece as a shiny mail piece having a non-resolvable identification (ID) tag during the first pass, wherein the mail piece is identified as a shiny mail piece according to a first glossy surface of the shiny mail piece; in response to said identifying, automatically transferring the shiny mail piece to a Reject Encoding Machine (REM); in the REM, over-labeling at least a portion of the first glossy surface of the shiny mail piece with a first non-shiny label over a Postnet clear zone on the front side of the shiny mail piece; in the REM, over-labeling a second glossy surface of the shiny mail piece with a second non-shiny label over an ID Tag clear zone on the back side of the shiny mail piece; in the REM, attempting to resolve an address of the shiny mail piece, based on a previously captured image of the front side of the shiny mail piece; if the address is resolvable, in the REM, printing a barcode corresponding to the resolved address on to the first non-shiny label; in the REM, printing a new ID tag on to the second non-shiny label; and then returning the shiny mail piece to resume automated sorting in the first pass based on the printed barcode, wherein the shiny mail piece is sorted together with the plurality of mail pieces according to the DPS sorting; wherein the new ID tag is printed on to the second non-shiny label before returning the shiny mail piece for subsequent automated sorting.