Method of coding packages with applied legible code characters

摘要

The invention relates to a method for coding mailing items by means of applied readable code signs. In order to enable also umambiguous identification of short mailing items while maintaining code sign quantity and distances, the surface available for code application, especially the length of the incoming mailing item, is measured and an unambiguous code with a number of signs adapted accordingly to the surface available is subsequently applied. In order to check that an identification code (ID code) is umambiguous a statistic is provided with regard to the frequency of various lengths of previously processed mailing item available for the ID code affecting the number of signs in the ID code. ID codes with a reduced number of signs, each of which have been determined and adapted to the lengths available for the ID code are applied when, over a fixed period of time, the number of statistically determined mailing items of the selected length range is smaller or equal to the number of mailing items which can be distinguished by the shortened ID-code.