(57) A mail sorting machine (20) includes an input hopper (30); a mailpiece reading and
processing section (22); and, a sorting bin section (24) comprising a plurality of
bins (26₁ - 26₁₂₈). The reading and processing section (22) includes a CPU (54) which
executes a program ANALYZE_MAIL for sorting third class mailpieces. The program ANALYZE_MAIL
sorts the mailpieces included in a batch into packages, and then associates the packages
into sacks or bags. The program ANALYZE_MAIL constructs the packages and sacks to
obtain maximum postage discounts. Upon an initial pass of all mailpieces of a batch
through the sorting machine (20), the program ANALYZE_MAIL generates output (TABLE
1) advising how the bins (26) are to be grouped for subsequent passes. The program
ANALYZE_MAIL also generates output (TABLES 2A - 2E) advising, for each group, which
bins (26) are to have their packages associated together for insertion into the same
bag or sack. Advantageously, the mailpieces are sorted so that the bins (26) to be
associated together are physically adjacent one another in the sorting machine (20).
Bag tags are generated to tell an operator which bins are to be collected together
to form a sack or bag, as well as the sack number and group number. The program ANALYZE_MAIL
also includes an accounting capability for billing postage to a possible plurality
of clients having mailstreams included in the batch, and for allocating postage costs
in accordance with whether the client's mailpieces qualify for postage discounts.
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