| (19) |
 |
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(11) |
EP 1 642 654 A3 |
| (12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| (88) |
Date of publication A3: |
|
12.04.2006 Bulletin 2006/15 |
| (43) |
Date of publication A2: |
|
05.04.2006 Bulletin 2006/14 |
| (22) |
Date of filing: 11.12.2001 |
|
| (51) |
International Patent Classification (IPC):
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| (84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR |
| (30) |
Priority: |
11.12.2000 US 254661 P
|
| (62) |
Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC: |
|
01986528.6 / 1385640 |
| (71) |
Applicant: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC. |
|
Atlanta,
Georgia 30328 (US) |
|
| (72) |
Inventors: |
|
- Perez, Juan R.
Richardson, Texas 75082 (US)
- Anderson, Duane
Cockeysville, Maryland 21030 (US)
- Potteiger, David
Pasadena, Maryland 21122 (US)
- Burgess, Michael
Fairlawn, New Jersey 07410 (US)
|
| (74) |
Representative: Chettle, Adrian John et al |
|
Withers & Rogers LLP
Goldings House,
2 Hays Lane
London SE1 2HW
London SE1 2HW (GB) |
|
| |
|
| (54) |
Method of and system for performing a package preload in accordance with a dispatch
plan |
(57) The present invention provides systems and methods for electronically-capturing a
destination address of a package and for using the destination address to automate
a package pre-load operation. An embodiment of the invention includes a compression
system for compressing the destination address as a compressed MaxiCode symbol, a
smart shipping label system for generating a shipping label with a compressed MaxiCode
and a pre-load assist system for generating package handling instructions from the
electronically-captured destination address.