Method and system for processing data related to mail items to be shipped

Abstract

 The present invention relates to a method for retrieving and processing recipient address information from a mail item comprising, in a scanning step (110.4), retrieving recipient address information (RAI) by scanning a recipient address representation applied to a part of a mail item (106) to be shipped using a scanner device (104), and, in a recipient address record generating step, generating a recipient address record (RAR) using said recipient address information (RAI). In the recipient address record generating step (110.5), a unique recipient address record identification (RAR-ID) associated to said recipient address record (RAR) is generated and said recipient address record identification (RAR-ID) is electronically associated to said recipient address record (RAR), in particular said recipient address record identification (RAR-ID) is included into said recipient address record (RAR).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for retrieving and processing recipient address information from a mail item comprising, in a scanning step, retrieving recipient address information by scanning a recipient address representation applied to a part of a mail item to be shipped using a scanner device, and, in a recipient address record generating step, generating a recipient address record using said recipient address information. It furthermore relates to a corresponding data processing system, corresponding components of said data processing system as well as to a computer readable medium comprising program code for executing at least part of the method according to the invention in such a system.

[0002] In current mail transport systems, the respective carrier selected by the respective senders to ship their mail items (e.g. letters, parcels etc.) each day receives a certain number of mail items to be shipped to a variety of locations in the (local, national or international) delivery area in which the carrier provides delivery service. The total number and total weight of all mail items to be shipped from location A to location B within the respective carrier's delivery area varies significantly from day to day, between seasons etc. and is left unpredictable to some extent.

[0003] Apparently, carriers compete against each other by defining mail item delivery within certain delivery time limits. To live up to their terms and conditions and, hence, satisfy their customers, carriers currently need to maintain a certain undesirably high percentage of excess transport capacity (i.e. truck, railway, ship and/or air transport capacity) in order to be able to manage unexpected but nevertheless possible excess mail item load (in terms of mail item number and/or mail item weight).

[0004] Furthermore, it is generally desirable to keep the sender and/or the recipient of a valuable or urgent mail item up to date on the delivery progress, in particular, on the time when the mail item will arrive at the recipient's doorstep. It is generally known that carriers provide tracking systems where the delivery status of mail items can be looked up electronically (e.g. via a tracking website of the carrier) by a certain mail item tracking number. To provide the sender and/or the recipient with a tracking means, the sender typically needs to acquire a mail item number for the mail piece of interest and forward the mail item tracking number to the recipient. It is desirable to design a system that simplifies the process for the sender and provides for further process integration with existing tracking systems.

[0005] It is furthermore known, for example, from US 6,865,561 B1 and US 6,853,989 B2 (the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) to scan mail items using a scanner device in order to obtain, among others, information on the recipient address. This recipient address information is then used to calculate postage due for the shipping of the mail item. Furthermore, parts of the recipient address information are used to generate an indicium to be printed onto the mail item.

[0006] Further systems scanning mail items using a scanner device in order to obtain, among others, information on the recipient address are known from US 7,219,084 B1, US 7,186,040 B2 and US 6,226,626 B1 (the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference). These systems use the scanned recipient address information either for calculating postage due for the shipping of the mail item or for presorting the processed mail.

[0007] However, none of these known systems provides a convenient highly automated way for shipping mail items, which allows simplified tracking of mail items along their way to the recipient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and a system for retrieving and processing recipient address information from a mail item to be shipped that, at least to a certain extent overcome the above disadvantages, and which, in particular, allow a more convenient, more automated and efficient shipment of mail items.

[0009] The present invention is based on the consideration that a convenient, more automated and efficient shipment of mail items is possible if the scanner device, after reading the recipient address information from the mail item, generates a recipient address record and also generates and electronically assigns or associates, respectively, a unique recipient address record identification to each recipient address record. The use of such said recipient address records having an individual and unique recipient address record identification greatly simplifies further mail item processing and related data processing.

[0010] More precisely, on the one hand, the use of such unique recipient address record identifications immediately allows allocating a corresponding unique identifier to the individual mail item, such that this fundamental requirement for providing mail item tracking functionality is immediately fulfilled without having to separately retrieve an individual tracking number or the like from the respective carrier selected for shipping the mail item. Furthermore, corresponding tracking data items may immediately be included into one or more marks (such as a proprietary tracking mark, but also a franking imprint, an indicium or the like) applied to the mail item such that no further marking steps at other locations, e.g. a post office, are necessary any more.

[0011] Furthermore, the use of such unique recipient address record identifications greatly facilitates transport capacity planning since it may easily provide both immediate identification of the sender location through the unique recipient address record identification, which may easily tie the scanning device and, hence, the sender location to the recipient address record, and immediate identification of the recipient location due to the recipient address information contained in the recipient address record. Hence, using such recipient address records with assigned unique recipient address record identifications immediately allow setting up rather precise forecasts of the mail load to be expected for a specific carrier to be shipped to specific recipient address locations (e.g. specific countries, specific regions, specific cities, specific recipient ZIPs etc.) and stemming from specific sender locations.

[0012] Hence, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for retrieving and processing recipient address information from a mail item comprising, in a scanning step, retrieving recipient address information RAI by scanning a recipient address representation applied to a part of a mail item to be shipped using a scanner device, and, in a recipient address record generating step, generating a recipient address record RAR using the recipient address information RAI. In the recipient address record generating step, a unique recipient address record identification RAR-ID associated to the recipient address record RAR is generated and the recipient address record identification RAR-ID is electronically associated to the recipient address record RAR.

[0013] Association of the recipient address record identification RAR-ID to the recipient address record RAR may ensue in any suitable way as long as a sufficiently clear logical binding between the recipient address record identification RAR-ID and the recipient address record RAR is achieved. Preferably, the recipient address record identification RAR-ID is included into the recipient address record RAR, such that a recipient address record data set having well defined format and comprising the recipient address record identification RAR-ID is formed.

[0014] With preferred embodiments of the invention, in a transmission step, the recipient address record RAR is electronically transmitted to a remote data center via a communication channel (which may be formed by any one or more means of electronic communication). In a tracking step, the recipient address record RAR, at the data center, is used for generating an initial tracking message TMSG, and, in the tracking step, the initial tracking message TMSG is electronically forwarded to a recipient electronic address REA contained in and/or associated to an item of addressee information included in the recipient address record RAR.

[0015] Hence, in a beneficial way, using a recipient electronic address REA an initial tracking message TMSG may be electronically sent to the addressee of the mail item. The recipient electronic address REA may be contained in the recipient address record RAR, such that it may be immediately retrieved from the recipient address record RAR and used for sending the initial tracking message TMSG.

[0016] In addition or as an alternative, the recipient electronic address REA may be stored at the data center and may be identified using sufficiently detailed addressee information contained in the recipient address record RAR. Setup of a database of recipient electronic addresses REA may ensue in any suitable way. For example, the recipient electronic address REA contained in a previously processed recipient address record RAR may be stored in a corresponding data base in combination with the specific addressee information contained previously processed recipient address record RAR at the data center. Hence, in case of later receipt of a recipient address record RAR associated to the same addressee information, this stored recipient electronic addresses REA may again be identified (by means of the addressee information) and used for sending the initial tracking message TMSG.

[0017] In further embodiments of the invention, potential addressees may register (online or at least partially offline) with the data center for this tracking service by notifying the data center of the appropriate recipient electronic addresses REA to be used for the initial tracking message TMSG and/or any subsequent (tracking) messages. Hence, in the tracking step, the recipient electronic address REA is retrieved from a recipient electronic address memory of the data center, the recipient electronic address REA being previously stored, in a registration step, into the recipient electronic address memory in response to a registration request message RRM received at the data center from an addressee of mail items, the registration request message RRM including the recipient electronic address REA.

[0018] It will be appreciated that a combination of both ways for obtaining the recipient electronic address REA (i.e. from the recipient address record RAR or via a registration process of the addressee) may be combined. In this variant, priority may be given to the recipient electronic address REA obtained in the registration process in case of conflicting or mismatching recipient electronic addresses REA obtained over these two channels.

[0019] The initial tracking message TMSG may be of any desired type and/or content. In the simplest case it may just contain mere information that a mail item has been sent to the addressee. Typically, the contents of the initial tracking message TMSG are more sophisticated, i.e. provide more detailed information. Preferably, the tracking message TMSG includes sender information SI representative of a sender of the mail item. In addition or as an alternative, the tracking message TMSG may include mail item information MII representative of a type and/or content of the mail item.

[0020] With further preferred embodiments of the invention, the tracking message TMSG includes delivery forecast information DFI, the delivery forecast information DFI including an indication of estimated delivery of the mail item to the addressee of the mail item. The delivery forecast information DFI, in the tracking step, may be generated, in particular at the data base, using a carrier identification information CII and delivery statistical data DSD. The carrier identification information CII is associated to the recipient address record RAR, preferably included in the recipient address record RAR, and identifies a carrier shipping the mail item. The delivery statistical data DSD have been previously generated for the specific carrier.

[0021] It will be appreciated that the delivery statistical data DSD may have been generally set up for the specific carrier. The delivery statistical data DSD may provide an overall average (over a certain predefinable period of time) or other suitable estimation of the time to delivery for this specific carrier.

[0022] However, with preferred embodiments of the invention, more sophisticated delivery statistical data DSD may be used. In particular, it may be provided that the delivery forecast information DFI is provided on the basis of delivery statistical data DSD for individual carrier services, such as value added services (e.g. express delivery, etc.), that have been obtained or booked from this carrier for the mail item in question.

[0023] Hence, in this case, the delivery forecast information DFI may be generated using a carrier service information CSI, the carrier service information being associated to the recipient address record RAR (preferably included in the recipient address record RAR), and identifying a carrier service, in particular, a value added carrier service, which is used for shipping the specific mail item in question. In this case, the delivery statistical data DSD have been previously generated and are associated to the specific carrier service.

[0024] It will be appreciated that the delivery statistical data DSD may have been generally generated for the specific carrier and/or the specific carrier service of the specific carrier irrespective of the actual delivery path for the actual mail item in question. However, preferably, a more precise forecast is given also considering the specific delivery path for the actual mail item in question (i.e. for the delivery path from the actual sender of the mail item to the addressee of the actual mail item).

[0025] Furthermore, the delivery statistical data DSD may have been obtained in any suitable way and may be simply provided by the individual carrier. Preferably, the method and system according to the present invention itself is designed as a self learning system and adapted to collect and generate the required delivery statistical data DSD itself.

[0026] Hence, preferably, the delivery statistical data DSD have been previously generated, in at least one statistics step, using delivery feedback data generated upon delivery of a previous mail item by the carrier to a previous addressee, in particular, upon delivery of a previous mail item by the carrier to the addressee of the actual mail item. Hence, ultimately, it is even possible to provide personalized delivery forecasts for individual addressees, in particular for addressees receiving a sufficiently large number of mailings (and hence having a sufficiently large data base for such forecasts).

[0027] Preferably, the delivery statistical data DSD are previously generated, in at least one statistics step, using delivery feedback data being generated upon delivery of the previous mail item and using a previous recipient address record PRAR associated to the previous mail item. Here again, the use of individualized recipient address records RAR, typically allowing sufficiently precise identification of sender and addressee related information of a mail item, greatly facilitates setup of such a system.

[0028] With further preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention, in a marking step, shipping information SI is generated using at least part of the recipient address information RAI, and, in the marking step, the shipping information SI is used for generating a human readable and/or machine readable mark including a representation of at least part of the shipping information SI and the mark is applied to the mail item. These variants provide a number of additional advantages. For example, the mark may be a proprietary shipping mark or tracking mark containing this shipping information SI. Furthermore, the postage to be paid for shipping the mail item may be automatically calculated on the basis of at least part of the recipient address information RAI and may be included as the shipping information SI in the mark. In this case, for example, the mark may be a franking imprint applied to a part of the mail item by a franking machine. Furthermore, the shipping information may include evidence of postage payment, which may be provided in any suitable way, in particular, in logically secured form, e.g. by suitable cryptographic means.

[0029] Furthermore, preferably, the shipping information includes associating information AI associating the shipping information of the mark to the recipient address record RAR. This may be achieved in any suitable way. Preferably, at least part of the recipient address record identification RAR-ID is included in the shipping information SI. This has the advantage that reading the mark and subsequent retrieving the shipping information SI from the mark allows identification of the appertaining recipient address record RAR, which in turn provides access to the services as outlined above (for example tracking services) or services as will be outlined further below.

[0030] It will be appreciated that the initial tracking message TMSG may be the only tracking information generated for the specific mail item along its shipping path. However, preferably, at one or more shipping locations along a shipping path of the mail item (such as the point of handover to the carrier, one or more shipping instances of the carrier, the point of handover to the addressee etc.) further tracking information is generated and sent.

[0031] With preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention, in a shipping feedback step, during shipping the mail item, at a shipping location along a shipping path of the mail item, the mark is electronically read using a further scanning device to retrieve the associating information AI. The associating information AI, at the shipping location, is then used to generate a shipping feedback message SFMSG including at least part of the associating information AI, the shipping feedback message SFMSG being forwarded to the data center. The shipping feedback message SFMSG, at the data center, is used for identifying the recipient electronic address REA and/or a sender electronic address SEA and for generating a further tracking message FTMSG, the further tracking message FTMSG then being electronically forwarded to the recipient electronic address REA and/or to the sender electronic address SEA.

[0032] The further tracking message FTMSG, may be of the same or similar type and/or content as the initial tracking message TMSG as outlined above. Preferably, the further tracking message FTMSG includes further delivery forecast information FDFI including an indication of estimated delivery of the mail item to an addressee of the mail item. Content of the further delivery forecast information FDFI may be obtained in the same or similar way as outlined above for the initial delivery forecast information DFI, in particular on the basis of delivery statistical data DSD, such that reference is made to the explanations given above.

[0033] It will be appreciated that the further tracking message FTMSG and/or the underlying shipping feedback message SFMSG may be used, in a statistics step, at the data center for generating delivery statistical data DSD, the delivery statistical data DSD, in particular, being associated to a carrier of the mail item and/or a carrier service, in particular, a value added carrier service, used for shipping the mail item. Hence, depending on the number of shipping locations where such shipping feedback messages SFMSG are generated, a correspondingly fine resolution of the delivery statistical data DSD may be obtained leading to more precise delivery forecasts.

[0034] With further preferred embodiments of the invention, in a delivery feedback step, upon delivery and/or failure of delivery of the mail item to its addressee, the mark is electronically read using a further scanning device to retrieve the associating information AI. The associating information AI is then used to generate a delivery feedback message DFMSG including at least part of the associating information AI and an indication if delivery succeeded or failed. The delivery feedback message DFMSG is then forwarded to the data center. At the data center the delivery feedback message DFMSG is used for identifying a sender electronic address SEA associated to a sender of the mail item and for generating and sending a delivery information message DIMSG to the sender electronic address SEA, the delivery information message DIMSG either representing a confirmation of delivery (in case the mail item was actually delivered) or a delivery failure notification (in case delivery failed). By this means, in a beneficial way, a sender may immediately be electronically notified of the delivery or its failure.

[0035] As already mentioned above, with preferred variants of the invention, the delivery feedback message DFMSG, in a statistics step, is used at the data center for generating delivery statistical data DSD, the delivery statistical data DSD, in particular, being associated to a carrier of the mail item and/or a carrier service, in particular, a value added carrier service, used for shipping the mail item. Here again, the use of associating information AI associating the shipping information SI of the mark to the recipient address record RAR for the mail item allows easy and immediate generation of delivery statistical data DSD, since typically the recipient address record RAR or associated data stored at the data center contains an indication of the time of handover of the mail item to the carrier, while the delivery feedback message DFMSG contains an indication of the time of handover of the mail item to the addressee.

[0036] With further preferred variants of the invention, the delivery feedback message DFMSG, at the data center is used for updating a recipient address database, the recipient address database having been previously established, in particular using the recipient address record RAR. Hence, for example, if delivery succeeded, the recipient address record RAR may be electronically marked accordingly as related to a valid address, whereas in case of delivery failure (due to false address information), the recipient address record RAR may be electronically marked accordingly as related to an invalid address. This information may then, for example, be used for address hygiene actions taken at the data center for new incoming recipient address records RAR.

[0037] It will be appreciated that the data center as outlined above may be operated by the carrier of the mail item himself. However, preferably, in particular in an environment with more than one carrier shipping mail items, the data center is a provider data center of a service provider, and the feedback messages SFMSG, DFMSG generated along the shipping path are forwarded to the provider data center via a remote carrier data center of the carrier of the mail item.

[0038] Further preferred embodiments of the invention provide carrier load forecasts for the carrier of the mail item such that the carrier may more precisely plan his transport capacities. To this end, in a transmission step, the recipient address record RAR is electronically transmitted to a remote data center via a communication channel, and, in a carrier load forecast step, the recipient address record RAR, at the data center, is used for generating a carrier load forecast information CLFI representative of the number and/or weight of expected incoming mail items to be shipped to a recipient address area including the recipient address.

[0039] Here, the data center preferably is a provider data center of a service provider, and the carrier load forecast information CLFI is used to generate a carrier load forecast message CLFMSG, the carrier load forecast message CLFMSG then being forwarded from the provider data center to a remote carrier data center of the carrier of the mail item.

[0040] It will be appreciated that the unique recipient address record identification RAR-ID may be generated in any suitable way. For example, each scanner device may have been provided, e.g. by the data center or any other suitable instance, with a sufficiently large number of unique recipient address record serial numbers and may then assign one of these serial numbers to each recipient address record RAR. Preferably, however, the unique recipient address record identification RAR-ID is generated using a unique scanner identification S-ID associated to the scanner device and a local recipient address record identification LRAR-ID generated by the scanner device. Such a solution avoids the necessity to provide the scanner device at certain points in time with such recipient address record serial numbers.

[0041] Hence, preferably, in a scanner registration step, the scanner device, prior to executing the scanning step registers with the remote data center via a corresponding registration protocol over a suitable communication channel. The scanner device, in this registration step, may be provided with the unique scanner identification S-ID. However, with other embodiments of the invention, the unique scanner identification S-ID may already be present within the scanner device and may only be transmitted to the remote data center during the registration step.

[0042] The local recipient address record identification LRAR-ID may, for example, be generated in a simple manner using a steadily increasing recipient address record serial number RAR-SN and/or a recipient address record time information RAR-TI representative of a time of generation of the recipient address record RAR. Both variants, together with the unique scanner identification S-ID form a unique recipient address record identification RAR-ID.

[0043] As a general remark, any of the messages described above may be transmitted in a message push system (i.e. without a respective individual request of the recipient of the message) or a message pull system (i.e. upon respective individual request of the recipient of the message).

[0044] The present invention further relates to a data processing system for processing shipping information related to a mail item, which in particular is adapted to execute the method according to the present invention, and comprises a scanner device and a remote data center adapted to be connected via a communication channel. The scanner device, in a scanning step, retrieves recipient address information RAI by scanning a recipient address representation applied to a part of the mail item to be shipped, and, the scanner device, in a recipient address record generating step, generates a recipient address record RAR using the recipient address information RAI. The scanner device is further adapted to generate, in the recipient address record generating step, a unique recipient address record identification RAR-ID associated to the recipient address record RAR and to electronically associate the recipient address record identification RAR-ID to the recipient address record RAR, in particular to include the recipient address record identification RAR-ID into the recipient address record RAR.

[0045] With this system the variants and advantages described above in the context of the method according to the present invention may be achieved to the same extent such that reference is made to the explanations given above.

[0046] It will be appreciated that the scanner device may be formed by any device suitable to capture the recipient address representation applied to the mail item and to retrieve recipient address information RAI from the captured data. Preferably, the scanner device comprises a conventional scanner unit and a connected processing device, such as e.g. a general purpose computer. The type of the scanner unit depends on the type of the representation applied to the mail item. Hence, if the representation is in such a form that it may be read or captured electronically (e.g. in a reading step from a RFID chip) a corresponding reader unit is used. Typically, the recipient address representation is applied as an imprint to the mail item. Hence, typically, the scanner unit is an optical scanner.

[0047] With preferred embodiments of the invention, the data processing system comprises a marking device adapted to generate, in a marking step, shipping information SI using at least part of the recipient address information RAI, and to use the shipping information SI for generating a human readable and/or machine readable mark including a representation of at least part of the shipping information SI and to apply the mark to the mail item.

[0048] In particularly advantageous embodiments, the scanner device is an integral part of a mail processing system, wherein the marking device is a franking machine adapted to apply the mark to a part of the mail downstream of the scanner device.

[0049] Preferably, one or more further scanning devices are provided at a one or more shipping location along the shipping path of the mail item. These may e.g. be corresponding scanners used at certain premises of the carrier or by shipping personnel of the carrier (such as a handheld scanner used by the employee of the carrier ultimately handing over the mail item to the addressee).

[0050] Finally, the present invention relates to a computer readable medium comprising program code adapted to control execution of at least a part of the method according to the invention. It will be appreciated that with this program code contained in such a computer readable media and run on a suitable data processing device, the variants and advantages of the method is outlined above may be achieved to the same extent such that reference is made to the explanations given above in the context of the method according to the invention.

[0051] Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims or the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention given below with reference to the appended drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] 

Figure 1

is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a system for retrieving and processing recipient address information from a mail item according to the invention using which a preferred embodiment of the method for retrieving and processing recipient address information from a mail item according to the invention may be executed.

Figure 2

is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a method for retrieving and processing recipient address information from a mail item according to the invention which may be executed using the system from Figure 1.

Figure 3

is a partially sectional front view of the scanner unit of the system of Figure 1 (seen along line III-III of Figure 4).

Figure 4

is a sectional side view of the scanner unit of Figure 3 (seen along line IV-IV of Figure 3).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0053] In the following, a preferred embodiment of a system 101 according to the invention adapted to execute a preferred embodiment of the method for retrieving and processing recipient address information from a mail item will be described in greater detail with reference to Figure 1.

[0054] As can be seen from Figure 1 the system 101 comprises a mail processing arrangement 102 located at a sender's or mailer's premises and a remote data center 103 (e.g. operated by a vendor of the mail processing arrangement 102). It will be appreciated that the system 101 preferably comprises further mail processing arrangement 102 of basically identical design.

[0055] The mail processing arrangement 102 comprises a scanner device 104 and a franking machine 105 connected to the scanner device 104. The mail processing arrangement 102 is adapted to process mail items 106 (such as letters or parcels etc.) and/or information carrier substrates 107 (such as stickers or labels) to be applied to a mail item 106 and carrying shipping information such as the recipient address 107.1, indications of value added services 107.2 purchased for this mail item and/or franking imprints 107.3 providing, among others, evidence of postage payment.

[0056] The scanner device 104 comprises a scanner unit 104.1 and a data processing unit 104.2 coupled to the scanner unit 104.1. The data processing unit 104.2, in the present example, is part, namely a central processing unit (CPU), of a data processing device in the form of a general purpose computer 104.3, which also comprises a communication module 104.4 for communication with the remote data center 103.

[0057] The data processing unit 104.2 is connected to a program memory of the data processing device 104.3 holding a program code. The data processing unit 104.2 is running this program code to provide and execute the functionality of the scanner device 104 as it will be explained in greater detail in the following.

[0058] As can be seen from Figure 3 and 4, the scanner unit 104.1, in the present example, comprises an image data processing unit or camera module 104.5 (comprising a digital camera 104.6 located behind a camera window 104.7, flashlight equipment 104.8, camera cooling equipment 104.9 etc.) suitable electronics (including a processor, interfaces, memory, power supply etc.), a substrate transportation unit 104.10 for transporting substrates 107 to be scanned (such as letters or labels) along the camera window 104.7 and including sensors for substrate detection, trigger devices 104.11 for triggering camera shot and flashlight (while the respective substrate passes 107 the camera window 104.7) as well as suitable evaluation software for image data processing. Optionally, a user interface may be provided.

[0059] When processing substrates 107, the substrate transportation unit 104.10 subsequently causes each substrate 107 to pass the camera module 104.5 in transport direction TD. The trigger device 104.11 comprises one or more sensors placed of the alongside the transportation path of the substrates 107 to detect the respective substrate's position. When passing a trigger sensor of the trigger device 104.11, the camera 104.6 and, when needed, flashlight equipment 104.8 is triggered to pick up a complete image of the image field containing the recipient address. Preferably, evaluation software of the scanner device 104 then transforms the raw image data of the camera 104.6 into a well-defined recipient address data record as will be explained further below.

[0060] In the present example, a separate camera module housing 104.12 is provided for the digital camera 104.6, the flashlight equipment 104.8 and the associated cooling equipment 104.9 is configured to ensure stable environmental conditions for image data pick up. A gasket (preferably a rubber gasket) is preferably provided between the glass plate of the camera window 104.7 and the camera module housing 104.12 to reduce lint at the camera optics. The complete camera housing module 104.12 can be removed for maintenance purposes. Internal shielded cabling from the camera module 104.5 to peripheral electronics provide power supply and data transfer.

[0061] In the present example, the size of the camera detection window 104.7 is 135 mm x 90 mm, such that the camera module 104.5 is able to scan the whole recipient address field of the substrate 107. Generally, an adjustment of the camera module 104.5 via software may offer an option to select retrieval of desired data from the scan. Moreover, the software may be adapted to retrieve or extract data from the recipient address field 107.1 under different optical conditions (e.g. in case of processing letters with different envelope window types, e.g. envelope windows made of highly transparent material or made of light diffusing material).

[0062] The data processing device 104.3 communicates with the scanner unit 104.1 and, in the present example, performs all image processing, storage and communication to the remote data centers 103, 108. It will be appreciated, however, that with other embodiments of the invention, any other distribution of tasks between the data processing device 104.3 and the scanner unit 104.1 may be provided. In particular, the scanner unit 104.1 may perform at least part of the image processing of the scanner device 104.

[0063] Furthermore, it should be noted that the general outlay and functionality of the scanner unit 104.1 as described herein is generally applicable in any modifications of the system according to the present invention and is not necessarily bound to the other limitations specified in the context of the present embodiment.

[0064] The data processing device 104.3 and the scanner unit 104.1 are interconnected by a wired or wireless communication link, such as an Ethernet, serial port (typically RS232, USB), or other physical connector, or respective wireless LAN (such as IEEE 802.11x) or Bluetooth facilities. Communication between the scanner unit 104.1 and the data processing device 104.3, in the present example, is built up by one or more communication protocols, each consisting of one or more distinct messages, which carry, for example, control commands and report data fields.

[0065] The franking machine 105 comprises a secure device in the form of a postal security device (PSD) 105.1 and a printing device 105.2. The franking machine 105, in the present embodiment, is connected directly to the data processing unit 104.2 via a point-to-point connection, such as a USB connection or the like. It will be appreciated however that, with other embodiments of the invention, a printing device 105.2 may be provided as a component separate from the franking machine 105. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that, either one of the franking machine 105 and the printing device 106 may be connected to the data processing unit 104.2 via a data network, such as e.g. a local area network (LAN).

[0066] In the present embodiment, the system 101 comprises a further remote data center, namely a carrier data center 108 (operated by a postal carrier intended to ship mail items 106). Both data centers 103, 108 are located remote from the data processing device 105 and may be connected to the data processing unit 104.2 via a communication module 104.4 of the data processing unit 104.2 and a data network 109 (such as, for example, a wide area network WAN as e.g. the Internet, or a telecommunication network).

[0067] The franking machine 102 may be a conventional franking machine used to generate franking imprints either directly on the mail item 106 (such as a letter or the like) or on a label 107 which is to be associated to a mail item 106.

[0068] The postal security device 105.1 may be a physically and/or logically secured data processing unit providing, in a conventional manner, among others, data security functionality to secure certain data, in particular, accounting relevant data, from unauthorized and/or undetected access. Furthermore, the postal security device 105.1 may be adapted to provide cryptographic functionality securing communication between the mail processing arrangement 102 and remote facilities, such as the data centers 103, 108 over the data network 109. To this end, one or more cryptographic functions (including the appliance of one or more cryptographic algorithms as well as one or more cryptographic keys) may be implemented within the postal security device 105.1.

[0069] The vendor data center 103 may be formed by a collection of one or more servers 103.1 connected to a suitable communication module 103.2 and providing sufficient power and remote service availability, storage capacity and reliability and communication security to provide one or more of the following remote services. Driving one or more communication channels coming in from connecting devices, such as different mail processing arrangements 102, receiving requests to register or unregister scanner devices 104 and to respond to such requests, receiving recipient address records RAR provided by such scanner devices 104, and remote testing functions to facilitate providers of new or updated scanner devices 104 during certification and acceptance procedures.

[0070] In the following, the preferred embodiment of the method for retrieving and processing recipient address information from a mail item 106 according to the invention which is executed using the system 101 will be described with reference to Figure 1 and 2.

[0071] It will be appreciated that, in the following, processing of a mail item 106, in the form of a letter having a label 107 attached thereto is described by way of example. It will be appreciated, however, that with other embodiments of the invention, as outlined above, in particular, for larger parcels or the like, it may be the case that only a label 107 is processed, which is then later on attached to the parcel.

[0072] As can be seen from Figure 2, the method starts in a step 110.1. In a subsequent scanner registration step 110.2, the scanner device 104 establishes a communication channel (preferably secured using security functionality of the security device 105.1) with the remote vendor data center 103 via the data network 109 in order to register with the vendor data center 103. The scanner device 104, in this registration step 110.2, is provided with a unique scanner identification S-ID, which is preferably stored in a secured manner in a corresponding memory of the scanner device 104.

[0073] After completion of the scanner registration step 110.2, in a step 110.3, it is checked if the scanner device has been validly registered and if a mail item 106 or a label 107 to be applied to a mail item 106 is to be scanned. If one of both conditions is not fulfilled, the method jumps back to step 110.2, wherein it is verified (in case of valid scanner registration) if deregistration is to be performed (e.g., upon the initiative of the user of the mail processing arrangement 102, upon expiry of the validity period of the registration or upon the initiative of one of the remote data centers 103, 108 etc.). In case of missing valid scanner registration, it is verified in step 110.2, if registration is to be renewed. If this is the case, renewed registration is attempted.

[0074] If it is determined in step 110.3 that both conditions (valid scanner registration, item to be scanned) are fulfilled, the scanner device 104 scans the corresponding item in a step 110.4. To this end, the mail item 106 with the label 107 passes the scanner unit 104.1. Sensors alongside the transportation path detect the position of the mail item 106. When passing the trigger sensor, the camera picks up a complete image of the label 107, including the recipient address field 107.1 of the label 107. The evaluation software of the scanner device 104 then transforms the image data captured into recipient address information RAI included into and forming part of a well-defined recipient address data record RAR.

[0075] It will be appreciated that, as can be seen from Figure 1, in the state of the mail item 106 shown on the left-hand side of the scanner unit 104.1, the label 107 may not only include a recipient address field 107.1 in clear text. Rather, the label 107 may also include information 107.2 in barcode form, in particular information relating to value-added services desired for the mail item 106. Such barcodes may also be captured in the scanning process.

[0076] The main functions of the software of the scanner device 104, in the present example, include the following functions.

[0077] As a function of A, an operator and administration service interface is provided to give access to camera calibration, configuration and maintenance options for all functions of the scanner device 104. As a function B, operation of the camera and flashlight is provided in order to pick up images of the recipient address region of the label 107. As a function C, optical reading functionality of clear text data and/or machine readable bar codes including, but not limited to QR-bar codes, PDF-417 code, data matrix code, four state code, code 128 or other codes is provided.

[0078] As a function D, recognition of postal addresses by transforming clear text lines into parts of well-formed recipient address records RAR is provided. As a function E, recognition failure handling is provided by detecting in real-time recipient address records that are not well formed, incomplete or incorrect and recover from such failures by repeating previous steps and, if not successful, reporting an unreadable mail piece through the operator interface. As a function F, for each scanned mail item 106, a new recipient address record identification RAR-ID is created, which is unique among all other recipient address record identifications RAR-ID created.

[0079] As a function G, address reconciliation is performed against a database of actual postal addresses to which the specific carrier selected provides delivery services. As a function H, safe storage and maintenance of recipient address data (including recipient address information RAI, recipient address record identifications RAR-ID, recipient address records RAR etc.) is provided. As a function I, secure and reliable communication with the remote data centers 103, 108 is provided. Finally, as a function J, registration of the scanner device 104 with the data center 103 under a unique scanner identification S-ID before its operation is provided as well as deregistration of the scanner device 104 is provided, e.g. in case its operation is to be terminated.

[0080] In a step 110.5, according to the invention, the scanner device 104, generates a new recipient address record identification RAR-ID, which is unique among all other recipient address record identifications RAR-ID created in the system 101. To this end, in the present example, the unique recipient address record identification RAR-ID is generated using the unique scanner identification S-ID associated to the scanner device 104 and a local recipient address record identification LRAR-ID generated by the scanner device 104.

[0081] Furthermore, in step 110.5, the scanner device 104 electronically associates the recipient address record identification RAR-ID to the recipient address record RAR by including the recipient address record identification RAR-ID as a further well-defined component into the recipient address record RAR.

[0082] It will be appreciated that, once the recipient address record RAR was derived from the mail item 106, the data processing device 104.3 may perform a reconciliation step of the recipient address record RAR against a database of actual postal addresses to which the carrier selected to ship the mail item 106 provides delivery service. If this reconciliation step reveals that the selected carrier does not provide delivery services to the recipient address a corresponding error message may be displayed to the user of the mail processing arrangement 102. Otherwise, processing of the mail item may continue.

[0083] In a transmission step 110.6, the recipient address record RAR is electronically transmitted to the vendor data center 103 via a secure communication channel via a data network 109. Subsequently, at the data center 103, in a tracking step 110.7, the recipient address record RAR is used for generating an initial tracking message TMSG, which is then electronically forwarded in the tracking step 110.7 to a recipient electronic address REA contained in and/or associated to an item of addressee information included in the recipient address record RAR.

[0084] It will be appreciated that, in general, a recipient electronic address REA may be any type of electronic address allowing electronic transmission of messages to this recipient electronic address REA. Typically, recipient electronic addresses REA are email addresses or mobile phone numbers, etc. In the present example, a recipient electronic address REA used is an email address of the addressee of the mail item 106, such that the addressee may receive the initial tracking message TMSG at his personal computer 111 connected to the data network 109.

[0085] It will be appreciated that the recipient electronic address REA may be contained in the recipient address record RAR, such that it may be immediately retrieved from the recipient address record RAR and used for sending the initial tracking message TMSG.

[0086] In addition or as an alternative, the recipient electronic address REA may be stored at the vendor data center 103, in a recipient electronic address memory 103.3 connected to server 103.1 and may be identified by the server 103.1 using sufficiently detailed addressee information contained in the recipient address record RAR.

[0087] Setup of a database of recipient electronic addresses REA in the recipient electronic address memory 103.3 may ensue in any suitable way. For example, the recipient electronic address REA contained in a previously processed recipient address record RAR may be stored in a corresponding data base in the memory 103.3 in combination with the specific addressee information contained in the previously processed recipient address record RAR at the vendor data center 103. Hence, in case of later receipt of a new recipient address record RAR associated to the same addressee information, this stored recipient electronic addresses REA may again be identified (by means of the addressee information) and used for sending the initial tracking message TMSG.

[0088] It will be appreciated that, with further embodiments of the invention, potential addressees may register (e.g. online via personal computer 111 or at least partially offline) with the vendor data center 103 for this tracking service by (preferably electronically) notifying the vendor data center 103 of the appropriate recipient electronic addresses REA to be used for the initial tracking message TMSG and/or any subsequent (tracking) messages. Hence, preferably, in the tracking step 110.7, the recipient electronic address REA is retrieved from the recipient electronic address memory 103.3 of the data center 103. The recipient electronic address REA has been previously stored, in an addressee registration step (not shown in Figure 2), into the recipient electronic address memory 103.3 in response to a registration request message RRM received at the data center 103 from an addressee of mail items, the registration request message RRM including the recipient electronic address REA.

[0089] It will be appreciated that a combination of both ways for obtaining the recipient electronic address REA (i.e. from the recipient address record RAR or via a registration process of the addressee) may be used. In this variant, priority may be given to the recipient electronic address REA obtained in the addressee registration step in case of conflicting or mismatching recipient electronic addresses REA obtained via the recipient address record and the addressee registration step.

[0090] In the present example, the tracking message TMSG includes sender information SI representative of a sender of the mail item 106. Preferably, the tracking message TMSG also includes mail item information MII representative of the type (e.g. letter, parcel etc.) and/or content of the mail item 106.

[0091] Furthermore, in the present example, the tracking message TMSG includes delivery forecast information DFI, the delivery forecast information DFI including an indication of estimated delivery of the mail item 106 to the addressee of the mail item 106. The delivery forecast information DFI is generated, in the tracking step 110.7, at the data center 103 using a carrier identification information CII and delivery statistical data DSD. The carrier identification information CII, in the present example, is included in and, hence, associated to the recipient address record RAR and identifies a carrier shipping the mail item 106. The delivery statistical data DSD have been previously generated for the specific carrier and stored in a statistical data memory 103.4 of the vendor data center 103.

[0092] In the present example, the delivery forecast information DFI is provided on the basis of delivery statistical data DSD for individual carrier services, such as value added services (e.g. express delivery, etc.), that have been obtained or booked from this carrier for the actual mail item 106. To this end, the delivery forecast information DFI is generated using a carrier service information CSI associated to the recipient address record RAR (namely also included in the recipient address record RAR). The carrier service information CSI identifies a carrier service, in particular, a value added carrier service, which is used for shipping the actual mail item 106. In this case, obviously, the delivery statistical data DSD previously generated and stored in statistical data memory 103.4 are associated to the specific carrier service.

[0093] It will be appreciated that the delivery statistical data DSD stored in the statistical data memory 103.4, preferably, also consider the specific delivery path for the actual mail item 106 (i.e. for the delivery path from the actual sender of the mail item 106 to the addressee of the actual mail item 106).

[0094] To provide sufficiently precise and sophisticated statistical data, in the present example, the system 101 itself is designed as a self learning system which is adapted to collect and generate the required delivery statistical data DSD itself as will be explained in greater detail further below.

[0095] In the present example, in a carrier load forecast step of step 110.7, the vendor data center 103 further provides a carrier load forecast for the selected carrier of the mail item 106 such that the carrier may more precisely plan his transport capacities. To this end, in the carrier load forecast step of step 110.7, the recipient address record RAR for the specific mail item 106 is used by the vendor data center 103 for generating a carrier load forecast information CLFI representative of the number and/or weight of expected incoming mail items to be shipped to a recipient address area including the recipient address of the mail item 106.

[0096] The carrier load forecast information CLFI is then used to generate a carrier load forecast message CLFMSG which is then forwarded from the provider data center 103 to the remote carrier data center 108 of the carrier of the mail item 106.

[0097] It will be appreciated that this carrier load forecast message CLFMSG may be sent to the carrier data center 108 upon each incoming recipient address record RAR. With certain preferred embodiments of the invention, however, the vendor data center 103 may collect corresponding carrier load forecast information CLFI over certain period of time and then generate, and send a consolidated carrier load forecast message CLFMSG.

[0098] As can be seen from Figure 2, in a marking step 110.8, shipping information SI is generated at the mail processing arrangement 102 using at least part of the recipient address information RAI retrieved in step 110.4 from the mail item 106. In this marking step 110.8, the shipping information SI is then used for generating a human readable and/or machine readable mark 107.3 including a representation of at least part of the shipping information SI. The mark 107.3 is then applied, in the present example, in the form of a two-dimensional barcode to the mail item 106 by the printing device 105.2 of the franking machine 105.

[0099] It will be appreciated that, with other embodiments of the invention, a separate proprietary shipping mark or tracking mark of the same or different outlay (e.g. a one-dimensional barcode) may also be applied by the printing device 105.2 or a further printing device located alongside the transportation path of the substrate 107 and separate from the franking machine 105.

[0100] It will be appreciated that the postage to be paid for shipping the mail item 106 may be automatically calculated by the franking machine 105 on the basis of at least part of the recipient address information RAI and may be included as the shipping information SI in the mark 107.3. In this case, for example, the mark may 107.3 be a conventional franking imprint applied to the label 107 of the mail item 106. The shipping information may include evidence of postage payment, which may be provided in any suitable way, in particular, in logically secured form, e.g. by suitable cryptographic means, as it is known for conventional franking imprints.

[0101] In the present example, the shipping information SI includes associating information AI associating the shipping information SI of the mark 107.3 to the recipient address record RAR provided to the vendor data center 103. This may be achieved in any suitable way. Preferably, at least part of the recipient address record identification RAR-ID is included in the shipping information SI. This has the advantage that reading the mark 107.3 and subsequent retrieving the shipping information SI from the mark 107.3 allows identification of the appertaining recipient address record RAR transmitted to and stored in a recipient address record memory 103.5 of the vendor data center 103. This in turn provides access to further services, for example further tracking services, as will be outlined below.

[0102] It will be appreciated that, after completion of steps 110.6 and 110.8 (which may be executed in any desired temporal order), operation of the mail processing arrangement 102 jumps back to step 110.2 for processing potential further mail items.

[0103] In the shipping path of the mail item 106, however, at one or more shipping locations along the shipping path (such as the point of handover to the carrier, one or more shipping instances of the carrier, the point of handover to the addressee etc.) further scanner devices 112, 113 are arranged, which may be used for generating and sending further tracking information as will be explained in the following.

[0104] It will be appreciated that the general outlay and functionality of the further scanner devices 112, 113 basically corresponds to the outlay and functionality of the scanner device 104, such that reference is made in this respect to the explanations given above in the context of the scanner device 104.

[0105] Hence, as the mail item 106 is shipped along its shipping path, in a step 110.9, it is checked if mail item 106 is to be scanned using further scanner device 112 located at a shipping location, e.g. the point of handover of the mail item 106 to the carrier. If this is the case, in a shipping feedback step 110.10, the mark 107.3 of the mail item 106 is electronically read using the further scanner device 112 to retrieve the associating information AI.

[0106] The associating information AI is then used in the further scanner device 112 to generate a shipping feedback message SFMSG including at least part of the associating information AI and the shipping feedback message SFMSG is forwarded to the vendor data center 103 via the communication network 109 using a communication module of the further scanner device 112. It will be appreciated that, with certain embodiments of the invention, the shipping feedback message SFMSG may be initially forwarded to the carrier data center 108, which then forwards the shipping feedback message SFMSG (eventually after some modification) to the vendor data center 103.

[0107] The shipping feedback message SFMSG, more precisely, the associating information AI, is used at the data center 103 for identifying the recipient address record RAR appertaining to the mail item 103 and, subsequently, for retrieving the recipient electronic address REA of the addressee of the mail item 106 and/or a sender electronic address SEA of the sender of the mail item 106. Furthermore, in a further tracking step step 110.11, the vendor data center 103 generates a further tracking message FTMSG, which is then electronically forwarded to the recipient electronic address REA and/or to the sender electronic address SEA.

[0108] It will be appreciated that the sender electronic address SEA may have been obtained in the same manner and/or maybe of the same type as it has been explained above in the context of the recipient electronic address REA. In particular, the sender electronic address SEA may also be stored in the electronic address memory 103.3. Furthermore, it may also be an email address, such that the further tracking message FTMSG may be sent either to be made processing arrangement 102 or to a personal computer of the sender as it is indicated in Figure 1 by the dashed contour 114.

[0109] The further tracking message FTMSG, may be of the same or similar type and/or content as the initial tracking message TMSG as outlined above. In the present example, the further tracking message FTMSG includes further delivery forecast information FDFI including an indication of estimated delivery of the mail item 106 to the addressee. Content of the further delivery forecast information FDFI may be obtained in the same or similar way as outlined above for the initial delivery forecast information DFI, in particular on the basis of delivery statistical data DSD, such that reference is made to the explanations given above.

[0110] It will be appreciated that the further tracking message FTMSG and/or the underlying shipping feedback message SFMSG may be used by the vendor data center 103, in a statistics step of the further tracking step 110.11, for generating and updating delivery statistical data DSD stored in the statistics data memory 103.4. As mentioned, the delivery statistical data DSD preferably are associated to the carrier of the mail item and/or a carrier service, in particular, a value added carrier service, used for shipping the mail item 106. Hence, depending on the number of shipping locations where such shipping feedback messages SFMSG are generated, a correspondingly fine resolution of the delivery statistical data DSD stored in the statistics data memory 103.4 may be obtained leading to more precise delivery forecasts.

[0111] In a step 110.12, it is then checked if the mail item 106 is to be shipped onwards along its shipping path. If this is the case the method jumps back to step 110.9.

[0112] After eventually passing further shipping locations with further scanning devices 112, the mail item 106 is finally scanned (e.g. by an employee of the carrier) using a further scanner device 113 (e.g. a hand scanner) upon a delivery attempt of the mail item 106 at the doorstep of the addressee. In a delivery feedback step (eventually being an iteration of step 110.10), upon delivery and/or failure of delivery of the mail item 106 to its addressee, the mark 107.3 is electronically read using the further scanning 113 device to retrieve the associating information AI.

[0113] The associating information AI is then used by the further scanner device 113 to generate a delivery feedback message DFMSG including at least part of the associating information AI and an indication if delivery succeeded or failed. The delivery feedback message DFMSG is then forwarded by the scanner device 113 to the vendor data center 103 via the communication network 109.

[0114] At the vendor data center 103 the associating information AI of the delivery feedback message DFMSG, in an eventual iteration of step 110.11, is again used for identifying a sender electronic address SEA associated to a sender of the mail item 106, in the manner as it has been outlined above. The sender electronic address SEA is then used for generating and sending a delivery information message DIMSG to the sender electronic address SEA, the delivery information message DIMSG either representing a confirmation of delivery (in case the mail item was actually delivered) or a delivery failure notification (in case delivery failed). By this means, in a beneficial way, the sender of the mail item 106 may immediately be electronically notified of the delivery of the mail item 106 or of its failure.

[0115] As already mentioned above, in the present example, the delivery feedback message DFMSG, in a statistics step, is used at the vendor data center for generating or updating delivery statistical data DSD stored at the statistics data memory 103.4. Preferably, the delivery statistical data DSD are associated to a carrier of the mail item and/or a carrier service, in particular, a value added carrier service, used for shipping the mail item 106.

[0116] Here again, the use of associating information AI associating the shipping information SI of the mark 107.3 to the recipient address record RAR for the mail item 106 (stored in the recipient address record memory 103.5) allows easy and immediate generation of delivery statistical data DSD, since typically the recipient address record RAR or associated data stored at the data center 103 (such as previous shipping feedback messages SFMSG) contains an indication of the time of handover of the mail item 106 to the carrier, while the delivery feedback message DFMSG contains an indication of the time of handover of the mail item 106 to the addressee.

[0117] If it is determined in step 110.12 that shipping of the mail item 106 is terminated, the method jumps to step 110.13 wherein it is checked if the method is to be stopped. If this is the case, the method is stopped in a step 110.14. Otherwise, the method jumps back to step 110.2

[0118] In the present example, the delivery feedback message DFMSG, at the vendor data center 103 is used for updating a recipient address database. The recipient address database has been previously established using the recipient address record RAR of the mail item 106. Hence, for example, if delivery of the mail item 106 succeeded, the recipient address record RAR may be electronically marked accordingly as related to a valid recipient address, whereas in case of delivery failure (due to false address information), the recipient address record RAR may be electronically marked accordingly as related to an invalid recipient address. This information may then, for example, be used for address hygiene actions taken at the vendor data center 103 for new incoming recipient address records RAR.

[0119] It will be appreciated that, with other embodiments of the invention, the data center 103 as outlined above may also be operated by the carrier of the mail item 103 himself. However, in particular in an environment with more than one carrier shipping mail items, the data center 103 is a provider data center of a service provider, and the feedback messages SFMSG, DFMSG generated along the shipping path are forwarded to the provider data center 103 via the remote carrier data center 108 of the carrier of the mail item 106.

[0120] In this configuration, the service provider infrastructure (i.e. the data center 103) takes over as much as efficiently possible of the tracking, feedback and forecast functionality as described above. Preferably, the provider infrastructure performs as many functions as possible in a centralized way to rationalize the operation and maintenance (e.g. updating underlying reference databases of valid postal addresses, etc.) of these functions.

[0121] The present invention was described in the foregoing using an example wherein the mail item 106 had been scanned by the scanner unit 104.1 prior to applying the mark 107.3 to the mail item 106. It will be appreciated, however, that with other embodiments of the invention, the scanning unit 104.1 may also be located downstream of the printing device 105.2.

[0122] It will be appreciated that the vendor or provider data center 103 augments its database of recipient address records RAR by information about the delivery status of the respective appertaining mail item 106. The data center 103 may request delivery status information from the carrier data center 108 and stores received status information in its database containing the recipient address records RAR.

[0123] It will be appreciated that, with certain embodiments of the invention, the delivery status information may be linked to the corresponding recipient address record RAR in its database in one of the following ways

[0124] The printing device 105.2 may embed the recipient address record identification RAR-ID of each mail item in the respective mark 107.3, such that the scanner device is 112, 113 (i.e. the carrier's infrastructure) picks up the recipient address record identification RAR-ID from the mark 107.3 and provides a corresponding information service such that the provider data center 103 can look-up the delivery status information of a mail piece by requesting corresponding information using the recipient address record identification RAR-ID.

[0125] In an alternative approach, the printing device 105.2 embeds a tracking number TN within the mark 107.3 of a mail piece 106, such that the tracking number TN is provided by the carrier or it is chosen by the printing device 105.2 from a range of tracking numbers TN provided by the carrier. Every time the recipient address scanner provides an RAR-ID to the printing device 105.2, the printing device 105.2 responds with the corresponding tracking number TN chosen for that mail piece 106. The scanner device 104, then associates the tracking number TN to the respective recipient address record RAR and its recipient address record identification RAR-ID, such that the provider data center 103 can later look-up the delivery status information by requesting the respective tracking number TN.

[0126] It will be appreciated that the augmented database of the recipient address records RAR may also be used for profiling the level of delivery service of a given carrier throughout certain periods of time, or geographical regions, etc.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving and processing recipient address information from a mail item comprising

- in a scanning step (110.4), retrieving recipient address information (RAI) by scanning a recipient address representation applied to a part of a mail item (106) to be shipped using a scanner device (104), and,

- in a recipient address record generating step, generating a recipient address record (RAR) using said recipient address information (RAI);
characterized by,

- in said recipient address record generating step (110.5), generating a unique recipient address record identification (RAR-ID) associated to said recipient address record (RAR) and electronically associating said recipient address record identification (RAR-ID) to said recipient address record (RAR), in particular including said recipient address record identification (RAR-ID) into said recipient address record (RAR).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein,

- in a transmission step (110.6), said recipient address record (RAR) is electronically transmitted to a remote data center via a communication channel,

- in a tracking step (110.7), said recipient address record (RAR), at said data center (103), is used for generating a tracking message (TMSG), and

- in said tracking step, said tracking message (TMSG) is electronically forwarded to a recipient electronic address (REA) contained in and/or associated to an item of addressee information included in said recipient address record (RAR);

- said tracking message (TMSG), in particular including sender information (SI) representative of a sender of said mail item (106) and/or mail item (106) information (MII) representative of a type and/or content of said mail item (106).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein,

- in said tracking step, said recipient electronic address (REA) is retrieved from a recipient electronic address memory of said data center (103);

- said recipient electronic address (REA) being previously stored, in a registration step, into said recipient electronic address memory in response to a registration request message (RRM) received at said data center (103) from an addressee of mail items, said registration request message (RRM) including said recipient electronic address (REA).

4. The method according to one of claims 2 to 3, wherein

- said tracking message (TMSG) includes delivery forecast information (DFI);

- said delivery forecast information (DFI) including an indication of estimated delivery of said mail item (106) to an addressee of said mail item (106);

- said delivery forecast information (DFI), in said tracking step, being generated, in particular at said data base, using a carrier identification information (CII) and delivery statistical data (DSD), said carrier identification information (CII) being associated to said recipient address record (RAR), in particular included in said recipient address record (RAR), and identifying a carrier shipping said mail item (106), said delivery statistical data (DSD) being previously generated and associated to said carrier;

- said delivery forecast information (DFI), in particular, being generated, using a carrier service information (CSI), said carrier service information being associated to said recipient address record (RAR), in particular included in said recipient address record (RAR), and identifying a carrier service, in particular, a value added carrier service, used for shipping said mail item (106), said delivery statistical data (DSD) being previously generated and associated to said carrier service;

- said delivery statistical data (DSD), in particular, being previously generated, in at least one statistics step, using delivery feedback data generated upon delivery of a previous mail item (106) by said carrier to a previous addressee, in particular, upon delivery of a previous mail item (106) by said carrier to said addressee;

- said delivery statistical data (DSD), in particular, being previously generated, in at least one statistics step, using delivery feedback data being generated upon delivery of said previous mail item (106) and using a previous recipient address record (PRAR) associated to said previous mail item (106).

5. The method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein,

- in a marking step, shipping information (SI) is generated using at least part of said recipient address information (RAI), and

- in said marking step, said shipping information (SI) is used for generating a human readable and/or machine readable mark (107.3) including a representation of at least part of said shipping information (SI) and applying said mark (107.3) to said mail item (106);

- said mark, in particular, being a franking imprint applied to a part of said mail item (106) by a franking machine (105);

- at least part of said recipient address information (RAI), in particular, being used for calculating postage due for shipping said mail item (106);

- said shipping information, in particular, including evidence of postage payment;

- said shipping information, in particular, including associating information (AI) associating said shipping information to said recipient address record (RAR), in particular, including at least part of said recipient address record identification (RAR-ID).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein,

- in a shipping feedback step, during shipping said mail item (106), at a shipping location along a shipping path of said mail item (106), said mark is electronically read using a further scanning device (112, 113) to retrieve said associating information (AI);

- said associating information (AI), at said shipping location, being used to generate a shipping feedback message (SFMSG) including at least part of said associating information (AI), said shipping feedback message (SFMSG) being forwarded to said data center (103),

- said shipping feedback message (SFMSG), at said data center (103), is used for identifying said recipient electronic address (REA) and/or a sender electronic address (SEA) and for generating a further tracking message (FTMSG), and

- said further tracking message (FTMSG) is electronically forwarded to said recipient electronic address (REA) and/or to a sender electronic address (SEA);

- said further tracking message (FTMSG), in particular, including further delivery forecast information (FDFI) including an indication of estimated delivery of said mail item (106) to an addressee of said mail item (106).

7. The method according to one of claims 5 to 6, wherein,

- in a delivery feedback step, upon delivery and/or failure of delivery of said mail item (106) to its addressee, said mark (107.3) is electronically read using a further scanning device to retrieve said associating information (AI);

- said associating information (AI) being used to generate a delivery feedback message (DFMSG) including at least part of said associating information (AI), said delivery feedback message (DFMSG) being forwarded to said data center (103),

- said delivery feedback message (DFMSG), at said data center (103), being used for identifying a sender electronic address (SEA) associated to a sender of said mail item (106) and for generating and sending a delivery information message (DIMSG) to said sender electronic address (SEA), said delivery information message (DIMSG) either representing a confirmation of delivery or a delivery failure notification,
and/or

- said delivery feedback message (DFMSG), in a statistics step, at said data center (103), being used for generating delivery statistical data (DSD), said delivery statistical data (DSD), in particular, being associated to a carrier of said mail item (106) and/or a carrier service, in particular, a value added carrier service, used for shipping said mail item (106),
and/or

- said delivery feedback message (DFMSG), at said data center (103), being used for updating a recipient address database, said recipient address database having been previously established, in particular using said recipient address record (RAR).

8. The method according to one of claims 5 to 7, wherein,

- said data center (103) is a provider data center of a service provider, and

- said feedback message (SFMSG, DFMSG) is forwarded to said provider data center (103) via a remote carrier data center (108) of said carrier of said mail item (106).

9. The method according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein,

- in a transmission step (110.6), said recipient address record (RAR) is electronically transmitted to a remote data center (103) via a communication channel, and

- in a carrier load forecast step, said recipient address record (RAR), at said data center (103), is used for generating a carrier load forecast information (CLFI) representative of the number and/or weight of expected incoming mail items to be shipped to a recipient address area including said recipient address;

- said data center (103), in particular, being a provider data center (103) of a service provider, and said carrier load forecast information (CLFI) being used to generate a carrier load forecast message (CLFMSG), said carrier load forecast message (CLFMSG) being forwarded from said provider data center (103) to a remote carrier data center (108) of said carrier of said mail item (106).

10. The method according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein,

- said unique recipient address record identification (RAR-ID) is generated using a unique scanner identification (S-ID) associated to said scanner device (104) and a local recipient address record identification (LRAR-ID) generated by said scanner device (104);

- said local recipient address record identification (LRAR-ID) being generated using a steadily increasing recipient address record serial number (RAR-SN) and/or a recipient address record time information (RAR-TI) representative of a time of generation of said recipient address record (RAR).

11. A data processing system for processing shipping information related to a mail item (106), in particular adapted to execute the method according to one of claims 1 to 10, comprising,

- a scanner device (104) and a remote data center (103) adapted to be connected via a communication channel;

- said scanner device (104), in a scanning step (110.4), retrieving recipient address information (RAI) by scanning a recipient address representation applied to a part of said mail item (106) to be shipped, and,

- said scanner device (104), in a recipient address record generating step (110.5), generating a recipient address record (RAR) using said recipient address information (RAI);
characterized in that,

- said scanner device (104) is adapted to generate, in said recipient address record generating step (110.5), a unique recipient address record identification (RAR-ID) associated to said recipient address record (RAR) and to electronically associate said recipient address record identification (RAR-ID) to said recipient address record (RAR), in particular to include said recipient address record identification (RAR-ID) into said recipient address record (RAR).

12. The data processing system according to claim 11, wherein,

- said scanner device (104) is adapted to electronically transmit, in a transmission step (110.6), said recipient address record (RAR) to said remote data center (103) via said communication channel,

- said data center (103) is adapted to use, in a tracking step (110.7), said recipient address record (RAR) for generating a tracking message (TMSG), and to electronically forward, in said tracking step, said tracking message (TMSG) to a recipient electronic address (REA) stored in a recipient electronic address memory of said data center (103) and associated to an item of addressee information included in said recipient address record (RAR);

- said tracking message (TMSG), in particular, including sender information (SI) representative of a sender of said mail item (106) and/or mail item information (MII) representative of a type and/or content of said mail item (106);

- said tracking message (TMSG), in particular, including delivery forecast information (DFI) representative of an indication of estimated delivery of said mail item (106) to an addressee of said mail item (106);

13. The data processing system according to one of claims 11 to 12, wherein,

- a marking device (105.2) is provided;

- said marking device being adapted to generate, in a marking step, shipping information (SI) using at least part of said recipient address information (RAI), and to use said shipping information (SI) for generating a human readable and/or machine readable mark (107.3) including a representation of at least part of said shipping information (SI) and to apply said mark (107.3) to said mail item (106);

- said marking device (105.2), in particular, being a franking machine (105) adapted to apply said mark (107.3) to a part of said mail item (106);

- said marking device, in particular, being adapted to use at least part of said recipient address information (RAI) for calculating postage due for shipping said mail item (106);

- said shipping information, in particular, including evidence of postage payment;

- said shipping information, in particular, including associating information (AI) associating said shipping information to said recipient address record (RAR), in particular, including at least part of said recipient address record identification (RAR-ID).

14. The data processing system according to claim 13, wherein,

- a further scanning device (112, 113) is provided at a shipping location along a shipping path of said mail item (106);

- said further scanning device (112, 113) being adapted to electronically read, in a shipping feedback step, said mark (107.3) to retrieve said associating information (AI) and to use said associating information (AI) to generate a shipping feedback message (SFMSG) including at least part of said associating information (AI), and to forward said shipping feedback message (SFMSG) to said data center (103),

- said data center (103) being adapted to use said shipping feedback message (SFMSG) for identifying said recipient electronic address (REA) and/or a sender electronic address (SEA) and for generating a further tracking message (FTMSG), and to electronically forward said further tracking message (FTMSG) to said recipient electronic address (REA) and/or to a sender electronic address (SEA), said further tracking message (FTMSG), in particular, including further delivery forecast information (FDFI) including an indication of estimated delivery of said mail item (106) to an addressee of said mail item (106);

- said further scanning device (112, 113), in particular, being adapted to electronically read said mark (107.3) and to retrieve said associating information (AI), said further scanning device being adapted to use, in a delivery feedback step, upon delivery and/or failure of delivery of said mail item (106) to its addressee, said associating information (AI) to generate a delivery feedback message (DFMSG) including at least part of said associating information (AI), and to forward said delivery feedback message (DFMSG) to said data center (103),

- said data center (103), in particular, being adapted to use said delivery feedback message (DFMSG) for identifying a sender electronic address (SEA) associated to a sender of said mail item (106) and to generate and send a delivery information message (DIMSG) to said sender electronic address (SEA), said delivery information message (DIMSG) either representing a confirmation of delivery or a delivery failure notification,
and/or

- said data center (103), in particular, being adapted to use said delivery feedback message (DFMSG), in a statistics step, for generating delivery statistical data (DSD), said delivery statistical data (DSD), in particular, being associated to a carrier of said mail item (106) and/or a carrier service, in particular, a value added carrier service, used for shipping said mail item (106),
and/or

- said data center (103), in particular, being adapted to use said delivery feedback message (DFMSG) for updating a recipient address database, said recipient address database having been previously established, in particular using said recipient address record (RAR),
and/or

- said data center (103) is a provider data center of a service provider, and said feedback message (SFMSG, DFMSG) is forwarded to said provider data center (103) via a remote carrier data center (108) of said carrier of said mail item (106).

15. The data processing system according to one of claims 11 to 14, wherein,

- said scanner device (104) is adapted to electronically transmit, in a transmission step (110.6), said recipient address record (RAR) to said remote data center (103) via a communication channel, and

- said remote data center (103) is adapted to use, in a carrier load forecast step, said recipient address record (RAR) for generating a carrier load forecast information (CLFI) representative of the number and/or weight of expected incoming mail items to be shipped to a recipient address area including said recipient address;

- said data center (103), in particular, being a provider data center of a service provider, and said carrier load forecast information (CLFI) being used to generate a carrier load forecast message (CLFMSG), said carrier load forecast message (CLFMSG) being forwarded from said provider data center (103) to a remote carrier data center (108) of said carrier of said mail item (106).

16. A computer readable medium comprising program code adapted to control execution of at least a part of the method according to one of claims 1 to 10.

Drawing