Mailpiece reject processing and labeling

Abstract

Improvements are disclosed for further processing of a mail piece initially rejected from an automatic sorting machine. Supplemental automated processes are applied to read a bar code from the front of the piece, or read an ID Tag from the back of the piece. New labels can be applied to the front and or back sides of the piece automatically. Newly resolved address information can be applied the piece, following which it preferably is returned into the main sorting stream so that manual sorting is reduced, resulting in cost savings.

1 . A method for processing a mail piece rejected from an automatic sorting machine, the reject processing method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a mail piece rejected from an automatic sorting machine;   attempting to resolve a POSTNET barcode affixed on a front side of the received mail piece through a first automated recognition process;   if the barcode is not resolvable by the first automated recognition process, attempting to resolve an ID Tag affixed to a back side of the mail piece;   if the ID Tag is resolvable, determining whether or not ID Tag data that corresponds to the resolved ID Tag is available;   if ID Tag data that corresponds to the resolved ID Tag is available, acquiring the ID Tag data to obtain a resolved address; and   sorting the mail piece in accordance with the resolved address.   
   
   
       2 . A reject processing method according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 if the barcode is resolvable, sorting the mail piece using the resolved barcode;   if the barcode is not resolvable, but ID Tag data is resolvable and ID Tag data is available, then, loading ID Tag Data representing resolved address, and sorting using the ID Tag Data; and   if barcode is not resolvable, and ID Tag data is not resolvable or corresponding address data is not available, acquiring a new image of at least one side of the mail piece and   if a destination address is now resolvable from the new image, placing a new label in POSTNET clear zone, and then printing a machine readable indicia in the new POSTNET Clear Zone, the indicia reflecting the resolved address, and then   returning the mail piece for processing by an automated delivery bar code sorter, whereby the mail piece can avoid manual sorting.   
   
   
       3 . A reject processing method according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 if the ID Tag is not resolvable,   attempting to read a destination address of the mail piece on a reject encoding machine;   if an address is resolvable, placing a new label in a POSTNET clear zone, printing machine-readable indicia on the new label, the indicia encoding data that corresponds to the resolved address, and then   returning the mail piece for processing by an automated delivery bar code sorter, whereby the mail piece can avoid manual sorting.