Intelligent barcode systems

Abstract

Systems and methods using intelligent barcodes for processing mail, packages, or other items in transport are provided. Systems and methods allowing end-to-end visibility of a mail stream by uniquely identifying and tracking mail pieces are also provided. Systems and methods include the use of standardized intelligent barcodes on mail pieces, a seamless process for mail acceptance, continuous mail piece tracking, and feedback on mail quality in real time. In one embodiment, systems and methods using intelligent barcodes allow a mailing service to provide enhanced acceptance, sorting, tracking, address correction, forwarding, and delivery services. In another embodiment, systems and methods using intelligent barcodes allow a mailing service to identify a mail piece as undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) and determine a final disposition for the mail piece. In yet another embodiment, systems and methods using intelligent barcodes allow mailers more visibility into the mail stream and information on the quality of their mailings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computerized method comprising:
 sorting mail, wherein sorting mail for a mail piece comprises:
 reading an encoded value located on the mail piece; 
 decoding the encoded value to determine an identification of a class of the mail piece and an identification of a service type of the mail piece; and 
 performing the following operation in response to determining that the mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece:
 determining a final disposition of the mail piece using at least one of the identification of the class of the mail piece or the identification of the service type of the mail piece derived from the encoded value. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The computerized method of  claim 1 , wherein decoding the encoded value comprising decoding the encoded value to determine an identification of a recipient of the mail piece, wherein performing the following operation comprises:
 retrieving a name of the recipient of the mail piece using the identification of the recipient of the mail piece from the encoded value; and   confirming that the mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece, using the name of the recipient of the mail piece.   
     
     
         3 . The computerized method of  claim 2 , wherein decoding the encoded value comprising decoding the encoded value to determine an identification of a delivery point for the mail piece and an identification of a recipient of the mail piece, wherein determining that the mail piece is an undeliverable as addressed comprises determining whether the mail piece is undeliverable as addressed using the identification of the delivery point for the mail piece and the identification of the recipient of the mail piece from the encoded value. 
     
     
         4 . The computerized method of  claim 3 , wherein retrieving the name of the recipient of the mail piece comprises performing a lookup into a database of names of recipients of the mail pieces using the identification and return address of the sender of the mail piece and the identification of the recipient of the mail piece. 
     
     
         5 . The computerized method of  claim 4 , wherein the database is stored in a machine-readable medium that is remote relative to where operations of the computerized method occur. 
     
     
         6 . The computerized method of  claim 5 , wherein the machine-readable medium is under the control of the sender of the mail piece. 
     
     
         7 . The computerized method of  claim 4 , wherein the names of the recipients stored in the database are encrypted, wherein retrieving the name of the recipient of the mail piece comprises decrypting the name of the recipient of the mail piece prior to confirming that the mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece. 
     
     
         8 . The computerized method of  claim 1 , wherein the final disposition of the mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed comprises at least one returning the mail piece to a sender of the mail piece, forwarding the mail piece to a different address, and treating the mail piece as waste. 
     
     
         9 . The computerized method of  claim 1  further comprising performing the following operation in response to determining that the mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece:
 transmitting, to a mailer of the mail piece, at least one of the encoded value of the mail piece, a destination address for the mail piece, a name of a recipient for the mail piece, a delivery point bar code for the mail piece, a final disposition of the mail piece, a new destination address for the mail piece or a new destination delivery point bar code. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computerized method of  claim 1 , wherein sorting the mail comprising sorting mail for a number of mail pieces, the computerized method further comprising
 sorting the number of mail pieces;   storing, for the number of mail pieces that are sorted and by identification of mailers of the number of mail pieces, in a machine-readable medium, data for the number of mail pieces that includes the encoded value, the identification of the class of mail piece and the identification of the service type of the mail piece, wherein the data for the number of mail pieces is accessible from the machine-readable medium using the encoded value, wherein the data stored in the machine-readable medium is accessible by a mail sorter at a mail sorting facility; and   updating, by mailers of the number of mail pieces, of the data for the number of mail pieces stored in the machine-readable medium.   
     
     
         11 . The computerized method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 retrieving the data for mail piece from the machine-readable medium;   performing final disposition of the mail piece using the data for the mail piece retrieved from the machine-readable medium; and   sorting the mail piece based on the final disposition of the mail piece.   
     
     
         12 . The computerized method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing the following operation in response to determining that the mail piece is a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece:
 attaching the identification of the class of the mail piece and the identification of the service type of the mail piece that are derived from decoding of the encoded value, in response to a determination that the mail piece can not be confirmed as an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece.   
     
     
         13 . The computerized method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing the following operation in response to determining that the mail piece is undeliverable as addressed:
 attaching the identification of the class of the mail piece and the identification of the service type of the mail piece that are derived from decoding of the encoded value, in response to a determination that final disposition cannot be performed on the mail piece.   
     
     
         14 . A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform operations comprising:
 sorting mail, wherein sorting mail for a mail piece comprises:
 reading an encoded value located on the mail piece; 
 decoding the encoded value to determine an identification of a sender of the mail piece, an identification of a recipient of the mail piece, an identification of a class of the mail piece and an identification of any endorsements of the mail piece; and 
 determining whether the mail piece is a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece using the identification of the recipient of the mail piece within the encoded value and an identification of a delivery point for the mail piece; 
 performing the following operations in response to determining that the mail piece is a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece:
 retrieving a name of the recipient of the mail piece using the identification of the recipient of the mail piece within the encoded value; 
 retrieving a return address of the sender of the mail piece using the identification of the sender of the mail piece within the encoded value; 
 confirming that the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece, using the name of the recipient of the mail piece; and 
 determining final disposition of the mail piece using at least one of the identification of the class of the mail piece within the encoded value or the identification of any endorsements of the mail piece from the encoded value. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein retrieving the name of the recipient of the mail piece comprises performing a lookup into a database of names of recipients of the mail pieces using the identification of the sender of the mail piece and the identification of the recipient of the mail piece. 
     
     
         16 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the database is stored in a machine-readable medium that is remote relative to where operations of the computerized method occur. 
     
     
         17 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the machine-readable medium is under the control of the sender of the mail piece. 
     
     
         18 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the names of the recipients stored in the database are encrypted, wherein retrieving the name of the recipient of the mail piece comprises decrypting the name of the recipient of the mail piece prior to confirming that the candidate undeliverable as address mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece. 
     
     
         19 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein retrieving the return address of the mail piece comprises performing a lookup into a database of return addresses of senders of the mail pieces using the identification of the sender of the mail piece. 
     
     
         20 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein operations for sorting the mail are executed by at least one of a letter mail sorter, a mixed mail sorter, a flat mail sorter or a parcel mail sorter. 
     
     
         21 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein operations for sorting the mail are executed in a single pass mail sort operation. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus comprising:
 a database to store a number of entries, wherein each of the number of entries include a name of a recipient of mail and an identification associated with the name of the recipient; and   a mail sorter to read an encoded value located on a candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece, the encoded value comprising an identification for the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece, an identification of a class of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece and an identification of any endorsements of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece,   wherein the mail sorter is to retrieve, from the database, a name of recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece from an entry of the number of entries that includes the identification for the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece,   wherein the mail sorter is to confirm that the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece, using the name of the recipient of the candidate undeliverable as addressed mail piece, and   wherein the mail sorter is to determine final disposition of the confirmed undeliverable as addressed mail piece using at least one of the identification of the class within the encoded value or the identification of any endorsements within the encoded value.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the mail sorter comprises at least one of a letter mail sorter, a mixed mail sorter, a flat mail sorter or a parcel mail sorter. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the number of entries in the database are encrypted, wherein mail sorter is to decrypt the name of the recipient of the mail piece prior to confirmation that the candidate undeliverable as address mail piece is an actual undeliverable as addressed mail piece. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the mail sorter is to read the encoded value, to retrieve the name of the recipient, to confirm and to determine final disposition in a single pass mail sort operation. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the final disposition of the mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed comprises at least one returning the mail piece to a sender of the mail piece, forwarding the mail piece to a different address, and treating the mail piece as waste.