Method for sorting residual letters and flats to carrier route segments using two passes on a machine with intermediate staging
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsScott R. Bombaugh, Thomas J. Foti, David E. Loyd, Sarvang D. Shah
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of a system and method for sorting and delivering articles in a processing facility. Delivery endpoints are divided and grouped into stop groups. A first sorter sorts items according to stop group and outputs the items to trays. The output trays from the first sorter are loaded to a second sorter. The second sorter sorts items for each stop group into trays based on carrier route segments. A manifest is created that comprises a list of the items in a tray. A mobile computing device alerts a delivery carrier when there is an item that needs to be delivered.
Claims15
A system for sorting and delivering items comprising:
- a sorter comprising:
- a first scanner configured to scan a plurality items and identify a destination for each of the plurality of items;
- a processor in communication with the first scanner, and configured to associate the identified destination for each of the plurality of items with one of a plurality of stop groups;
- a sorting portion configured to receive items from the scanner, and sort the plurality of items into a plurality of bins according to the associated stop groups, wherein the plurality of items in at least one bin of the plurality of bins forms a stack of items;
- and
- a sorter memory configured to store the location of the plurality of items in the plurality of bins;
- and
- a server memory storing a manifest for the stack of items, the manifest comprising:
- a sequenced list of the destinations for each of the plurality of items in the stack;
- item position information including a relative position within the stack of each of the plurality of items in the stack;
- and
- delivery information for each of the plurality of items in the stack;
- wherein the server memory is in communication with a mobile delivery device configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the manifest;
- determine, based on a geographic location of the mobile delivery device, that an item associated with the geographic location of the mobile delivery device is in the stack of items;
- and
- provide, based on the item position information, a notification of the relative position within the stack of the item associated with the geographic location of the mobile delivery device.
A system for sorting and delivering items comprising:
- a sorter comprising:
- a first scanner configured to scan a plurality items and identify a destination for each of the plurality of items;
- a processor in communication with the first scanner, and configured to associate the identified destination for each of the plurality of items with one of a plurality of stop groups;
- a sorting portion configured to receive items from the scanner, and sort the plurality of items into a plurality of bins according to the associated stop groups, wherein the plurality of items in at least one bin of the plurality of bins forms a stack of items;
- a first memory configured to store the location of the plurality of items in the plurality of bins;
- a manifest stored in a second memory remote from the sorter, the manifest comprising a sequenced list of the destinations for each of the plurality of items in the stack, a relative position within the stack of each of the plurality of items in the stack, and delivery information for each of the plurality of items in the stack;
- and
- a mobile delivery device in communication with the second memory, the mobile delivery device configured to:
- receive at least a portion of the manifest;
- determine a geographic location of the mobile delivery device;
- determine that an item associated with the geographic location of the mobile delivery device is in the stack of items;
- and
- provide, based on the portion of the manifest, a notification of the relative position within the stack of the item associated with the geographic location of the mobile delivery device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.