Systems and methods for sorting residual items
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsScott R. Bombaugh, Thomas J. Foti, David E. Loyd, Sarvang D. Shah
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims14
A system for sorting and delivering items comprising:
- a processor configured to receive a manifest comprising item information for sorting a plurality of items;
- and
- one or more sorters configured to:
- receive the plurality of items;
- classify the plurality of items into a first set of items and a second set of items based on the item information;
- sort the first set of items into a first set of one or more containers based on the item information in the manifest;
- cause a smart card to be printed based on the sorting of the first set of items into the first set of one or more containers, wherein the smart card has printed thereon delivery information for a delivery carrier, the delivery information identifying individual items of the first set of items;
- and
- sort the smart card and the second set of items into a second set of one or more containers based on the item information.
A method of sorting items, the method comprising, by one or more processors and one or more sorters:
- receiving a manifest comprising item information for sorting a plurality of items;
- classifying the plurality of items into a first set of items and a second set of items based on the item information;
- sorting the first set of items into a first set of one or more containers based on the item information in the manifest;
- causing a smart card to be printed based on the sorting of the first set of items into the first set of one or more containers, wherein the smart card has printed thereon delivery information for a delivery carrier, the delivery information identifying individual items of the first set of items;
- and
- sorting the smart card and the second set of items into a second set of one or more containers based on the item information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.