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US 2017/0320101 A1Published application
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.
Claims10
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 the for each of the plurality of items with one of a plurality of stop groups;
- and
- 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;
- and
- a memory configured to store the location of the plurality of items in the plurality of bins.
4 more elements
A method of sorting and delivering items comprising;
- assigning, in a processor, a plurality of delivery end points to a plurality of stop groups;
- sorting the plurality of items on a sorting apparatus according to the assigned stop groups;
- moving the sorted items into one or more trays according to the stop groups;
- storing an association between the sorted items and the tray in which the sorted items are stored;
- moving the one or more trays into a storage location;
- and
- storing a location identifier for the one or more trays corresponding to a location of the one or more trays within the storage location;
- selecting one of the one or more trays according to a stop group order based on the stored association between the sorted items and the tray in which the sorted items are stored;
- loading the items from the selected one or more trays into a second sorting apparatus;
- sorting the items corresponding to a first one of the plurality of stop groups into a first selected bin of a plurality of bins and the items corresponding to a second one of the one or more stop groups into a second selected bin of a the plurality of bins;
- storing an association between the sorted items and the bin in which the sorted items are sorted;
- determining a location of a mobile computing device;
- determining a selected item from the sorted items needs to be delivered;
- and
- displaying an alert on the mobile computing device that the selected item needs to be delivered.
12 more elements
A system of sorting and delivering items comprising;
- means for assigning a plurality of delivery end points to a plurality of stop groups;
- means for sorting the plurality of items on a sorting apparatus according to the assigned stop groups;
- means for moving the sorted items into one or more trays according to the stop groups;
- means for storing an association between the sorted items and the tray in which the sorted items are stored;
- means for moving the one or more trays into a storage location;
- and
- means for storing a location identifier for the one or more trays corresponding to a location of the one or more trays within the storage location selecting one of the one or more trays according to a stop group order based on the stored association between the sorted items and the tray in which the sorted items are stored;
- means for loading the items from the selected one or more trays into a second sorting apparatus;
- means for sorting the items corresponding to a first one of the plurality of stop groups into a first selected bin of a plurality of bins and the items corresponding to a second one of the one or more stop groups into a second selected bin of a the plurality of bins;
- means for storing an association between the sorted items and the bin in which the sorted items are sorted;
- means for determining a location of a mobile computing device;
- means for determining a selected item from the sorted items needs to be delivered;
- and
- means for displaying an alert on the mobile computing device that the selected item needs to be delivered.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.