Systems and methods for mailstream postage preservation
AssigneeDMT Solutions Global Corporation
InventorsEddy Edel, Gregory P. Skinger, Andrew Bruce
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Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for preserving postage discounts in a mailstream location, reprinting removed mailsheets, and returning mailpieces to their originally intended location. Because the sequence of the mailstream is restored, postage discounts based on print stream location are preserved and the correct mailsheets are grouped together to qualify for the postage discount. Advantageously, restoring the sequence of the mailstream in place is more efficient than through a secondary workflow.
Claims29
A method for preserving postage discounts in a mailstream, the method comprising:
- obtaining a plurality of sequentially ordered printed mailsheets in a mailstream, wherein each mailsheet in the plurality has an identifier of its order within the mailstream;
- removing one or more mailsheets from the mailstream;
- using the identifier of the one or more removed mailsheets to identify the mailsheets and their order within the mailstream;
- reprinting the one or more mailsheets removed from the mailstream;
- and
- returning the reprinted one or more mailsheets to their order within the mailstream, wherein returning a reprinted mailsheet to its order within the mailstream preserves the available postage discount for the mailsheet.
A method for preserving postage discounts in a mailstream, the method comprising:
- obtaining a plurality of sequentially ordered printed mailsheets in a moving mailstream, wherein each mailsheet in the plurality has an identifier of its order within the mailstream;
- identifying one or more mailsheets containing errors;
- removing mailsheets from the mailstream, wherein at least some of the removed mailsheets contain errors;
- placing the movement of the mailstream on standby;
- using the identifier of the one or more removed mailsheets to identify the mailsheets with errors and their order within the mailstream;
- reprinting the mailsheets removed from the mailstream;
- returning the reprinted mailsheets to their order within the mailstream, wherein returning a mailsheet to its order within the mailstream preserves the available postage discount for the mailsheet;
- and
- placing the movement of the mailstream off of standby.
A system for preserving postage discounts in a mailstream, the system comprising:
- a mailstream comprising a plurality of sequentially ordered printed mailsheets, wherein each mailsheet in the plurality has an identifier of its order within the mailstream;
- a divert gate for diverting one or more mailsheets from the mailstream, wherein at least some of the diverted mailsheets contain errors;
- a scanner for identifying mailsheets in the divert gate containing errors and their order within the mailstream;
- and
- a printer for reprinting mailsheets diverted from the mailstream and to then be returned to their order within the mailstream to thereby preserve the available postage discount for the mailsheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.