Insertion machine with postage categorization and selective merchandising

A method of operating an insertion machine of the type in which a plurality of feed stations feed items onto an insertion track, said plurality of feed stations including a control feed station from which a master control item is fed onto said track and further feed stations from which items are selectively fed in accordance with indicia on said master control item onto said track for inclusion with a group including said master control item, wherein the improvement comprises:

• reading said indicia;
• designating whether at least one of said feed stations is a required feed station from which items must be fed if said indicia so indicates or an optional feed station from which items may conditionally be fed;
• determining from said indicia on said master control item the particular further feed stations from which required items are to be fed onto said insertion track for inclusion with said group including said master control item;
• using values indicative of the per item weight of items held in said control feed station and said feed stations from which it is required that items be fed to obtain a calculated total weight with respect to said group of items;
• using said calculated total weight to determine a postage category for said group of items;
• and
• determining whether optional items from one or more respective optional feed stations can be fed from said optional feed stations and associated with said group of items without changing the postage category determined on the basis of the calculated total weight of said group of items.

A machine of the type in which a plurality of feed stations feed items onto an insertion track for inclusion with an associated group of items, wherein the improvement comprises:

• means for designating whether at least one of said feed stations is an optional feed station from which items may conditionally be fed;
• means for determining which of said feed stations are required feed stations from which items must be fed onto said insertion track for inclusion with said its associated group of items;
• data processing means including memory means and arithmetic logic means;
• means including said data processing arithmetic logic means for using values indicative of the per item weight of items held in required feed stations to obtain a calculated total weight with respect to said group of items;
• means for using said calculated total weight to determine a postage category for said group of items;
• and,
• means for determining whether optional items from one or more respective optional feed stations can be fed from said optional feed stations and associated with said group of items without changing the postage category determined on the basis of the calculated total weight of said group of items.

A method of operating a machine of the type in which a plurality of feed stations feed items onto an insertion track for inclusion with an associated group of items, wherein the improvement comprises:

• designating whether at least one of said feed stations is an optional feed station from which items may conditionally be fed;
• determining which of said feed stations are required feed stations from which required items are to be fed onto said insertion track for inclusion with its associated group of items;
• using values indicative of the per item weight of items held in said required feed stations to obtain a calculated total weight with respect to said group of items;
• using said calculated total weight to determine a postage category for said group of items;
• and,
• determining whether optional items from one or more respective optional feed stations can be fed from said optional feed stations and associated with said group of items without changing the postage category determined on the basis of the calculated total weight of said group of items.