US 5,317,654 AGranted

Selective collating and inserting apparatus

AssigneeInscerco Mfg. Inc.

InventorsAlan Perry, Roger K. Newman, Robert R. Kruk

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Abstract

An automatic inserting apparatus is provided whereby a primary document and selectively collated secondary documents are assembled and inserted into a mailing envelope. Preferably, the mailing envelope is concurrently imprinted with the name and address of the recipient as shown on the primary document. Each primary document bears a preselected name and mailing address and optionally also a secondary document selecting code. In operation, each primary document is read by an intelligent optical character recognition system, and the information so obtained is used to (a) select all secondary documents designated by the primary document code, after which the primary and secondary documents are combined and folded, and preferably (b) concurrently imprint a mailing envelope using the so-read address.

Claims11

Dependent claims

Apparatus for serially selectively collating each one of a plurality of individual prime documents each having imprinted recipient address information with respective individual non-addressed secondary documents selected from a preset plurality of different individual said secondary documents in which copies of individual said secondary documents are each organized into respective sets, comprising in combination:

(a) means for serially advancing in a stop-and-go manner each one of said plurality of prime documents along a processing route with each successive stop position corresponding to a different work station on said route;
(b) means for executing a different work functions at each successive said stop position, said work function executing means comprising:
(1) serial feeding means at a first said work station on said route for serially advancing into said route individual ones of said prime documents from said plurality of prime documents,
(2) intelligent optical character recognition means at a second successive said work station on said route for reading said address information on each successive said prime document and for converting the so read information into representative output signals, said intelligent optical character recognition means including
(a) first video camera means for imaging said address information in a raster field and for converting said so imaged information into black and white video data comprised of pixels, and
(b) an N-tuple classifier means that
(i) incorporates a plurality of discriminators each adapted to recognize a respective class of a predetermined group of classes of said video data, each said class being represented by a group of said pixels, and
(ii) presents each said pixel group to said discriminators in a predetermined sequence, and
(3) a plurality of individually actuatable collating means, each one being associated with a different respective successive said work station on said route after said second work station, each one holding a different said set, and each one being operable to combine one copy of its so held said individual secondary document with each successive said prime document when said prime document is in said associated work station;
and
(c) computer means for regulating apparatus operation and for selectively operating individual ones of said collating means responsive to said output signals;
thereby to produce from said address information on each said prime document a document bundle comprised of that prime document and selected individual said secondary documents of said secondary document plurality.

9 more elements

An apparatus for inserting selected documents into an in situ addressed envelope comprising in combination:

(a) means for serially advancing each one of a plurality of primary documents along a processing route in a stop-and-go manner, each primary document bearing a recipient name mailing address information and also a secondary document selecting code;
(b) intelligent optical character recognition means including
(1) first video camera means at a first stop location along said route for reading said selecting code on each primary document and for converting said selecting code into video data comprised of pixels, and
(2) an N-tuple classifier that is in functional association with said first video camera means and that
(i) incorporates a plurality of discriminators each adapted to recognize a respective class of a predetermined group of classes of said video data, each said class being represented by a group of said pixels, and
(ii) converts for each primary document said secondary document selecting code into electrical output signals that are representative thereof;
(c) means at each of a series of subsequent second locations along said route for holding and supplying selectively at each respective said location one of a predetermined plurality of secondary documents with an individual predetermined prime document when said predetermined prime document is at such respective location, each said second location having a different plurality of said secondary documents, and for combining secondary documents so selected at individual ones of said respective locations with said predetermined prime, document, each successive one of said predetermined prime documents having a said selecting code which corresponds to those said so selected secondary documents that are so combined with each said predetermined prime document, thereby to form after said predetermined prime document has progressed on said processing route past said series of second locations a document set with each individual said predetermined prime document;
(d) means at a subsequent stop location along said route for folding each said document set into a bundle;
(e) said intelligent optical character recognition means further including second video camera means at a subsequent stop location along said route for reading said recipient name and mailing address information on each primary document and for converting said recipient name and mailing address information into respective electrical signal outputs representative thereof;
(f) means at a subsequent stop along said route for advancing and imprinting a mailing envelope with the so-read recipient mailing address information responsive to each said signal output representative thereof;
(g) means at a subsequent stop location along said route for inserting each said so folded document set into that respective so addressed envelope whose imprinted address corresponds to the address appearing on the primary document that is included in said bundle that is being inserted therein;
and
(h) computer control means for regulating and synchronizing the operations of each of said serial advancing means, said intelligent optical character recognition means, said holding and supplying and combining means, said folding means, said envelope advancing and imprinting means, and said inserting means, said computer control means being regulated by said respective representative electrical signal outputs.

10 more elements

A method for preparing a mass mailing comprising the steps of:

(a) serially advancing each one of a plurality of primary documents along a processing route in a stop-and-go manner, each individual primary document bearing recipient address information that includes a secondary document selecting code that specifies which members of a predetermined secondary documents plurality are to be collated with each said individual primary documents, and carrying out the following successive steps:
(b) reading by intelligent optical character recognition each said individual primary document, said reading being carried out by the steps of:
(1) imaging said recipient address information with a video camera means in a raster field and converting said so imaged information into black and white video data comprised of pixels,
(2) organizing said pixels into groups,
(3) presenting said pixel groups to a plurality of discriminators in an N-tuple classifier in a predetermined sequence thereby to recognize said secondary document selecting code, and
(4) converting said so recognized selective code into representative control electrical signals;
(c) selectively collating individual secondary documents with each said individual primary document in accord with said control signals from among said predetermined plurality of secondary documents thereby to produce with each said individual primary document a document bundle comprised of one said individual primary document and said individual selectively collated secondary documents;
and
(d) inserting each of said resulting document bundles into a different individual respective envelope.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.