Modular mail processing method and control system

A method of processing pieces of incoming mail received from an external source in a system including a stacker module having a number of carriers and bins, a plurality of serially connected induction transfer modules, including a feeder module, that are positioned to transport the pieces of incoming mail from the feeder module to the stacker module, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) monitoring the position of each carrier;
• (b) pre-selecting an empty carrier;
• (c) feeding a piece of incoming mail from the feeder module to another induction transfer module at a desired time based on the position of the pre-selected carrier;
• (d) tracking the position of the piece of incoming mail through the induction transfer modules;
• (e) obtaining address information from the piece of incoming mail, wherein said address information includes an addressee's name;
• (f) selecting a bin for the piece of incoming mail based on said address information, the selected bin corresponding to a mail stop;
• (g) transferring the piece of mail from a last induction transfer module to the pre-selected carrier;
• and
• (h) diverting the piece of incoming mail from the pre-selected carrier to the selected bin.

A modular mail processing control system for controlling the flow of mail through a series of induction transfer modules to a stacker/transport module that includes a number of carriers and bins, said system comprising:

• feeder means, located in one of the induction transfer modules, for injecting a piece of mail into another induction transfer module at a desired time based on a pre-selected carrier being at a given position, and for identifying the piece of mail;
• encoder means, located in one of the induction transfer modules, for obtaining address information from the piece of mail and for identifying a bin for the piece of mail, wherein said address information includes a mail stop, and the bins correspond to mail stops;
• tracking means, located in each of the induction transfer modules, for tracking the position of the piece of mail as it moves through the induction transfer modules, and in response to a position error stopping the series of induction transfer modules, storing the identification of at least the piece of mail involved in the position error and storing the position of the induction transfer modules and the stacker/transport module;
• inserter means, located in one of the induction transfer modules for inserting the piece of mail into the pre-selected carrier when the pre-selected carrier arrives at a desired location;
• and
• means for diverting the piece of mail from the carrier to the identified bin.