Generic special service mailing assembly and a system and method for automating the imaging of same with voice recognition and security provisions

#The present invention generally relates to a form for mailing an article requiring special services. More specifically, the present invention relates to a generic mailing label which may be configured to serve as a special service mailing label and which may be automatically dispensed by a mailing label vending machine. In addition, the present invention relates to a method and system for fully automating the imaging of a generic mailing label to configure the same as a special service mailing label.

#It is, of course, known to provide specialized postal processing and handling of particular mailpieces. Such special services include the preparation of certified mail, registered mail, insured mail, recorded delivery mail, return receipt for merchandise mail, C.O.D. and the like. The primary disadvantage of such special service mailings is that they require a rather extensive amount of manual preparation and labor prior to mailing. The known procedures typically require printing or writing information on various slips of paper and then attaching such slips to the outside of an envelope or other mailpiece. Often, carbon paper is used to assist in making the attachments. As an example, to prepare a certified mailpiece, the forms are supplied by the United States Postal Service to the customer. The customer must separately address and complete a certified mailing receipt, both faces of a return receipt card, an envelope or mailpiece in which the mail is to be mailed and a request for return service on the face of the envelope. Then, the customer or postal service employee must affix each of the completed parts to the envelope using glue, an adhesive, tape or the like.

#Clearly, the current methods known for preparing mailpieces or shipping items for special services are tedious, complicated, and labor intensive, particularly for businesses and institutions in which items such as notifications, reminders, or valuable documents are commonly sent by specialized mail services. In many instances, the delivery of such mailpieces must be documented by recording of U.S. Postal Service or other service return receipt when it arrives back to the sender. This task is also time consuming and has great potential for error when all of the identifying information from each return receipt card must be entered or recorded by hand.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a front side of an embodiment of the mailing assembly of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view of a back side of an embodiment of the mailing assembly of the present invention.

#FIG. 3 illustrates a plan view of a back side of an embodiment of the mailing label removed from the mailing assembly of the present invention.

#Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, FIG. 1 is a front plan view that generally illustrates an embodiment of a mailing assembly 1 formed from a mailing label 2 and a backing sheet 3. A number of these mailing assemblies 1 may be continuously and detachably interconnected (end-to-end, for example) such that the mailing assemblies I may be provided on a reel or roll. The reel or roll may be provided for use with, for example, a dispensing device. The mailing label 2 may be peeled away from the backing sheet 3 whereupon the mailing label 2 subsequently may be affixed to a mailpiece. The mailing assembly 1 is capable for use in mailing an article requiring a particular type of special mailing service. Such mailing services include certified mail, insured mail, registered mail, recorded delivery mail, C.O.D., return receipt for merchandise and the like. Further, the mailing assembly 1 is intended to serve the needs of both individual users (made available, for example, at a local post office) and business users (addressing such needs as On-Demand and/or Point-Of-Sale applications).

#The mailing assembly 1, in combination with the mailing label 2, forms a generic mailing label which, after imprinting, can be used for any one of a plurality of special services required for delivery of a given mailpiece. Therefore, the mailing assembly 1 may be incorporated for use in a system and method described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 for any one of a plurality of special services required for delivery of a mailpiece without requiring a different form for each one of the plurality of special services generally available and offered by, for example, the United States Postal Service.

#The mailing label 2 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 consists of four primary parts: a first anchor portion 5, a second anchor portion 6, an auxiliary label, 21 and a return receipt postcard 4. The return receipt postcard 4 is removably attached to the first anchor portion 5 along a first perforated tear line 7 and removably attached to the second anchor portion 6 along a second perforated tear line 8. The significance of the detachability of the return receipt postcard 4 is discussed in more detail in connection with FIG. 4.