Method and arrangement of devices for processing mail items addressed to post office box systems within a postal transportation and mail distribution system

An arrangement of devices for processing mailpieces, whereby the arrangement comprises at least a first mail distribution center, a second mail distribution center and an electronic parcel compartment facility, the arrangement comprising:

• a database that is in communication with the first mail distribution center and/or with the second mail distribution center, where re-routing instructions from registered recipients are stored;
• a first reading device for acquiring data present on a mailpiece, the first reading device being associated with the first mail distribution center;
• a second reading device for acquiring data present on the mailpiece, the second reading device being associated with the second mail distribution center;
• a first data processing unit for processing the acquired data, the first data processing unit being associated with the first mail distribution center, the first data processing unit associated with the first mail distribution center being adapted to ascertain destination information from a re-routing instruction of a registered recipient and to associate this destination information with information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece;
• a second data processing unit for processing the acquired data, the second data processing unit being associated with the second mail distribution center;
• wherein the first data processing unit associated with the first mail distribution center is adapted to transmit the data acquired by the reading device to the second data processing unit of the second mail distribution center;
• and
• wherein a mobile device is in communication with the second data processing unit associated with the second mail distribution center, whereby the second data processing unit is adapted to transmit to the mobile device at least the information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece and the associated destination information;
• and
• wherein the re-routing instruction is ascertained from the data record of the customer and destination information and associated with an electronic parcel compartment facility;
• whereby a compartment in the electronic parcel compartment facility is reserved by a data processing unit of a mail distribution center.

A mail transportation and distribution system for processing mailpieces comprising at least a first mail distribution center, a second mail distribution center and an electronic parcel compartment facility located in the area of the second mail distribution center, the mail transportation and distribution system comprising:

• means for acquiring data present on a mailpiece in the first mail distribution center, the acquired data comprising at least information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece as well as information about the recipient of the mailpiece, wherein destination information for an electronic parcel compartment facility is associated with the information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece;
• means for transmitting the acquired data to a first data processing unit of the first mail distribution center;
• means for comparing the data indicating the recipient of the mailpiece with data about registered customers stored in a database;
• means for acquiring a data record that is stored for a customer in the database on the basis of the acquired data about the recipient;
• means for providing the acquired data record of a customer to the first data processing unit;
• means for ascertaining a re-routing instruction from the data record of the customer;
• means for ascertaining a second mail distribution center located in the area of the electronic parcel compartment facility;
• means for sorting the mailpiece in the first mail distribution center on the basis of the destination information;
• means for transmitting the acquired data from the mailpiece and the destination information by the first data processing unit to a second data processing unit, the second data processing unit being of the second mail distribution center;
• means for transporting the mailpiece to the second mail distribution center located in the area of the electronic parcel compartment facility;
• means for acquiring the information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece with a reading device of the second mail distribution center;
• means for determining the destination of the mailpiece on the basis of the information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece;
• means for sorting the mailpiece in the second mail distribution center on the basis of the destination information;
• means for transmitting the information that unambiguously identifies the mailpiece as well as the associated destination information to a mobile device;
• means for ascertaining the re-routing instruction from the data record of the customer;
• means for associating destination information with an electronic panel compartment facility;
• and
• means for reserving a compartment in the electronic parcel compartment facility by a data processing unit of a mail distribution center.