EP1953706B1 - System for very high-speed processing of addresses - Google Patents

System for very high-speed processing of addresses Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1953706B1
EP1953706B1 EP08150299.9A EP08150299A EP1953706B1 EP 1953706 B1 EP1953706 B1 EP 1953706B1 EP 08150299 A EP08150299 A EP 08150299A EP 1953706 B1 EP1953706 B1 EP 1953706B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
server
processing system
address
identification number
unique identification
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
EP08150299.9A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP1953706A1 (en
Inventor
Dennis Gilham
Ruben Rico
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Quadient Technologies France SA
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Neopost Technologies SA
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Publication of EP1953706A1 publication Critical patent/EP1953706A1/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00467—Transporting mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q50/00—Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism
    • G06Q50/60—Business processes related to postal services
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00661—Sensing or measuring mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00467—Transporting mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00475—Sorting mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00661—Sensing or measuring mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00709—Scanning mailpieces

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of document processing and more particularly relates to an address processing system for sorting mail items at a very high speed.
  • the sorting of mail items should preferably be done at very high speed.
  • One known way to speed up the sorting is to print on the envelopes to sort specific codes, usually barcode type, which form a graphical representation of the postal code of the recipient readable automatically to accelerate this sorting.
  • the present invention therefore relates to a mail processing system for a sorting rate of postage items particularly high frank.
  • the sorting of the mail items can be carried out very quickly and at a lower cost. cost and delivery of mail to intended recipients.
  • said first server is a server of the dealer of said franking machine and said second server is a server of the postal administration or of a private carrier delivering the mail and said means for extracting determined data from said digital images are arranged in one or the other of said first and second servers.
  • said determined data comprise at least one postal code of the recipient and said first server further comprises means for verifying said postal code of the recipient from a valid address database.
  • said unique identification number may be printed on the mail piece with the postal stamp or read on the mail piece together with the recipient's address or extracted from a mail piece.
  • RFID transponder stuck on the mail piece or a three-dimensional print of the paper forming the mail piece.
  • said unique printed or read identification number is a barcode or an alphanumeric code.
  • the figure 1 schematically illustrates a mail processing system comprising, as is known, a franking machine 10 arranged in a local mail of a sender and intended to print a postal imprint 12A on the mail items 12 it receives by example of a mail item supply system (not shown) and remotely connected to a server 14 of a dealer of this machine itself connected to a server 16 of a postal administration.
  • This second server is connected at the level of an office receiving mail items of this postal administration with an optical document reader 18 whose output is connected to a sorting machine 20 having a plurality of receiving bins 20A to 20Z each corresponding to to a particular destination for mail items.
  • the optical reader receives the franked mail items and extracts various information necessary for sorting these items, for example barcodes when the mail item is provided.
  • the franking machine 10 comprises an optical reader 10A, advantageously of the scanner type equipped with a contact sensor, for digitizing the address of the recipient 12B carried on the mail piece and storage means 10B of the type database to store the image of the address thus scanned.
  • an optical reader 10A advantageously of the scanner type equipped with a contact sensor
  • storage means 10B of the type database to store the image of the address thus scanned.
  • To this image is associated in the database a unique identification code 12C which is printed on the mail piece by the franking machine during the printing of the postage stamp.
  • this unique code can also already be present on the mail item, preferably at the address, and it is then digitized with it.
  • the dealer's server is connected to an address database 22 containing an updated list of valid addresses.
  • a first step 100 the envelopes or labels to be franked are introduced per battery into the franking machine in which, in a step 102, the destination addresses on these envelopes are digitized one by one by the digitization means 10A.
  • a next step 104 the postal imprint is printed on the envelope and the unique identification code (step 106) when the latter is not already present on the envelope.
  • this unique identification number is stored in the database 10B of the franking machine with the digital image of the address corresponding to the envelope bearing this number.
  • this database Periodically, and at the latest at the time of mail collection, the contents of this database (including two records are illustrated by reference 24) is, in a new step 110, automatically sent for processing to the dealer server 14 via known means of communication (not shown).
  • This processing consists, in a step 112, by an OCR recognition process extracting from each of the digital images received the recipient's address (limited or not to its postal code alone) of the envelope concerned, recognizing it (decode it by character recognition) and verifying the validity of this address (in particular the reality of the postal code) by means of the address database 22 associated with the dealer's server.
  • the verified address and the associated unique identification number are sent, in a step 114, to the server of the postal administration 16 or simply made available to it to accelerate the sorting operations. and correlatively to plan in advance the logistics of delivering mail to the recipient.
  • Two records of the database thus accessible are illustrated by the reference 26.
  • a simple reading of the unique identification number will make it possible in a step 120 to automatically retrieve the exact address (ie that is to say, possibly corrected) of the recipient without any prior character recognition at this reader and from this address to order accordingly in a terminal step 122 the sorting machine according to the address thus recovered.
  • the mail items that have not undergone the aforementioned treatments essentially those from the mailboxes, will undergo a different treatment implementing, as is known, a video coding center with manual entry of the postal code after referral in a box. specific bin for rejection of the sorter.
  • sorting is performed at the level of the postal administration, it is understood that the invention can also find application in a private carrier ensuring the distribution of mail whose server will then be in connection with that of the dealer.
  • the content of the database accessible by the postal administration or the carrier may not be limited to the above-mentioned records but may also include the image address or a code corresponding directly to one of the receiving bins of the sorting machine.
  • the server of the postal administration upon receipt of the corresponding data from the dealer's server and therefore, especially well before the scanning of the mail items is carried out at the same time. reception office of the postal administration.
  • these digitization means is external, especially when it comes to digitizing addresses carried on thick envelopes. or packages.
  • These scanning means may also include RFID reading means when the mail item comprises an RFID transponder in which is registered the unique identification number or a scanner of the three-dimensional structure of the paper of the type of those developed by the company. Ingoua® when this unique identification number is simply constituted by the single 3D impression of the paper forming the mail item.

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  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Resources & Organizations (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Economics (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Marketing (AREA)
  • Primary Health Care (AREA)
  • Strategic Management (AREA)
  • Tourism & Hospitality (AREA)
  • General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)

Description

Domaine de l'inventionField of the invention

La présente invention se rapporte au domaine du traitement de documents et elle concerne plus particulièrement un système de traitement d'adresses permettant un tri des articles de courrier à très haute cadence.The present invention relates to the field of document processing and more particularly relates to an address processing system for sorting mail items at a very high speed.

Art antérieurPrior art

Afin d'éviter les goulots d'étranglement dans le traitement du courrier lors de sa distribution, le tri des articles de courrier doit être effectué de préférence à très haute cadence. Un moyen connu pour accélérer le tri est d'imprimer sur les enveloppes à trier des codes spécifiques, en général de type codes à barres, qui formant une représentation graphique du code postal du destinataire lisible de façon automatique permettent d'accélérer ce tri.To avoid bottlenecks in the processing of mail during its distribution, the sorting of mail items should preferably be done at very high speed. One known way to speed up the sorting is to print on the envelopes to sort specific codes, usually barcode type, which form a graphical representation of the postal code of the recipient readable automatically to accelerate this sorting.

Malheureusement, cette solution n'est pas universelle et tous les articles de courrier ne disposant pas de tels codes, il est nécessaire d'effectuer une reconnaissance de l'adresse destinataire à l'entrée de la machine de tri pour que ce tri puisse être exécuté correctement. Or, cette reconnaissance étant complexe, elle prend du temps, ce qui a pour conséquence de ralentir notablement le processus de distribution du courrier.Unfortunately, this solution is not universal and all mail items do not have such codes, it is necessary to perform a recognition of the recipient address at the input of the sorting machine so that sorting can be executed correctly. However, this recognition is complex, it takes time, which has the effect of significantly slowing the mail delivery process.

La demande internationale WO00/08612 décrit un système kiosque disposé en libre-service dans les locaux de l'administration postale pour permettre à un utilisateur d'affranchir lui-même un colis pour un destinataire quelconque. De même, la demande WO00/00300 et le brevet US6977353 montrent des systèmes de traitement de courrier incluant un identifiant unique permettant un tri du courrier.International demand WO00 / 08612 describes a self-service kiosk system in the premises of the postal administration to allow a user to self-pay a package for any recipient. Similarly, the demand WO00 / 00300 and the patent US6977353 show mail processing systems including a unique identifier for sorting mail.

Objet et définition de l'inventionObject and definition of the invention

La présente invention a donc pour objet un système de traitement de courrier permettant une cadence de tri des articles de courrier affranchis particulièrement élevée.The present invention therefore relates to a mail processing system for a sorting rate of postage items particularly high frank.

Ces buts sont atteints par un système de traitement de courrier conforme à la revendication 1.These objects are achieved by a mail processing system according to claim 1.

Ainsi, avec cette configuration particulière qui permet de numériser les articles de courrier dès leur expédition et ainsi de reconnaître l'adresse du destinataire avant l'entrée dans la machine de tri, le tri des articles de courrier peut être effectuée très rapidement et à moindre coût et la distribution du courrier aux destinataires planifiée.Thus, with this particular configuration which makes it possible to digitize the mail items as soon as they are dispatched and thus to recognize the recipient's address before entering the sorting machine, the sorting of the mail items can be carried out very quickly and at a lower cost. cost and delivery of mail to intended recipients.

De préférence, ledit premier serveur est un serveur du concessionnaire de ladite machine à affranchir et ledit second serveur est un serveur de l'administration postale ou d'un transporteur privé assurant la distribution du courrier et lesdits moyens pour extraire des données déterminées desdites images numériques sont disposés dans l'un ou l'autre desdits premier et second serveurs.Preferably, said first server is a server of the dealer of said franking machine and said second server is a server of the postal administration or of a private carrier delivering the mail and said means for extracting determined data from said digital images are arranged in one or the other of said first and second servers.

Avantageusement, lesdites données déterminées comportent au moins un code postal du destinataire et ledit premier serveur comporte en outre des moyens pour vérifier ledit code postal du destinataire à partir d'une base de données d'adresses valides.Advantageously, said determined data comprise at least one postal code of the recipient and said first server further comprises means for verifying said postal code of the recipient from a valid address database.

Selon le mode de réalisation envisagé, ledit numéro d'identification unique peut être imprimé sur l'article de courrier avec l'empreinte postale ou lu sur l'article de courrier en même temps que l'adresse du destinataire ou bien extrait d'un transpondeur RFID collé sur l'article de courrier ou d'une empreinte tridimensionnelle du papier formant l'article de courrier.According to the embodiment envisaged, said unique identification number may be printed on the mail piece with the postal stamp or read on the mail piece together with the recipient's address or extracted from a mail piece. RFID transponder stuck on the mail piece or a three-dimensional print of the paper forming the mail piece.

De préférence, ledit numéro d'identification unique imprimé ou lu est un code à barres ou un code alphanumérique.Preferably, said unique printed or read identification number is a barcode or an alphanumeric code.

Brève description des dessinsBrief description of the drawings

Les caractéristiques et avantages de la présente invention ressortiront mieux de la description suivante, faite à titre indicatif et non limitatif, en regard des dessins annexés sur lesquels :

  • la figure 1 est une vue schématique simplifiée montrant un système de traitement de courrier permettant un tri accéléré selon l'invention, et
  • la figure 2 est un organigramme illustrant un exemple du procédé de traitement mis en oeuvre dans le système de la figure 1.
The features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the following description, given by way of non-limiting indication, with reference to the appended drawings in which:
  • the figure 1 is a simplified schematic view showing a mail processing system for accelerated sorting according to the invention, and
  • the figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of the processing method implemented in the system of the figure 1 .

Description détaillée d'un mode de réalisation préférentielDetailed description of a preferred embodiment

La figure 1 illustre de façon schématique un système de traitement de courrier comportant, comme il est connu, une machine à affranchir 10 disposée dans un local courrier d'un expéditeur et destinée à imprimer une empreinte postale 12A sur les articles de courrier 12 qu'elle reçoit par exemple d'un système d'alimentation en articles de courrier (non représenté) et reliée à distance à un serveur 14 d'un concessionnaire de cette machine lui-même relié à un serveur 16 d'une administration postale. Ce second serveur est en liaison au niveau d'un bureau de réception des articles de courrier de cette administration postale avec un lecteur optique de documents 18 dont la sortie est reliée à une machine de tri 20 comportant plusieurs bacs de réception 20A à 20Z correspondant chacun à une destination particulière pour les articles de courrier. Le lecteur optique reçoit les articles de courrier affranchis et en extrait différentes informations nécessaires au tri de ces articles, par exemple des codes à barres lorsque l'article de courrier en est pourvu.The figure 1 schematically illustrates a mail processing system comprising, as is known, a franking machine 10 arranged in a local mail of a sender and intended to print a postal imprint 12A on the mail items 12 it receives by example of a mail item supply system (not shown) and remotely connected to a server 14 of a dealer of this machine itself connected to a server 16 of a postal administration. This second server is connected at the level of an office receiving mail items of this postal administration with an optical document reader 18 whose output is connected to a sorting machine 20 having a plurality of receiving bins 20A to 20Z each corresponding to to a particular destination for mail items. The The optical reader receives the franked mail items and extracts various information necessary for sorting these items, for example barcodes when the mail item is provided.

Selon l'invention, la machine à affranchir 10 comporte un lecteur optique 10A, avantageusement du type scanneur doté d'un capteur à contact, pour numériser l'adresse du destinataire 12B portée sur l'article de courrier et des moyens de stockage 10B du type base de données pour stocker l'image de l'adresse ainsi numérisée. A cette image est associé dans la base de données un code d'identification unique 12C qui est imprimé sur l'article de courrier par la machine à affranchir lors de l'impression de l'empreinte postale. De façon alternative, ce code unique peut aussi déjà être présent sur l'article de courrier, de préférence au niveau de l'adresse, et il est alors numérisé avec celle-ci. De même, le serveur du concessionnaire est relié à une base de données d'adresses 22 contenant une liste à jour d'adresses valides.According to the invention, the franking machine 10 comprises an optical reader 10A, advantageously of the scanner type equipped with a contact sensor, for digitizing the address of the recipient 12B carried on the mail piece and storage means 10B of the type database to store the image of the address thus scanned. To this image is associated in the database a unique identification code 12C which is printed on the mail piece by the franking machine during the printing of the postage stamp. Alternatively, this unique code can also already be present on the mail item, preferably at the address, and it is then digitized with it. Similarly, the dealer's server is connected to an address database 22 containing an updated list of valid addresses.

Le fonctionnement du système est maintenant décrit en association avec la figure 2. Dans une première étape 100, les enveloppes ou étiquettes à affranchir sont introduites par pile dans la machine à affranchir dans laquelle, lors d'une étape 102, les adresses destinataires portées sur ces enveloppes sont numérisées une à une par les moyens de numérisation 10A. Dans une étape suivante 104, l'empreinte postale est imprimée sur l'enveloppe ainsi que le code d'identification unique (étape 106) lorsque ce dernier n'est pas déjà présent sur l'enveloppe. A l'étape 108, ce numéro d'identification unique est stocké dans la base de données 10B de la machine à affranchir avec l'image numérique de l'adresse correspondant à l'enveloppe portant ce numéro. De façon périodique, et au plus tard au moment du ramassage du courrier, le contenu de cette base de données (dont deux enregistrements sont illustrés par la référence 24) est, dans une nouvelle étape 110, envoyé automatiquement pour traitement au serveur du concessionnaire 14 via des moyens connus de communication (non représentés). Ce traitement consiste, dans une étape 112, par un processus de reconnaissance OCR à extraire de chacune des images numériques reçues l'adresse du destinataire (limitée ou non à son seul code postal) de l'enveloppe concernée, à la reconnaître (la décoder par reconnaissance de caractères) et à vérifier la validité de cette adresse (notamment la réalité du code postal) au moyen de la base de données d'adresses 22 associée au serveur du concessionnaire. Une fois cette opération effectuée, l'adresse vérifiée et le numéro d'identification unique associé sont envoyés, dans une étape 114, au serveur de l'administration postale 16 ou simplement, mis à disposition de celui-ci pour accélérer les opérations de tri et corrélativement pour planifier à l'avance la logistique de distribution du courrier à leur destinataire. Deux enregistrements de la base de données ainsi accessibles sont illustrés par la référence 26.The operation of the system is now described in association with the figure 2 . In a first step 100, the envelopes or labels to be franked are introduced per battery into the franking machine in which, in a step 102, the destination addresses on these envelopes are digitized one by one by the digitization means 10A. In a next step 104, the postal imprint is printed on the envelope and the unique identification code (step 106) when the latter is not already present on the envelope. In step 108, this unique identification number is stored in the database 10B of the franking machine with the digital image of the address corresponding to the envelope bearing this number. Periodically, and at the latest at the time of mail collection, the contents of this database (including two records are illustrated by reference 24) is, in a new step 110, automatically sent for processing to the dealer server 14 via known means of communication (not shown). This processing consists, in a step 112, by an OCR recognition process extracting from each of the digital images received the recipient's address (limited or not to its postal code alone) of the envelope concerned, recognizing it (decode it by character recognition) and verifying the validity of this address (in particular the reality of the postal code) by means of the address database 22 associated with the dealer's server. Once this is done, the verified address and the associated unique identification number are sent, in a step 114, to the server of the postal administration 16 or simply made available to it to accelerate the sorting operations. and correlatively to plan in advance the logistics of delivering mail to the recipient. Two records of the database thus accessible are illustrated by the reference 26.

En effet, lors de l'introduction des enveloppes dans le lecteur optique 18 dans une étape 116, une simple lecture du numéro unique d'identification (étape 118) permettra dans une étape 120 de récupérer automatiquement l'adresse exacte (c'est-à-dire éventuellement corrigée) du destinataire sans aucune reconnaissance de caractères préalable au niveau de ce lecteur et à partir de cette adresse commander en conséquence dans une étape terminale 122 la machine de tri en fonction de l'adresse ainsi récupérée. Bien entendu, les articles de courrier n'ayant pas subis les traitements précités, essentiellement ceux provenant des boites aux lettres, subirons un traitement différent mettant en oeuvre comme il est connu un centre de vidéo codage avec saisie manuelle du code postal après aiguillage dans un bac spécifique de rejet de la trieuse.Indeed, when the envelopes are inserted into the optical reader 18 in a step 116, a simple reading of the unique identification number (step 118) will make it possible in a step 120 to automatically retrieve the exact address (ie that is to say, possibly corrected) of the recipient without any prior character recognition at this reader and from this address to order accordingly in a terminal step 122 the sorting machine according to the address thus recovered. Of course, the mail items that have not undergone the aforementioned treatments, essentially those from the mailboxes, will undergo a different treatment implementing, as is known, a video coding center with manual entry of the postal code after referral in a box. specific bin for rejection of the sorter.

On notera que si, dans la description précitée, le tri est effectué au niveau de l'administration postale, il est bien entendu que l'invention peut aussi trouver application chez un transporteur privé assurant la distribution du courrier dont le serveur sera alors en liaison avec celui du concessionnaire. De même, le contenu de la base de données accessible par l'administration postale ou ce transporteur peut ne pas être limité aux enregistrements précités mais comporter par exemple également l'image de l'adresse du destinataire ou encore un code correspondant directement à un des bacs de réception de la machine de tri.Note that if, in the above description, sorting is performed at the level of the postal administration, it is understood that the invention can also find application in a private carrier ensuring the distribution of mail whose server will then be in connection with that of the dealer. Likewise, the content of the database accessible by the postal administration or the carrier may not be limited to the above-mentioned records but may also include the image address or a code corresponding directly to one of the receiving bins of the sorting machine.

On notera également que si dans l'exemple illustré, il a été envisagé d'effectuer l'extraction des images, leur décodage et leur vérification au niveau du serveur du concessionnaire, il doit être entendu que ces opérations peuvent toutes aussi bien être effectuées au niveau du serveur de l'administration postale (sous réserve que la base de données d'adresses valides 22 lui soit reliée) dès la réception du serveur du concessionnaire des données correspondantes et donc surtout bien avant que la numérisation des articles de courrier soit effectuée au bureau de réception de l'administration postale.Note also that if in the illustrated example it has been envisaged to carry out the extraction of the images, their decoding and their verification at the dealer's server, it must be understood that these operations can all be carried out at the same time. the server of the postal administration (provided that the valid address database 22 is connected to it) upon receipt of the corresponding data from the dealer's server and therefore, especially well before the scanning of the mail items is carried out at the same time. reception office of the postal administration.

Il est clair également que s'il est fait référence précédemment à une machine à affranchir intégrant les moyens de numérisation, il est aussi envisageable que ces moyens de numérisation soit externes notamment lorsqu'il s'agit de numériser des adresses portées sur des enveloppes épaisses ou des colis. Ces moyens de numérisation peuvent aussi intégrer des moyens de lecture RFID lorsque l'article de courrier comporte un transpondeur RFID dans lequel est inscrit le numéro d'identification unique ou encore un scanneur de la structure tridimensionnelle du papier du type de ceux développés par la société Ingénia® lorsque ce numéro d'identification unique est constitué simplement par la seule empreinte 3D du papier formant l'article de courrier.It is also clear that if reference is made previously to a franking machine integrating the digitizing means, it is also conceivable that these digitization means is external, especially when it comes to digitizing addresses carried on thick envelopes. or packages. These scanning means may also include RFID reading means when the mail item comprises an RFID transponder in which is registered the unique identification number or a scanner of the three-dimensional structure of the paper of the type of those developed by the company. Ingénia® when this unique identification number is simply constituted by the single 3D impression of the paper forming the mail item.

Claims (10)

  1. A mail processing system comprising a franking machine (10) of mailpieces (12) arranged at a sender's mail room and connected remotely to a first server (14) itself connected to a second server (16), said second server being connected to an optical reader (18) connected to a sorting machine (20) for sorting the franked mailpieces received at an office for receiving said mailpieces, said franking machine comprising scanning means (10A) to scan the addresses of recipients (12B) carried on the mailpieces as and when they are introduced into said franking machine, storage means (10B) for storing digital images of the scanned addresses in association with a unique identification number (12C) and communication means for periodically transferring the indexed digital images to said first server, characterized in that said first server comprises means (14) for extracting from each of said digital images said address of recipient, for verifying said address of recipient on the basis of a database of valid address (22) and for sending to said second server said verified address of recipient and said associated unique identification number, and in that said optical reader is configured for automatically retrieving said verified address of the recipient by only the reading of said unique identification number without any prior character recognition at the optical reader and for automatically controlling said sorting machine when receiving said franked mailpieces from said verified address.
  2. A mail processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first server is a dealer said franking machine.
  3. A mail processing system according to claim 2, characterized in that said second server is a server of postal authorities or a private carrier who handles the delivery of mail.
  4. A mail processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said unique identification number is destined to be printed on the mailpiece along with the postal indicia (12A).
  5. A mail processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said unique identification number is destined to be red from the mailpiece with the recipient's address.
  6. A mail processing system according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that said unique identification number is a barcode or an alphanumeric code.
  7. A mail processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said unique identification number is registered in RFID transponder adhered to the mailpiece.
  8. A mail processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said unique identification number is constituted by a three-dimensional fingerprint of the paper forming the mailpiece.
  9. A mail processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said first server further comprises means (14) for making said verified address of the recipient and said associated unique identification number available to said second server, instead of sending to it.
  10. A mail processing system according to claim 9, characterized in that said first server further comprises means (14) for making said digital image of said address of the recipient or a code corresponding to one of the reception trays of the sorting machine available to said second server.
EP08150299.9A 2007-01-26 2008-01-16 System for very high-speed processing of addresses Expired - Fee Related EP1953706B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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FR0752904A FR2911803B1 (en) 2007-01-26 2007-01-26 VERY HIGH CADENCE ADDRESS TREATMENT SYSTEM

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EP1953706A1 EP1953706A1 (en) 2008-08-06
EP1953706B1 true EP1953706B1 (en) 2016-09-28

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FR2911803B1 (en) 2009-05-08
EP1953706A1 (en) 2008-08-06
US20080183329A1 (en) 2008-07-31
US9390564B2 (en) 2016-07-12
US20140297566A1 (en) 2014-10-02
FR2911803A1 (en) 2008-08-01

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