Apparatus and methods for processing mailpiece information by an identification code server

Abstract

Apparatus and methods consistent with the present invention provide for processing delivery item information in an identification code sorting system by an identification code server. In one embodiment, a primary identification code server receives an identification file containing identification information uniquely corresponding to a delivery item. In this embodiment, the primary identification code server processes the delivery item information and may send the identification file to a secondary identification code server. In another embodiment, a secondary identification code server receives an identification file from a primary identification code server and processes the delivery item information.

1 . A method of processing delivery item information by a secondary identification code server, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a data file from a primary identification code server, wherein the data file contains an identification file; and    resolving delivery item information for a delivery item using the identification file, where the delivery item is identified by an item processing device using an identification code.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the item processing device is a bar code sorter.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification file contains a file identification code and a file delivery code.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification code is an ID tag.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the file identification code is an ID tag.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the file delivery code is a POSTNET code.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the primary identification code server is a PICS server.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data file is a SICS_ZIP data file.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the identification file further includes an image capture time.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the identification file further includes a plurality of status bits that indicate aspects of the identification file.  
   
   
       11 . A system for processing delivery item information by a secondary identification code server, comprising: 
 a receiving component configured to receive a data file from a primary identification code server, wherein the data file contains an identification file; and    a resolving component configured to resolve delivery item information for a delivery item using the identification file, where the delivery item is identified by an item processing device using an identification code.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the item processing device is a bar code sorter.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the identification file contains a file identification code and a file delivery code.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the identification code is an ID tag.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the file identification code is an ID tag  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the file delivery code is a POSTNET code.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the primary identification code server is a PICS server.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the data file is a SICS_ZIP data file.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the identification file further includes an image capture time.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the identification file further includes a plurality of status bits that indicate aspects of the identification file.  
   
   
       21 . A system for processing delivery item information by a secondary identification code server, comprising: 
 means for receiving a data file from a primary identification code server, wherein the data file contains an identification file; and    means for resolving delivery item information for a delivery item using the identification file, where the delivery item is identified by an item processing device using an identification code.    
   
   
       22 . A computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for processing delivery item information by a secondary identification code server, the computer readable code comprising: 
 a receiving module configured to receive a data file from a primary identification code server, wherein the data file contains an identification file; and    a resolving module configured to resolve delivery item information for a delivery item using the identification file, where the delivery item is identified by an item processing device using an identification code.    
   
   
       23 . A method of processing delivery item information by a secondary identification code server, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a data file from a primary identification code server, wherein the data file contains an identification file having a file identification code and a file delivery code; and    resolving delivery item information for a delivery item, wherein the resolving step further comprises the substeps of: 
 receiving an identification code from an item processing device, where the item processing device obtains the identification code from the delivery, item;  
 processing the identification code to determine identification information, using the identification file corresponding to the identification code; and  
 transmitting the identification information to an item processing device.  
   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the item processing device is a bar code sorter.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the identification code is an ID tag.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the file identification code is an ID tag.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the file delivery code is a POSTNET code.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the resolving step further comprises the substeps of: 
 connecting to the item processing device via a telecommunications link;    receiving test data from the item processing device; and    confirming the test data.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the test data consists of test delivery item identification codes.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the transmitting step further comprises the substep of: 
 transmitting the identification file corresponding to the identification code to the item processing device, if the identification code is found in the data file.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the transmitting step further comprises the substep of: 
 transmitting the file delivery code corresponding to the identification code to the item processing device, if the identification code is found in the data file.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the transmitting step further comprises the substep of: 
 transmitting a message to the item processing device, if the identification code is not found in the data file.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the primary identification code server is a PICS server.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the data file is a SICS_ZIP data file.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the data file contains a plurality of identification files, each having a file identification code, a file delivery code, and a file image capture time.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the identification file further includes an image capture time.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the identification file further includes a plurality of status bits that indicate aspects of the identification file.  
   
   
       38 . A system for processing delivery item information by a secondary identification code server, comprising: 
 a data file receiving component configured to receive a data file from a primary identification code server, wherein the data file contains an identification file having a file identification code and a file delivery code; and    a resolving component configured to resolve delivery item information for a delivery item, wherein the resolving component further comprises: 
 an identification code receiving component configured to receive an identification code from an item processing device, where the item processing device obtains the identification code from the delivery item;  
 a processing component configured to process the identification code to determine the identification information, using the identification file corresponding to the identification code; and  
 an identification information transmitting component configured to transmit the identification information to the item processing device.  
   
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the item processing device is a bar code sorter.  
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the identification code is an ID tag.  
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the file identification code is an ID tag.  
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the file delivery code is a POSTNET code.  
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the resolving component further comprises: 
 a connecting component configured to connect to the item processing device via a telecommunications link;    a test data receiving component configured to receive test data from the item processing device; and    a confirming component configured to confirm the test data.    
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the test data consists of test delivery item identification codes.  
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the transmitting component further comprises: 
 an identification file transmitting component configured to transmit the identification file corresponding to the identification code to the item processing device, if the identification code is found in the data file.    
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the transmitting component further comprises: 
 a file delivery code transmitting component configured to transmit the file delivery code corresponding to the identification code to the item processing device, if the identification code is found in the data file.    
   
   
       47 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the transmitting component further comprises: 
 a message transmitting component configured to transmit a message to the item processing device, if the identification code is not found in the data file.    
   
   
       48 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the primary identification code server is a PICS server.  
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the data file is a SICS_ZIP data file.  
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the data file contains a plurality of identification files, each having a file identification code, a file delivery code, and a file image capture time.  
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the identification file further includes an image capture time.  
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the identification file further includes a plurality of status bits that indicate aspects of the identification file.  
   
   
       53 . A system for processing delivery item information by a secondary identification code server, comprising: 
 means for receiving a data file from a primary identification code server, wherein the data file contains an identification file having a file identification code and a file delivery code; and    means for resolving delivery item information for a delivery item, wherein the resolving means further comprises: 
 means for receiving an identification code from an item processing device, where the item processing device obtains the identification code from the delivery item;  
 means for processing the identification code to determine the identification information, using the identification file corresponding to the identification code; and  
 means for transmitting the identification information to the item processing device.  
   
   
   
       54 . A computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for processing delivery item information by a secondary identification code server, the computer readable code comprising: 
 a data file receiving module configured to receive a data file from a primary identification code server, wherein the data file contains an identification file having a file identification code and a file delivery code; and    a resolving module configured to resolve delivery item information for a delivery item, wherein the resolving module further comprises: 
 an identification code receiving module configured to receive an identification code from an item processing device, where the item processing device obtains the identification code from the delivery item;  
 a processing module configured to process the identification code to determine the identification information, using the identification file corresponding to the identification code; and  
 an identification information transmitting module configured to transmit the identification information to the item processing device.