Mail Processing System And Method

Abstract

A mail processing system includes a plurality of trays that are each adapted to hold a plurality of mail items. The mail items in a tray are directed to a common recipient. The system also includes a plurality of mail processing machines that are adapted to process the mail items. The different mail items may take different processing paths through the plurality of mail processing machines. The system also includes a tray tag generator that is configured to produce tray tags. Each of the plurality of trays is associated with a tray tag and each tray tag includes recipient information identifying processing requirements relating to the recipient of the mail items in the tray associated with the tray tag.

1 . A mail processing system, comprising:
 a plurality of trays that are each adapted to hold a plurality of mail items, wherein the mail items in a tray are addressed to a common recipient;   a plurality of mail processing machines that are adapted to process the mail items through any of a plurality of distinct processing paths through the plurality of mail processing machines; and   a tray tag generator that is configured to produce a plurality of tray tags for each of the plurality of trays, wherein a number of the plurality of tray tags for each of the plurality of trays is at least a number of the plurality of distinct processing paths, wherein each tray tag includes recipient information identifying processing requirements relating to the recipient of the mail items in the tray associated with the tray tag.   
   
   
       2 . The mail processing system of  claim 1 , further comprising readers configured to read information from the tray tags. 
   
   
       3 . The mail processing system of  claim 2 , wherein the readers comprise bar code readers. 
   
   
       4 . The mail processing system of  claim 2 , wherein the readers comprise emissive tag readers. 
   
   
       5 . A mail processing system, comprising:
 a plurality of trays that are each adapted to hold a plurality of mail items, wherein the mail items in a tray are addressed to a common recipient;   a plurality of mail processing machines that are adapted to process the mail items through any of a plurality of distinct processing paths through the plurality of mail processing machines;   a plurality of tray tags for each of the plurality of trays, wherein a number of the plurality of tray tags for each of the plurality of trays is at least a number of the plurality of distinct processing paths, wherein each tray tag includes recipient information identifying processing requirements relating to the recipient of the mail items in the tray associated with the tray tag; and   a process management system that is configured to receive processing status information relating to the trays and output the information upon request.   
   
   
       6 . The mail processing system of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one reader configured to obtain the process status information by reading information from tray tags. 
   
   
       7 . The mail processing system of  claim 6 , wherein the reader comprises a bar code reader. 
   
   
       8 . The mail processing system of  claim 6 , wherein each tray tag comprises an emissive tag, and wherein the reader comprises an emissive tag reader. 
   
   
       9 . A mail processing system, comprising:
 at least one mail processing machine;   a computing device;   software that programs the computing device to:
 receive information relating to the status of a specific process segment of a tray of mail items; and 
 display the status of the specific process segment of the tray of mail items with respect to the mail processing machine; and 
   a tray tag associated with each process segment of a mail drop, wherein the tray tag includes recipient information identifying processing requirements relating to a recipient of the mail items in the process segment, wherein a first process segment comprises manual processing and wherein a second process segment comprises automated processing.   
   
   
       10 . The mail processing system of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one reader configured to obtain process status information from the tray tag associated with each process segment in a mail drop. 
   
   
       11 . The mail processing system of  claim 10 , wherein the reader comprises a bar code reader. 
   
   
       12 . The mail processing system of  claim 10 , wherein the tray tag comprises an emissive tag, and wherein the reader comprises an emissive tag reader. 
   
   
       13 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . The mail processing system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of distinct processing paths comprise:
 a first path comprising automated mail opening and automated mail item imaging; and   a second path comprising automated mail opening and manual mail item imaging.   
   
   
       22 . The mail processing system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of tray tags is adapted for separation when the mail items in each of the plurality of trays need to be processed through distinct processing paths. 
   
   
       23 . The mail processing system of  claim 5 , wherein each tray tag comprises a field for designating at least one of the plurality of mail processing machines to process the mail items in each of the plurality of trays. 
   
   
       24 . The mail processing system of  claim 9 , wherein each mail item includes a remittance to the recipient, and wherein one of the at least one mail processing machine is configured to process the remittance.