EP1510975A2 - Method for processing mail - Google Patents

Abstract

Mail processing method for mail that has an identifying label containing details relating to the sender or the receiver. The label also contains details relating to a payable fee and thus to a selected mail service, whereby the mail transporter determines the fees for selected individual services and includes them in the bill for the service.

Description

The invention relates to a method for processing mail after the Preamble of claim 1.

As a rule, the mail item, e.g. a letter from the sender with an addressee and the sender address and with a postage in the form of a Fee stamp or a franking mark freed. The postage is aimed according to the size, weight and shipping method of the mail. Serves the Sender of the fee stamps, so he must have this during opening hours get it from a mail carrier or from vending machines remove. Both are associated with effort, because on the one hand the switch hours are limited, the sender often has to put up with waiting times and also the Way to the point of sale has to take on. The same applies to the procurement of Fee stamps from a vending machine. Furthermore, the machines can not be fitted or damaged.

If the sender has acquired the fee stamps, he must provide the postal matter in the prescribed amount with fee stamps. This requires a thorough knowledge of the rather complicated fares. In addition, a corresponding supply of matching stamps is required.
The cleared mail can then be stored at a collection point, for example at a counter during office hours or in a mailbox. During the transport of the postal matter, the amount of the postage will be checked and the fee stamp or the stamp will be canceled. This usually results in a double processing, namely the first time by the sender and the second time by the mail carrier.

There is also the possibility of the mail at the counter of the mail carrier to give up without payment, whereupon the employee at the counter franking the Takes over the postage and bills the sender. This is but only during the limited opening hours possible and often with considerable Waiting times connected.

In some cases, the recipient pays the postage. This will be on the mail or noted the shipping documents.

It is also possible, the mail with a franking imprint by means of a Free franking machine. For this, the sender is investing in Make franking facilities. There is also the possibility that by Misuse of the device or in ignorance of the applicable rates the mail with too low or too high a postage. In the first case can this will lead to returns and significant delays until the mail finally finishes is delivered.

From DE 100 11 858 A1 an electronic stamp is known on the Postal information can be stored. Such Different franking data such as franking value, the shipping method, the consignor and the consignee, PIN numbers or passwords of the Be paid. The data can be encrypted or be contained in unencrypted form and are expediently stored machine-readable. The data can i.a. to be used to check the validity of the franking, but also the sorting and To simplify delivery. An otherwise usual franking of the mail as Stamp or franking imprint can be omitted if the franking in complete and accepted form on the identification mark itself, can be checked by the mail carrier and then also validated.

The identification mark can be as a separate part as before a stamp from Postal carrier can be obtained. But it can also by a franking device or a computer with appropriate software on the packaging or the mail be imprinted or already integral part of the packaging or of the mail. In any case, the big disadvantage is that all fees relevant data from both the sender and the payee and the mail carrier must be recorded and examined.

The invention is based on the object, the processing of mail to simplify and with little effort the availability of Improve conveyance service. It is according to the invention by the Characteristics of claim 1 solved. Further advantageous embodiments result from the dependent claims.

According to the invention, the identification mark contains information about the Payers making up his eligibility to participate in one transport service, whereby the postal carrier Charges for each service and the fee-based billed.

The payer only needs, similar to a telephone service to register with his mail carrier in order to be entitled to participate To obtain postal service. He is stopped by the postal carrier Tag, e.g. in the form of a PIN number, a customer number or the like. With which the sender to be sent the mail features. Will the mail to the postal carrier on an agreed Collection point, e.g. a mailbox or a counter, provided, the mail carrier collects the fee-relevant data of the mail item and From these, the charges due for the transport and the charges are calculated from their tariffs Delivery of the mail. After that he puts the fees to the payer in accordance with the information in the identification mark. This can be done by Case by case or at periodic intervals, e.g. monthly, happen. It is here also conceivable for different customer groups, assignable over the Identification mark, different fares available put.

There are also other billing modalities conceivable. So it can be beneficial that the mail carrier by means of a direct debit authorization the fees due from a bank account of the payer, or that the Payers at the mail carrier maintains an account. The mail will only then transported if the account of the payer sufficient Has coverage.

The inventive method is independent of the used Storage means and the manner in which they are attached to the mail piece. Numerous suitable storage means are known in the art.

For the sender, the shipment of postal matter facilitates by sending to the Postgut only has to attach his identification tag without him To worry about the amount of the fee due or change of tariffs needs. Furthermore, the mail is transported in any case, as one too low Franking by the postal carrier can be excluded. Thereby delays are avoided by a return, especially at bound postal articles can cause high consequential damages. Investments for the sender are eliminated or extremely low. Unless he is individual identification marks are procured by the postal carrier for a small fee, which are usable regardless of the transport fees, he can buy sufficient supplies so that he can frank his mail at any time and throw in a mailbox. He spares himself with fee stamps different value in stock and avoids the difficulties of Switches or vending machines, since he also the identification marks by telephone or request in writing or via the Internet.

As a rule, the tags require little storage space. in the the simplest case are adhesive labels similar to the stamps, just without predetermined value. Of course you can also use appropriate software a computer printed on the mail or the packaging material which also does not require high investment costs. The Identification marks could also be used with the usual means in banking be made counterfeit-proof.

For the mail carrier, there is hardly any additional work, since he has to check the fee-relevant data and the franking fee anyway. In addition, only the billing to the payer. This can be done in a simple manner by machine, in particular, if present in an embodiment of the invention, the information of the identification mark in machine-readable form. In this case, the identification mark may contain information required to calculate the fees and has already been added by the sender or the mail carrier.
However, this results in significant savings. The mail carrier does not need to keep any fee stamps with different values in stock. In addition, he can completely dispense with the installation and maintenance of machines for fee stamps. Furthermore, the often associated with waiting times for the customer and high burden of postal staff surge times eliminated in the post office, since any type of goods to be transported with the identification mark provided at the facilities provided can be set and then processed asynchronously by the staff of the postal service ,

Since the inventive method a high potential savings for everyone on Postal transport entails involved, it possesses a high economic benefit.

Claims (3)

Method for processing mail containing an identification tag containing information about the sender and / or recipient, characterized in that the identification tag contains at least information about the person liable to pay, who indicates his entitlement to participate in a selected transport service, whereby the mail carrier determines the fees for the individual services and bills the payer. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the information of the identification mark are in machine-readable form and contain further information that is required to calculate the fees. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the calculated fees are deducted from an account of the payer at the end of a certain period.