Pitney Bowes Inc.

William G Hart, Jr

Michael J Shea

Eugene Pritchard

Ronald P Sansone

Kevin D Hunter

Barry H Axelrod

Paul Mayer

Wojciech M Chrosny

Surya R Sagi

Bruce J Barrows

George G Gelfer

Patricia B Baer

Atholl A Robertson

A method for monitoring the status of documents created by a large scale document production and management process. The production and management process may be comprised of a plurality of different stages including: utilizing a print stream to generate the documents, printing documents on a printer in accordance with the print stream, and forming completed mail pieces on an inserter from the printed documents in accordance with mail piece creation data files. A monitoring system receives information regarding the status of individual documents within these production and management process stages. A user may then select one of the stages for closer inspection of the status of documents. For the selected stage, status of individual documents is displayed.

Document lifecycle tracking system and method for use with a document production process

A system, method and apparatus for preparing mailpieces. A inserter system for assembling mailpieces in a mailing job is controlled in accordance with mailpiece records in a corresponding mailing control file. The inserter system scans control inserts included in the mailpieces fed into the mailpiece accumulations at a downstream station to verify corresponding mailpiece records. Initially the inserter system reads an initial, dummy control insert to accesses the mailing control file to initialized the upstream stations of the inserter system.

Apparatus for preparation of mailpieces and method for downstream control of such apparatus

A system, method and apparatus for preparing mailpieces. A inserter system for assembling mailpieces in a mailing job is controlled in accordance with mailpiece records in a corresponding mailing control file. The inserter system scans control documents included in the mailpieces to identify corresponding mailpiece records. Initially the inserter system accesses the mailing control file to identify set-up parameter values for the current mailing job.

System and apparatus for preparation of mailpieces and method for file based setup of such apparatus

An apparatus for assembling mailpieces and a method for controlling such apparatus. The apparatus includes a document feeder for feeding sets of documents to a chassis for assembly into mailpieces a constant rate. Because the number of documents varies the time to assemble a set varies and it is possible that a set may not be available when the chassis is ready to cycle; resulting in a cycle in which no mailpiece is processed. To correct for this the average number of documents for a number of mailpieces to be processed is determined and a nominal chassis speed and cycling rate are determined correspondingly. The actual chassis speed is then periodically updated to approach the nominal speed.

Performance tuning of an inserter system based upon a rolling average of page counts for mailpieces to be processed

A method and system for preparing mailpieces. A inserter system for assembling mailpieces in a mailing job is controlled in accordance with a measure of the fraction of chassis cycles which are empty. The chassis speed is continually adjusted during run-time for a mailing job to minimize the number of &ldquo;dry holes&rdquo;, i.e. the fraction of chassis cycles which do not contain a mailpiece.

Method for run-time performance tuning of an inserter system

A method for controlling an inserter system having a chassis for assembling mailpieces, the chassis operating cyclically with successive accumulations advancing at the end of each cycle. The inserter system further includes a document feeder for feeding accumulations of documents to the chassis, the accumulations containing varying numbers of documents whereby the document feeder is operated at a first speed such that accumulations are available for input to the chassis at varying intervals substantially depending upon the number of documents in corresponding accumulations. And the chassis is operated at a selected speed, which speed is periodically updated in dependence upon the number of documents in the corresponding accumulations in the document feeder.

System and method for controlling the inserter chassis speed in an inserter system

A method and system for tracking manually repaired mailpieces and the like. Control documents are produced by a data processing system and transported to an inserter system. The inserter system inputs the control documents and assembles mailpieces in accordance with mailpiece records identified by coded information on the documents. If a damaged mailpiece is manually repaired an operator scans the coded information from the damaged mailpiece. A data processing system accesses the mailpiece record in accordance with the scanned information and updates the corresponding mailpiece record to reflect manual repair of the document.

Method and system for tracking manually repaired mailpieces or the like

A mail sender processes batches of mail each of which is accompanied by a statement summarizing the type and number of mail pieces sent and amount of postage for each batch. During processing, each mail piece is identified by a unique number for security purposes.

Method and apparatus for sequentially numbering mail pieces

An inserter based mail manifesting system includes a controller that processes sensed information and generates a manifest that can accompany mail to a postal depository.

Inserter based mail manifesting system

The present invention is directed to a system wherein a mailer is able to send large quantities or batches of mail. The mailer has a secure accounting unit similar to a postage meter in which postage value is placed by a central station which is also in communication with a remote resetting center for accounting for funds transferred to the accounting unit. The central station communicates with the mailing station in order to obtain data relative to the mail processing whenever the funds are to be transferred to the accounting unit. The central station may also serve to lock or unlock the mail processing at the mailing station. Receipts may also be provided for the funding transactions.

Batch mailing system

Apparatus is provided for transporting a sheet in a predetermined path of travel. The apparatus comprises a plate having a lower surface extending parallel to and defining the path of travel, and having an aperture formed therein. In addition, the apparatus comprises sheet feeding structure, including a first pair of rollers spaced apart from one another and an endless belt looped about the first rollers, wherein the belt has a lower belt run extending between the first rollers and beneath the plate. Further, the feeding structure includes instrumentalities for driving one of the first rollers for moving the lower belt run at a constant velocity in the direction of the path of travel. Moreover, the feeding structure includes a second pair of rollers which are disposed beneath the plate and are made of a compliant material. Still further, the feeding structure includes structure for resiliently urging the compliant rollers toward the path of travel for urging a sheet feed to the apparatus into contact with the belt and the lower surface of the plate, whereby the belt engages and feeds the sheet at a constant velocity with a portion thereof in the path of travel when fed past the aperture.

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Sandy Hook, CT, United States of America

William G Hart, Jr