The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 28, 1978
Filed:
Apr. 04, 1977
Rolf B Erikson, Lincolnwood, IL (US);
Bell & Howell Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A system for sorting mailing pieces is described in which pre-addressed labels are applied to mailing pieces and in which selected labels bearing indicia representative of a zip code group are selectively coated to identify them from labels not bearing such indicia. To distinguish coated labels from non-coated labels, each label is considered as having two or more portions, including a first coatable portion and a second reference portion. Only labels bearing zip code group indicia receive a coating on their coatable portions. Thereafter, each label is examined to detect the level of radiation, if any, emitted from its coatable and reference portions. If the level of radiation emitted from a coatable portion of a label exceeds the level of radiation emitted from its reference portion by at least a predetermined difference, such a label is identified as bearing indicia representative of a zip code group.