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:
Oct. 21, 2008
Filed:
May. 11, 2006
Bruno Cartal, Rockville, MD (US);
Karim Kara, Chabeuil, FR;
Bruno Cartal, Rockville, MD (US);
Karim Kara, Chabeuil, FR;
Solystic, Gentilly Cedex, FR;
Abstract
A method of sorting postal items in a plurality of sorting passes in a sorting machine having sort outlets with removable trays, the method including the steps of: (i) after a first sorting pass during which the sorted items are stored in the trays, determining and storing in a memory the pass sequence in which the items are to pass through the sorting machine for the subsequent sorting pass; and (ii) during said subsequent sorting pass, while a current item to be directed towards a sort-outlet tray is passing, determining in the pass sequence the difference in rank between the current item and a next item immediately following the current item and that is to be directed to the same sort-outlet tray as the current item, and comparing the difference with a threshold for causing the sort-outlet tray to be replaced with an empty tray.