EP1457931A2 - Dispositif pour l'entrée automatique d'un code produit dans un appareil de traitement de courrier - Google Patents

Dispositif pour l'entrée automatique d'un code produit dans un appareil de traitement de courrier Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1457931A2
EP1457931A2 EP04090090A EP04090090A EP1457931A2 EP 1457931 A2 EP1457931 A2 EP 1457931A2 EP 04090090 A EP04090090 A EP 04090090A EP 04090090 A EP04090090 A EP 04090090A EP 1457931 A2 EP1457931 A2 EP 1457931A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
memory
product code
weight
data values
stored
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP04090090A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1457931A3 (fr
Inventor
Katrin Reisinger
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Francotyp Postalia GmbH
Original Assignee
Francotyp Postalia GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Francotyp Postalia GmbH filed Critical Francotyp Postalia GmbH
Publication of EP1457931A2 publication Critical patent/EP1457931A2/fr
Publication of EP1457931A3 publication Critical patent/EP1457931A3/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00362—Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
    • G07B2017/00258—Electronic hardware aspects, e.g. type of circuits used
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00362—Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
    • G07B2017/00427—Special accounting procedures, e.g. storing special information

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a device for automatic product code entry in a mail processing device according to the preamble of Claim 1.
  • the invention is for use in franking machines, Postage computer scales, for use in by a personal computer (PC) supported mailing systems or PC frankers and others Postal processing equipment provided for data acquisition for a Post class statistics is trained accordingly.
  • PC personal computer
  • a franking machine is already known from EP 493 948 B1 the type of dispatch as a separate election stamp to the franking stamp or integrated with can print and with a plurality on registers in a secure module for storing accounting data is equipped, which is based on the use of the franking machine for franking objects.
  • a first set of registers refers to a special first Service and a second set of registers refer to a special one second service, the special services via the input means are selectable and the accounting data of the selected one Service will be updated. But there are only certain services recorded for billing. These accounts give that Carrier does not have sufficient information about customer behavior.
  • the applicant's newer franking machines use digital ones Printing units.
  • the franking machines have T1000 or JetMail from the applicant Francotyp Postalia AG & Co.KG worldwide for the first time a thermal transfer printer or an inkjet printer. This makes it possible in principle to refer to a filled letter in the area of Franking stamp also to print addresses and other information, which in a corresponding context with a service stand.
  • the form of storage can meet the needs of a variety of users the same Franking machine to be adapted. So in some machines one Class formation in the form of cost centers, the individual User groups are assigned.
  • FR 2 665 003 B1 describes a device for tracking the Mail use of an electronic franking system known that with a central office communicates what electronic messages change.
  • the message format includes Information on identification, register status and credit status as well as a number of additional bytes for the statistical order.
  • the bytes for the statistical order contain a breakdown by Postage values, by weights or by destination of the franked Mailings. Part of the statistical order instructions can be modified during communication with the control center. The Modification of an instruction must be done in advance, before an statistical collection is started. Communication takes place via Telephone line or via electronic module, which physically connects to the communication partner must be transported.
  • EP 717 376 A2 discloses a franking machine with a statistical program known that the transfer of statistical data to the Data center via modem and changing parameters in the Franking machine for statistical data acquisition by downloading of new parameters from the data center to define the Carries out class boundaries.
  • the ways to do one However, statistics are limited to postage value classes.
  • EP 892368 therefore proposed that selectable linking instructions for class formation in the data center to generate and in the form of new statistical instruction data for Franking machine to transfer.
  • the formation of a new statistics mode takes place in the franking machine based on the new statistical instruction data and before the use of functions and services and their statistical acquisition in the memory of the franking machine.
  • One advantage is the pre-compression of the data by the Linking and that a transmission of pre-compressed data for Data center does not interfere with the process, since it takes little time to transmit them takes.
  • EP 992947 describes an arrangement and method for storing Data on the use of a terminal proposed, the Storage of data in a terminal and its communication was designed with a remote data center so that the in kind and Way subject to different country-specific requirements Statistics can be subsequently created in a remote data center can. The terminal should not be blocked by keeping statistics become. Unaffected by the storage and transfer of Usage data is intended to be used in a service mode Terminal for services are made possible.
  • PCE product code entry
  • the current PCE requirements are graded differently depending on the country. In Germany there are 561 ProductCode Categories, in the Netherlands are 11 or 25 or 151 ProductCode Categories and in Canada 16 or 48 or 72 ProductCode Categories are required. The however requires additional operator input.
  • the of The product categories specified in Swiss Post are to be entered manually recognized by the mail processing device and as part of the data acquisition for a class of mail statistics CoM (Class of Mail) are saved.
  • the So-called Product Code Entry (PCE) requires corresponding changes with the user interface and with regard to the operator guidance of a mail processing device.
  • the postal authorities of some countries are making additional demands a weight class entry, which is also an advantage for the operator additional operating effort required.
  • the invention has for its object the product code entry to automate as much as possible.
  • An additional task is automate a weight class entry.
  • a device now automatically determines the product code and stores the latter in a memory of the mail processing device.
  • the device can be operated similarly in order to automatically enter a weight class code.
  • the device advantageously uses the microprocessor, working memory, program memory and receiving means already present in the mail processing device for loading and storing current table values and data that are related to the input, as well as a display and a keyboard with operating elements.
  • the device is part of a postage computer scale, for example, to which a franking machine is connected via an interface.
  • the automatically determined product code and, if applicable, weight class code is temporarily stored in the working memory of the postage computer scale and then transferred via the interface to the franking machine and stored there in a non-volatile manner until it is queried by a remote data center.
  • the device can be part of a franking machine with integrated postage calculator or a similar mail processing device.
  • a programmable memory for tables, a working memory for the data values of the shipping parameters of a mail item and means for setting a PCE operating mode for automatic product code entry are also provided, and the microprocessor is programmed to switch to the operating mode by a program stored in the program memory.
  • Either the PCE operating mode is set via the interface or via an operating element, for example when starting up or after switching on the device or system, in that the microprocessor responds appropriately to the signals output to the device via the interface or via an operating element.
  • a starting address is stored non-volatilely in a programmable memory of at least one first table, which consists of several columns, wherein the columns can contain data values as well as pointers to further tables.
  • the program contains corresponding instructions and the microprocessor is programmed to generate screen images, at least for inputting shipping parameters, for displaying the input options on the display and for volatile storage of data values of the inputs in the working memory.
  • data values for example weight values, can be supplied via the interface or entered manually.
  • Additional tables are accessed via the aforementioned first table if, when evaluating the data values, the valid row of the table is determined whose data values correspond to the data values stored in the working memory.
  • a weight class code can also be determined and stored in a non-volatile manner in a storage area for usage data in the programmable memory. The latter can be connected to the receiving means which are equipped for loading tables into the programmable memory.
  • This is at least a first table to which or associated further tables, such as weight table, product code table, weight class table, can be assigned.
  • FIG. 2 shows a flow chart for the operation of the device, which automatically determines a valid product code and a corresponding weight class code from the shipping parameters set by the operator.
  • the operating mode only has to be set once after the start 80 (step 81), and there is a choice whether a table with all categories (product code) or with a limited number of categories (product code) is used.
  • the advantage is that an additional manual input of product code and weight class code for the respective mail item by the operator is unnecessary.
  • the mail machine determines the setting according to the selection.
  • step 82 it is determined that all categories should or should not be used, then in step 83 or in step 85 a branch is made to a corresponding program which takes access to a first table 1 or second table 2 (in the Step 84 or 86).
  • Automation requires that the operator - as usual - sets the mailpiece-related shipping parameters in step 87, however further manual entries are unnecessary and the determination of the product code and weight class code runs automatically in the background (from step 88).
  • the determined quantities of mail item-related product code and weight class code are automatically transmitted to the data center for evaluation at intervals. Without additional input, the operator can take advantage of the advantages of the postal services that are offered to him, for example, if he is participating in the NetSet project in the Netherlands and statistical data is being transmitted to the data center.
  • the operator sets his shipping parameters on a postage computer scale or on a franking machine.
  • the shipping parameters are a combination of shipping destination, shipping type, shipping format if applicable and any additional services that may have been set.
  • the product code and the weight class code are determined from a valid combination of shipping parameters.
  • postage computer scales the operator first selects one of the destinations in the usual way. In the Netherlands, for example, "Roodpost”, “Postzegelpost”, “Europa” and “Buiten Europa" can be entered or selected in step 87, among others.
  • the type of shipment - for example "Brieven", "Druktechnik” and others - is then selected in a known manner from a second menu.
  • the operator While the operator is setting the shipping parameters, it is automatically checked whether the set shipping parameters are valid, ie are permitted by post.
  • the weight of the shipment is determined using the postage computer scale. It is also possible to enter the weight using the keyboard if the weight range of the type of shipment is larger than the weighing range of the scale. If, for example, a 5 kg scale is available, but the weight range of the type of shipment allows a weight of up to 20 kg, the operator has the option of entering the weight of his shipment using the keyboard (e.g. 15 kg).
  • additional services which, for example, require the entry of a value (for example a letter of value)
  • the operator is asked when selecting such an additional service to enter the value of the consignment using the keyboard.
  • the set shipping parameters, the value that may be entered and the weight of the shipment form the input parameters for determining the product code and weight class.
  • the operating software of the postage balance or franking machine or postal device is stored in the program memory.
  • the program memory is preferably pluggable. This makes it easy to replace and adapt to the different poster requirements in different countries.
  • the operating software provides instructions for a function of the microprocessor in order to use the input parameters (shipping parameters, weight, value input) to search a separately stored table and to determine the product code and, if applicable, the weight class code.
  • a data carrier for programming the device contains an application program for automatic product code entry in one of its memory areas and the application program can be loaded into a memory area of the programmable memory 2 and stored in a non-volatile manner.
  • the programming is specifically geared towards the mail carrier's products or services in order to form a specific combination of shipping parameters that are stored in the working memory and to compare them with one of the possible products or services of the mail carrier.
  • a separately stored table is also searched and product code and, if applicable, weight class code are determined from it.
  • Such a separate table which stores the valid product code for every possible combination of shipping parameters, is accommodated in the separate memory, for example in memory area II.
  • a separate memory can be a data carrier or an external storage medium 1 with a large number of storage areas I to VI.
  • the aforementioned table is loaded into a memory (for example EEPROM 2) present in the postage computer scale or franking machine.
  • the table can also be stored in its program memory (EPROM 4) during the manufacture of the postage computer scale or franking machine.
  • EPROM 4 program memory
  • a product code table is explained in more detail using a table intended for the country Netherlands. row Column 1 Column 2 Column3 column 4 column 5 Column 6 Column 7 1 Z0 / A1 / F1 / F3 / F4 VZ_M / VA_M / VF_M max ⁇ (UNIT16 *) Weight2 (INT32 *) Prodcode3 (UCHAR *) wclass2 (STRING) NULL 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... n ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
  • step 93 A branch is now made to step 93 in order to search the weight table and to determine a table index.
  • the weight table pointed to by the pointer in column 4 is searched until the weight value in the table is found that comes closest to the weight determined by the scale or the weight value entered via the keyboard, ie the next higher Weight value in this table is valid.
  • the weight table stores the weight levels for which different product codes or weight classes apply.
  • Weight table 0.20,100,250,500,750,1000,1500,2000,5000 It is examined in which gradation of the weight table the determined weight value fits. If an entry was found, the corresponding table index is determined from it, which indicates at which point in the table the suitable entry was found. Then in step 94 that at least one product code table to which the pointer in column 5 points is examined. With the help of the table index found in the weight table, the corresponding product code is determined in the product code table. The table index already determined may also be used in step 95 to determine the corresponding weight class in the weight class table to which the pointer points in column 6. Column 7 is currently reserved for possible future applications.
  • the product code and the weight class code are returned to the calling function as parameters and stored in step 96. If no hit is found in the table, which results from the dispatch destination, dispatch type, dispatch form and additional services, then a default product code is passed back to the calling function.
  • the product code table therefore only contains an entry for the shipping parameters for which a product code must also be determined according to the postal regulation. There are also shipping parameters that should generate a product code that is assigned to the "Other" category. There are no separate entries in the table for these shipping parameters. At the end of the table there is an entry that is read if no match was previously found. This entry then refers to the product code table with the product code for "Other".
  • a postage computer scale eg of the type FIexiScale®, determines a postage value and the associated product code and the corresponding weight class code from the set shipping parameters, such as destination, type, format and form, if applicable.
  • the product code and the weight class code are transmitted in addition to the postage value to a franking machine of the type T1000 or Optimail and stored there until the data is queried from a remote data center.
  • a static scale and its postage calculator function was integrated into a common housing for the Jetmail®, Mymail® and Ultimail® franking machines.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mathematical Physics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
EP04090090A 2003-03-11 2004-03-05 Dispositif pour l'entrée automatique d'un code produit dans un appareil de traitement de courrier Ceased EP1457931A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE20304226U DE20304226U1 (de) 2003-03-11 2003-03-11 Einrichtung zur automatischen Produktcodeeingabe in ein Postverarbeitungsgerät
DE20304226U 2003-03-11

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1457931A2 true EP1457931A2 (fr) 2004-09-15
EP1457931A3 EP1457931A3 (fr) 2006-09-27

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EP04090090A Ceased EP1457931A3 (fr) 2003-03-11 2004-03-05 Dispositif pour l'entrée automatique d'un code produit dans un appareil de traitement de courrier

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20040181494A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP1457931A3 (fr)
DE (1) DE20304226U1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1538573A1 (fr) * 2003-12-04 2005-06-08 Francotyp-Postalia Aktiengesellschaft & Co. Système pour la détermination automatique d'une description d'un produit et pour l'affichage de cette description par une machine à affranchir

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5586037A (en) * 1991-04-01 1996-12-17 Pi Electronics, Inc. Automated self-service mail processing and storing systems
DE4224955C2 (de) * 1992-07-24 1998-11-26 Francotyp Postalia Gmbh Anordnung und Verfahren für einen internen Kostenstellendruck
JP3394795B2 (ja) * 1993-07-16 2003-04-07 株式会社東芝 対象物の処理装置及び対象物の処理方法
US5724245A (en) * 1995-09-28 1998-03-03 Pitney Bowes Inc. Apparatus for controlling a postage meter and selecting an inscription
DE19549305A1 (de) * 1995-12-22 1997-07-03 Francotyp Postalia Gmbh Verfahren und Anordnung zur Dateneingabe in eine Frankiermaschine
DE19857778A1 (de) * 1998-12-04 2000-06-08 Francotyp Postalia Gmbh Verfahren zum Verarbeiten veränderbarer Dienstdatenstrukturen und Displaytexten in einem Verarbeitungsmodul und Anordnung zur Durchführung des Verfahrens
DE19911514A1 (de) * 1999-03-16 2000-09-21 Francotyp Postalia Gmbh Portowertermittlungseinrichtung und Frankiereinrichtung

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1538573A1 (fr) * 2003-12-04 2005-06-08 Francotyp-Postalia Aktiengesellschaft & Co. Système pour la détermination automatique d'une description d'un produit et pour l'affichage de cette description par une machine à affranchir

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Publication number Publication date
EP1457931A3 (fr) 2006-09-27
US20040181494A1 (en) 2004-09-16
DE20304226U1 (de) 2003-06-12

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