Patents Assigned to Bell and Howell, LLC
  • Patent number: 8702096
    Abstract: The present application relates to techniques and equipment to manufacture mailpieces containing inserts. The equipment can be an inserter or an envelope wrapper that collects documents and inserts on a collating track before the material is inserted into an envelope by inserting equipment or wrapped with paper or film to make an envelope by wrapping equipment. More specifically, the present application relates to a rotary insert feeder that feeds inserts to a collating track on inserting or wrapping type equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC.
    Inventors: Joseph Zuech, Aaron A. Kracht
  • Publication number: 20140096900
    Abstract: The present application relates to a method and system for labeling one or more products such as packages transported along a conveyer, and more specifically to applying a label on a respective package by way of a vertically adjustable assembly positioned above the conveyor. The adjustable assembly includes at least a label printer and an applicator for printing and applying the label on a surface of the package on the conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: BELL AND HOWELL, LLC.
    Inventors: Richard WOJDYLA, Tim PALMER, Brian BOWERS, Tomasz K. BEDNAREK
  • Patent number: 8641034
    Abstract: The present application relates to techniques and equipment to manufacture mailpieces containing inserts. The equipment can be an inserter or an envelope wrapper that collects documents and inserts on a collating track before the material is inserted into an envelope by inserting equipment or wrapped with paper or film to make an envelope by wrapping equipment. More specifically, the present application relates to a rotary insert feeder that feeds inserts to a collating track on inserting or wrapping type equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC.
    Inventors: Edward J. Kapturowski, Robin L. Heilman, Aaron A. Kracht, Todd Murdock
  • Publication number: 20140001251
    Abstract: The present teachings relate to a mailpiece and method for assembling a mailpiece using a document processing system such as a wrapper system. The assembled mailpiece has outgoing and reply envelope functionality. In the outgoing format, the mailpiece may optionally contain advertisements, inserted documents, or coupons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: BELL AND HOWELL, LLC
    Inventors: Mark VAN GORP, Elizabeth L. MANNING, Gerard A. DEROME
  • Publication number: 20130294879
    Abstract: The present application relates to techniques and equipment to stack mailpieces for sweeping. The mailpieces are manufactured on a mail processing machine such as, but not limited to an inserter or wrapper. More particularly, there is provided an on-edge conveyor where components have been ergonomically positioned to permit the filling of a mail tray in an efficient manner with minimal lifting of weight. A quantity of mailpieces that have already been offset can be pulled over the rolled/rounded edge of the conveyor into an awaiting mail tray supported on a roller conveyor. The operator is then able push the full tray to the side, load another empty tray, and repeat the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: BELL AND HOWELL, LLC.
    Inventors: Neal MIDDLEBERG, Gerard A. DEROME, Richard D. JOHNSON, Lenny NEIFERT, Mark Gerard PAUL
  • Patent number: 8560115
    Abstract: The present application relates to a system and related method for processing a mailpiece through the steps associated with its manufacture and post processing. The present system and method allow for mailpiece item tracking data collection at each step in the mailpiece manufacturing and processing. The present system and method allow for the integration of mailpiece item data from a postage device by utilizing information based barcode data included as part of the postage evidence, together with the production and sorting processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Van Gorp, John Keirsbilck, Walter S. Conard
  • Patent number: 8544720
    Abstract: The present teachings relate to techniques and equipment to prepare articles of manufacture that can be used in a document processing system, such as a wrapping document processing system, that individually wraps each form in a manner that produces a mailpiece. The manufactured mailpiece is an integrated bidirectional mailpiece having outgoing and return envelope functionality. In the outgoing format, the integrated mailpiece may optionally contain advertisements, coupons, inserted documents, statements or payment coupons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Van Gorp, Elizabeth L. Manning
  • Patent number: 8520888
    Abstract: The present application relates to a method, apparatus and programmable product for uniquely identifying a document. More specifically, the application allows for the identification of the document through collection of minutiae data at various points throughout the document's lifecycle without reliance upon or requirement for any unique identification characters, barcodes and/or objects that were added to the document specifically for the purpose of identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventors: Roger Spitzig, Walter S. Conard, Leondo R. Phifer
  • Publication number: 20130218327
    Abstract: The present application relates to a system and related method for processing a mailpiece through the steps associated with its manufacture and post processing. The present system and method allow for mailpiece item tracking data collection at each step in the mailpiece manufacturing and processing. The present system and method allow for the integration of mailpiece item data from a postage device by utilizing information based barcode data included as part of the postage evidence, together with the production and sorting processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: BELL AND HOWELL, LLC
    Inventor: BELL AND HOWELL, LLC
  • Patent number: 8507821
    Abstract: The present application relates to a method and system thereof for performing laser cutting on a mail piece during processing on a document processing device such as a sorter. Laser cutting is performed to effectively cut mail pieces during transport on the document processing equipment to ensure cut accuracy and to promote readability. The present teachings allow for selection of a cut profile based on mail piece attributes or markings and adaptive adjustment of the cut profile in accord with the positioning of the mail piece to achieve a desired cut pattern while the document processing device is running at high transport speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventors: George M. Varghese, Arkadiusz Nieckarz, Gregory Wilmes, Brian Bowers
  • Patent number: 8485425
    Abstract: Each respective mail item in a received batch of items is read to acquire information, which enables a plurality of verifications with regard to authenticity of the respective mail item. In a vote-by-mail example, one or more features are validated for authenticity in relation to the election, and one or more features are validated for authenticity in relation to a voter. The verifications in relation to a voter may involve detection of a signature and verification of the authenticity of the signature. The items are sorted according to the verification results and may be sorted based on other criteria. The methods, systems and software disclosed herein enable such verifications and sorting, in a single pass through a sorting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher J. Kite, George Mavelil Varghese, Arkadiusz Nieckarz, William A. Grady, Michelle R. Archer
  • Publication number: 20130168917
    Abstract: The present application relates to techniques and equipment to manufacture mailpieces containing inserts. The equipment can be an inserter or an envelope wrapper that collects documents and inserts on a collating track before the material is inserted into an envelope by inserting equipment or wrapped with paper or film to make an envelope by wrapping equipment. More specifically, the present application relates to a rotary insert feeder that feeds inserts to a collating track on inserting or wrapping type equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: BELL AND HOWELL, LLC.
    Inventor: Bell and Howell, LLC.
  • Patent number: 8477992
    Abstract: The present subject matter relates to controlling of mail processing equipment. More specifically, the present subject matter allows for unique recognition of a printed document from all other similar documents, without the inclusion of additional purposeful identifying marks, data or barcodes. A document processing system, such as an inserter, printer, postage meter, sorter or other document processing system is controlled based on document identification which does not depend on unique identifiers. Similarly if a document is identified with a unique identifying mark on the first page, the present subject matter allows for identification of each subsequent page in the document without requiring identifying marks on each page. The identification data is then used to control the processing of the printed document based upon the recognition and enables the performance of quality checks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventors: Mark G. Paul, Michael G. Boston, Roger Spitzig, David Rawlings, Walter S. Conard
  • Patent number: 8457782
    Abstract: The present application relates to the ability to track mail items through a postal authority network with reference to a specific mail target. More particularly, the present application relates to a system and method for enabling tracking of event data by a mail owner of one or more mail items specifically by mail target through a mail delivery network's mail stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventor: Steven Ksiazek
  • Patent number: 8433438
    Abstract: The present application relates to a system and related method for processing a mailpiece through the steps associated with its manufacture and post processing. The present system and method allow for mailpiece item tracking data collection at each step in the mailpiece manufacturing and processing. The present system and method allow for the integration of mailpiece item data from a postage device by utilizing information based barcode data included as part of the postage evidence, together with the production and sorting processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Van Gorp, John Keirsbilck, Walter S. Conard
  • Patent number: 8406463
    Abstract: The present application relates to a mail processing system and related method containing dynamic speed control which uses real time and historical system parameters to dynamically control the cycle speed of an inserting or wrapping system to optimize system efficiency, and maximize throughput and performance. A document processing system with dynamic speed control analyzes system parameters. When the operational conditions are favorable the system will increase cycle speed of one or more of the mail processing components of the system in increments until an optimal speed is reached. Likewise, if conditions are unfavorable the system will decrease cycle speed of one or more of the mail processing components of the system in increments until an optimal speed is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel C. Quinn, Robert J. Elias, Gregory J. Norton, John S. Tarascio
  • Patent number: 8392337
    Abstract: The present teachings relate to a method and system for the processing of mail items within a multiple device document processing environment to ensure generation of unique mail items. The present teachings provides for an improved system and method for assigning and maintaining unique mail item identifiers and processing of the unique mail items in a multiple mail processing device environment to qualify for maximum postal work sharing discounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventors: Raymond Lee, Brian Bowers
  • Patent number: 8374398
    Abstract: The subject matter presented herein relates to a method, system and program product for performing image capture of items. In particular the image capture occurs during transport of the items by a high-speed transport device. The image is captured by a linear array imaging sensor as a face of the item is transported at a continuous production speed in near proximity to the linear array imaging sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC.
    Inventors: Roger Spitzig, Mark Woolston
  • Patent number: 8326898
    Abstract: The present application generally relates to address data maintenance services using a mail processing system. The present application discloses techniques and equipment to update address information and usage of mail processing equipment to print delivery point barcodes that represent the current and accurate address information available for the addressee. The present application also provides a new approach for storing and searching address and name run time directories as part of a mail processing system using address reader technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Bell & Howell, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Woolston, Walter S. Conard, William A. Grady, Brian Bowers, Richard Wojdyla, Gary Van Ermen
  • Patent number: 8311662
    Abstract: Systems and method of processing one or more documents are shown and described. The orientation of a magnetic character is sensed on the document. The orientation is processed and used to control a sort processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC
    Inventors: Charles E. Davis, Brian Bowers, Jack E. Olson