Patents by Inventor William R Brandt
William R Brandt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20220274139Abstract: Methods, apparatus, software and systems are disclosed for improved processing and especially sorting of mailpieces in order to reduce expensive manual steps. Mailpieces rejected during a first pass DPS sort, in one embodiment, are transferred to a special Reject Encoding Machine (REM) instead of a manual sort process. The REM preferably includes a labeling machine and on-board OCR engine, in order to read and barcode the reject mailpiece in a single processing step. This technique provides very fast turnaround so as to enable returning the mail to the DBCS in time to be included in the first pass run. In this way, the once rejected mailpieces are returned to resume automated processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2021Publication date: September 1, 2022Inventor: William R. BRANDT
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Patent number: 9056336Abstract: Methods, apparatus, software and systems are disclosed for improved processing of mailpieces in order to reduce expensive manual steps. Shiny mail, i.e., mailpieces having glossy surfaces that sometimes interfere with printing of barcodes and or ID Tags may lead to rejects. In some embodiments, shiny mailpieces are identified, and at least one new (non-shiny) label is over-labeled in the POSTNET clear zone (108), the ID Tag zone (202), or both. In one embodiment, a specially-configured Reject Encoding Machine (REM) (1142) is employed to label or over-label a POSTNET clear zone (1110), resolve the destination address (1112) if possible, and print the barcode (1114) in a single operation. Thereafter, the mailpiece may be transferred from the REM into a downstream DBCS (1144), thereby re-introducing the mailpiece into the automated mail stream rather than being relegated to a manual stream.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2009Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: RAF Technology, Inc.Inventor: William R. Brandt
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Patent number: 8649898Abstract: Methods, apparatus, software and systems are disclosed for improved processing of mailpieces in order to reduce expensive manual steps. Shiny mail, i.e., mailpieces having glossy surfaces that sometimes interfere with printing of barcodes and or ID Tags may lead to rejects. In some embodiments, shiny mailpieces are identified, and at least one new (non-shiny) label is over-labeled in the POSTNET clear zone (108), the ID Tag zone (202), or both. In one embodiment, a specially-configured Reject Encoding Machine (REM) (1142) is employed to label or over-label a POSTNET clear zone (1110), resolve the destination address (1112) if possible, and print the barcode (1114) in a single operation. Thereafter, the mailpiece may be transferred from the REM into a downstream DBCS (1144), thereby re-introducing the mailpiece into the automated mail stream rather than being relegated to a manual stream.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2011Date of Patent: February 11, 2014Assignee: RAF Technology, Inc.Inventor: William R. Brandt
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Patent number: 8489231Abstract: Methods to solve the costly “loop mail” problem (FIG. 4, 464) in automated sorting and delivery of mail pieces are disclosed. Loop mail is detected, and marked as such (FIG. 7, 738), in an automated reject encoding machine (REM) (FIGS. 9-10). In one case, loop mail is detected where a new image of a returned mail piece is captured (702), a new destination address is read (720), and the new address does not match the bar code on the piece (732), suggesting that the previous address resolution was erroneous. The bar code is over-labeled (734) and replaced with the new postal code (736). The mail piece is marked with a loop mail indicator (738), and then returned for automated DBCS sortation (740). The loop mail indicator (810) indicates that the piece has already gone around the sorting and attempted delivery loop at least once, and is used to prevent recurrence (704, 710).Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2010Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: RAF Technology, Inc.Inventors: William R. Brandt, Gregor Nitsche
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Publication number: 20110114543Abstract: Methods, apparatus, software and systems are disclosed for improved processing of mailpieces in order to reduce expensive manual steps. Shiny mail, i.e., mailpieces having glossy surfaces that sometimes interfere with printing of barcodes and or ID Tags may lead to rejects. In some embodiments, shiny mailpieces are identified, and at least one new (non-shiny) label is over-labeled in the POSTNET clear zone (108), the ID Tag zone (202), or both. In one embodiment, a specially-configured Reject Encoding Machine (REM) (1142) is employed to label or over-label a POSTNET clear zone (1110), resolve the destination address (1112) if possible, and print the barcode (1114) in a single operation. Thereafter, the mailpiece may be transferred from the REM into a downstream DBCS (1144), thereby re-introducing the mailpiece into the automated mail stream rather than being relegated to a manual stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2011Publication date: May 19, 2011Applicant: RAF TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventor: William R. Brandt
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Publication number: 20110071665Abstract: Methods to solve the costly “loop mail” problem (FIG. 4, 464) in automated sorting and delivery of mail pieces are disclosed. Loop mail is detected, and marked as such (FIG. 7, 738), in an automated reject encoding machine (REM) (FIGS. 9-10). In one case, loop mail is detected where a new image of a returned mail piece is captured (702), a new destination address is read (720), and the new address does not match the bar code on the piece (732), suggesting that the previous address resolution was erroneous. The bar code is over-labeled (734) and replaced with the new postal code (736). The mail piece is marked with a loop mail indicator (738), and then returned for automated DBCS sortation (740). The loop mail indicator (810) indicates that the piece has already gone around the sorting and attempted delivery loop at least once, and is used to prevent recurrence (704, 710).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2010Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicant: RAF TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: William R. Brandt, Gregor Nitsche
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Patent number: 7847206Abstract: Improvements are disclosed for further processing of a mail piece initially rejected from an automatic sorting machine. In the case of a window envelope, the envelope is rotated or inverted, shaken, and rotated to reposition the insert. Address recognition is repeated, and additional techniques are applied if an address is not quickly resolved. Additional processing may be carried out on a reject processing machine.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2008Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: RAF Technology, Inc.Inventor: William R Brandt
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Publication number: 20090301947Abstract: Methods, apparatus, software and systems are disclosed for improved processing of mailpieces in order to reduce expensive manual steps. Shiny mail, i.e., mailpieces having glossy surfaces that sometimes interfere with printing of barcodes and or ID Tags may lead to rejects. In some embodiments, shiny mailpieces are identified, and at least one new (non-shiny) label is over-labeled in the POSTNET clear zone (108), the ID Tag zone (202), or both. In one embodiment, a specially-configured Reject Encoding Machine (REM) (1142) is employed to label or over-label a POSTNET clear zone (1110), resolve the destination address (1112) if possible, and print the barcode (1114) in a single operation. Thereafter, the mailpiece may be transferred from the REM into a downstream DBCS (1144), thereby re-introducing the mailpiece into the automated mail stream rather than being relegated to a manual stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2009Publication date: December 10, 2009Applicant: RAF TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventor: William R. Brandt
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Publication number: 20090139914Abstract: Methods, apparatus, software and systems are disclosed for improved processing and especially sorting of mailpieces in order to reduce expensive manual steps. Mailpieces rejected during a first pass DPS sort, in one embodiment, are transferred to a special Reject Encoding Machine (REM) instead of a manual sort process. The REM preferably includes a labeling machine and on-board OCR engine, in order to read and barcode the reject mailpiece in a single processing step. This technique provides very fast turnaround so as to enable returning the mail to the DBCS in time to be included in the first pass run. In this way, the once rejected mailpieces are returned to resume automated processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2009Publication date: June 4, 2009Applicant: RAF Technology, Inc.Inventor: William R. Brandt
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Publication number: 20090008304Abstract: Improvements are disclosed for further processing of a mail piece initially rejected from an automatic sorting machine. In the case of a window envelope, the envelope is rotated or inverted, shaken, and rotated to reposition the insert. Address recognition is repeated, and additional techniques are applied if an address is not quickly resolved. Additional processing may be carried out on a reject processing machine.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2008Publication date: January 8, 2009Applicant: RAF Technology, Inc.Inventor: William R. Brandt
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Publication number: 20080110810Abstract: Improvements are disclosed for further processing of a mail piece initially rejected from an automatic sorting machine. Supplemental automated processes are applied to read a bar code from the front of the piece, or read an ID Tag from the back of the piece. New labels can be applied to the front and or back sides of the piece automatically. Newly resolved address information can be applied the piece, following which it preferably is returned into the main sorting stream so that manual sorting is reduced, resulting in cost savings.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicant: RAF Technology, Inc.Inventor: William R. Brandt