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EP1704931B2 - Process of treating mail items including sequence check - Google Patents

Process of treating mail items including sequence check Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1704931B2
EP1704931B2 EP06111255.3A EP06111255A EP1704931B2 EP 1704931 B2 EP1704931 B2 EP 1704931B2 EP 06111255 A EP06111255 A EP 06111255A EP 1704931 B2 EP1704931 B2 EP 1704931B2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
current
rank
sorting
postal
item
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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.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP06111255.3A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP1704931B1 (en
EP1704931A1 (en
Inventor
François Madar
Bruno Cartal
David Morisot
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Solystic SAS
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Solystic SAS
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C3/00—Sorting according to destination
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S209/00—Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
    • Y10S209/90—Sorting flat-type mail

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of processing postal items in a postal sorting machine to prepare factor rounds in several sorting passes, typically two sorting passes.
  • the invention is more particularly applicable to a bucket carousel postal sorting machine in which the postal items circulate in the buckets above the sorting outlets.
  • a sorting error in a postman tour results in a wrong placement of a post in the postman tour.
  • a sorting error may be due, for example, to multiple picking of first-pass shipments, but also to errors in the handling of shipments between the two sorting passes (for example inversion by the fold operator when they are loaded on the supply store).
  • the object of the invention is to propose a postal mail processing method which makes it possible to avoid sorting errors in the factor rounds and which also makes it possible to increase the proportion of automatically sorted items.
  • the idea according to the invention is to carry out a rank check in a sorting machine for bucket carousel mail items consisting of checking in a sorting pass, for each current item, a datum representative of a number of order or rank, assigned to the distribution point corresponding to the current mail item in a predetermined sequence of distribution points to be rolled out in that sorting pass to prepare for each factor tour, the control of monitoring a rank change for mailings successive mailpieces to detect a difference with said predetermined sequence, and from this rank control, that is to say in response to said detection for a current mail, the machine orders a re-circulation of this current mail in the machine to delay its sorting and recreate the expected sequence by making this current send a complete carousel turn.
  • the invention takes advantage of the re-circulation possibilities offered by a bucket carousel sorting machine in order to make up for sorting errors resulting for example from defective unstacking of postal items. This consists of deciding to recirculate verified folds out of rank by the control instead of rejecting them. It is hoped that after a carousel round, the current mail will be in sequence with the items surrounding it because its rank will then be equal to the current rank. The rank control then makes it possible to guarantee whether, after a carousel turn, the current send is or is not in sequence.
  • the rank control further comprises observing the rank position for the current mailpiece in a portion or window of observation of said sequence consisting of a number of consecutive mailpieces.
  • the subject of the invention is a method for processing postal items as defined in claim 1.
  • this current item in response to the detection of a sorting error for a current shipment, this current item is re-circulated in the machine to delay its sorting and thus recreate the expected sequence.
  • this current mailing may be a postal item that was multiple in first sort pass and is no longer in the second pass, or a shipment that was dividedled before the previous shipment.
  • the method according to the invention makes it possible to detect sorting errors and to order a recirculation of postal items in the machine to restore consistency in the order of the postal items, if possible by postponing sorting of mail items. rather than simply directing them into rejection.
  • the recirculation can be triggered by a detection in the form of a rank check but also for example in the form of a check of unavailability of a sorting outlet in the machine.
  • this method can be implemented in juxtaposition with a step of controlling in a sorting pass, for each current item, a datum representative of a serial number or rank, assigned to the corresponding distribution point. to the current mailpiece in a predetermined sequence of distribution points to be unwound in this sorting pass to prepare each mailing, the control of monitoring a rank change for successive mailpieces to detect a difference with said predetermined sequence .
  • the rank control then makes it possible to guarantee that a mail item recirculated can be sorted or not and does not create an error in the sequence when the items are sorted.
  • This verification method before choosing the sanction to be applied to a re-circulated shipment allows the implementation of a re-circulation during a second sorting pass, which was previously impossible because did not know if sorting such a re-circulating shipment would not disrupt the sorting sequence.
  • the invention extends to a bucket carousel postal sorting machine specially designed to implement the method of processing postal items defined above.
  • the rank control according to the invention can also be used to synchronize in the second sorting pass the merging of different batches of items from a first sorting pass respectively on different sorting machines.
  • FIG. 1 there is shown a machine 1 for sorting postal items 2 comprising a carousel 3 with buckets.
  • the postal items 2 serialized by an unstacker (not shown) at the entrance of the machine are injected as represented by the arrow 4 in the cups of a carousel which circulate in the direction indicated by the arrow 5 above a plurality of sorting outlets 6 of the machine.
  • Each bucket normally transports a single postal item 2 to a sorting outlet 6 which is determined from an automatic OCR recognition of the mailing address of the item.
  • Each mailing address of a mailing corresponds to a dispatch point of a factor tour and at each distribution point is assigned a first or second pass sorting output according to a pre-established sorting plan as indicated above.
  • each sorting outlet is provided with a tray in which the postal items are loaded.
  • the bin is removed from the last sorting outlet of the machine and the postal items of this bin are reintroduced into the machine to perform the second sorting pass. Then we remove the tray from the penultimate sorting outlet of the machine and reintroduces the postal items of this tray then in the machine and so on until the first sorting outlet of the machine.
  • FIG. 2 there is shown a series of consecutive postal items referenced A, B, C .... L which are accumulated in the sorting machine 1 in the second pass and the rectangle 10 represents a window of observation of a number of these mailings accumulated between points 7 and 8 on the carousel 3.
  • the observation window 10 is in practice a file 14 or a table in memory functioning as a "FIFO"("First In First Out") stack in which are recorded certain characteristics of these consecutive shipments and from which is carried out the rank control according to the invention.
  • the arrow 11 represents the movement of the postal items in the machine between the points 7 and 8 and therefore the direction of accumulation of mail items in the observation window 10.
  • the sending A is no longer in the observation window
  • the sending B is the one which is the first entered in the observation window (First In)
  • the sending K is the one which is the last entered in the observation window.
  • the last item entered in the observation window 10 which has just passed the insertion point 7
  • is called "inserted send" 12 the last item entered in the observation window, so that will pass the point 8 said penalty, is called "current shipment” 13.
  • the inserted shipment 12, here the shipment K, and the current shipment 13, here the shipment B, are respectively represented underlined and bold in the observation window 10 on the figure 2 .
  • Only 10 postal items have been shown in the observation window, but it must be understood that this observation window may in practice have a larger dimension.
  • the size of the observation window is variable depending on the unstacker and can display from six to several hundred postal items.
  • the distribution point 15 of each sending determined by OCR or reading an identifier to perform the sorting; rank 16 of each shipment to perform rank control; the logical destination 17 of each shipment corresponding to a sorting output in the second pass to perform recirculation, an identifier 18 of the mailpiece for tracking the shipment in the machine and a control data 19 indicative of the recycled state or not of the mailing.
  • Logical destination 17 is a serial number that identifies the sort output to which a mail item is to be directed in the second sort pass.
  • the identifier 18 of the postal item is generally derived from the identification bar code affixed to the mail item in the first pass.
  • step 31 it is checked whether the value of the rank 16 of the current mail item 13 in the table 14 is equal to a value of current rank previously initialized and in this case the current mail is sorted normally in an output sorting (step 32). This corresponds to the situation of the lines L1, L2, L7, L8, L9 in the table 50. If the rank 16 of the current mailpiece 13 is different from the current rank, we go to the step 33 where we check if the Rank 16 of the current mail 13 is equal to the current rank minus one. If not, the current mail is rejected (step 34). In the opposite case, it is checked in step 35 whether there exists in the observation window 10 a postal item whose rank is equal to the current rank.
  • step 32 the current mail 13 is sorted normally (step 32) and the current rank value is changed by the rank value of this current mail (step 36). At this point, the value of the current rank is decremented by one.
  • step 35 a sending in the observation window 10 has a rank 16 equal to the current rank
  • step 37 we go to step 37 during which we check if there is at least one send in the window d observation 10 whose rank 16 is equal to the current rank minus one and which has been inserted in the observation window after all the transmissions in the observation window 10 whose rank 16 is equal to the current rank. If it is not, the current item 13 is discarded (step 34). This situation corresponds to the line L3 in the table 50.
  • step 38 we check if the number of items in the observation window 10 whose rank 16 is equal to the current rank is less than a predetermined threshold S1 and simultaneously if the number of items in the observation window 10 whose rank 16 is equal to the rank current minus one is greater than a predetermined threshold S2.
  • the values S1 and S2 are adjustment parameters making it possible to ensure a re-circulation of the items according to the size of the observation window, the time of re-circulation of a shipment and the errors encountered the most. frequently.
  • S1 of six and a value of S2 of three makes it possible to remedy a large number of sorting errors.
  • step 38 the current mail is normally sorted (step 32) and the current rank value is updated in step 36. If not, step 39 is of which it is checked whether the logical destination 17 of the current sending 13 is blocked, ie if a sending in the observation window 10 whose rank 16 is equal to the current rank has the same logical destination 17 as the 13. If the logical destination 17 of the current item 13 is not blocked, the current item is normally sorted at 32.
  • the current mail can perform a complete turn of the carousel to be represented later in the observation window 10, that is to say at a time when the value of the current rank will be equal to the value of its rank . It will be understood that the consignment which performs a complete revolution of the bucket carousel crosses its injection point in the bucket carousel.
  • the carousel of a sorting machine comprises 1000 buckets distributed on 4 independent virtual machines which corresponds to 250 buckets for a carousel round for each virtual machine and each rank comprises between 240 and 300 postal items.
  • each rank comprises between 240 and 300 postal items.
  • the first sorting pass is known from the number of items belonging to each rank. It is therefore possible to check whether the recycling of a consignment will be useful by calculating, using the known number of items belonging to each rank, the rank of the items between which this item will be placed after having been made. a ride in the carousel.
  • steps 31, 33 and 35 make it possible to check whether there is a lack of coherence in the order of passage of postal items and that steps 37, 38 and 39 consist in determining whether the current item must be rejected, sorted or recirculated in the machine so as to restore consistency in the sequence of second-pass shipments.
  • the control data 19 makes it possible to avoid recirculating twice a postal item. In particular, if at the second pass of the mail item (already recycled) in the rank control, this mail item can not be sorted normally, it will be rejected.
  • the figure 5 represents for example another embodiment of the method according to the invention compared to that described with reference to the figure 3 .
  • the sorting machine is arranged or programmed to perform automatically the various steps of the method according to the invention and to decide and control the realization of these different stages according to the different cases.
  • We check at step 31 of the figure 5 identical to step 31 of the figure 3 , if the rank 16 of the current mail is equal to the current rank. If the rank of the current mail is equal to the current rank, this current mail is normally sorted into a sorting output (step 32). If the rank of the current mail is different from the current rank, it is checked in step 60 if there is in the observation window a postal item whose rank is equal to the current rank.
  • a current rank change is made in step 61, that is, the current rank of one unit is decremented, and it is checked again at step 62 if the rank of the current mail is equal to the new current rank. If so, the current mail is sorted in step 32. If no, we return to step 60.
  • the loop constituted by steps 60, 61 and 62 is for example a way of changing or varying the current rank. to achieve rank control.
  • the current rank changes according to the postal items present in the observation window. For reasons of security of sorting, the current rank may not be changed twice in succession, that is to say that this loop 60, 61, 62 can not then be drawn twice in succession.
  • step 63 If at least one sending in the observation window is of current rank, it is checked in step 63 if the rank of the current mail is equal to the current rank minus one. If so, it is checked in step 64 whether the number of items in the observation window whose rank is equal to the current rank is less than a threshold S1 'and simultaneously if the number of items in the window of observation whose rank is equal to the current rank minus one is greater than a threshold S2 'predetermined. These thresholds S1 'and S2' correspond to the thresholds S1 and S2 of step 38 of the figure 3 . If so, decrement the current rank of a unit (step 61) and sort the current mail.
  • step 66 the recirculation of the current item in the machine is commanded by sending the current postal item a complete turn of carousel. If the rank of the current mail is different from the current rank minus one (step 63), it is checked in step 65 if the rank of the current mail is lower than the current rank. If the rank of the current mail is lower than the current rank, it orders a re-circulation of the current mail while if the rank of the current mail is higher than the current rank, the mail is rejected. in step 67. A current item of higher rank than the current rank can not be re-sequenced by recirculating because the shipments of the mailing sequence in which it should have been sorted have already been sorted.
  • one distinguishes the items of rank equal to the current rank minus one of the items of lower rank at this current rank minus one because there is a means (step 64) for directly sort the items of equal rank to the current rank minus one, penalizing at least the efficiency of the sorting machine.
  • the mode of implementation of the method according to the invention of the figure 5 shows a close relation between the evolution of the current rank for rank control and the criteria for deciding the order of a re-circulation.
  • step 31 of the figure 6 identical to step 31 of the figure 3 or from figure 5 , if the rank of the current mail is equal to the current rank. If the rank of the current mail is equal to the current rank, this current mail is normally sorted into a sorting output (step 32). If the rank of the current mail is different from the current rank, it is checked in step 70 if the rank of the current mail has a value lower than the current rank. If the value of the rank of the current mail is lower than the current rank, the recirculation (step 71) of the current mail is ordered and if it is greater than the current rank, an order of rejection (step 72) of the current shipment.
  • the evolution of the current rank is monitored independently of the detection of the difference with respect to the predetermined sequence expected and practical criteria for deciding the recirculation of the current shipment.
  • the evolution of the current rank can be monitored and the current rank decremented for example by means of a simple loop similar to steps 60 to 62 of FIG. figure 5 or by using more complex decision parameters referring for example to an observation of the observation window and to the use of different thresholds.
  • This current rank is determined before starting the process described with reference to the figure 6 .
  • any current item of rank lower than the current rank is recirculated because it must normally be sorted surrounded by mail items of the same rank and he will therefore succeed him in this sorting pass. Also, regardless of the rank of the current mail, it is likely to return after one or more rounds of carousel, ie after being delayed in its sorting, at the decision point 8 for the control of rank being surrounded by mailings of his rank. This new rank control ensures that the mail item recirculated is in sequence after this carousel turn.
  • To recirculate a current mailpiece is to keep it in the bucket of the carousel in which it is to pass over all sorting outlets without unloading and to present it again in the same bucket in the window and at the point where the sanction to be applied to this item is decided, which then automatically becomes the current item.
  • a current item is re-circulated by making it perform a complete carousel turn, it is decided to sort a number of consecutive items succeeding it, in practice. as many shipments as there are cups in the carousel, before making a new decision regarding its sorting.
  • the machine is controlled so that the current shipment performs a complete turn of carousel so as to delay its deposit in a sorting outlet.
  • the re-circulated shipment can be found in the expected sequence and therefore be sorted.
  • the rank control that is to say that it controls that the rank of the current shipment, when the sending recirculated becomes again the current mail, corresponds to the current rank.
  • this rank check to verify that the sequence obtained after recirculation is correct is done automatically due to the loop application of the method described for example with reference to the figures 3 and 5 to all postal items entering the observation window and therefore to postal items being re-circulated.
  • Another implementation of the idea according to the invention consists in an automatic recirculation of a postal item during a second sorting pass when this mail item can not be sorted directly, for example when an error is detected in the expected sequence, or when the sorting outlet in which the mailpiece is to be deposited is not available at the time of the passage of the bucket above the sorting outlet, for example because a bin changeover is in progress in the sorting outlet in question, followed by a rank check to verify that the re-circulating item at the decision point has a rank corresponding to current rank and can be sorted, or again can be re-circulated according to criteria previously described for example with reference to figures 3 , 5 and 6 .
  • the combination of recirculation followed by rank control can be used whenever a sorting error has been detected.
  • the rank check therefore makes it possible to check whether a re-circulated item in the bucket carousel can be sorted because it is actually surrounded by items of the same rank as itself. Such a check makes it possible to take advantage of the possibility of re-circulation offered by a bucket carousel machine during a second sorting pass, which has hitherto been incompatible with the need to maintain the sequence shipments unchanged during this second sorting pass.

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Description

La présente invention concerne un procédé de traitement d'envois postaux dans une machine de tri postal pour préparer des tournées de facteur en plusieurs passes de tri, typiquement deux passes de tri. L'invention s'applique plus particulièrement à une machine de tri postal à carrousel à godets dans laquelle les envois postaux circulent dans les godets au-dessus des sorties de tri.The present invention relates to a method of processing postal items in a postal sorting machine to prepare factor rounds in several sorting passes, typically two sorting passes. The invention is more particularly applicable to a bucket carousel postal sorting machine in which the postal items circulate in the buckets above the sorting outlets.

L'exploitation des machines de tri actuelles ne permet pas d'éviter complètement les erreurs de tri lors de la préparation de tournées de facteur. Une erreur de tri dans une tournée de facteur se traduit par un mauvais placement d'un envoi dans la tournée de facteur. Une erreur de tri peut être due par exemple à une prise multiple d'envois en première passe, mais aussi à des erreurs de manipulation des envois entre les deux passes de tri (par exemple inversion par l'opérateur de plis lors de leur chargement sur le magasin d'approvisionnement).The operation of the current sorting machines does not completely avoid sorting errors during the preparation of factor rounds. A sorting error in a postman tour results in a wrong placement of a post in the postman tour. A sorting error may be due, for example, to multiple picking of first-pass shipments, but also to errors in the handling of shipments between the two sorting passes (for example inversion by the fold operator when they are loaded on the supply store).

La conséquence d'une ou plusieurs erreurs de tri dans des tournées de facteur est un surcoût non négligeable pour l'opérateur postal qui doit effectuer la distribution du courrier. C'est pourquoi les procédés connus de traitement d'envois postaux dans une machine de tri mettent en oeuvre différents moyens de contrôle et notamment des contrôles automatiques de prise multiple pour diriger les envois en prise multiple vers une sortie de rejet où ils seront récupérés pour être triés manuellement. Le document de brevet US 6 316 741 décrit par exemple un procédé de traitement d'envois postaux dans lequel on effectue un contrôle sur la séquence de passage des envois pour détecter des erreurs de tri. Dans le procédé connu, en cas de détection d'erreur de tri, on entreprend un tri manuel sur les envois identifiés par la détection. L'insertion manuelle d'envois dans une pile d'objets séquencés pour remédier aux erreurs de tri est coûteuse en temps opérateur et en délai.The consequence of one or more sorting errors in factor rounds is a significant extra cost for the postal operator who has to carry out mail delivery. This is why the known methods for processing postal items in a sorting machine use various control means and in particular automatic multiple tap controls for directing the multiple-taped items to a reject outlet where they will be retrieved for be sorted manually. The patent document US 6,316,741 describes for example a method of processing postal items in which a check is made on the sequence of passage of items to detect sorting errors. In the known method, in case of detection of sorting error, manual sorting is carried out on the items identified by the detection. Manually inserting shipments into a stack of sequenced objects to remedy sorting errors is costly in time and time.

Le but de l'invention est de proposer un procédé de traitements d'envois postaux qui permet d'éviter des erreurs de tri dans les tournées de facteur et qui permet en outre d'augmenter la proportion d'envois triés automatiquement.The object of the invention is to propose a postal mail processing method which makes it possible to avoid sorting errors in the factor rounds and which also makes it possible to increase the proportion of automatically sorted items.

L'idée selon l'invention est de réaliser un contrôle de rang dans une machine de tri d'envois postaux à carrousel à godets consistant à contrôler dans une passe de tri, pour chaque envoi courant, une donnée représentative d'un numéro d'ordre ou rang, affecté au point de distribution correspondant à l'envoi postal courant dans une séquence prédéterminée de points de distribution à dérouler dans cette passe de tri pour préparer chaque tournée de facteur, le contrôle consistant à surveiller une évolution de rang pour les envois postaux successifs pour détecter une différence avec ladite séquence prédéterminée, et à partir de ce contrôle de rang, c'est à dire en réponse à ladite détection pour un envoi courant, la machine commande une mise en re-circulation de cet envoi courant dans la machine pour retarder son tri et recréer la séquence attendue en faisant faire à cet envoi courant un tour complet de carrousel. En résumé, l'invention met à profit les possibilités de re-circulation offertes par une machine de tri à carrousel à godets afin de rattraper des erreurs de tri résultant par exemple d'un dépilage défectueux des envois postaux. Cela consiste à décider de faire recirculer des plis vérifiés hors rang par le contrôle au lieu de les rejeter. On espère ainsi qu'après un tour de carrousel, l'envoi courant sera en séquence avec les envois l'entourant car son rang sera alors peut être égal au rang courant. Le contrôle de rang permet alors de garantir si après un tour de carrousel, l'envoi courant est ou non en séquence. Le contrôle de rang consiste en outre à observer la position du rang pour l'envoi postal courant dans une partie ou fenêtre d'observation de ladite séquence constituée par un certain nombre d'envois postaux consécutifs.The idea according to the invention is to carry out a rank check in a sorting machine for bucket carousel mail items consisting of checking in a sorting pass, for each current item, a datum representative of a number of order or rank, assigned to the distribution point corresponding to the current mail item in a predetermined sequence of distribution points to be rolled out in that sorting pass to prepare for each factor tour, the control of monitoring a rank change for mailings successive mailpieces to detect a difference with said predetermined sequence, and from this rank control, that is to say in response to said detection for a current mail, the machine orders a re-circulation of this current mail in the machine to delay its sorting and recreate the expected sequence by making this current send a complete carousel turn. In summary, the invention takes advantage of the re-circulation possibilities offered by a bucket carousel sorting machine in order to make up for sorting errors resulting for example from defective unstacking of postal items. This consists of deciding to recirculate verified folds out of rank by the control instead of rejecting them. It is hoped that after a carousel round, the current mail will be in sequence with the items surrounding it because its rank will then be equal to the current rank. The rank control then makes it possible to guarantee whether, after a carousel turn, the current send is or is not in sequence. The rank control further comprises observing the rank position for the current mailpiece in a portion or window of observation of said sequence consisting of a number of consecutive mailpieces.

Plus particulièrement, l'invention a pour objet un procédé de traitement d'envois postaux tel que défini dans la revendication 1.More particularly, the subject of the invention is a method for processing postal items as defined in claim 1.

Par conséquent, selon l'invention, en réponse à la détection d'une erreur de tri pour un envoi courant, on met en re-circulation cet envoi courant dans la machine pour retarder son tri et recréer ainsi la séquence attendue.Therefore, according to the invention, in response to the detection of a sorting error for a current shipment, this current item is re-circulated in the machine to delay its sorting and thus recreate the expected sequence.

Le procédé de traitement d'envois postaux selon l'invention peut donc avantageusement présenter les particularités suivantes :

  • on observe le rang pour l'envoi postal courant et on met l'envoi postal courant en re-circulation si le rang de l'envoi courant est inférieur à un rang courant ;
  • la mise en re-circulation de l'envoi courant consiste à commander la machine pour faire revenir l'envoi postal courant dans la fenêtre d'observation après un tour complet du carrousel ;
  • on observe en outre dans la fenêtre d'observation les sorties de tri dans lesquelles doivent être déposés un certain nombre d'envois postaux consécutifs et dans lequel si le premier nombre est supérieur au premier seuil (S1) déterminé et/ou le second nombre est inférieur au second seuil (S2) déterminé et si aucun envoi postal de rang supérieur d'une unité au rang de l'envoi postal courant ne doit être déposé dans la sortie de tri dans laquelle doit être déposé l'envoi postal courant, on commande la machine pour déposer l'envoi postal courant dans la sortie de tri appropriée.
The method of processing postal items according to the invention can therefore advantageously have the following particularities:
  • the rank is observed for the current mailing and the current postal item is re-circulated if the rank of the current mail is lower than a current rank;
  • the re-circulation of the current mailing consists in controlling the machine to return the current mailpiece in the observation window after a complete turn of the carousel;
  • in the observation window, the sorting outlets in which a number of consecutive postal items are to be deposited and in which if the first number is greater than the first determined threshold (S1) and / or the second number is less than the second threshold (S2) determined and if no postal item of a higher rank of one unit at the rank of the current mailing is to be deposited in the sorting outlet in which the current mailpiece is to be deposited, it is ordered the machine for depositing the current mailpiece into the appropriate sorting outlet.

Si on prend un plan de tri en deux passes selon lequel on répartit en première passe les points de distribution de chaque tournée successivement sur N1 sorties de tri de la machine en enchaînant le dernier point de distribution d'une tournée avec le premier point de distribution d'une autre tournée et selon lequel on répartit en second passe sur N2 sorties de tri de la machine, les points de distribution affectés aux N1 sorties de tri en première passe, en suivant un certain ordre dans le traitement des N1 sorties de tri, avec le procédé selon l'invention, il est possible par un contrôle de rang en seconde passe de tri de détecter qu'un envoi postal courant se présente en machine de façon incorrecte selon le plan de tri et sera donc mal placé dans la tournée de facteur. Par exemple cet envoi postal courant pourra être un envoi postal qui était en prise multiple en première passe de tri et ne l'est plus en seconde passe, ou encore un envoi qui a été dépilé avant l'envoi qui le précédait. Le procédé selon l'invention permet de détecter des erreurs de tri et de commander une mise en re-circulation d'envois postaux dans la machine pour restaurer une cohérence dans l'ordre des envois postaux en différant si possible le tri machine d'envois postaux critiques au lieu de les diriger simplement en rejet.If we take a two-pass sorting plan according to which we distribute in first pass the distribution points of each tour successively on N1 sorting outlets of the machine by linking the last distribution point of a tour with the first distribution point of another tour and according to which one distributes in second pass on N2 sorting outlets of the machine, the distribution points assigned to the N1 sorting outlets in first pass, following a certain order in the processing of N1 sorting outlets, with the method according to the invention, it is possible by a rank check in the second sorting pass to detect that a current mailpiece is presented in a machine incorrectly according to the sorting plan and will therefore be misplaced in the tour of postman. For example, this current mailing may be a postal item that was multiple in first sort pass and is no longer in the second pass, or a shipment that was parceled before the previous shipment. The method according to the invention makes it possible to detect sorting errors and to order a recirculation of postal items in the machine to restore consistency in the order of the postal items, if possible by postponing sorting of mail items. rather than simply directing them into rejection.

Dans ce procédé, on conçoit que la mise en recirculation peut être déclenchée par une détection sous la forme d'un contrôle de rang mais également par exemple sous la forme d'une vérification d'indisponibilité d'une sortie de tri dans la machine. Bien entendu, ce procédé peut être mis en oeuvre en juxtaposition avec une étape consistant à contrôler en machine dans une passe de tri, pour chaque envoi courant, une donnée représentative d'un numéro d'ordre ou rang, affecté au point de distribution correspondant à l'envoi postal courant dans une séquence prédéterminée de points de distribution à dérouler dans cette passe de tri pour préparer chaque tournée de facteur, le contrôle consistant à surveiller une évolution du rang pour les envois postaux successifs pour détecter une différence avec ladite séquence prédéterminée. Le contrôle de rang permet alors de garantir qu'un envoi postal mis en re-circulation peut être ou non trié et ne crée pas d'erreur dans la séquence lorsque les envois sont triés. Cette méthode de vérification avant de choisir la sanction à appliquer à un envoi mis en re-circulation permet l'implémentation d'une mise en re-circulation au cours d'une seconde passe de tri, ce qui était jusqu'alors impossible car on ne savait pas si le tri d'un tel envoi en re-circulation n'allait pas perturber la séquence de tri.In this method, it is conceivable that the recirculation can be triggered by a detection in the form of a rank check but also for example in the form of a check of unavailability of a sorting outlet in the machine. Of course, this method can be implemented in juxtaposition with a step of controlling in a sorting pass, for each current item, a datum representative of a serial number or rank, assigned to the corresponding distribution point. to the current mailpiece in a predetermined sequence of distribution points to be unwound in this sorting pass to prepare each mailing, the control of monitoring a rank change for successive mailpieces to detect a difference with said predetermined sequence . The rank control then makes it possible to guarantee that a mail item recirculated can be sorted or not and does not create an error in the sequence when the items are sorted. This verification method before choosing the sanction to be applied to a re-circulated shipment allows the implementation of a re-circulation during a second sorting pass, which was previously impossible because did not know if sorting such a re-circulating shipment would not disrupt the sorting sequence.

L'invention s'étend à une machine de tri postal à carrousel à godets spécialement conçue pour mettre en oeuvre le procédé de traitement d'envois postaux défini ci-dessus.The invention extends to a bucket carousel postal sorting machine specially designed to implement the method of processing postal items defined above.

Le contrôle de rang selon l'invention peut également servir à synchroniser en seconde passe de tri la fusion de différents lots d'envois issus d'une première passe de tri respectivement sur des machines de tri différentes.The rank control according to the invention can also be used to synchronize in the second sorting pass the merging of different batches of items from a first sorting pass respectively on different sorting machines.

L'invention sera mieux comprise à la lecture de la description qui suit et à l'examen des figures qui l'accompagnent. Cette description n'est donnée qu'à titre d'exemple indicatif et nullement limitatif de l'invention.

  • La figure 1 est une vue très schématique d'une machine de tri postal à carrousel à godets agencée pour mettre en oeuvre le procédé selon l'invention.
  • La figure 2 illustre une fenêtre d'observation pour effectuer un contrôle de rang selon l'invention.
  • La figure 3 est un synoptique illustrant différentes étapes du contrôle de rang selon l'invention.
  • La figure 4 illustre par un tableau un exemple de déroulement du procédé selon l'invention.
  • La figure 5 est un synoptique illustrant un second mode de mise en oeuvre du procédé selon l'invention.
  • La figure 6 est un synoptique illustrant un troisième mode de mise en oeuvre du procédé selon l'invention.
The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the figures which accompany it. This description is given as an indicative and non-limiting example of the invention.
  • The figure 1 is a very schematic view of a bucket carousel postal sorting machine arranged to implement the method according to the invention.
  • The figure 2 illustrates an observation window for performing rank control according to the invention.
  • The figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating various steps of rank control according to the invention.
  • The figure 4 illustrates by a table an example of the procedure of the invention.
  • The figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating a second mode of implementation of the method according to the invention.
  • The figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating a third mode of implementation of the method according to the invention.

Sur la figure 1, on a représenté une machine 1 pour trier des envois postaux 2 comportant un carrousel 3 à godets. Les envois postaux 2 sérialisés par un dépileur (non représenté) en entrée de la machine sont injectés comme représentés par la flèche 4 dans les godets d'un carrousel qui circulent dans le sens indiqué par la flèche 5 au-dessus d'une pluralité de sorties de tri 6 de la machine.On the figure 1 , there is shown a machine 1 for sorting postal items 2 comprising a carousel 3 with buckets. The postal items 2 serialized by an unstacker (not shown) at the entrance of the machine are injected as represented by the arrow 4 in the cups of a carousel which circulate in the direction indicated by the arrow 5 above a plurality of sorting outlets 6 of the machine.

Chaque godet transporte normalement un unique envoi postal 2 jusqu'à une sortie de tri 6 qui est déterminée à partir d'une reconnaissance automatique par OCR de l'adresse postale de l'envoi. A chaque adresse postale d'un envoi correspond un point de distribution d'une tournée de facteur et à chaque point de distribution est affectée une sortie de tri en première ou seconde passe selon un plan de tri pré-établi comme indiqué plus haut.Each bucket normally transports a single postal item 2 to a sorting outlet 6 which is determined from an automatic OCR recognition of the mailing address of the item. Each mailing address of a mailing corresponds to a dispatch point of a factor tour and at each distribution point is assigned a first or second pass sorting output according to a pre-established sorting plan as indicated above.

A la fin de la première passe, on renvoie les envois postaux à l'entrée de la machine selon un certain ordre (en séquence) par exemple à l'aide d'un système de manutention automatique de bacs connu sous le nom de "ATMS" ("Automated Tray Management System"). Avec ce système de manutention, chaque sortie de tri est munie d'un bac dans lequel les envois postaux sont chargés. En particulier, en fin de première passe, on enlève le bac de la dernière sortie de tri de la machine et on réintroduit les envois postaux de ce bac dans la machine pour effectuer la seconde passe de tri. Puis on enlève le bac de l'avant dernière sortie de tri de la machine et on réintroduit les envois postaux de ce bac ensuite dans la machine et ainsi de suite jusqu'à la première sortie de tri de la machine. On comprend que si en première passe, on utilise N1 sorties de tri dans lesquelles sont répartis successivement les points de distribution des tournées de facteur, la dernière sortie de tri a le rang « N1 » et la première sortie de tri a le rang « 1 » dans la succession de N1 sorties de tri. Dès lors, si on associe à chaque point de distribution le rang de la sortie de tri correspondante affectée en première passe de tri et qu'on relève en seconde passe de tri sur chaque envoi postal courant passé en machine, le rang du point de distribution correspondant à cet envoi, on pourra contrôler que la valeur du rang pour les envois postaux successifs en seconde passe de tri évolue de façon continue et en particulier va en décroissant si on considère que le rang de la dernière sortie de tri a une valeur plus grande que le rang de la première sortie de tri. Une évolution du rang en dents de scie par exemple est indicative d'un défaut de positionnement d'un ou plusieurs envois postaux et donc d'une erreur de tri dans une tournée de facteur qui est détectée par le procédé selon l'invention.At the end of the first pass, the postal items are returned to the entrance of the machine in a certain order (in sequence), for example using an automatic container handling system known as "ATMS". "(" Automated Tray Management System "). With this handling system, each sorting outlet is provided with a tray in which the postal items are loaded. In particular, at the end of the first pass, the bin is removed from the last sorting outlet of the machine and the postal items of this bin are reintroduced into the machine to perform the second sorting pass. Then we remove the tray from the penultimate sorting outlet of the machine and reintroduces the postal items of this tray then in the machine and so on until the first sorting outlet of the machine. It will be understood that if, in the first pass, N1 sorting outlets are used in which the distribution points of the factor rounds are successively distributed, the last sorting output has the rank "N1" and the first sorting output has the rank "1". In the succession of N1 sorting outlets. Therefore, if we associate with each distribution point the rank of the corresponding sorting output assigned to the first sorting pass and that is recorded in the second sorting pass on each current mail item passed in a machine, the rank of the distribution point corresponding to this sending, it will be possible to control that the value of the rank for the successive postal items in the second sorting pass evolves continuously and in particular goes decreasing if we consider that the rank of the last sorting output has a greater value than the rank of the first sort out. An evolution of the sawtooth row for example is indicative of a positioning defect of one or more postal items and therefore of a sorting error in a factor tour which is detected by the method according to the invention.

Sur la figure 2, on a représenté une série d'envois postaux consécutifs référencés A,B,C....L qui sont accumulés dans la machine de tri 1 en seconde passe et le rectangle 10 représente une fenêtre d'observation d'un certain nombre de ces envois postaux accumulés entre les points 7 et 8 sur le carrousel 3. La fenêtre d'observation 10 est en pratique un fichier 14 ou une table en mémoire fonctionnant comme une pile « FIFO » (« First In First Out ») dans lequel sont enregistrées certaines caractéristiques de ces envois consécutifs et à partir duquel est réalisé le contrôle de rang selon l'invention.On the figure 2 , there is shown a series of consecutive postal items referenced A, B, C .... L which are accumulated in the sorting machine 1 in the second pass and the rectangle 10 represents a window of observation of a number of these mailings accumulated between points 7 and 8 on the carousel 3. The observation window 10 is in practice a file 14 or a table in memory functioning as a "FIFO"("First In First Out") stack in which are recorded certain characteristics of these consecutive shipments and from which is carried out the rank control according to the invention.

Sur la figure 2, la flèche 11 représente le mouvement de circulation des envois postaux dans la machine entre les points 7 et 8 et donc le sens d'accumulation des envois postaux dans la fenêtre d'observation 10. Sur l'exemple de la figure 2, l'envoi A n'est plus dans la fenêtre d'observation, l'envoi B est celui qui est le premier entré dans la fenêtre d'observation (First In) et l'envoi K est celui qui est le dernier entré dans la fenêtre d'observation. Par la suite, le dernier envoi entré dans la fenêtre d'observation 10, donc qui vient de passer le point 7 dit d'insertion, est appelé "envoi inséré" 12 et le dernier envoi entré dans la fenêtre d'observation, donc qui va passer le point 8 dit de sanction, est appelé "envoi courant" 13. Pour plus de clarté, l'envoi inséré 12, ici l'envoi K, et l'envoi courant 13, ici l'envoi B, sont respectivement représentés en souligné et en gras dans la fenêtre d'observation 10 sur la figure 2. On a représenté dans la fenêtre d'observation 10 seulement dix envois postaux mais il faut comprendre que cette fenêtre d'observation peut avoir en pratique une plus grande dimension. La taille de la fenêtre d'observation est variable en fonction du dépileur et peut permettre de visualiser de six à plusieurs centaines d'envois postaux.On the figure 2 , the arrow 11 represents the movement of the postal items in the machine between the points 7 and 8 and therefore the direction of accumulation of mail items in the observation window 10. On the example of the figure 2 , the sending A is no longer in the observation window, the sending B is the one which is the first entered in the observation window (First In) and the sending K is the one which is the last entered in the observation window. Subsequently, the last item entered in the observation window 10, which has just passed the insertion point 7, is called "inserted send" 12 and the last item entered in the observation window, so that will pass the point 8 said penalty, is called "current shipment" 13. For clarity, the inserted shipment 12, here the shipment K, and the current shipment 13, here the shipment B, are respectively represented underlined and bold in the observation window 10 on the figure 2 . Only 10 postal items have been shown in the observation window, but it must be understood that this observation window may in practice have a larger dimension. The size of the observation window is variable depending on the unstacker and can display from six to several hundred postal items.

Pour la mise en oeuvre du procédé selon l'invention, on peut enregistrer dans le fichier ou table 14 un certain nombre de données et dans le cas d'exemple pour chacun des envois postaux B à K on enregistre le point de distribution 15 de chaque envoi déterminé par OCR ou lecture d'un identifiant pour effectuer le tri ; le rang 16 de chaque envoi pour effectuer le contrôle de rang ; la destination logique 17 de chaque envoi correspondant à une sortie de tri en seconde passe pour effectuer la mise en re-circulation, un identifiant 18 de l'envoi postal pour le suivi de l'envoi dans la machine ainsi qu'une donnée de contrôle 19 indicative de l'état recyclé ou non de l'envoi postal. La destination logique 17 est un numéro d'ordre qui identifie la sortie de tri vers laquelle un envoi postal doit être dirigé en seconde passe de tri. L'identifiant 18 de l'envoi postal est généralement dérivé du code barres d'identification apposé sur l'envoi postal en première passe.For the implementation of the method according to the invention, it is possible to record in the file or table 14 a certain number of data and in the case of example for each of the postal items B to K the distribution point 15 of each sending determined by OCR or reading an identifier to perform the sorting; rank 16 of each shipment to perform rank control; the logical destination 17 of each shipment corresponding to a sorting output in the second pass to perform recirculation, an identifier 18 of the mailpiece for tracking the shipment in the machine and a control data 19 indicative of the recycled state or not of the mailing. Logical destination 17 is a serial number that identifies the sort output to which a mail item is to be directed in the second sort pass. The identifier 18 of the postal item is generally derived from the identification bar code affixed to the mail item in the first pass.

Sur la figure 3, on a illustré un exemple de déroulement du contrôle de rang selon le procédé de l'invention et sur la figure 4 on a illustré sous la forme d'un tableau synthétique 50 des exemples de valeurs de rang, ici N et N-1, pour une séquence d'envois postaux pouvant conduire à une mise en re-circulation. En particulier, dans le tableau 50, la colonne 51 « Sanction » indique suivant le cas, un tri normal de l'envoi courant 13: sanction = « OK » ; une mise en rejet de l'envoi courant : sanction = « Rejet » ; une mise en re-circulation de l'envoi courant : sanction = « Recyclage ». Les lignes indiquées par L1 à L9 dans le tableau 50, reflètent à chaque cycle du contrôle de rang, la valeur du rang courant (colonne 52), les valeurs de rang 16 des envois postaux présents dans la fenêtre d'observation.On the figure 3 an example of a rank control procedure according to the method of the invention and the figure 4 Examples of rank values, here N and N-1, have been illustrated in the form of a synthetic table 50 for a sequence of postal items that can lead to re-circulation. In particular, in table 50, column 51 "Sanction" indicates, as the case may be, a normal sorting of the current item 13: sanction = "OK"; a rejection of the current shipment: sanction = "rejection"; a re-circulation of the current shipment: sanction = "Recycling". The lines indicated by L1 to L9 in Table 50, reflect at each cycle of the rank check, the value of the current rank (column 52), the rank values 16 of the mail items present in the observation window.

En se référant à la figure 3, à l'étape 31, on contrôle si la valeur du rang 16 de l'envoi postal courant 13 dans la table 14 est égale à une valeur de rang courant préalablement initialisée et dans ce cas l'envoi courant est trié normalement dans une sortie de tri (étape 32). Ceci correspond à la situation des lignes L1, L2, L7, L8, L9 dans le tableau 50. Si le rang 16 de l'envoi postal courant 13 est différent du rang courant, on passe à l'étape 33 où on contrôle si le rang 16 de l'envoi courant 13 est égal au rang courant moins un. Dans la négative, l'envoi courant est mis en rejet (étape 34). Dans le cas contraire, on contrôle dans l'étape 35 s'il existe dans la fenêtre d'observation 10 un envoi postal dont le rang 16 est égal au rang courant. Dans la négative, l'envoi courant 13 est trié normalement (étape 32) et la valeur du rang courant est changée par la valeur du rang de cet envoi courant (étape 36). A ce stade, la valeur du rang courant est donc décrémentée d'une unité. Si maintenant dans l'étape 35, un envoi dans la fenêtre d'observation 10 a un rang 16 égal au rang courant on passe à l'étape 37 au cours de laquelle on contrôle s'il existe au moins un envoi dans la fenêtre d'observation 10 dont le rang 16 est égal au rang courant moins un et qui a été inséré dans la fenêtre d'observation après tous les envois dans la fenêtre d'observation 10 dont le rang 16 est égal au rang courant. Dans la négative, on met en rejet (étape 34) l'envoi courant 13. Cette situation correspond à la ligne L3 dans le tableau 50. Dans l'affirmative, on passe à l'étape 38 au cours de laquelle on contrôle si le nombre d'envois dans la fenêtre d'observation 10 dont le rang 16 est égal au rang courant est inférieur à un seuil S1 prédéterminé et simultanément si le nombre d'envois dans la fenêtre d'observation 10 dont le rang 16 est égal au rang courant moins un est supérieur à un seuil S2 prédéterminé. Les valeurs S1 et S2 sont des paramètres de réglage permettant d'assurer une mise en re-circulation des envois en fonction de la taille de la fenêtre d'observation, du temps de re-circulation d'un envoi et des erreurs rencontrées le plus fréquemment. L'expérience montre qu'utiliser une valeur de S1 de six et une valeur de S2 de trois permet de remédier à un nombre important d'erreurs de tri. Sommairement, si le nombre d'envois avec le rang courant dépasse S1, il reste trop d'envois à trier avec le rang courant pour décider de changer de rang courant, et si le nombre d'envois avec le rang courant moins un est inférieur à S2, il n'y a pas assez d'envois avec le rang courant moins un pour décider de changer de rang courant. Dans l'affirmative à l'étape 38, l'envoi courant est normalement trié (étape 32) et la valeur du rang courant est mise à jour dans l'étape 36. Dans la négative, on passe à l'étape 39 au cours de laquelle on contrôle si la destination logique 17 de l'envoi courant 13 est bloquée, c'est à dire si un envoi dans la fenêtre d'observation 10 dont le rang 16 est égal au rang courant a la même destination logique 17 que l'envoi courant 13. Si la destination logique 17 de l'envoi courant 13 n'est pas bloquée, l'envoi courant est trié normalement en 32. Si par contre, la destination logique 17 de l'envoi courant 13 est bloquée, on commande la mise en re-circulation 40 de l'envoi courant dans la machine. Cette situation correspond aux lignes L4, L5 et L6 dans le tableau 50. Avec cette mise en re-circulation, le tri de l'envoi courant 13 est retardé. En pratique, l'envoi courant peut effectuer un tour complet du carrousel pour se représenter ultérieurement dans la fenêtre d'observation 10, c'est-à-dire à un moment où la valeur du rang courant sera égale à la valeur de son rang. On comprendra que l'envoi qui effectue un tour complet du carrousel à godets croise son point d'injection dans le carrousel à godets. Bien entendu, la mise en re-circulation de cet envoi postal doit être suivie d'une re-synchronisation de l'injection des envois postaux dans les godets du carrousel, c'est à dire que la présence d'un envoi en re-circulation dans un godet interdit l'injection d'un nouvel envoi dans ce godet et le nouvel envoi qui aurait dû être injecté dans ce godet est injecté dans le prochain godet disponible.Referring to the figure 3 in step 31, it is checked whether the value of the rank 16 of the current mail item 13 in the table 14 is equal to a value of current rank previously initialized and in this case the current mail is sorted normally in an output sorting (step 32). This corresponds to the situation of the lines L1, L2, L7, L8, L9 in the table 50. If the rank 16 of the current mailpiece 13 is different from the current rank, we go to the step 33 where we check if the Rank 16 of the current mail 13 is equal to the current rank minus one. If not, the current mail is rejected (step 34). In the opposite case, it is checked in step 35 whether there exists in the observation window 10 a postal item whose rank is equal to the current rank. If not, the current mail 13 is sorted normally (step 32) and the current rank value is changed by the rank value of this current mail (step 36). At this point, the value of the current rank is decremented by one. If now in step 35, a sending in the observation window 10 has a rank 16 equal to the current rank, we go to step 37 during which we check if there is at least one send in the window d observation 10 whose rank 16 is equal to the current rank minus one and which has been inserted in the observation window after all the transmissions in the observation window 10 whose rank 16 is equal to the current rank. If it is not, the current item 13 is discarded (step 34). This situation corresponds to the line L3 in the table 50. If yes, we go to step 38 during which we check if the number of items in the observation window 10 whose rank 16 is equal to the current rank is less than a predetermined threshold S1 and simultaneously if the number of items in the observation window 10 whose rank 16 is equal to the rank current minus one is greater than a predetermined threshold S2. The values S1 and S2 are adjustment parameters making it possible to ensure a re-circulation of the items according to the size of the observation window, the time of re-circulation of a shipment and the errors encountered the most. frequently. Experience shows that using a value of S1 of six and a value of S2 of three makes it possible to remedy a large number of sorting errors. Briefly, if the number of items with the current rank exceeds S1, there are too many items to sort with the current rank to decide to change current rank, and if the number of items with the current rank minus one is lower. at S2, there is not enough mail with the current rank minus one to decide to change current rank. If yes in step 38, the current mail is normally sorted (step 32) and the current rank value is updated in step 36. If not, step 39 is of which it is checked whether the logical destination 17 of the current sending 13 is blocked, ie if a sending in the observation window 10 whose rank 16 is equal to the current rank has the same logical destination 17 as the 13. If the logical destination 17 of the current item 13 is not blocked, the current item is normally sorted at 32. If, on the other hand, the logical destination 17 of the current item 13 is blocked, then control the recirculation 40 of the current shipment in the machine. This situation corresponds to lines L4, L5 and L6 in table 50. With this re-circulation, the sorting of the current item 13 is delayed. In practice, the current mail can perform a complete turn of the carousel to be represented later in the observation window 10, that is to say at a time when the value of the current rank will be equal to the value of its rank . It will be understood that the consignment which performs a complete revolution of the bucket carousel crosses its injection point in the bucket carousel. Of course, the re-circulation of this mail item must be followed by a re-synchronization of the injection of postal items into the cups of the carousel, ie the presence of a shipment in return circulation in a bucket prohibits the injection of a new shipment in this bucket and the new shipment that should have been injected into this bucket is injected into the next bucket available.

A titre indicatif uniquement, le carrousel d'une machine de tri comporte 1000 godets distribués sur 4 machines virtuelles indépendantes ce qui correspond à 250 godets pour un tour de carrousel pour chaque machine virtuelle et chaque rang comporte entre 240 et 300 envois postaux. Par conséquent, lorsqu'un envoi disposé entre des envois de rang inférieur est recyclé, il y a une forte probabilité pour qu'il repasse au point de sanction en étant entouré d'envois de son rang.As an indication only, the carousel of a sorting machine comprises 1000 buckets distributed on 4 independent virtual machines which corresponds to 250 buckets for a carousel round for each virtual machine and each rank comprises between 240 and 300 postal items. As a result, when a consignment placed between lower-ranked items is recycled, there is a high probability that it will return to the sanctioning point by being surrounded by items from its rank.

Par ailleurs, on connaît de la première passe de tri le nombre d'envois appartenant à chaque rang. Il est donc possible d'effectuer une vérification pour savoir si le recyclage d'un envoi sera utile en calculant à l'aide du nombre connu d'envois appartenant à chaque rang, le rang des envois entre lesquels sera disposé cet envoi après avoir fait un tour dans le carrousel.Moreover, the first sorting pass is known from the number of items belonging to each rank. It is therefore possible to check whether the recycling of a consignment will be useful by calculating, using the known number of items belonging to each rank, the rank of the items between which this item will be placed after having been made. a ride in the carousel.

D'une manière générale, les étapes 31, 33 et 35 permettent de contrôler s'il y a un défaut de cohérence dans l'ordre de passage des envois postaux et les étapes 37, 38 et 39 consistent à déterminer si l'envoi courant doit être mis en rejet, trié ou mis en re-circulation dans la machine de façon à rétablir la cohérence dans la séquence des envois en seconde passe.In general, steps 31, 33 and 35 make it possible to check whether there is a lack of coherence in the order of passage of postal items and that steps 37, 38 and 39 consist in determining whether the current item must be rejected, sorted or recirculated in the machine so as to restore consistency in the sequence of second-pass shipments.

La donnée de contrôle 19 permet d'éviter de mettre en re-circulation deux fois un envoi postal. En particulier, si au second passage de l'envoi postal (déjà recyclé) dans le contrôle de rang, cet envoi postal ne peut pas être trié normalement, il sera mis en rejet.The control data 19 makes it possible to avoid recirculating twice a postal item. In particular, if at the second pass of the mail item (already recycled) in the rank control, this mail item can not be sorted normally, it will be rejected.

L'idée de mettre en re-circulation l'envoi postal courant après lui avoir fait faire un tour complet du carrousel peut être exploitée de différentes manières, c'est à dire en utilisant des critères ou conditions différentes pour décider de la mise en re-circulation d'un envoi.The idea of recirculating the current mailing after having done a complete tour of the carousel can be exploited in different ways, that is to say by using different criteria or conditions to decide on the setting up of the carousel. -circulation of a shipment.

La figure 5 représente par exemple un autre mode de mise en oeuvre du procédé selon l'invention par rapport à celui décrit en référence à la figure 3. La machine de tri est agencée ou programmée pour effectuer de manière automatique les différentes étapes du procédé selon l'invention et pour décider et commander la réalisation de ces différentes étapes en fonction des différents cas de figure. On contrôle à l'étape 31 de la figure 5, identique à l'étape 31 de la figure 3, si le rang 16 de l'envoi courant est égal au rang courant. Si le rang de l'envoi courant est égal au rang courant, on trie normalement cet envoi courant dans une sortie de tri (étape 32). Si le rang de l'envoi courant est différent du rang courant, on contrôle dans l'étape 60 s'il existe dans la fenêtre d'observation un envoi postal dont le rang est égal au rang courant. Si aucun envoi dans la fenêtre d'observation ne présente le rang courant, on procède à un changement de rang courant à l'étape 61, c'est à dire on décrémente le rang courant d'une unité, et on contrôle à nouveau à l'étape 62 si le rang de l'envoi courant est égal au nouveau rang courant. Si oui, on trie l'envoi courant à l'étape 32. Si non, on retourne à l'étape 60. La boucle constituée par les étapes 60, 61 et 62 est par exemple une façon de faire évoluer ou varier le rang courant pour réaliser le contrôle de rang. Le rang courant évolue en fonction des envois postaux présents dans la fenêtre d'observation. Pour des raisons de sécurité de tri, le rang courant peut ne pas être changé deux fois de suite, c'est à dire que cette boucle 60,61,62 ne peut alors pas être tracée deux fois de suite. Si au moins un envoi dans la fenêtre d'observation est de rang courant, on contrôle à l'étape 63 si le rang de l'envoi courant est égal au rang courant moins un. Dans l'affirmative, on contrôle à l'étape 64 si le nombre d'envois dans la fenêtre d'observation dont le rang est égal au rang courant est inférieur à un seuil S1' et simultanément si le nombre d'envois dans la fenêtre d'observation dont le rang est égal au rang courant moins un est supérieur à un seuil S2' prédéterminé. Ces seuils S1' et S2' correspondent aux seuils S1 et S2 de l'étape 38 de la figure 3. Dans l'affirmative, on décrémente le rang courant d'une unité (étape 61) et on trie l'envoi courant. Dans la négative à l'étape 64, on commande à l'étape 66 la mise en re-circulation de l'envoi courant dans la machine en faisant faire à l'envoi postal courant un tour complet de carrousel. Si le rang de l'envoi courant est différent du rang courant moins un (étape 63), on contrôle à l'étape 65 si le rang de l'envoi courant est inférieur au rang courant. Si le rang de l'envoi courant est inférieur au rang courant, on commande une mise en re-circulation de l'envoi courant tandis que si le rang de l'envoi courant est supérieur au rang courant, on met en rejet l'envoi courant à l'étape 67. Un envoi courant de rang supérieur au rang courant ne peut pas être remis en séquence au moyen d'une mise en re-circulation du fait que les envois de la séquence d'envois dans laquelle il aurait dû être trié ont déjà été triés.The figure 5 represents for example another embodiment of the method according to the invention compared to that described with reference to the figure 3 . The sorting machine is arranged or programmed to perform automatically the various steps of the method according to the invention and to decide and control the realization of these different stages according to the different cases. We check at step 31 of the figure 5 , identical to step 31 of the figure 3 , if the rank 16 of the current mail is equal to the current rank. If the rank of the current mail is equal to the current rank, this current mail is normally sorted into a sorting output (step 32). If the rank of the current mail is different from the current rank, it is checked in step 60 if there is in the observation window a postal item whose rank is equal to the current rank. If no sending in the observation window has the current rank, a current rank change is made in step 61, that is, the current rank of one unit is decremented, and it is checked again at step 62 if the rank of the current mail is equal to the new current rank. If so, the current mail is sorted in step 32. If no, we return to step 60. The loop constituted by steps 60, 61 and 62 is for example a way of changing or varying the current rank. to achieve rank control. The current rank changes according to the postal items present in the observation window. For reasons of security of sorting, the current rank may not be changed twice in succession, that is to say that this loop 60, 61, 62 can not then be drawn twice in succession. If at least one sending in the observation window is of current rank, it is checked in step 63 if the rank of the current mail is equal to the current rank minus one. If so, it is checked in step 64 whether the number of items in the observation window whose rank is equal to the current rank is less than a threshold S1 'and simultaneously if the number of items in the window of observation whose rank is equal to the current rank minus one is greater than a threshold S2 'predetermined. These thresholds S1 'and S2' correspond to the thresholds S1 and S2 of step 38 of the figure 3 . If so, decrement the current rank of a unit (step 61) and sort the current mail. In the negative at step 64, at step 66, the recirculation of the current item in the machine is commanded by sending the current postal item a complete turn of carousel. If the rank of the current mail is different from the current rank minus one (step 63), it is checked in step 65 if the rank of the current mail is lower than the current rank. If the rank of the current mail is lower than the current rank, it orders a re-circulation of the current mail while if the rank of the current mail is higher than the current rank, the mail is rejected. in step 67. A current item of higher rank than the current rank can not be re-sequenced by recirculating because the shipments of the mailing sequence in which it should have been sorted have already been sorted.

Dans ce mode de mise en oeuvre du procédé selon l'invention, on distingue les envois de rang égal au rang courant moins un des envois de rang inférieur à ce rang courant moins un du fait qu'il existe un moyen (étape 64) pour trier directement les envois de rang égal au rang courant moins un en pénalisant au minimum le rendement de la machine de tri. Le mode de mise en oeuvre du procédé selon l'invention de la figure 5 montre une étroite relation entre l'évolution du rang courant pour le contrôle de rang et les critères pour décider de la commande d'une mise en re-circulation.In this mode of implementation of the method according to the invention, one distinguishes the items of rank equal to the current rank minus one of the items of lower rank at this current rank minus one because there is a means (step 64) for directly sort the items of equal rank to the current rank minus one, penalizing at least the efficiency of the sorting machine. The mode of implementation of the method according to the invention of the figure 5 shows a close relation between the evolution of the current rank for rank control and the criteria for deciding the order of a re-circulation.

Selon encore un autre mode de mise en oeuvre du procédé selon l'invention illustré sur la figure 6, tous les envois postaux courants de rang inférieur au rang courant, y compris ceux avec un rang égal au rang courant moins un sont traités de la même manière, c'est à dire sont mis en re-circulation, et l'évolution du rang courant est décidée indépendamment du processus de décision de tri des envois postaux.According to yet another embodiment of the method according to the invention illustrated on the figure 6 all current mail items of lower rank than the current rank, including those with a rank equal to the current rank minus one, are treated in the same way, ie are recirculated, and the evolution of the rank current is decided independently of the decision-making process for sorting postal items.

On contrôle à l'étape 31 de la figure 6, identique à l'étape 31 de la figure 3 ou de la figure 5, si le rang de l'envoi courant est égal au rang courant. Si le rang de l'envoi courant est égal au rang courant, on trie normalement cet envoi courant dans une sortie de tri (étape 32). Si le rang de l'envoi courant est différent du rang courant, on contrôle dans l'étape 70 si le rang de l'envoi courant a une valeur inférieure au rang courant. Si la valeur du rang de l'envoi courant est inférieure au rang courant, on commande la mise en re-circulation (étape 71) de l'envoi courant et si elle est supérieure au rang courant, on commande une mise en rejet (étape 72) de l'envoi courant. L'évolution du rang courant est surveillée indépendamment de la détection de la différence par rapport à la séquence prédéterminée attendue et des critères pratiques pour décider la mise en re-circulation de l'envoi courant. L'évolution du rang courant peut être surveillée et le rang courant décrémenté par exemple au moyen d'une simple boucle similaire aux étapes 60 à 62 de la figure 5 ou en utilisant des paramètres décisionnels plus complexes se référant par exemple à une observation de la fenêtre d'observation et à l'utilisation de différents seuillages. Ce rang courant est déterminé avant de commencer le procédé décrit en référence à la figure 6.We check at step 31 of the figure 6 , identical to step 31 of the figure 3 or from figure 5 , if the rank of the current mail is equal to the current rank. If the rank of the current mail is equal to the current rank, this current mail is normally sorted into a sorting output (step 32). If the rank of the current mail is different from the current rank, it is checked in step 70 if the rank of the current mail has a value lower than the current rank. If the value of the rank of the current mail is lower than the current rank, the recirculation (step 71) of the current mail is ordered and if it is greater than the current rank, an order of rejection (step 72) of the current shipment. The evolution of the current rank is monitored independently of the detection of the difference with respect to the predetermined sequence expected and practical criteria for deciding the recirculation of the current shipment. The evolution of the current rank can be monitored and the current rank decremented for example by means of a simple loop similar to steps 60 to 62 of FIG. figure 5 or by using more complex decision parameters referring for example to an observation of the observation window and to the use of different thresholds. This current rank is determined before starting the process described with reference to the figure 6 .

En référence à la figure 6, tout envoi courant de rang inférieur au rang courant est mis en re-circulation car il doit normalement être trié en étant entouré d'envois postaux du même rang que lui et qui vont par conséquent lui succéder dans cette passe de tri. Aussi, quel que soit le rang de l'envoi courant, il a des chances de repasser après un ou plusieurs tours de carrousel, c'est à dire après avoir été retardé dans son tri, au niveau du point de décision 8 pour le contrôle de rang en étant entouré d'envois de son rang. Ce nouveau contrôle de rang permet de garantir si l'envoi postal mis en re-circulation se retrouve bien en séquence après ce tour de carrousel.With reference to the figure 6 any current item of rank lower than the current rank is recirculated because it must normally be sorted surrounded by mail items of the same rank and he will therefore succeed him in this sorting pass. Also, regardless of the rank of the current mail, it is likely to return after one or more rounds of carousel, ie after being delayed in its sorting, at the decision point 8 for the control of rank being surrounded by mailings of his rank. This new rank control ensures that the mail item recirculated is in sequence after this carousel turn.

Mettre en recirculation un envoi postal courant consiste à le garder dans le godet du carrousel dans lequel il se trouve pour le faire passer au dessus de toutes les sorties de tri sans le décharger et à le présenter à nouveau toujours dans le même godet dans la fenêtre d'observation et au niveau du point où est décidée la sanction à appliquer à cet envoi, lequel redevient alors automatiquement l'envoi courant. Lorsque l'on met un envoi courant en re-circulation en lui faisant effectuer un tour complet de carrousel, on décide de trier un certain nombre d'envois consécutifs lui succédant, en pratique autant d'envois qu'il y a de godets dans le carrousel, avant de prendre une nouvelle décision concernant son tri. Lors d'une mise en re-circulation, la machine est commandée pour que l'envoi courant effectue un tour complet de carrousel de sorte à retarder son dépôt dans une sortie de tri. Ainsi, un envoi courant qui a déjà fait un tour complet de carrousel succède dans le tri à une séquence d'envois postaux qui lui succédait au moment de la détection d'erreur de rang et de la commande de mise en re-circulation. Cette mise en re-circulation et l'accomplissement de cette re-circulation est totalement automatique, l'envoi ne sort pas de la machine de tri et n'a pas à être réintroduit dans la machine, il continue normalement son chemin dans la machine pour être trié avec un certain retard.To recirculate a current mailpiece is to keep it in the bucket of the carousel in which it is to pass over all sorting outlets without unloading and to present it again in the same bucket in the window and at the point where the sanction to be applied to this item is decided, which then automatically becomes the current item. When a current item is re-circulated by making it perform a complete carousel turn, it is decided to sort a number of consecutive items succeeding it, in practice. as many shipments as there are cups in the carousel, before making a new decision regarding its sorting. When re-circulating, the machine is controlled so that the current shipment performs a complete turn of carousel so as to delay its deposit in a sorting outlet. Thus, a current shipment that has already made a complete carousel turn succeeds in sorting to a sequence of mail items that succeeded him at the time of the rank error detection and the recirculation command. This re-circulation and the completion of this re-circulation is completely automatic, the sending does not leave the sorting machine and does not have to be reintroduced into the machine, it normally continues its way in the machine to be sorted with some delay.

Après un tour complet du carrousel à godets, ou plusieurs tours si on décide d'autoriser plusieurs mises en re-circulation successives, l'envoi mis en re-circulation peut se retrouver dans la séquence attendue et donc être trié. Pour contrôler que l'envoi se trouve bien dans la séquence attendue, on utilise le contrôle de rang, c'est à dire que l'on contrôle que le rang de l'envoi courant, lorsque l'envoi mis en re-circulation redevient l'envoi courant, correspond bien au rang courant. Dans les exemples décrits ci-dessus, ce contrôle de rang pour vérifier que la séquence obtenue après mise en re-circulation est correcte se fait automatiquement du fait de l'application en boucle du procédé décrit par exemple en référence aux figures 3 et 5 à tous les envois postaux entrant dans la fenêtre d'observation et donc aux envois postaux mis en re-circulation.After a complete turn of the bucket carousel, or several laps if we decide to allow several re-circulation, the re-circulated shipment can be found in the expected sequence and therefore be sorted. To check that the shipment is in the expected sequence, we use the rank control, that is to say that it controls that the rank of the current shipment, when the sending recirculated becomes again the current mail, corresponds to the current rank. In the examples described above, this rank check to verify that the sequence obtained after recirculation is correct is done automatically due to the loop application of the method described for example with reference to the figures 3 and 5 to all postal items entering the observation window and therefore to postal items being re-circulated.

Une autre mise en oeuvre de l'idée selon l'invention consiste en une mise en re-circulation automatique d'un envoi postal au cours d'une seconde passe de tri lorsque cet envoi postal ne peut pas être trié directement, par exemple lorsque l'on détecte une erreur dans la séquence attendue, ou lorsque la sortie de tri dans laquelle l'envoi postal doit être déposé n'est pas disponible au moment du passage du godet au dessus de la sortie de tri, par exemple du fait qu'un changement de bac de réception des envois est en cours dans la sortie de tri en question, suivie d'un contrôle de rang pour vérifier que l'envoi en re-circulation se présentant au niveau du point de décision a un rang correspondant au rang courant et peut être trié, ou encore peut être remis à nouveau en re-circulation selon des critères exposés précédemment par exemple en référence aux figures 3,5 et 6. La combinaison d'une mise en re-circulation suivie d'un contrôle de rang peut-être utilisée à chaque fois qu'une erreur de tri à été détectée.Another implementation of the idea according to the invention consists in an automatic recirculation of a postal item during a second sorting pass when this mail item can not be sorted directly, for example when an error is detected in the expected sequence, or when the sorting outlet in which the mailpiece is to be deposited is not available at the time of the passage of the bucket above the sorting outlet, for example because a bin changeover is in progress in the sorting outlet in question, followed by a rank check to verify that the re-circulating item at the decision point has a rank corresponding to current rank and can be sorted, or again can be re-circulated according to criteria previously described for example with reference to figures 3 , 5 and 6 . The combination of recirculation followed by rank control can be used whenever a sorting error has been detected.

Le contrôle de rang permet donc de vérifier si un envoi mis en recirculation dans le carrousel à godets peut être trié car il se trouve effectivement entouré d'envois de même rang que lui. Une telle vérification permet de mettre à profit la possibilité de mise en re-circulation offerte par une machine à carrousel à godets au cours d'une seconde passe de tri, celle-ci étant jusqu'alors non compatible avec la nécessité de maintenir la séquence des envois inchangée au cours de cette seconde passe de tri.The rank check therefore makes it possible to check whether a re-circulated item in the bucket carousel can be sorted because it is actually surrounded by items of the same rank as itself. Such a check makes it possible to take advantage of the possibility of re-circulation offered by a bucket carousel machine during a second sorting pass, which has hitherto been incompatible with the need to maintain the sequence shipments unchanged during this second sorting pass.

Claims (5)

  1. A method of processing postal items (2) in order to prepare delivery rounds by performing a plurality of sorting passes through a postal sorting machine (1) having a carrousel (3) of trays in which the postal items travel in trays above sorting outlets (6) and are deposited in the appropriate sorting outlets, in which it is detected if postal items moved in the postal sorting machine by the carrousel of trays can be deposited in the appropriate sorting outlets, and if it is detected (31, 33, 35, 37, 38, 39) that a postal item cannot be deposited in a sorting outlet, this postal item is recirculated (40, 66, 71) by controlling the machine by making this postal item carrying out one complete revolution round of the carrousel, characterized in that the method further comprises the step of associating each distribution point of a delivery round to an order number or rank corresponding to the rank of the sorting outlet allocated to the distribution point during the first sorting pass and in which the detection comprises the step of checking (31, 35, 60, 62) in the machine during a second subsequent sorting pass, for each current item, a data (16, 17, 52) representative of the rank allocated to the distribution point corresponding to the current postal item, the checking consisting in monitoring how rank varies for successive postal items in order to detect any difference relative to said determined sequence of distribution points to unroll in this sorting pass for preparing the delivery round, and in response to said detection for a current postal item, the method further comprises the step of controlling the machine to cause the current item to recirculate (40, 66, 71) through the machine by making this current item carrying out one complete revolution round the carrousel so as to delay its deposit in a sorting outlet.
  2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rank is observed for the current postal item and this current item is caused to recirculate (71) in response to detection of the rank of the current postal item being lower than a current rank (70).
  3. The method according to claim 1, wherein in response to said detection of a difference for a current postal item, the rank of the current postal item is observed in a portion or observation window (10) of a sequence constituted by a certain number of consecutive postal items and in response to detection of the rank of the current postal item being one less than a current rank (33), a first number of postal items of rank one more than the current postal item is counted in the observation window and a second number of postal items having the same rank as the rank of the current postal item is counted in said window and if the first number is lower than a determined first threshold (S1) and the second number is greater than a determined (38) second threshold (S2), then the machine is controlled (32) so as to deposit the current postal item in the appropriate sorting outlet, while if the first number is greater than the determined first threshold (S1) and/or the second number is less than the determined (38) second threshold (S2), the method further comprises the step of controlling the machine to cause the current item to recirculate (40, 66, 71) by making this current item carrying out one complete revolution round the carrousel so as to delay its deposit in a sorting outlet
  4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the current postal item is caused to recirculate by controlling (40) the machine in order to return the current postal item in the observation window after one complete revolution round the carrousel.
  5. The method according to one of claims 3 or 4, wherein in the observation window, art observation is made of the sorting outlet in which a certain number of consecutive postal items are to be deposited, and wherein if the first number is greater than the first determined threshold (S1) and/or the second number is less than the second determined (38) threshold (S2), and if no postal item of rank one unit greater than the rank of the current postal item is to be deposited in the sorting outlet in which the current postal item (39) is to be deposited, then the method further consists to control (40) the machine to deposit the current postal item in the appropriate sorting outlet.
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FR2883494B1 (en) 2011-03-11
US7449656B2 (en) 2008-11-11

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