USA
`
`1E@ ORLANOO,FL, 23·28MAY
`
`POSTAL AUTOMATED REDIRECTION SYSTEM- THE USPS SOLUTION
`
`Randall Root
`Program Manager, Image and Telecommunications Technology
`United States Postal Service
`
`Edward J. Kuebert
`Manager, Image and Telecommunications Technology
`United States Postal Service
`
`Redirection (or forwarding) mail :service is provided to U.S. Postal Service
`(U.S.P.S.) customers free of charge, however the cost to process and deliver
`redirected mail is substantial because the redirection requirement is not currently
`recognized until the mail reaches the carrier (destination). Additionally, the
`operation is mechanized and uses outdated and obsolete controls, so technical
`improvements are difficult to migrate into the system. Redirected letter mail
`incurs delivery delays greater than normal service standards. As the USPS faces
`increased competition from alternative communication methods, redirection is
`one facet of letter mail processing where efficiency can be increased with
`advanced technology.
`
`indicate that redirected mail can be processed more
`Engineering studies
`efficiently if the mail piece is identified at the originating plant (or at point of
`entry) and redirected towards the proper destination. This eliminates the cost
`and delay of processing and capturing the mailpiece at the initial destination,
`then redirecting it to the forwarded address.
`
`The Postal Automated Redirection System (PARS) is currently in development
`for pilot testing in 2000. The design implements point of entry redirection and
`utilize the existing automated mail-processing infrastructure. PARS integrates
`advanced recognition system technology and automation speed transports into an
`automated redirection processes. This paper outlines the PARS concept, and
`provides insight into the redirection process expected in the future.
`
`13th International Conference on Pesta/ .4 r;:crnat:on
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`1
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`US 001-04810
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`Page 1 of 6
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`USPS EXHIBIT 1026
`USPS v. RMI
`CBM2014-00116
`
`

`

`USA
`
`1@) ORLANDO, FL, 23-28 MAY
`
`I
`'·
`
`POSTAL AUTOMATED REDIRECTION SYSTEM- THE USPS SOLUTION
`
`Introduction
`
`Helping Others Help Us
`
`Point of entry redirection is the goal of the U.S. Postal Service design strategy
`during development of the PARS. Of the more than 100 billion first class
`mailpieces processed by the USPS in 1998, over 3% required redirection. This
`provides an opportunity for significant cost savings as the redirection processes
`are automated and streamlined.
`In the past ten years, Optical Character
`Recognition (OCR) technology and the Remote Barcoding System (RBCS) for
`OCR read rejects have been fully deployed in our letter mail environment. Our
`automation program now gives us the capability to barcode and sort nearly all
`letter mail to the carrier route walk sequence, utilizing an II digit delivery point
`code. Processing technology now can be developed for potential redirection
`identification during initial processing, staging the physical mail, using our
`RBCS strategies to direct images for further computer or manual recognition,
`and print, label and sort redirection mail at high speeds.
`
`With over 300 automation capable processing facilities in the United States, any
`changes made to our infrastructure are serious endeavors. The strategy of the
`USPS is to inject our redirection process with a new state of the art strategy and
`technology.
`
`The USPS has several programs in place to help business and individuals
`properly address letters to the intended destination.
`For every avoided
`redirection piece, processing costs are reduced.
`
`Sixty five percent of letter mail volume processed by the USPS is prebarcoded
`by business customers using directory databases maintained by the USPS. To
`support redirection of the prebarcoded mailstream, the National Change Of
`Address (NCOA) service is supplied to major mailers to update their mailing
`lists periodically. This avoids the initial misdirection of letter mail to the old
`address.
`
`Another service to help update mailer directory lists is the Address Correction
`Service (ACS). An endorsement "Address Correction Service Requested" is
`applied to the return address on letter mail when the mailer wants to be notified
`that a customer has moved. With this endorsement on a mailpiece, the USPS
`responds to the mailer with a new address when redirected mail
`is first
`encountered in our system. Either electronic or reply card response is available
`to the customer.
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`US 001-04811
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`Page 2 of 6
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`USA
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`1@) ORLANOO, FL, 23-28 MAY
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`The most advanced product currently in use is a product called F ASTforward .
`..___ F ASTforward is a device that is licensed to customers using OCR technology.
`__.The customers who use Fastforward are large volume presort companies.
`F ASTforward intercepts the OCR's alphanumeric result and compares it to a
`redirection database. If there is a confirmed move pending, the new address is
`printed on the mailpiece along with the Postnet barcode.
`
`Redirection at Point of Entry
`
`The key to a point of entry solution for redirection is recognizing a potential
`redirection mailpiece and obtaining 'confirmation ' that a mailpiece is in fact to
`be redirected. In the United States, an 11-digit numeric code uniquely identifies
`each delivery point in the country. For redirection confirmation, the delivery
`point barcode and the name of the customer as addressed must be positively
`~
`~C,D --confirmed with an entry in the national "Change Of Address" (COA) database.
`v ~here is confirmation and the mailpiece can be diverted into the
`redirection process, which allows processing to the final, proper destination
`without delay. Without this crucial step, the mailpiece must be processed to the
`customer addressed destination, manually identified and handled by the carrier,
`then rehandled and sent to the redirection process in the local plant. Point of
`entry redirection avoids the intermediate, inefficient, time and labor consuming
`step in delivery.
`
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`PARS Process Flow
`
`In a Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC), every effort is made to process
`letter mail with automated equipment. More than 35% of the mail that enters
`the mailstream will pass the scanning and OCR functions that provide the ability
`to automatically derive the 11 digit barcode.
`(The other 65% arrive as
`prebarcoded by mailers and are directed to barcode sorters.) PARS will utilize
`the Advanced Facer Canceler I Optical Character Reader- Input Subsystem
`(AFCS/OCR-ISS) and MLOCR-ISS (Multiline Optical Character Reader -
`Input Subsystem) to scan the images and process the address line data. (See
`Figure 1)
`
`With PARS, the automation equipment will process the customer name when the
`delivery point postcode is associated with a COA notification. The ISS's receive
`a bitmap from the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) via the Change of
`Address Record Server (CARS) that contains the 11 digit delivery point
`postcode I COA correlation. When the mailpiece is flagged as potential COA,
`the customer name OCR read result is compared to the expected customer name
`provided by CARS (containing customer name records) and a confirmation is
`
`13th International Conference on Postal A.ur:::matio;,
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`3
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`US 001-04812
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`Page 3 of 6
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`USA
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`1@) ORLANDO, FL, 23-28 MAY
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`1J~O
`)ff-c~~ obtained. The successful identification of an intercepted mailpiece directs the
`)..~.P~)J\ lv OCR to flow the image to the Redirection Image Controller (RIC) for processing
`~ 1 r)fJ" ~
`
`at the Computer Forwarding System (CFS) site. The RIC uses the Advanced
`~-1! \l0~ 1
`.___ Forwarding Reader (AFR) and I or the Video Coding Desks to finalize the
`oJ ~"~ '
`endorsement processing (such as Address Correction Service or Do Not
`~\fi'.~l)!'- 1
`Forward).
`It should be noted that this effort is accomplished in an image
`rJVl"-
`processing environment. The physical mailpiece is staged while this electronic
`effort occurs.
`
`At the processing facility, there is a new platfonn called the Combined Input I
`Output Subsystem (ClOSS). New high speed labelers along with ink jet printers
`will allow label and printing application at automation speeds, in excess of
`20,000 pieces per hour. The CIOSS communicates with the RIC during
`intercepted mail processing, prints and applies
`the
`forwarded address
`information. The Image Processing Unit (IPU) also has access to the CARS,
`and will flag and forward images to the RIC when potential intercepted images
`are flagged as a result of deriving the delivery point postcode. However, the
`IPU will not process the customer name information, forwarding this process to
`the RIC and AFR and Video Coding Desks. The mailpieces with the redirection
`address applied at 'the cross will then flow back into the mailstream, to
`Delivery Barcode Sorters (DBCS) or Carrier Sequence Barcode Sorters
`(CSBCS).
`
`_Changing Processes at the CFS Site
`
`._;..:=-·
`
`\ ~ ~ !)
`The Computer Forwarding System site (CFS) is the current processing operation
`,, ~;.v ~9) for redirection. The Forwarding Computer System server (FCS), Housekeeping
`t t 1-\~~· 1.r Control Computer (HCC) and their terminals perform today's processes. With
`, ~ the introduction of PARS, .!_heir role will diminish with each success at point crt
`'\'1-X
`•• \)-J-
`j entry interception, but CFS is not expected to be eliminated. PARS will expand
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`tl
`;J,~ \9~ ~~ "at the P&DC to intercept increasing volumes of letter mail and possibly flats,
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`.
`and the image processing and coding will grow at the CFS site while manual
`~LCY~C/., S}~
`f' CJl
`keying is reduced. One process expected to complement the existing system is
`~ '\ V
`the mail identified at the local delivery unit, coming back to the local CFS site .
`This mail is generally pre-barcoded and bypasses the OCR, etc. With a ClOSS,
`I ft
`d
`the process can be automated to i
`the image in Input Subsystem mo e, process
`the address using the AFR and coding desks, and apply forwarded address labels
`using the Output Subsystem mode. Other roles of the PARS at the CFS site will
`be the processing of COA forms used by the customers to notify the Postal
`Service of a move or scheduled move, using the CIOSS and AFR L Coding
`Desks and the ACS notification using a cut and paste strategy with the image.
`130th'Processes are labor intensive and are expected to become significantly
`more efficient with PARS.
`
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`13th ! nternationa! Conference on Postal .D..utcmacon
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`US 001-04813
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`Page 4 of 6
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`USA
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`Conclusion
`
`1@ ) ORLANOO, FL, 23-28 MAY
`
`The USPS provides universal mail service to every resident in the country. We
`are striving to become more efficient in our existing processes and develop
`technology that helps us maintain high standards in the face of competition and
`changing markets. With PARS, we are automating another part of our mail
`processing operation by driving research and development to implement new
`applications that take advantage of OCR and higher speed transport platforms.
`PARS will become more cost effective and will allow the USPS to take another
`step towards a twenty-first century Postal Service.
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`US 001-04814
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`Page 5 of 6
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`USA
`
`1~ ORLANDO,FL, 23-2BMAY
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`Figure 1
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`Postal Automated Redirection System (PARS)
`
`!4111/TI!D ST.4Tl!'.S
`I'OST.4L SEBV1CE
`
`~ F>~~ce~5i~9-a-nd ___________ -----,_---_-.....__,
`Distribution Center (P&DC}
`•••• CARS
`(Slave)
`
`• •
`
`Video Coding
`Desks
`
`•
`~
`.. ~
`•
`
`Mechanized
`Terminals
`
`Non(cid:173)
`Mechanized
`Terminals
`
`Flats
`Forwarding
`Terminals
`
`LEGEND:
`DBCS I CSBCS - Delivery Barcode Sorter I Carrier Sequence Barcode Sorter
`OCR - ISS -Optical Character Reader /Input Subsystem
`RIC I FSU - Redirection Image Controller I Forwarding Storage Unit
`FCS Server- Forwarding Control System Server
`CARS -Combined Input /Output Subsystem
`ClOSS -Combined Input I Output Subsystem
`NCSC - National Customer Service Center
`HCC - Housekeeping Control Computer
`
`OSS -Output Subsystem
`ICU -Image Control Unit
`IPU -Image Processing Unit
`RCR - Remote Computer Reader
`AFR- Advanced Forwarding Reader
`AFCS -ISS - Advanced Facer /Canceler
`CFS -Computer Forwarding System
`COA - Change of Address
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`13th lnte!-riattonai Conic:rence on Posta! Autcrnar:cr
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`1
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`US 001-04815
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`Page 6 of 6
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