INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFICATION OF A BAG AND ASSOCIATED TRANSPORT METHOD

Abstract

A method for sending an item (2) in an outer packaging (3) from a sender (1) to a recipient (14) over a transport route (12, 13), wherein the outer packaging (3) has an identifier (4) containing data identifying at least the recipient (14), characterized in that an outer packaging (3) provided with an individual identifier (4) is used, wherein the identifier (4) is captured by a data processing installation (9) and the identifier (4) is assigned the data identifying at least the recipient (14) by the data processing installation (9) and these data are provided by the sender (1) in particular by means of an input device (8) connected to the data processing installation (9).

Claims

1. A method of shipping an item in an outer packaging from a sender via a transport route to a recipient, the method comprising the step of: manufacturing the outer packaging with a unique package identifier; the sender providing the packaging with a recipient identifier holding data identifying at least the recipient and placing the item to be shipped into the outer packaging; the sender recording the package and recipient identifiers by an input device to a data-processing system; and the data-processing system correlating data identifying the recipient from the recipient identifier with data from the package identifier of the respective outer packaging.

2. The method of shipping an item according to claim 1, wherein a plastic shipping bag is used as the outer packaging.

3. The method of shipping an item according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is formed by the outer packaging.

4. The method of shipping an item according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is read several times along the transport route.

5. A method of shipping an item according to claim 2, wherein the plastic shipping bags, are provided on an endless roll.

6. The method of shipping an item according to claim 5, wherein the outer packagings of the endless roll are each provided with their own unique identifiers, the identifier of one outer packaging being different from the identifiers of the other outer packagings.

7. The method of shipping an item according to claim 1, wherein a machine-readable code is used as the unique package identifier.

8. The method of shipping an item according to claim 7, wherein a QR code is used as a machine-readable package code.

Description

[0020] The method described above is explained and described in greater detail below with the aid of a system shown in the figure.

[0021] A sender 1 intends to place an item 2 in an outer packaging 3 and to send it therein. For this purpose, the sender 1 uses an outer packaging 3 with a unique identifier 4 that this outer packaging 3 already carries. This unique identifier 4 has not yet been provided with any further data, in particular data relating to a possible recipient or further details of the shipment, since these are not yet known at this time.

[0022] This is in station A.

[0023] Station B has a reader 5 that has a data line 6. An input device 8 with which the sender 1 can provide data that characterize the shipment has a further data line 7. Both the reader 5 and the input device 8 are connected by their respective data lines 6 and 7 to a data-processing system 9. The input device 8 is in station A with the sender 1, and the reader 5 can be located in the station A or, as shown in the figure, can be located in another station, namely in station B.

[0024] Station A is, for example, the packaging room of an online mail-order company that holds a large number of the items 2. A plurality of outer packagings 3 each with its own, different unique identifier 4 is removed for example from an endless roll, the outer packagings 3 in this case being plastic shipping bags. Every time a unique item 2 has been placed in a respective one of the outer packagings 3 with its unique identifier 4, the data relating to this shipment, in particular the data that characterizes the recipient, are entered by the sender 1 via the input device 8 and are sent by the data line 7 to the data-processing system 9.

[0025] If a large number of outer packagings 4 are ready, they can be transferred to a logistics company in station B, for example. This logistics company uses the reader 5 to record the unique identifiers of each outer packaging 4, the respective unique identifiers 4 being transmitted to the data-processing system 9 via the data line 6. In the data-processing system 9, the data that has been entered via the input device 8 and transmitted to the data-processing system 9 is correlated with the respective recorded unique identifiers 4.

[0026] After correlating the data identifying the recipient with the respective unique identifier 4 of the respective outer packaging 3, it can be transported on from the station B. This onward transport takes place, for example, to an intermediate station C, for example another logistics center. A reader 10 there is also connected to the data-processing system 9 via a further data line 11. There it is again possible to read out the unique identifier 4 for further checking of the transport route.

[0027] After further transport of the respective outer packaging 3 from the station B or via the intermediate station C has taken place, the outer packaging 3 arrives at a recipient.

[0028] The route from station B to station C is transport route 12 and the further transport from station C to receiver D is transport route 13. There can be several intermediate stations C. For the sake of completeness, the recipient is shown at 14. He receives his unique outer packaging 3 with the respective unique identifier 4, and, for example, a delivery person has a reader for this unique identifier 4 available and the reader already contains the data that identifies the recipient 14 or it is received from the data-processing system 9 for example wired or wireless.

[0029] The shipping data provided via the input device 8 are assigned in practice to the respective unique identifier of the shipping bag, for example by reading the identifier 4 and the order number of the shipment that can also be a machine-readable code.

[0030] It should also be mentioned that the parcel not only contains the unique identifier (e.g. a QR code), but that the recipient's address can also be printed in standard copy, for example. Since the linking of the unique ID with the order and the recipient takes place only after the transfer, this could be a further step (especially printing). Then one could optionally save the unique ID and apply all data only after the filling process.

[0031] For returns, the procedure is as described, only that the original recipient automatically becomes the sender, supplemented by the delivery confirmation. The data are all available due to the connection in A.

[0032] In general, it should be added that the machine-readable identification can contain information just as individualized as a virtual token and can be billed automatically between the sender and the logistics company.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0033] 1 Sender [0034] 2 Subject [0035] 3 Outer packaging [0036] 4 Identifier [0037] 5 Reader [0038] 6 Data line [0039] 7 Data line [0040] 8. Input device [0041] 9 Data-processing system [0042] 10 Reader [0043] 11 Data line [0044] 12 Transport route [0045] 13 Transport route [0046] 14 Recipient