Method for the Consolidation Summarization and Transmission of a Plurality of Mailable Materials

This invention relates to the mailing of bills, statements, advertising and other communications, to millions of homes and businesses each month.

As is well known and understood, utility companies, insurance companies, credit card companies and such professionals as doctors, dentists and attorneys mail monthly bills or statements to their subscribers and/or clients--whether businesses or individuals--each month. As is also well known, banks and other financial institutions, membership clubs and a whole host of other entities similarly mail records, bills and other documents monthly. Analysis has revealed that each such mailing exhibits the following common characteristics: 1) a pre-printed bill/statement of a type generally purchased from a printer is employed; 2) the bill/statement is usually a half page of information; 3) the pre-printed form is "filled in" by computer; 4) a pre-printed return envelope, more frequently than not, is enclosed with the mailing, with the return envelope being purchased from a printer; 5) the bill/statement and return envelope (where utilized) are stuffed into an additional envelope for mailing; and 6) postage is applied to the envelope--now between 23.cent. and 29.cent. depending upon the class of mail and on the "zip-coding" and "bar-coding" utilized. Analysis has also revealed that these types of mailings produce an unnecessary expense for postage and processing, besides the costs involved in purchasing the paper and envelopes to begin with.

Research has revealed, however, that up to 5 sheets of 81/2".times.11" paper can be mailed in the same envelope, and still pay at the same 1 oz. rate.

Further research has shown that by printing on both sides of said sheet, one can effectively transmit by hard-copy mail 10 pages of information in a single 1 oz. mailing.

As will become clear from the following description, the method of the invention utilizes a concept of electronically combining many different forms of mailable materials, from many different subscribers, into a single package for mailing to an identified addressee. As will be seen, the recipient (or identified addressee) will receive, according to the invention a one or more page summary of all bills and statements that heretofore were received in individual envelopes. As will be understood, this will result in a significant reduction in time spent in fumbling through junk mail to find one's bills, a significant reduction in figuring out who gets paid what, and offers the possibility of writing out only one check, or less each month, instead of multiple checks, and only having to mail out a single envelope, or less with one stamp per month.

As will be more clearly understood, the method of invention avoids this undue proliferation of receiving bills, statements and other records through the single mailing of one or more two-sided documents (81/2".times.11") on which is presented all the bills, statements, etc. intended for a given recipient during a specified period of time, for all subscribers to the service. As described, the method will be seen to be one which forms a computer database of addressee information; merges with that database all such record information provided by subscribers; prints out one or more sheets, preferably on both sides of all information intended for a designated recipient during the time period in question; and allows for a single mailing of such sheets in a single envelope.

As will also be described, the operator of this Universal Mail Transmittal Service--once the database is established in a computer as to intended addressees--merely inputs into the computer such information as to bills, statements and records as provided for these addressees during a given time interval, either by receiving such input information electronically from a subscriber to the Universal Mail Service, or by "hard-copy" from such subscriber.

As will be appreciated, not only will the method of the invention be seen to be simple to formulate and carry-out, but the combining of bills and statements from many sources will be seen to produce a large cost savings. Not only does there result the savings in postage and purchasing papers and envelopes for sending the information, but a measurable savings additionally results in being able to send multiple pages of information in a standard #10 business envelope while still qualifying for first-class mailing. Additionally, and as will be apparent, less paper, sending also means fewer forests have to be levelled, less paper has to go to landfills and incinerators every year; and greater reductions in the numbers of plastic garbage bags that would otherwise be necessary to carry all the used paper.

As is appreciated, such businesses as American Express, AT&T, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Sears, and Merrill Lynch send out monthly statements to their customers each month. As will also be appreciated, each of those customers is identified by a specific, individual unique code. The same is true with banks, utility companies, insurance companies, governmental agencies, etc. who all identify their intended recipient by a code number developed within their respective operations. In accordance with the present invention, all subscribers to the Universal Mail Transmittal Service method will provide such codes for their customers--which are then transformed by the operator of the Universal Mail Service into a single code which identifies that particular business or entity for all system subscribers. Such database of intended addressees is formed and is stored in a computer. Such code thereafter identifies the intended recipient for all future transmissions.

The next step in the method of the invention is the inputting of information into the computer as to the bills, statements and records for individual addressees to be combined and transmitted during a given period of time. Such step includes the receipt of such information from the subscriber to the service, either forwarded electronically to the computer by an appropriate modem, tape or disk provided it through a hard-copy mailing. With this information available, the operator of the Universal Mail Transmittal service then accumulates, according to the invention, a plurality of these input records for each identified addressee, according to the code associated with the business or individual. The computer software can thus be designed to enable the developing of at least one page of those accumulated input informations for that addressee who is to subsequently receive the billing information. Such a bill summary might appear as in the following table.

The method of the invention then sends such page of accumulated informations as in this Table to the identified addressee as a unitized transmission. As will be apparent, this can be sent either electronically to the addressee--but, in accordance with the invention, is more oftentimes to be sent through the United States Postal Service. In particular, the computer software can be arranged to print on both sides of an 81/2".times.11" sheet of paper--and investigation has shown that five such sheets can be mailed in a single envelope in a one ounce mailing.

As so far described, it will be understood that the Universal Mail Transmittal Service can be quite effective in reducing the number of pages of bill and statement papers mailed. This reduction is estimated as almost 20 billion pages in 1992 alone, just in the United States. As will also be seen, a significant cost savings would result as regards paper storage and disposal costs, postage costs, decreased costs for paper/envelopes, as well as significant cost savings as respects equipment purchasing and maintenance and personnel costs for each company or business to do the mailing itself.

At the same time, significant savings are reaped by the consumer-recipient, who now will receive only one envelope or less a month, which would include a one or more page summary of all bills and records. Such summary, as indicated in the table above, shows at a glance the name of the billing subscriber, the current balance, the minimum payment due, and the date upon which payment is due. In response, the consumer can send individual checks to each Billing Company, or can simply fill in the amount to be paid to each company, and forwarding to the operator of the Universal Mail Transmittal Service a single check for the total amount of all payments made, or may utilize quicker checkfree, telephone bank payment authorizations or other methods of payment which would require no checks or return postage, and which can then be credited to the various companies by the system operator. At the same time, the Universal Mail system can be used to create a large data base of consumer buying patterns, which can be used for targeted marketing, or for additional marketing by geographic areas. In similar fashion, other hard-copy material can be included in the single envelope carrying the one-page, or more, summary of all billing statements, to carry, as well, other hard-copy material in the nature of advertising or bill-breakdown information. In either event, a more cost effective, time saving and environmentally friendly transmittal service will result through this electronic combination of many forms of mailable materials, from different mailers into a single package for sending to the identified addressee. Not only will benefits be derived by the recipient--less fumbling, less time spent, easier record keeping --, but benefits are derived by the individual mailers who subscribe to the system and by everyone in the form of environmental benefits.

While there have been described what are considered to be preferred methods of carrying out the present invention, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the invention.