Importance

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Abstract

The programmable packaging grid groups selective ones of a plurality of available printed products, newspapers, and the like based on demographic information concerning the consumer to receive each package. A plurality of longitudinally receiving conveyors (10) each define a series of package receiving areas. A receiving conveyor monitoring means (180) monitors the position of the package receiving areas. A plurality of gripping conveyors (20) which include a plurality of individual grippers run in loops above and transverse to the receiving conveyors. A gripping conveyor monitoring means (182) monitors the position of the individual grippers. A newspaper feeding station (82, 86) feeds newspapers to the belt conveyors to be included in the packages of customers who are also newspaper subscribers. A digital computer (200-286) controls the individual grippers of the gripping conveyors to release selected printed products to fall into selected package receiving areas. The computer is operatively connected with the receiving conveyor monitor and the gripper conveyor monitor to determine coincidence between selected package receiving areas and individual grippers. The digital computer includes a customer memory which stores demographic information about the customer at each address (202) and an advertiser/product memory (204) which is loaded with demographic descriptions of each customer who is to receive each printed product. A customer to advertiser matching routine (206) matches the consumer demographic information with the advertiser/product demographic requirements to determine which printed products are to be supplied to each customer. In this manner, the printed products supplied to each customer are individually tailored based on demographic information.

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First Claim