the transmitting device would be wireless and could utilize industry standard protocols such as 802 11b the reading device could be a scanner capable of scanning only those mail pieces containing bar codes preferably the device would use an optical character reader or similar technology to determine delivery information for all mail pieces further the reading device would contain a method for tracking the origin of the mail piece this could be achieved by scanning for a return address this could also be achieved through the use of a global positioning system at each stop the device would record its exact position as mail from that location is fed through the scanner thus a record of the origin of each piece of mail would be maintained the mobile computer is any device capable of operating the reading device storing the mail piece information and transmitting that information in another method router 11 is linked directly to each letter carrier 3 via a handheld device the handheld device would be capable of reading information from a piece of mail storing that information in an epm and transmitting that information to post office 2 the handheld device could use any of the methods described above to read information about the mail piece further letter carrier 3 could enter in the origin of the mail piece into the device or the device could use a gps system as described above the device transmits the epm using any of the methods described above while either of these methods.