referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to fig1 the reference character 11 represents a mail piece that has a sender address field 12 , a recipient address field 13 , a postal indicia 14 , a radio frequency identification tag 15 , and a bar code 16 that contains specified information . radio frequency identification ( rfid ) tag 15 may be the philips 4 × 6 rfid smart label manufactured by rafec usa of 999 oakmont plaza drive , suite 200 , westmont , ill . 60559 . the information contained in tag 15 is the sender address field 12 , recipient address field 13 , and type of special service to be performed by the carrier , i . e ., priority mail , certified mail , registered mail , express mail , etc . the information contained in bar code 16 and the recipient &# 39 ; s expected delivery time are also written into tag 15 by a radio frequency identification tag printer ( not shown ). the radio frequency identification tag printer may be the zebra r140 printer manufactured by zebra technologies corporation of 333 corporate woods parkway , vernon hills , ill . 60061 . indicia 14 and tag 15 may be placed on a paper tape 17 that is adhered to mail piece 11 , or indicia 14 may be printed directly on mail piece 11 , and tag 15 is affixed to mail piece 11 . [ 0015 ] fig2 is a drawing showing how mail is processed in the entry office 18 of a carrier . letter mail that is deposited in tray 19 by major mailer 20 contains a bar code 21 on the outside of tray 19 . bar code 21 indicates the destination ( postal code ) of tray 19 . tray 19 is delivered to bulk mail center 22 of office 18 . optical character / bar code reader 23 reads the information contained in bar code 21 , and radio frequency identification reader 24 reads the information contained in tag 15 ( fig1 ) of mail contained within the tray . mail that contains a tag 15 will be placed in a tray 44 that has a bar code 45 for mail that is going to the same destination office as tray 44 . tray 44 will pass through outbound exit 28 of entry office 18 as the delivery process of tray 44 proceeds . outbound exit 28 contains optical readers 29 that read bar code 45 and radio frequency identification readers 30 that read any tag 15 that may be present . if mail containing a tag 15 is detected in a tray 44 , that mail is sent back to the input of rfid / sorter 25 , provided it is not going to the same destination office as tray 44 . radio frequency identification ( rfid ) reader 24 may be the model sl ev900 reader manufactured by philips semiconductors of 1109 mckay drive , san jose , calif . 95131 . some mail containing a tag 15 will go to rfid / sorter 25 where the mail will be placed in a tray 26 that has a bar code 27 on the outside of tray 26 . bar code 27 indicates the destination office of tray 26 . only mail that has a tag 15 affixed thereto is contained in tray 26 . tray 26 contains mail with tags 15 affixed thereto that will pass through outbound exit 28 of entry office 18 as the delivery process of tray 26 proceeds . outbound exit 28 contains optical readers 29 that read bar code 27 and radio frequency identification readers 30 that read tags 15 . if mail containing a tag 15 does not go to the destination indicated by bar code 27 , that mail is sent back to the input of reader 99 so that it may be placed in a special service mail tray that is going to the correct destination office . collection letter mail may be metered letter mail that is produced at a mailer site 35 that is able to place postal indicia 14 on mail 11 ( fig1 ) with a postage meter ( not shown ) and a tag 15 on the mail with a radio frequency identification label printer ( not shown ), or stamped mail or metered mail . collection mail may also be mail that is received from a household 31 . collection letter mail is sent to advanced facer canceller ( hereinafter “ afcs ”) 36 . afcs 36 contains a radio frequency identification reader 37 that reads tags 15 . afcs 36 faces the letter mail and then afcs 36 electronically identifies and separates prebarcoded mail , handwritten addresses and machine - imprinted address pieces for faster processing through automation . letter mail that afcs 36 determines is optical character readable is sent to ocr read and sort 38 . read and sort 38 reads the entire address on the mail sprays a bar code on the mail , if needed ; and then sorts the mail . the mail is then placed in a tray 39 that has a bar code 40 on the outside of tray 39 . bar code 40 indicates the destination of tray 39 and other information about the contents of tray 39 . only mail that does not have a tag 15 affixed thereto should be contained in tray 39 . tray 39 will pass through outbound exit 28 of entry office 18 as the delivery process of tray 39 proceeds . outbound exit 28 contains optical readers 29 that read bar code 40 , and radio frequency identification readers 30 that read any tag 15 that may be present . if mail containing a tag 15 not for the destination office is detected in tray 39 , that mail is sent back to the input of reader 99 so that it may be placed in a tray that is going to the correct destination office . letter mail that afcs 36 determines is not optical character readable is sent to manual look up scan and merge 41 where the mail is manually processed . radio frequency identification reader 37 reads tags 15 and sends the mail containing a tag 15 to rfid / sorter 25 . mail that is produced at household 31 and other mail may be brought directly to the carrier at lobby counter 42 . the mailer will pay the carrier the necessary amount to deliver the mail in accordance with the delivery service requested . postage meter 43 and radio frequency identification printer 48 will print postal indicia on special service mail . postage meter 43 will place postal indicia on normal mail , i . e ., first class mail , standard a mail and standard b mail . mail that just contains postal indicia will be sent to the input of optical character reader 99 . rfid tag printer 48 will print a tag 15 ( fig1 ) on special service mail , i . e ., priority mail , certified mail , registered mail , etc ., and meter 43 will print a postal indicia 14 on special service mail . printer 48 may be the zebra model r140 manufactured by zebra technologies corporation of 333 corporate woods parkway vernon hills , ill . 60061 - 3109 . special service mail will be sent to the input of rfid / sorter 25 . [ 0020 ] fig3 is a drawing showing how mail is processed from entry office 18 of a carrier to the recipient . at outbound mail exit 28 , optical scanners 29 read the information contained in bar codes 27 , 40 and 45 that are respectively affixed to trays 26 , 39 and 44 and radio frequency identification readers 30 read any tag 15 that may be present in a tray or tub to which bar codes 27 , 40 and 45 are affixed . all mail in tray 26 that has a tag 15 and is going to the destination specified in bar code 27 will be sent to special transport distribution node 50 . optical scanner 51 and rfid scanner 52 , respectively , will read barcode 27 that is affixed to tray 26 and tags 15 as they enter special distribution node 50 , and optical scanner 53 and rfid scanner 54 , respectively , will read code 27 and tags 15 as tray 26 exit distribution node 50 . tray 26 containing mail having tags 15 affixed thereto will be delivered to destination carrier office 55 . at this point , rfid special service sorter 56 will sort the mail contained in tray 26 . then , the mail will be delivered to the recipient by being deposited in mail box 57 . the mail may also be delivered directly to the recipient or to a representative of the recipient based upon the special services requested by the sender . trays 39 and 44 will be delivered to standard transportation distribution node 60 . then trays 39 and 44 will be delivered to destination carrier office 55 . sorter 61 will sort the mail contained in trays 39 and 44 . then , the mail will be delivered to the recipient by being deposited in mail box 57 . the mail may also be delivered directly to the recipient or to a representative of the recipient based upon the special services requested . the above specification describes a new and improved method for detecting mail that is transported in trays or tubs . it is realized that the above description may indicate to those skilled in the art additional ways in which the principles of this invention may be used without departing from the spirit . therefore , it is intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims .