Abstract:
A postage metering system for applying indicia including postage value on mail items, the system including: a keyboard for inputting information; a printer for printing indicia; an accounting module for accounting for postage value applied to mail items; and a security module for requiring a user to input an operating code prior to further operation of the system, the security module being configured to compare the input operating code with at least one stored valid operating code and cause the printer in a printing operation to print an indicium having a zero postage value where the input operating code and any stored operating code do not match and printing of an indicium is requested.
Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a postage franking device that includes a scale, an envelope holder and a printer. The envelope holder is suspended from the scale and defines a print zone. The printer, which is supported by the holder, is configured to apply imaging material to an envelope in the print zone.
Abstract:
A weight estimating system for estimating the weight of a mailpiece and a postage metering system including such a weight estimating system. The weight estimating system includes a measuring system, a diverter mechanism and a microprocessor system. The measuring system includes a transport, a first plurality of detectors for measuring the dimensions of the mailpiece and a second plurality of detectors for measuring values of other characteristics of the mailpiece which are indicative of the presence of non-paper materials in the mailpiece as the mailpiece is transported. The microprocessor is responsive to the second detectors to determine if non-paper materials are included in the mailpiece and, if not, determines the volume from the dimensional measurements and estimates the weight as the product of the volume and a density for paper output an appropriate postage amount to the meter and the mailpiece to the printer. The postage metering system prints the mailpiece with a postal indicium and accounts for the postage amount expended. Otherwise the microprocessor controls the diverter mechanism to reject the mailpiece for separate processing.
Abstract:
The method of sorting postal items in a plurality of sorting passes using at least one sorting machine having sorting outlets constituted by bins consists in using digital fingerprints (V_ID) identifying the items in a data processor system for automatic address recognition by OCR and/or by video coding. During the first sorting pass, the digital fingerprints of the items are recorded in association with the identification numbers (Bin_ID) of the bins. During the second sorting pass, these digital fingerprints and bin identification numbers are recovered in order to constitute a database (DB) which is updated by counting (46, 47, 48) the fingerprint matches obtained for each loaded bin and by counting consecutive accesses to the database that occur without obtaining a fingerprint match.
Abstract:
A two-phase asynchronous print tracking system and method is described. The separation of detection of print activity and billing of print activity is accomplished by means of a quota-based message queue. Print jobs sent by a user are allowed to print without interruption until a quota number of print jobs for which no billing information has been entered are reached. When the quota is exceeded, the user may not continue until appropriate billing information is entered.
Abstract:
A system and method for processing multiple mailings is provided. In some embodiments, electronic orders are received from mail originators, with each received order specifying the physical delivery of mail-pieces to destinations. A subset of each of the plurality of orders may be combined into a combined electronic order, and the combined electronic order may be transmitted to a mail-service provider for printing and mailing of the specified mail-pieces to the specified destinations.
Abstract:
A method for performing automatic account adjustment including performing automatic account adjustment processing on an account associated with a source of a unique postal indicium, if scanned information about the unique postal indicium indicates an incorrect tariff associated with a mail piece to which the unique postal indicium is affixed. The method may also include outputting information to report results of the automatic account adjustment processing, if scanned information about the unique postal indicium indicates an incorrect tariff associated with a mail piece to which the unique postal indicium is affixed.
Abstract:
According to some embodiments, a method of operating a postal indicia printing apparatus comprises storing, in the apparatus, a first indicia image format comprising a first dimension, storing, in the apparatus, a second indicia image format comprising a second dimension that differs from the first dimension, prompting a user of the apparatus to select one of the first and second indicia image formats, receiving a signal indicative of a selection of one of the first and second indicia image formats, and printing, on a mail piece, an indicia image in accordance with the selected indicia image format.
Abstract:
An international mail determination unit determines whether or not the postal matter of interest is foreign mail, on the basis of the collation results of the seal description information collation unit, address format collation unit, address word collation unit, delivery area code format collation unit, and country name identification word collation unit (or some of these units). When the international mail determination unit determines that the postal matter of interest is foreign mail, the country name determination unit determines a country as a destination of that postal matter on the basis of the collation results of the above five collation units (or some of these units).
Abstract:
A postage printing system, comprising a computer, a data center and a control system. The computer is in operative communication with a printer for printing a postal indicia on an envelope. The data center is in operative communication with the computer which in turn is located remotely from the data center. The data center includes a plurality of user accounts and a plurality of advertiser accounts where each of the plurality of advertiser accounts includes respective ad data including message data and restriction data. The control system is in operative communication with the data center and the computer and is for: (i) establishing a transaction session between a user of the computer corresponding to one of the plurality of user accounts and the data center; (ii) obtaining the user profile data from the user; and (iii) using the user profile data to identify message data available for printing on the envelope in conjunction with the postal indicia.