Abstract:
A technique for printing postage and other value indicia at a user location. A user at a user computer acquires secure postage labels having one or more security features such as serrated edges, a microprint strip, a color fiber, taggants, a watermark, a hologram, or a fluorescent stripe. The labels have associated serial numbers, possibly at the sheet or individual label level. The user establishes communication with a postage vendor system (PVS), which may include one or more servers, and requests one or more indicia. The user also provides one or more serial numbers for the label(s) or label sheet(s) on which the one or more indicia are to be printed. The PVS determines if the one or more serial numbers are valid, and if so, generates information for printing the one or more indicia and then sends the information to the user computer. The information preferably includes a digital signature for each indicium, which may incorporate the serial number. The user computer receives the information and prints the one or more indicia on one or more postage labels.
Abstract:
Techniques for dispensing postage using a communication network such as the Internet. A postage vendor system (PVS) is assigned a single postal license number by a postal authority, such as the USPS, and is used by the PVS to cater to postage requests from a plurality of unrelated users who may be at different geographical addresses. The PVS may comprise a plurality of server systems and may receive requests to purchase stamps from one or more user systems. In response to the postage purchase requests, the PVS may generate information for printing indicia corresponding to the stamp requests based upon the single postal license number associated with the PVS. The PVS may then communicate the information for printing the indicia to the one or more user systems. The user systems may print the indicia based upon the information for printing the indicia received from the PVS.
Abstract:
Techniques for dispensing postage from a kiosk (104) using a communications network (108). A method for obtaining a postage stamp at a kiosk (104), where the kiosk (104) includes a computer system (300) and a printer (310), includes a user inputting a request for the postage stamp into the kiosk (104). The request is sent to a server (102) via a communications network (108). The kiosk then receives a markup language response back from the server (102), and processes the markup language response to obtain an indicium. The printer (31) prints the indicium on a label (400), where the label (400) includes one or more security features, thereby providing the postage stamp.
Abstract:
Printing one or more value indicia onto a printable medium using a remote device coupled to a computer server via a communications network includes accessing the computer server with the remote device. A user is prompted to select a serial number associated with the printable medium, and the serial number is transmitted to the computer server using the remote device. A print control program is received from the computer server. Information for printing one or more value indicia are transmitted from the computer server to the remote device. The print control program executes on the remote device to print the one or more value indicia to the printable medium using a printer coupled with the remote device.
Abstract:
A method of preparing a mailpiece includes applying a mailpiece identification (MI) code that uniquely identifies the mailpiece, and applying a destination code to the mailpiece signifying at least part of an address. Tracking and accounting for such a mailpiece includes: at an postal service mail processing (MP) site, obtaining the MI code and the destination code, and sending a mailpiece message including at least the MI code to a postage vendor (PV) site; and at the PV site, storing information from the mailpiece message, debiting an account of the mailer for postage, crediting an account of a postal service for postage, and when the mailpiece message indicates that the mailpiece has arrived at its destination, retiring the MI code as no longer available for use on a mailpiece (at least for some predetermined time).