Pitney Bowes Inc.

Allen L Kramer

Victor Girardi

Patrick Rolling

Paul A Kovlakas

Michael Kelley

Perry A Pierce

Charles R Malandra, Jr

Robert J Johnson

Gabriel E Pettner

Campbell A Moore

David Feinstein

A processor based postage metering system includes structure for entering user input data including first and second fold configurations selected from a plurality of fold configurations; apparatus for accounting for postage dispensed by the processor based postage metering system; a document program running on the processor based postage metering system, the document program operable for controlling creation of a document based on the user input data; apparatus for automatically determining based on the first fold configuration a first designated location within the document for printing a first evidence of postage; structure for automatically determining based on the second fold configuration a second designated location within the document for printing a second evidence of postage; and apparatus for printing the document and the first and second evidences of postage such that the first and second evidences of postage are respectively printed in the first and second designated locations of the document.

Method and apparatus for dynamically locating and printing a plurality of postage payment indicia on a mailpiece

A method and apparatus for printing an information-based indicia program (IBIP) postage in a computer printing subsystem is disclosed wherein a third-party word processing software with mail merge capabilities generates text and a matching address as the input for a client application in high-volume document processing and mail systems without programmatically altering the word processing program to accommodate the printing subsystem. Addresses are validated and corrected in the printing subsystems prior to creation of the indicia image and address image to be printed on the mailpiece.

Apparatus and method for printing an information-based indicia program (IBIP) postage in a printer driver system

A payment processing system includes a data center, a postage metering system and a control system in operative communication with the data center and the postage metering system. The postage metering system is located remotely from the data center. The control system obtains payment data via the postage metering system where the payment data includes a payee and a payment amount. Further, the control system dispatches payment from the data center to the payee for the payment amount.

Postage metering system having third party payment capability

A processor based postage metering system includes structure for entering user input data including a fold configuration selected from a plurality of fold configurations; apparatus for accounting for postage dispensed by the processor based postage metering system; a document program running on the processor based postage metering system, the document program operable for controlling creation of a document based on the user input data; structure for automatically determining based on the fold configuration a designated location within the document for printing evidence of postage; and structure for printing the document and the evidence of postage such that the evidence of postage is printed in the designated location of the documentd. A method incorporates the functions of the apparatus.

Method and apparatus for dynamically determining a printing location in a document for a postage indicia

A method for printing a label pair made up of a destination address label and a corresponding destination Information-Based Indicia Program (IBIP) indicia label on a label stock in a system for printing one or more labels uses a unique identifying mark for each label of the label pair. The unique identifying marks allow a user to match a destination address label to a corresponding destination address IBIP indicia label. The software defines the method used to generate the unique identifying marks and the positioning of the labels with respect to each other.

Method for printing a label pair with information-based indicia program (IBIP) indicia

The invention is a method and system for printing a postage meter indicia from a data processing system. The printing of the indicia is under control of an indicia control in an object linking and embedding (OLE2) environment. The method begins with instantiating an indicia control in the design application that will utilize the object control for indicia printing. The indicia control is attached to an application window for use by the application. Once established, the control will be passed a set of postage meter data from an interoperatively linked postage meter. The interface is enhanced by displaying an envelope representation on a monitor screen to a system operator, wherein the envelope display comprises design fields and wherein one of the design fields is a representation of the postage indicia. The postage indicia additionally comprises postage meter data such as available funds, a transaction value, and a postage meter identification. Additional parameters which may be set by transferring data from linked routines include: a date; a zip code; and a postage value. The envelope design fields comprise: a return address field; a destination address field; and, optionally, a Postnet barcode and/or an advertising slogan. The method then continues with the printing of the postage indicia to the application file and subsequently to an envelope. Printing to the application, as opposed to an indicia file, causes decrementing of the funds available to the data processing system by an amount equal to the postage value in the printed indicia.

Method and system of printing postage indicia from an envelope design application

A method and apparatus for printing an information-based indicia program (IBIP) address and postage in a document inserter mailing system is disclosed wherein a third-party word processing software with mail merge capabilities generates text and a matching address is used as the input for a client application in high-volume document processing and mail systems without programmatically altering the word processing program to accommodate the printing subsystem. Addresses are validated and corrected in the printing subsystems prior to creation of the indicia image and address image to be printed on the mailpiece. One or more documents are inserted into the corresponding address matched envelope, which is sealed and has appropriate postage affixed prior to placement in the delivery stream.

Method and apparatus for printing an information-based indicia program (IBIP) postage from a document inserter

The invention is a method and system for establishing and printing a medium print field. The method begins with the initiation of a design software application which utilizes a display for representation of the medium and for displaying one or more component print fields on the medium representation. Each of the component print fields can be modified through utilization of a preferences input routine which further comprises: a printer selection option; a measurement scaling option; and, a return address selection option. The initiation further includes selection of a medium type and a set of characteristics for the medium. The representation displayed on the screen can be modified to the extent of its component print fields which comprise: a return address block; a postal indicia; a destination address block; and, a message block. Modifying the component print fields comprises selecting a database to attach to the selected field before assigning a first file from a related field of the database to the component print field. Once the field has been established, the system operator can begin scrolling through the viewable field by utilizing directional selection means to scroll from one file to another until selection of the component print field for modification has been made. An attachable component print field can also be selected. The method then confirms the modification and the attachment, to establish a finished print field for printing to the selected medium.

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Middletown, CT, United States of America

Allen L Kramer