Pitney Bowes Inc.

James A Euchner

Thomas J Foth

Andrei Obrea

David W Riley

David B Chamberlin

David L Rich

Felix Bator

Leon A Pintsov

Bertrand Haas

Robert A Cordery

Douglas B Quine

Judith D Auslander

Jean-Hiram Coffy

Theresa Biasi

John E Massucci

Feliks Bator

Michael P Swenson

Murray D Martin

Jill M Lawrence

Donna L Gambino

Methods and systems that allow a sender of a mail piece to easily specify delivery instructions and/or services for a mail piece and that allows mail processing systems to identify and account for the specified delivery instructions and/or services without the need for any pre-sorting or input of information prior to processing the mail piece. The sender of a mail piece provides a marking on the mail piece representing instructions desired for delivering the mail piece. A mail processing system utilized to process the mail piece reads the marking provided on the mail piece, and based on the type/color of the marking, interprets the delivery instructions requested by the sender. The mail processing system processes the mail piece according to the instructions requested by the sender based on the marking provided on the mail piece by the sender.

Method and system for embedding mailer specified mailing instructions on a mail piece to automate mail processing

Various election methods are provided wherein voters are able to verify their votes through public means. In one embodiment, each of the ballots includes a ballot identifier and each of the choices thereon is associated with a selection identifier. After the completed ballots are received by the voting authority, the authority publishes the ballot identifiers obtained from the ballots in association with the selection identifiers of the selected choices to enable each voter to verify his or her vote. In another embodiment, the voter provides the ballot identifier and the selection identifiers of the selected choices on a delivery mechanism (e.g., envelope). The relevant identifiers are then obtained by the authority from the delivery mechanisms and published. In another embodiment, the voters generate their own selection identifiers on the ballot which are then published by the authority to enable each voter to verify his or her vote.

Voting system that allows voters to securely verify their votes

A low-cost, network based, secure printer that can provide multiple vendors with independent protected access, as authorized by a secure printer authority, is provided. The secure printer authority issues certificates for each secure printer and authorized vendor. Each certificate includes a public key and identification for the respective secure printer or vendor. The certificates are utilized during generation of a secret session key that preferably can be utilized only once to print the requested document. The secret session key is used by the vendor to encrypt the document, and used by the printer to decrypt the document. Since the secret session key is preferably valid for only a single document, printing of the document can only occur once, thereby preventing any fraudulent printing of the document. Additionally, only vendors authorized by the secure printer authority will have the ability to establish session keys with the printer.

Method and system for printing transaction documents using a multi-vendor secure printer under control of a printer authority

A system and method for instantly printing PC postage before establishing a postage meter account. The method includes the steps of a meter vendor obtaining a first meter license from the Post for a first meter; loaning the use of a first meter licensed in the customer's zip code to a customer; requesting a second meter license for the customer; initializing the first meter for use by the customer; and transferring the first meter to the Customer's meter license when the second meter license is received. Alternatively, when the second meter license is received a second meter is assigned to the customer and the first meter is reassigned to the meter vendor.

System and method for instant online postage metering

The present invention uses an element of digital data that is created during digital postage mark (DPM) generation process from the digital image of the destination address block. The digital data is included into recoverable portion of the digital signature and imprinted on a mailpiece. During DPM verification, a representative portion of a destination address block image is retrieved in its original form from the digital signature itself. The retrieved portion of the image then can be compared with the similar digital data obtained from the scanned destination address block obtained during normal mail scanning and processing activities. If the comparison is under a predetermined threshold, then the DPM is declared authentic and the mailpiece can be processed and delivered with confidence. If, on the other hand, the threshold is not met, the DPM is declared a copy or a counterfeit of another DPM and the mailpiece can be subjected to further investigation.

Method for mail address block image information encoding, protection and recovery in postal payment applications

A notification system and method that enables mail recipients to easily identify mail items that require some action on their part, as well as easily ascertain the date by which the action must be taken, is provided. Mail items that require some action on the part of the recipient are identified, utilizing information contained on the mail piece, and the anticipated due date for such an action is computed. A notification of action required and the computed date due can then be printed on the mail piece in a conspicuous manner. Optionally, one or more notification messages and/or reminder messages can be sent via a communication network to a communication device associated with the recipient to notify and/or remind the recipient about the action due. Thus, the chance of the recipient not taking action by the required date is significantly decreased.

System and method for mailing services including notification to recipient of items requiring time sensitive actions

A voting system includes one or more voting machines provided at a specific location, wherein for each authorized voter one of the voting machines is adapted to record a first set of voting selections, and one or more validation machines provided at the specific location, wherein for each authorized voter one of the validation machines is adapted to present the first set of voting selections to the authorized voter and record a second set of voting selections only if the first set of voting selections is confirmed. A first vote tally is determined from the first set of voting selections of each authorized voter, and a second vote tally is determined from the second set of voting selections of each authorized voter. The first vote tally is then compared to the second vote tally, wherein a vote modification may have occurred if the tallies do not match.

Electronic voting system and method having confirmation to detect modification of vote count

The present invention includes apparatus and methods for printing and verifying postage indicia. The indicia includes data that indicates characteristics of ink used to print the indicia. To verify the indicia, the data is read and compared with data provided by detecting optical or related characteristics of the ink.

Postage indicia including encoded ink characteristic data

A method and system for collaborative annotation of a master document using a digital pen system is described. At least one hardcopy printout of the master document is printed on digital paper used with a digital pen system. The digital paper is associated with the electronic master document. Using the digital pen, annotations and edits may be made to the hardcopy representation. The digital pen system records the annotations and edits and updates the electronic document automatically.

System and method for annotating documents

A method for acquiring customers for meter licenses for PC postage. The method includes the steps of a meter vendor obtaining a first meter license from the Post for a first meter; loaning the use of a first meter licensed in the customer's zip code to a customer; requesting a second meter license for the customer; initializing the first meter for use by the customer; and transferring the first meter to the Customer's meter license when the second meter license is received. Alternatively, when the second meter license is received a second meter is assigned to the customer and the first meter is reassigned to the meter vendor.

Growing community of inventors

Waccabuc, NY, United States of America

James A Euchner