Stamps Com Inc.

James Michael Bortnak

Kenneth Thomas McBride

John Roland Clem

Michael John Biswas

Daniel David Farino

Jp Leon

Ken McBride

Bry Willis

Systems and methods which provide for activation of postage indicia at a point of sale are shown. In operation according to embodiments, unassigned (e.g., not yet activated or not yet representing postage value) tokens (e.g., IBI barcodes) suitable for later use as postage indicia are distributed to various point of sale locations, such as retail locations, consumer kiosks, vending machines, etc. and made available for purchase by users. Upon purchase, at a point of sale, such unassigned tokens are preferably activated as valid or 'live' postage indicia. Thereafter, the postage indicia may be used to post mail items.

Systems and methods for activation of postage indicia at point of sale

Systems and methods which provide for distributed activation of pre-printed, or otherwise pre-produced, indicia to thereby provide value bearing indicia, such as postage indicia, are shown. Embodiments apply indicia to fungible items, such as envelopes, paper stock, labels, etc., at a central location. When one of the items bearing the pre-produced indicia is incorporated into a mail item by a user, the pre-produced indicia may be activated and thus becomes valid postage indicia for use in posting the mail item. Various images, information, characters, symbols, and/or marks may be provided in association with pre-produced indicia. Such marks may be printed using a same or different media than an accompanying pre-produced indicia. Embodiments implement a system for scanning pre-produced indicia for activation as postage indicia.

Systems and methods for distributed activation of postage

Systems and methods provide for printing unactivated tokens which can be activated into valid postage indicia at a later time. Monetary liability for postage indicia value is postponed until the token is activated into a postage indicium; thus, the token does not have value and is not valid until activated into indicium. Consequently, a user is not made monetarily liable for printed tokens unless the tokens are activated into postage indicia.

Systems and methods for payment of postage indicia after the point of generation

The exemplary embodiment of the present invention will provide methods and a computer system for managing image content review for image customization of computer-based value-bearing items such as, for example, an exemplary image-customized computer-based postage labelin an exemplary embodiment of the present invention as depicted in FIG.. With reference to FIG., the exemplary customized computer-based postage labelwill bear an imagethat would be provided by a corresponding user, namely by the user that orders the customized computer-based postage label. The user may provide imagein an electronic form, such as by uploading a digital representation of image. In a variation of the exemplary embodiment, a user could alternatively provide a hardcopy image. The exemplary customized computer-based postage labelwill bear a human-readable indication of the countryfor which the postage is approved. The exemplary customized computer-based postage labelwill also bear a human-readable indication of an amount of postage. The exemplary customized computer-based postage labelwill also bear a human-readable identifier (such as a serial number)that will uniquely identify the particular customized computer-based postage label. The exemplary customized computer-based postage labelwill also bear a machine-readable set of information

Quality assurance of image-customization of computer-based value-bearing items

Systems and methods which provide for distributed printing of personalized postage indicia are shown. Embodiments facilitate printing of personalized postage indicia at various distributed printing locations, such as user sites, retail locations, consumer kiosks, etc., while implementing techniques to avoid widespread availability of live (e.g., active or representing postage value) postage barcodes, prevent printing of fraudulent postage indicia, and/or preventing approved images from being replaced with unapproved images in printed postage indicia. Embodiments facilitate distributed printing of personalized postage indicia through implementation of a technique wherein a manufacturer, such as a postage service provider or a postal authority, provides a centralized print of unassigned tokens on postage stock. The unassigned tokens are configured or otherwise able to form a complete postage indicia when appropriate personalized content is associated therewith.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

James Michael Bortnak