Pitney Bowes Inc.

Other

Certicom Corporation

Leon A Pintsov

Robert A Cordery

Frederick W Ryan, Jr

Monroe A Weiant, Jr

David K Lee

Steven J Pauly

David W Riley

Matthew John Campagna

Scott Alexander Vanstone

Flavio M Manduley

Richard W Heiden

Brian M Romansky

Walter J Baker

Linda V Gravell

Ronald P Sansone

Robert John Lambert

Bertrand Haas

Kevin D Hunter

Andrei Obrea

Robert Philip Gallant

Theresa Biasi

Bradley R Hammell

Frank M D'Ippolito

Ari P Singer

Murray D Martin

Claude Zeller

John F Braun

Joseph L Gargiulo

James A Euchner

Feliks Bator

Kathryn V Lawton

Ian A Siveyer

Louis J Loglisci

Patrick M Brand

William T Shannon

Danny Lelli

Shirish S Joshi

Morton Silverberg

Daniel F Dlugos

Denis J Stemmle

Judith D Auslander

Thomas J Foth

David R Auerbach

Jeffrey D Pierce

Robert Marc Goldberg

Robert T Durst, Jr

Alfred C Schmidt

Arthur J Parkos

Barry H Axelrod

John H Winkelman

Kevin W Bodie

Michael J Critelli

Richard A Connell

Gary M Heiden

Cheryl L Picoult

Ronald Reichman

David Pintsov

Fran E Blackman

Hyung-Kun P Kim

Kenneth G Miller

William G Hart

Nathan Rosenberg

Steven J Shapiro

Ronald E Gocht

Kathyrn V Lawton

John G Rahrig

Francis X Hines, Jr

Kwan Cheung Wong

Glynn M Brasington

Cathy C Morrissey

Robert A Tracy

Marc Morelli

Mark D Irwin

Frederick W Ryan Jr

Frederick W Ryan

Rick Ryan

J Michael Critelli

A signature scheme is provided in which a message is divided in to a first portion which is hidden and is recovered during verification, and a second portion which is visible and is required as input to the verification algorithm. A first signature component is generated by encrypting the first portion alone. An intermediate component is formed by combining the first component and the visible portion and cryptographically hashing them. A second signature component is then formed using the intermediate component and the signature comprises the first and second components with the visible portion. A verification of the signature combines a first component derived only from the hidden portion of the message with the visible portion and produces a hash of the combination.

Hybrid signature scheme

A method and system for providing services to a mail delivery point are presented. According to the method, a delivery point identifier is acquired from a device located at the delivery point. Then, delivery point data is accessed corresponding to the delivery point identifier, and mail delivery services are provided in response to the delivery point data. The delivery point data are modifiable by a recipient who receives physical mail at the delivery point, and the delivery point data includes recipient preferences.

Delivery point identity services

Methods and systems for providing confidentiality of communications sent via a network that is efficient, easy to implement, and does not require significant key management. The identity of each node of the routing path of a communication is encrypted utilizing an identity-based encryption scheme. This allows each node of the routing path to decrypt only those portions of the routing path necessary to send the communication to the next node. Thus, each node will only know the immediate previous node from which the communication came, and the next node to which the communication is to be sent. The remainder of the routing path of the communication, along with the original sender and intended recipient, remain confidential from any intermediate nodes in the routing path. Use of the identity-based encryption scheme removes the need for significant key management to maintain the encryption/decryption keys.

Method and system for securing routing information of a communication using identity-based encryption scheme

Methods and systems for verification of indicia that do not require key management systems, and in which revocation of key pairs is easily performed without adding costs to the verification process are provided. Indicia are generated and authenticated utilizing an identity-based encryption (IBE) scheme. A key generating authority generates a private key for a PSD, distributes the private key securely to the PSD, and provides public information for use by a verification service when verifying cryptographic digital signatures generated with the private key. The corresponding public key is a string consisting of PSD information that is provided as part of the indicium. The verification service can verify the signature of each indicium by obtaining the public key string from the indicium, and utilizing the key generating authority's public information.

System and method for authenticating indicia using identity-based signature scheme

A method and system for secure package delivery utilizing digital signatures is described. In one configuration, data regarding the weight, dimensions and origination are cryptographically processed to create an authentication digital signature with message retrieval capability. The data is read and independently verified at the package destination.

Systems and methods for secure parcel delivery

A closed loop postage metering system includes networked meters that provide mailers and/or recipients the capability to request additional or modified services during processing of a mail piece by a carrier. The networked meter allows the Post to charge the mailer, or even the recipient for these services or to provide them with a refund or credit. The services can include changing the processing of the mail piece. Further, the closed loop postage metering system enables more precise methods of paying for services when multiple carriers handle a mail piece. A special case of such multiple carriers handling is the handling of international mail.

Closed loop postage metering system

Methods and systems for authenticating senders and recipients in a carrier system and providing receipt of specified content by a recipient are provided. A one-time recipient identification code is generated that can be entered into the delivery agent's portable terminal. Data is protected against eavesdropping by encryption and by splitting cipher text and an encryption key into two parts that are not accessible to any single party except at the moment of the mail unit delivery.

Method and system for authenticating senders and recipients in a carrier system and providing receipt of specified content by a recipient

A method that enables the post to deliver letters, flats, post cards and packages (mail) addressed to a recipient's virtual post office box and then to be delivered directly to the recipient. The process enables individuals or entities to rent a virtual post office (VPO) box i.e., a box that does not physically exist, from the post office ('post'). Mail addressed to the virtual post office box would be captured by the post during the post's sortation process and rerouted to the specified address of the renter of the virtual post office box.

Virtual post office box

An improved check sorting system capable of ordering cancelled checks for a plurality of accounts in a predetermined manner other than by account number is provided. Checks are ordered according to a priority value associated with the account number, and optionally check number, identified by each check. A database is utilized to store information indexed by institution and/or account number and optionally check number. The information includes a priority value. The check sorting system scans each check and reads the MICR code from each check. The institution and/or account number, and possibly check number, from each check are used as pointers to obtain the priority value for that check. The check is then sorted based on the priority value obtained from the database.

Method and system for sorting checks according to a priority order associated with the account number

A method for providing a mailer with detailed information regarding the mailer's preparation of mail entities and the post's processing of mail entities. The foregoing allows the mailer to improve subsequent preparation of mail entities to make it easier for the post to process and deliver mail in a timely manner. The invention also allows the post and the mailer to distinguish between mailer's processing defects and errors caused by faulty postal equipment.

Mail processing system for determining mail entity defects and correcting mail entity defects

A document printed marking including a first information marking including first luminescent taggants having a first luminescence wavelength band; and a second information marking printed at least partially on the first information marking at an overlap location. The second information marking includes second different luminescent taggant having a second different luminescence wavelength band. The second luminescence wavelength band is spaced from the first luminescence wavelength band such that the first information marking and the second information marking are substantially luminescently non-intrusive with each other at the overlap location.

Combined multi-spectral document markings

A method in which the creation of identifier information is done by the recipient in a convenient fashion and communicated to the mailer. A recipient, such as a business or consumer who orders mail items of value, i.e., merchandise, documents, etc., from a mailer would give the mailer the recipient's electronic address and the recipient's delivery and handling preferences for the ordered merchandise. The electronic address and delivery and handling preferences of the recipient may be given to the mailer in plain language or in codified or encrypted form. This invention takes into account recipient's desires and preferences by entering information about the recipient's desires and preferences into a computerized actionable form.

Method for tracking and notification or recipient-initiated mail items

A mailing list is created including destination addresses for mailpieces to be submitted to a carrier service for delivery. A unique mailpiece identifier associated with mailpieces on the mailing list is generated by the carrier or other trusted third party. The unique mailpiece identifier is printed on the mailpiece with which it is associated. The mailpieces with the printed unique identifier are submitted to the carrier service. The carrier service obtains the printed unique identifier from the mailpiece. The obtained unique identifier from each said mailpiece is utilized to verify that data associated with the mailpiece has been processed by the carrier or trusted third party. When the unique number has been obtained from the mailpieces, the carrier service, if desired, may note this fact in the carrier records to prevent reuse of the unique identifier.

Mail processing system with unique mailpiece authorization assigned in advance of mailpieces entering carrier service mail processing stream

A signature scheme is provided in which a message is divided into a first portion which is hidden and is recovered during verification, and a second portion which is visible and is required as input to the verification algorithm. A first signature component is generated by encrypting the first portion alone. An intermediate component is formed by combining the first component and the visible portion and cryptographically hashing them. A second signature component is then formed using the intermediate component and the signature comprises the first and second components with the visible portion. A verification of the signature combines a first component derived only from the hidden portion of the message with the visible portion and produces a hash of the combination. The computed hash is used together with publicly available information to generate a bit string corresponding to the hidden portion. If the required redundancy is present the signature is accepted and the message reconstructed from the recovered bit string and the visible portion.

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

Growing community of inventors

West Hartford, CT, United States of America

Leon A Pintsov