Pitney Bowes Inc.

Michael W Wilson

Ronald P Sansone

Frederick W Ryan, Jr

Theresa Biasi

Vadim L Stelman

Daniel F Dlugos

Jean-Hiram Coffy

Terrence M Doeberl

Robert A Law

Steven Vasquez

Judith A Martin

Susan Garvey

Nathaniel M Gifford

Kathleen A Bishop

Shawn P Uleske

Steve Kovlakas

A method that allows taxing jurisdictions to collect sales and/or use taxes from sales that are made via the internet and catalogs. The method also makes it easier for sellers to comply with the taxing jurisdiction's mandated seller administrative functions. The foregoing is accomplished by using an agent to perform the sales tax administration functions of a seller, relieving the seller of as much of the burden of compliance as possible.

Method for collecting sales and/or use taxes on sales that are made via the internet and/or catalog

A method and system for providing a delivery confirmation service to a mailer who uses a postage meter to pay the postage for mailing a mail piece. The mailer applies a shipping label containing an identification number on the mail piece to identify the mail piece and the mailer. The identification number is retrieved by the postage meter which sends the identification number to a data processing center or a meter refill data center for processing. Upon receiving the identification number, the data processing center sends a shipping file to the carrier. When the mail piece is delivered, a message regarding the delivery status of the mail piece is sent to the carrier by the mail deliverer. With the shipping file and the delivery status message, the carrier makes available the delivery status of the mail piece to the data processing center which stores the delivery status. Upon request, the data processing center communicates at least a portion of the delivery status to the mailer via a meter refill system.

Method and system for reporting carrier delivery status to a mailer

This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing automated personal messaging assistance with the capability of checking a user's destination for arrival and forwarding messages by a preferred modality. The present invention is directed to, in a general aspect, a method of providing personal messaging using a virtual messaging assistant. The virtual messaging assistant has a voice user interface and provides a human-like voice which interfaces with the user' and with callers. The personal messaging assistant provides forwarding of messages to a destination in accordance with user selected preferences. The personal messaging assistant receives incoming messages. The personal messaging checks the user's calendar to find out where the user is expected to be. Then the personal messaging assistant calls the expected destination and inquires whether the user has arrived. If the user has arrived, the personal messaging assistant forwards messages by a preferred mode, such as, for example, via facsimile, to the destination. The personal messaging assistant handles important confidential messages by making sure that the user is at the destination prior to forwarding those messages. Thus, the user is provided with a service was previously unavailable in a continuous manner.

Method of providing personal messaging using a virtual messaging assistant

This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a voice response unit that communicates rapidly and directly with a metered cellular telephone network with minimum human intervention. The rapid communication is achieved by knowing the question or prompt posed by the voice response unit and preparing a response which is speed dialed to the voice response unit. The voice response unit also calculates a check sum to determine if there is an error in the information transmitted to the voice response unit. The check sum may be the total of the absolute value of the request code, account number, serial number, access code and amount desired to be added to the cellular phone divided by ten. If, the check sum calculated by the voice response unit is not divisible by ten, the voice response unit knows that the information it received is incorrect. Then, the voice response unit would ask for the information it received to be retransmitted at a different rate of speed.

Method and system communicating with a voice response unit over a

This invention provides a secure environment to allow the customer to purchase postage for counter resettable postage meters. This invention allows the post office or agent to insure the accuracy and integrity of counter resettable meters by validating the counter resettable meter against a data center funding computer. The procedure would be as follows. The agent interfaces with a central computer where the serial number of the counter resettable postage meter is requested and entered, the contents of the ascending and descending registers are requested and entered. The computer checks as to the validity of the ascending and descending registers. The computer also checks the validity of that particular postage meter with respect to the customers physical location and status (lost or stolen, active). The customer requests and pays the postal agent for the amount of postage to be added to the meter. The computer system processes and verifies the added amount and transmits the approval to a postal agent. Thereupon, the postal agent then takes a key that opens that particular model meter and adjusts the descending register by the approved reset amount. The agent, then securely closes the postage meter with a key for that particular meter.

Setting by phone for counter resettable postage meters

Growing community of inventors

Trumbull, CT, United States of America

Michael W Wilson