Pitney Bowes Inc.

Other

Robert T Durst

Kevin D Hunter

Morton Silverberg

Donald T Dolan

Gerald C Freeman

Jose Pastor

Seymour Feinland

Joseph L Gargiulo

Wojciech M Chrosny

Robert K Chen

Winslow E Jackson

Paul H Kim

A postage meter having the capability to print a zip code in bar code form. The postage meter includes an input for input of a postage value and input of a destination zip code, a display, a printer for printing an indicia on a mail piece, the indicia including a representation of a postage value and a representation of a destination zip code in bar code form. The postage meter also includes accounting means for accounting for expended postage and a controller responsive to the input. The controller controls the meter to receive a postage value and display a prompt requesting input of the destination zip code, convert the zip code to bar code form and add the bar code to the indicia. When a destination zip code is input the postage meter resets the postage value in accordance with a bar code discount. In one embodiment the postage meter of the subject invention may include a sensor for determining the position of the lower edge of the mail piece so that the bar code may be printed in accordance with regulations of a postal service. In another embodiment of the subject invention the postage meter includes a port for communication with a remote device and the remote device determines the amount of any postage discount.

Postage meter with barcode printing capability

A mailing machine comprised of a plurality of modules, each of the modules a particular process function on a delivered envelope. The modules are arranged with in a single process station. The comprising modules include a load cell type scale module having means for weighing a envelope, a transport module having means for positioning the envelope in the process station and ejecting the envelope from the process station, a meter module having printing means for imprinting an indicia on the envelope, a platen module having means for causing the envelope to contact the printing means of the meter module, and a inking module having means for causing printing ink to be deposited on the printing means of the meter module. The modules operate in a manner functionally independent of any other module and in a manner. A tape module is included having means for positioning a tape for indicia printing between the meter module. A cutter module is further included having means for cutting the tape porting subsequent to indicia printing thereon.

Modular mailing machine with load cell scale

Method and apparatus for determining that a first unit of data associated with a first party has not been modified since a specified point in time. A method includes the steps of (a) providing the first unit of data and (b) generating a second unit of data from the first unit of data, the second unit of data being expressive of an information content of the first unit of data. The method further includes a step of (c) generating a time indication for specifying a point in time, the time indication being generated with time generation means having a time is settable by a second party other than the first party. That is, the time generation means is secured and cannot be altered or changed by the first party. The method further includes a step of (d) encrypting the second unit of data and the generated time indication to generate a third unit of data. The method includes as an additional step a step of (e) validating the first unit of data to ensure that the first unit of data has not been modified since the specified point in time.

Electronic notary

A postage meter accounting system is provided having a user terminal which interfaces with and controls an electronic postage meter. The user terminal is also connected to an integrated circuit card read-write unit for receiving user, administrator, service and/or program integrated circuit cards. The user terminal activates and permits use of the meter upon presentation of a valid user card, storages postage meter use information and transmits the postage meter use information to the user card for storage in a user card transaction table. The postage meter use information stored in the user terminal and in user card memory may be accessed for later reference on a user terminal display and/or printer. Preferably, an administrative computer is provided for periodically receiving all postage meter use information from the user cards or, alternatively, directly from the user terminal to generate one or more postage meter use accounting reports. The administrator card permits access to and revision of user card memory, postage meter use information and owner-variable user terminal application program information. The service card permits access to and revision of administrator card memory and all user terminal application program information. Program cards facilitate application program loading and revision.

Postal charge accounting system

Growing community of inventors

Fairfield, CT, United States of America

Robert T Durst