Pitney Bowes Inc.

Steven J Shapiro

Leon A Pintsov

Dale A French

Robert G Arsenault

Michael J Critelli

Joseph M Mozdzer

Ronald Reichman

Paul A Diel

Martin A Connelly

Ronald K Rutledge

Robert V Ferrara

Glynn M Brasington

A business reply mail processing system is provided. A transport module feeds a business reply mail piece in a path of travel where the business reply mail piece includes a job ID code and field data. A scanner module scans the business reply mail piece to read the job ID code and the field data. A control module uses the job ID code to access processing data from a mail campaign job database corresponding to the job ID code and controls the scanner module using the processing data to read the field data from the business reply mail piece. Alternatively, the business reply mail piece includes the processing data that is read by the scanner and the control module uses the processing data read from the business reply mail piece to read the field data from the business reply mail piece.

Reply mail processing system

A system and method for relating the delivery of a mail piece or package to what is inside the mail piece or package. Thus, when the mail piece or package is received and signed for by a recipient the mailer will have proof that the recipient received the mail piece or package and what was inside the mail piece or package at the time the mail piece or package was delivered to the recipient. The foregoing is accomplished by: affixing identifying characteristics to material contained within the container; sealing the container along with the material contained within the container; delivering the container along with the material contained within the container to a recipient; reading recipient information appearing on the outside of the container and the identifying characteristics of the material contained within the container without opening the container; and recording recipient information appearing on the outside of the container and the identifying characteristics of the material contained within the container without opening the container; and recording recipient's signature.

System and method for verifying the delivery of a mailing and the material contained within the mailing

A vending machine system for printing postage stamps, the vending machine system includes an enclosed housing having a front panel with an aperture therein; a camera, mounted in the housing, for receiving through the aperture an image of at least one person and for creating an electronic image of the at least one person based on the received image of the at least one person; a printer; a payment receiving device for accepting payment and for providing a payment signal indicative that payment has been made; a computer including a memory, the computer 1) causing the camera to create the electronic image of the at least one person upon receipt of the payment signal, 2) saving the electronic image of the at least one person in the memory, and 3) utilizing the electronic image of the at least one person for controlling the printer to print a first personalized postage stamp on a recording medium, the first personalized postage stamp including predetermined data required by a postal authority and a picture of the at least one person based on the stored electronic image.

Personal postage stamp vending machine

A postage metering system includes a portable postage meter vault; structure for printing an indication of postage value; a postage meter terminal including apparatus for receiving the portable postage meter vault, a device for determining at times when the portable postage meter vault is inserted into the receiving means if the portable postage meter vault has been designated to be disabled from performing vault functions and a device for automatically disabling the portable postage meter vault from performing vault functions if the determination is made that the portable postage meter vault has been designated to be disabled from performing vault functions. A method for disabling a portable vault of a postage metering system includes the steps of: (A) inserting the portable vault into a terminal of the postage metering system; automatically determining via the terminal if the portable vault has been designated to be disabled from performing vault functions; and (C) at times when in step (B) it is determined that the portable vault has been designated to be disabled from performing vault functions automatically disabling the inserted portable vault from performing vault functions.

Method and apparatus for automatically disabling a removable, portable

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Monroe, CT, United States of America

Steven J Shapiro