Pitney Bowes Inc.

Terrence M Doeberl

Ronald P Sansone

Jacqueline Collins

Michael P Taylor

Kevin D Hunter

Ronald Reichman

Judith A Martin

Ralph K Rand

William C Monday

John D Goldson

Mark E Hogan

Paul Ernest Duedall

Larry S Payne

Kazutoshi Fujimoto

Ian R Jenkins

Linda V Gravell

Paul W Porter

Fran E Blackman

Michael W Wilson

Joseph Gelb, Jr

Michelle S Breault

William G Hart

Nathaniel M Gifford

Roman Bystrianyk

Patrick J Donahue

Suti Prakash

Tracy S Wilson

Marcy F Macdonald

Patrick D Mahoney

Shawn P Uleske

Systems and methods for managing business machine assets are described. In one configuration, the system analyzes alternate cost structures and provides for alternate asset model replacement suggestions. The asset management system provides for asset comparison analysis. The system uses historical data for a current asset and charts potential replacement asset performance using those historical parameters or predicted or entered future parameters. In an alternative configuration, the compare and contrast report does not include the current asset, but only compares potential replacement assets.

System and method for dynamically managing business machine assets

Systems and methods for managing business machine assets are described. In one configuration, the system analyzes alternate placement structures and provides for alternate asset model placement suggestions.

System and method for managing business machine assets

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

An automated court docketing system that supplies evidence of the time and date that a document was filed with the court. This invention also processes and accepts payment and generates a receipt reflecting the date/time of submission and payment of the required fees. When needed, a docket number is supplied.

Automated court document docketing filing system

A system for enabling a user of a computer attached to a computer network, and accessing sites on the network, to manage user-characterizing protocol headers on the user's computer. A particular application of the present invention is to manage so-called Internet cookies on a computer attached to the Internet and using a browser to access websites through the World Wide Web. Such cookies have a type and a value. The managing includes displaying to a user an interpretation of cookies that have been set on the user's computer; the interpretation is made by an interpreter referring to a local cookie dictionary, on the user's computer, having entries corresponding to different types of cookies. In various alternative embodiments, the managing also includes changing the values set by the websites, and fabricating cookies of types not necessarily used by a website in order to express to the website preferences a user wants the website to know. In some embodiments, the system also includes a means by which the fabricated cookies are made knowable to websites on the Internet, namely a universal cookie dictionary; and a site-specific cookie dictionary maintained by a third party so as to contain updated entries for interpreting cookies used by websites on the Internet. In one aspect of the invention, a user can periodically update the local cookie, using a local cookie dictionary, to include changes to the site-specific and universal cookie dictionaries.

System for managing user-characterizing network protocol headers

A postage meter mailing machine includes an improved embedded user interface. The user interface is suitable for providing a user interface to the mailing machine and also a direct user interface to an external device in bus communication with the mailing machine. The mailing machine includes a programmable microcontroller for performing hard and soft system functions. The microcontroller includes non-volatile memories for storing data information and executable routine. The microcontroller is also in bus communication with a visual display and a plurality of soft keys. Stored in the non-volatile memory is a plurality of system screens for display on said visual display. Each of the screens has a menu field and a prompt field and contains descriptors for a plurality of screen fields. Also, stored in the non-volatile memory are a plurality of text strings, a plurality of graphic display run routines, a plurality of routines for enabling the soft keys and for identifying subsequent screens as a result of operator activation of one of the soft keys. The user interface is programmed to identify a first screen and a screen select routine to (i) get the screen identified from said screen region of said memory and display on said display, (ii) get the text strings identified by said screen descriptor of said identified screen from said text region and display said text string in respective areas of said menu field of said screen, and enable said respective soft key to said respective menu area, (iii) display dynamic information in the display window of said display window and execute graphic routine, (iv) await activation of a soft key and repeat for next screen till end. The microcontroller having polls the system to determine whether any external devices are interfaced to the mailing machine, if so, the screen is designated for control of said respective external devices are enabled.

Embedded user interface accessible by an external device

The mailing processing system includes a postage meter for dispensing postage. The postage meter includes having a printing mechanism having value print elements and a postal inscription mechanism. The postal inscription mechanism has a plurality of printing surfaces. Each surface is embossed with a different mail class identifier. The mail processing system inclusive of the postage meter operates under the control of a microcomputer means for accounting for postage dispensed by the postage meter having accounting means for providing department accounting of said dispensed postage and for controlling said printing means. The microcomputer is programmed to enable permitted carrier and carrier fees sets in accordance with operator selected departmental account. The microcomputer is being further programmed to cause said postal inscription mechanism to position said respective printing surface for printing corresponding to the carrier class selected by said operator.

Automatic selection of postage meter print element based on mail class

The method and apparatus for providing a meter activity log is usable in a mail processing machine which is adapted to receive a plurality of postage meters. The mail processing machine includes a microcomputer control and nonvolatile memory storage means for storing meter accounting information. The meter accounting information is stored in association with a unique identification of each of a plurality of meters installed in the mail processing machine. Accounting information relating to the uniquely-identified meter activity which has occurred off-line is determined and stored. Information relative to the uniquely-identified meter activity upon the occurrence of each of a plurality of selected events which occur on-line is also stored. The log may be printed and the information cleared by command of the operator.

Mail processing system having a meter activity log

A tape storage apparatus is used with a mailing machine having printing postage indicia on a discrete portion of a strip of tape of indefinite length which is fed along a tape path extending through the mailing machine by a tape feeding device mounted within the mailing machine. The tape storage apparatus includes a base having vertical guide rails and a tape holding device mounted on the guide rails for movement therealong. A releasable latch holds the tape holding device in a lowermost position against the force of a plurality of resilient spring device for moving the tape holding device upwardly to a position in which the tape holding device becomes accessible to an operator or service person for reloading rolls of tape or performing service on the apparatus. When the tape holding device is in its lowermost position, it is functionally integrated with the mailing machine, but it is inaccessible for reloading tape or for threading tape into the feeding device in the mailing machine.

Tape storage apparatus for mailing machine

A code break mechanism preferably employed in a stacker apparatus. The stacker apparatus has a support housing, a deck fixably mounted to and supported by the housing, a registration wall fixably mounted to the housing and extending generally perpendicular to the deck. A deflector plate is pivotally mounted in an opening in the registration wall. A rotary solenoid in communication with a linkage train causes the deflector plate to be selectively positionable from a first position coplanar with the registration wall to a second position pivotally displaced from the registration wall.

Code break mechanism for stacking apparatus

The improved postage metering combination includes a date setting mechanism for enabling the printing of a posting date by a printing assembly. The combination includes a calendar clock in communication with a microcomputer for providing current date information to the microcomputer. A date printing mechanism is connected to the microcomputer date information to be printing by the combination or causing said date printing to be ducked. Data entry keys are provided to communicate with the microcomputer the current date information is printed by the combination, date information is ducked or the date to be printed is incremented in advance of the current date.

Postage meter having auto dating device

Modular mail processing machine

A power stacker for collecting delivered articles such as envelopes from a mailing machine is comprised of a support housing having a deck fixably mounted along the housing. A registration wall is fixably mounted to the housing and extending generally perpendicular relative to the deck. A stack wall is slidably mounted to the housing at one end of the deck and has a reclined surface extended generally upwardly from the deck, the stack wall being slidably mounted to the housing such that the stack wall can be horizontally displaced relative to the deck. Support rods are provided for providing article support between the deck and displaced stack wall as well as between the registration and displaced stack wall. Threaded hubs are provided for causing the delivered articles to be collected against the stack wall and assume a generally parallel stacked orientation generally parallel to the reclined surface.

Power stacking apparatus

A value printing system includes a printer that prints an indicia. The indicia represents a value. The system also includes an apparatus for controlling the printer and an apparatus for accounting for the value represented by the indicia. The indicia includes one or more markers that present numerical data in the form of a diagram. Alternatively, the indicia includes one or more locations in which the presence or absence of a marker authenticates the indicia. An overlay may be provided to aid in interpreting the markers.

System for printing value indicia with diagrammatic data representation

A system for processing batch mail in which the need for on-site inspection is unnecessary. A mail sender purchases postage from a central station thereby authorizing him to send mail equal to the amount of postage purchased. The mail sender processes batches of mail each batch being accompanied by a statement summarizing the type and number of mail pieces sent and amount of postage for that batch. The statement contains data that allows mail payment verification.

Growing community of inventors

West Redding, CT, United States of America

Terrence M Doeberl