The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 07, 1998
Filed:
Aug. 16, 1995
Salim G Kara, Houston, TX (US);
David M Gressett, Houston, TX (US);
Jonathan W Whitney, Houston, TX (US);
E-Stamp Corporation, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
There is disclosed a system and method for dispensing postage (or other graphical security indicia) electronically by using a portable processor containing a maximum amount of preauthorized postage which can be applied to any piece of mail. The portable processor can be refilled at various locations through the use of a closed-loop system which relies upon a database of users who are preregistered in the database. Each transaction, whether checking postage indicia for validity or refilling the portable processors, relies upon information pertaining to the registered user of the processor matching the information in the database. This system allows for the validation of a graphical security indicia at a location detached from the creator of the graphical indicia.