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:
Feb. 15, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 21, 1997
George B Harvey, New Canaan, CT (US);
Feliks Bator, Easton, CT (US);
Michael Y Swaluk, Redding, CT (US);
Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A post production processing application receives and manipulates document print images, in particular to integrate postage printing and accounting into the document finishing, without the need for a specialized postage printing system. The post production processing application may run on a main frame, together with the application(s) that generate the document print images, or on some other computer platform. The post production processing application calculates postage for each document and interacts with a postage metering functionality to obtain digital tokens. Each token includes an encrypted cipher for use in validating applied postage indicia. The mail processing system uses the tokens to generate postage indicias, containing the ciphers, during the subsequent document printing and finishing processes. The meter functionality may reside in software (e.g. as part of the post production processing application), in a meter device associated with and connected to the platform that runs the post production processing application or in a remote data center in communication with that platform. The mail processing system may print the indicias on the documents or on envelopes that will carry the documents.