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:
Aug. 28, 2001
Filed:
May. 02, 1997
Ralf Kubatzki, Berlin, DE;
Wolfgang Thiel, Berlin, DE;
Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co., Birkenwerder, DE;
Abstract
In an arrangement and method for data processing in a mail shipping system, a document is supplied to the mail shipping system having information printed thereon identifying a carrier to be used for shipping the document and/or cost center information identifying a cost center which produced the document. The printed information is scanned at the mail shipping system and the scanned information is stored and is used for calculating a fee for shipping the document and for selecting an appropriate print format, respectively allocated to the carrier and/or the cost center identified in the scanned information, and a franking imprint is printed on the document embodying the appropriate fee and print format. Each carrier which is available for use for shipping the document, and each cost center among a number of cost centers which share usage of the mail shipping system, respectively has a carrier identification number or a cost center number allocated thereto. Changes in the print format, or other data changes, can be made by entering the cost center number or the carrier number into a postage meter machine in the shipping system. Accounting information can be generated and supplied, upon request, to a personal computer at any of the cost centers.