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:
Jun. 04, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 06, 2000
Joseph Frank Ulvr, Carp, CA;
Barbara Lynn Critchley, Gloucester, CA;
Canada Post Corporation, Ottawa, CA;
Abstract
A system for identifying mail pieces with stolen stamps is provided in which a database of unique identifiers of stolen stamps is maintained, and in which the unique identifiers of stamps on originating mail pieces are compared to the unique identifiers in the database and with the mail piece being segregated if one of the stamps has been stolen. A method of preventing stamp reuse is also provided in which at an originating mail processing apparatus unique identifier bar codes on stamps are read and sent to a national circulation database together with an identification tag applied to the mail piece and information identifying a destination mail processing plant. The national circulation database makes a determination of whether the stamp has been reused, and if so sends a message to the destination mail processing plant which segregates the mail pieces when it arrives.