Postage meter location system

• US 20020165835A1
• Filed: 05/03/2001
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Igval, Yakup J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,839,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/401
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00024 Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00032 Determining the location of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00145 via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00161 from a central, non-user location, e.g. for updating rates or software, or for refilling funds

Abstract

A postage meter system includes a postage meter and a data center. The postage meter is registered to a specific customer at a designated location for printing a postal indicium on a mail piece. The data center is remotely located from the postage meter and includes a locator application and a customer account file corresponding to the postage meter. The customer account file includes specific customer identification data and designated location data. The postage meter enters selective operative communication with the data center via the internet for establishing a transaction session. During the transaction session, the data center: (i) employs the locator application to send homing signals back and forth between the postage meter and the data center along different routes through the internet and uses a communication parameter associated with the homing signals triangulate an actual location of the postage meter; (ii) compares the actual location with the designated location; and (iii) initiates updates to the postage meter system if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond.

Claims

1. A postage meter system, comprising:

a postage meter registered to a specific customer at a designated location for printing a postal indicium on a mail piece; and

a data center remotely located from the postage meter, the data center including a locator application and a customer account file corresponding to the postage meter, the customer account file including specific customer identification data and designated location data; and

wherein;

the postage meter is in selective operative communication with the data center via the internet for establishing a transaction session with the data center; and

during the transaction session, the data center;

(i) employs the locator application to send homing signals back and forth between the postage meter and the data center along different routes through the internet and using a communication parameter associated with the homing signals to triangulate an actual location of the postage meter;

(ii) compares the actual location with the designated location; and

(iii) initiates updates to the postage meter system if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond.

2. The postage meter system of claim 1, wherein:

the postal indicium includes a location indicator; and

the data center identifies a new location indicator for the postage meter that is representative of the actual location.

3. The postage meter system of claim 2, wherein:

the data center identifies a change indicator for the postage meter that is to be printed along with the postal indicium to indicate that the location indicator has been changed.

4. The postage meter system of claim 3, wherein:

the data center provides updated information to a postal authority representative of the actual location.

5. The postage meter system of claim 4, wherein:

if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond, the data center solicits an additional service via the postage meter and the additional service is one of the following;

filing a change of address form with the postal authority, downloading a change of address form to the postage meter, and providing contact information for a local post office designated by the postal authority and corresponding to the actual address.

6. The postage meter system of claim 5, wherein:

if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond, the data center prompts the user via the postage meter to confirm the actual location and allows the user an opportunity to modify the actual location.

7. The postage meter system of claim 6, wherein:

if the user offers a modification to the actual location that is inconsistent with the actual location, then the data center disallows the modification.

8. The postage meter system of claim 7, wherein:

download the new location indicator and the change indicator to the postage meter.

9. The postage meter system of claim 1, wherein:

if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond, the data center solicits an additional service via the postage meter and the additional service is one of the following;

filing a change of address form with the postal authority, downloading a change of address form to the postage meter, and providing contact information for a local post office designated by the postal authority and corresponding to the actual address.

10. A method of operating a postage meter system for printing a postal indicium on a mail piece, the method comprising the step(s) of:

registering a postage meter to a specific customer at a designated location;

maintaining a customer account file corresponding to the postage meter, the customer account file including specific customer identification data and designated location data;

establishing a transaction session between the postage meter and a remotely located data center via the internet; and

during the transaction session;

(i) employing a locator application to send homing signals back and forth between the postage meter and the data center along different routes through the internet;

(ii) using a communication parameter associated with the homing signals to triangulate an actual location of the postage meter;

(iii) comparing the actual location with the designated location; and

(iv) initiating updates to the postage meter system if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the postal indicium includes a location indicator; and

further comprising the step(s) of;

identifying a new location indicator for the postage meter that is representative of the actual location.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step(s) of:

identifying a change indicator for the postage meter that is to be printed along with the postal indicium to indicate that the location indicator has been changed.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step(s) of:

providing updated information to a postal authority representative of the actual location.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step(s) of:

if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond, soliciting an additional service via the postage meter where the additional service is one of the following;

filing a change of address form with the postal authority, downloading a change of address form to the postage meter, and providing contact information for a local post office designated by the postal authority and corresponding to the actual address.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step(s) of:

if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond, prompting the user to confirm the actual location; and

allowing the user an opportunity to modify the actual location.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step(s) of:

if the user offers a modification to the actual location that is inconsistent with the actual location, disallowing the modification.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step(s) of:

downloading the new location indicator and the change indicator to the postage meter.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step(s) of:

if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond, soliciting an additional service via the postage meter where the additional service is one of the following;

filing a change of address form with the postal authority, downloading a change of address form to the postage meter, and providing contact information for a local post office designated by the postal authority and corresponding to the actual address.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the postal indicium includes a location indicator; and

further comprising the step(s) of;

identifying a new location indicator for the postage meter that is representative of the actual location.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step(s) of:

identifying a change indicator for the postage meter that is to be printed along with the postal indicium to indicate that the location indicator has been changed.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step(s) of:

providing updated information to a postal authority representative of the actual location.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step(s) of:

if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond, soliciting an additional service via the postage meter where the additional service is one of the following;

filing a change of address form with the postal authority, downloading a change of address form to the postage meter, and providing contact information for a local post office designated by the postal authority and corresponding to the actual address.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step(s) of:

if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond, prompting the user to confirm the actual location; and

allowing the user an opportunity to modify the actual location.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step(s) of:

if the user offers a modification to the actual location that is inconsistent with the actual location, disallowing the modification.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step(s) of:

downloading the new location indicator and the change indicator to the postage meter.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step(s) of:

if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond, soliciting an additional service via the postage meter where the additional service is one of the following;

filing a change of address form with the postal authority, downloading a change of address form to the postage meter, and providing contact information for a local post office designated by the postal authority and corresponding to the actual address.

19. A method of operating a data center, the method comprising the step(s) of:

maintaining a customer account file corresponding to a postage meter registered to a specific customer at a designated location, the customer account file including specific customer identification data and designated location data, the postage meter for printing a postal indicium on a mail piece;

establishing a transaction session with the postage meter via the internet; and

during the transaction session;

(ii) employing a locator application to send homing signals to the postage meter along different routes through the internet;

(ii) using a communication parameter associated with the homing signals to triangulate an actual location of the postage meter;

(iii) comparing the actual location with the designated location; and

(iv) initiating updates to the customer account file if the actual location and the designated location do not correspond.