System and method for employing digital postage marks as part of value-added services in a mailing system

• US 20030144973A1
• Filed: 03/10/2003
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Ryan, Frederick W. Jr., Pintsov, Leon A., Biasi, Theresa, Joshi, Shirish S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,920,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/402
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/0008 Communication details outside or between apparatus coin-freed apparatus for franking per se G07F17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00435 Details specific to central, non-customer apparatus, e.g. servers at post office or vendor
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0004 Determining the location of mailpieces outside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00072 Hybrid mail, i.e. mail delivered using different physical means along the mail delivery path, e.g. email and envelope
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00096 via phone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00145 via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00169 from a franking apparatus, e.g. for verifying accounting

Abstract

System and method for providing confirmation relating to the distribution of a mailpiece within a mailing system includes a determination of postal data required for postage evidencing of a mailpiece originated by a mailer. The postal data is combined with other data related to value-added services desired for the mailpiece. The value-added services data includes addressing information for a return receipt to the mailer. A digital postmark which includes the postal data and the value-added services data is created. At delivery of the mailpiece, the digital postmark is read and the value-added services data is captured from the read digital postmark. A confirmation message is sent to the mailer and/or other interested third parties, in accordance with information contained in the value-added services data.

Claims

1. A method for providing confirmation relating to the distribution of a mailpiece within a mailing system, the method comprising:

determining postal data required for postage evidencing of a mailpiece originated by a mailer;

combining the postal data with other data related to value-added services desired for the mailpiece, the value-added services data including addressing information for a return receipt to the mailer;

creating a digital postmark comprising the postal data and the value-added services data;

reading the digital postmark when the mailpiece is delivered;

capturing the value-added services data from extracted information from the read digital postmark; and

sending a return receipt message to the mailer in accordance with the addressing information.