Mailing machine scanner apparatus and method

• US 20050071294A1
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Collins, Joseph D., Rios, Jeffrey P.
• Application Number:
  US10/673,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071294A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/404
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00024 Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0004 Determining the location of mailpieces outside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0037 Calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00588 Barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00717 Reading barcodes

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing a mailpiece. The method includes receiving a mailpiece that has a barcode printed on the mailpiece. The barcode being in machine-readable format. Next, image data of the mailpiece is obtained. Postage data is calculated as a function of the data of the barcode and an indicia is printed on the mailpiece that represents the postage data. A control signal is generated as a function of the representative data and operation of a mailing machine is modified as a function of the control signal. Furthermore, the barcode can contain data that is transmitted to a server and used for tracing the location of the mailpiece and confirming delivery of the mailpiece.

Claims

1. A method for processing a mailpiece comprising:

receiving a mailpiece that includes representative data on a region of the mailpiece, the representative data being in machine-readable format;

obtaining image data of the mailpiece;

transmitting at least a portion of the image data to a storage location for subsequent use in tracking the mailpiece;

calculating postage data as a function of the representative data;

printing an indicia on the mailpiece that represents the postage data;

generating a control signal as a function of the representative data; and

modifying operation of a mailing machine as a function of the control signal.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein modifying operation of a mailing machine includes temporarily pausing operation of the mailing machine.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the representative data includes a barcode.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the representative data is encoded.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the representative data is encrypted.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the representative data uniquely identifies the mailpiece.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein calculating postage data further comprises:

adding a surcharge to a postage amount for the mailpiece to account for additional services specified for the mailpiece in the representative data.

7. Cancelled.

9-12. -12. Cancelled.

13. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a mailpiece that has representative data on a region of the mailpiece, the representative data being in machine-readable format;

means for obtaining image data of the mailpiece;

means for transmitting at least a portion of the image data to a storage location for subsequent use in tracking the mailpiece;

means for calculating postage data as a function of the representative data;

means for printing an indicia on the mailpiece that represents the postage data;

means for generating a control signal as a function of the representative data; and

means for modifying operation of a mailing machine as a function of the control signal.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means for calculating postage data further comprises:

means for adding a surcharge to a postage amount for the mailpiece to account for additional services specified for the mailpiece in the representative data.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means for modifying includes means for temporarily pausing operation of the mailing machine.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the representative data includes a barcode.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the representative data is encoded.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the representative data is encrypted.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the representative data uniquely identifies the mailpiece.

14. Cancelled.

16-19. -19. Cancelled.

25-30. -30. Cancelled.