Systems and methods for mid-stream postage adjustment
First Claim
1. A method for receiving payment for postage for a parcel by a delivery system operator from a customer, comprising:
- receiving payment from the customer for a first postage value;
receiving the parcel for delivery, the parcel including a machine-readable postage indicia indicating the amount of the received payment;
determining parcel attributes;
calculating a determined postage value for the parcel based on the determined parcel attributes;
determining the first postage value from the indicia; and
transmitting a postage payment adjustment amount based on a comparison between the first postage value and the determined postage value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for receiving payment for postage by a delivery system operator from a customer is provided. The method includes receiving payment from the customer for a first postage value; receiving the parcel for delivery, the parcel including a machine-readable postage indicia indicating the amount of the received payment; determining parcel attributes; calculating a determined postage value for the parcel based on the determined parcel attributes; determining the first postage value from the indicia; and transmitting a postage payment adjustment amount based on a comparison between the first postage value and the determined postage value.
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Citations
96 Claims
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1. A method for receiving payment for postage for a parcel by a delivery system operator from a customer, comprising:
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receiving payment from the customer for a first postage value;
receiving the parcel for delivery, the parcel including a machine-readable postage indicia indicating the amount of the received payment;
determining parcel attributes;
calculating a determined postage value for the parcel based on the determined parcel attributes;
determining the first postage value from the indicia; and
transmitting a postage payment adjustment amount based on a comparison between the first postage value and the determined postage value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for receiving payment for postage for a parcel by a delivery system operator from a customer, comprising:
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a payment receiving component to receive payment from the customer for a first postage value;
a parcel receiving component to receive the parcel for delivery, the parcel including a machine-readable postage indicia indicating the amount of the received payment;
a parcel determining component to determine parcel attributes;
a calculating component to calculate a determined postage value for the parcel based on the determined parcel attributes;
a postage determining component to determine the first postage value from the indicia; and
a transmitting component to transmit a postage payment adjustment amount based on a comparison between the first postage value and the determined postage value. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for receiving payment for postage for a parcel by a delivery system operator from a customer, comprising:
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means for receiving payment from the customer for a first postage value;
means for receiving the parcel for delivery, the parcel including a machine-readable postage indicia indicating the amount of the received payment;
means for determining parcel attributes;
means for calculating a determined postage value for the parcel based on the determined parcel attributes;
means for determining the first postage value from the indicia; and
means for transmitting a postage payment adjustment amount based on a comparison between the first postage value and the determined postage value. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method for receiving payment for postage for a parcel by a delivery system operator from a customer, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving payment from the customer for a first postage value;
receiving the parcel for delivery, the parcel including a machine-readable postage indicia indicating the amount of the received payment;
determining parcel attributes;
calculating a determined postage value for the parcel based on the determined parcel attributes;
determining the first postage value from the indicia; and
transmitting a postage payment adjustment amount based on a comparison between the first postage value and the determined postage value. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for receiving payment for postage by a delivery system operator from a customer, comprising:
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receiving from the customer mailing information for a parcel, the mailing information comprising customer-determined attributes of the parcel;
calculating a first postage value based on the customer-determined attributes;
transmitting data to the customer to permit printing by the customer of a mailing label for the parcel, the mailing label including an indication of the first postage value;
charging a customer account for the first postage value;
determining attributes of the parcel by the delivery system operator;
calculating a second postage value for the parcel based on the operator-determined attributes; and
transmitting a postage payment adjustment amount to the customer account based on a comparison between the first and second postage values. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for correcting a postage value, comprising:
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storing a first postage value derived from customer-determined attributes of a parcel;
receiving payment for the first postage value;
receiving the parcel at a delivery system operator;
determining attributes of the parcel by the delivery system operator to generate a second postage value;
comparing the first and second postage values; and
if the first postage value is greater then the second postage value, providing a credit to the customer; and
if the second postage value is less then the first postage value, generating a charge to the customer.
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49. A system for receiving payment for postage by a delivery service operator from a customer, comprising:
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a first component to receive from the customer mailing information for a parcel, the mailing information comprising customer-determined attributes of the parcel;
a second component to calculate a first postage value based on the customer-determined attributes;
a third component to transmit data to the customer to permit printing by the customer of a mailing label for the parcel, the mailing label including an indication of the first postage value;
a fourth component to charge a customer account for the first postage value;
a fifth component to determine attributes of the parcel by the delivery system operator;
a sixth component to calculate a second postage value for the parcel based on the operator-determined attributes; and
a seventh component to transmit a postage payment adjustment amount to the customer account based on a comparison between the first and second postage values. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A system for correcting a postage value, comprising:
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a first component to store a first postage value derived from customer-determined attributes of a parcel;
a second component to receive payment for the first postage value;
a third component to receive the parcel at a delivery-system operator;
a fourth component to determine attributes of the parcel by the delivery system operator to generate a second postage value;
a fifth component to compare the first and second postage values; and
if the first postage value is greater then the second postage value, providing a credit to the customer; and
if the second postage value is less then the first postage value, generating a charge to the customer.
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65. A method for receiving payment for postage by a delivery system operator from a customer, comprising:
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means for receiving from the customer mailing information for a parcel, the mailing information comprising customer-determined attributes of the parcel;
means for calculating a first postage value based on the customer-determined attributes;
means for transmitting data to the customer to permit printing by the customer of a mailing label for the parcel, the mailing label including an indication of the first postage value;
means for charging a customer account for the first postage value;
means for determining attributes of the parcel by the delivery system operator;
means for calculating a second postage value for the parcel based on the operator-determined attributes; and
means for transmitting a postage payment adjustment amount to the customer account based on a comparison between the first and second postage values. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. The system for correcting a postage value, comprising:
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means for storing a first postage value derived from customer-determined attributes of a parcel;
means for receiving payment for the first postage value;
means for receiving the parcel at a delivery-system operator;
means for determining attributes of the parcel by the delivery system operator to generate a second postage value; and
means for comparing the first and second postage values for providing a credit to the customer if the first postage value is greater then the second postage value and generating a charge to the customer if the second postage value is less then the first postage value.
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81. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method for receiving payment for postage by a delivery system operator from a customer, the method comprising the steps of:
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calculating a first postage value based on customer-determined attributes contained in mailing information for a parcel received from the customer;
transmitting data to the customer to permit printing by the customer of a mailing label for the parcel, the mailing label including an indication of the first postage value;
charging a customer account for the first postage value;
calculating a second postage value for the parcel based on attributes of the parcel determined by the delivery system operator; and
transmitting a postage payment adjustment amount to the customer account based on a comparison between the first and second postage values. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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95. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method for correcting a postage value, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing a first postage value derived from customer-determined attributes of a parcel;
receiving payment for the first postage value;
generating a second postage value based on attributes of the parcel determined by the delivery system operator;
comparing the first and second postage values;
providing a credit to the customer if the first postage value is greater then the second postage value; and
generating a charge to the customer if the second postage value is less then the first postage value.
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96. A system for correcting a postage value, comprising:
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a memory having program instructions; and
a processor responsive to the program instructions to;
store a first postage value derived from customer-determined attributes of a parcel;
receive payment for the first postage value;
generate a second postage value based on attributes of the parcel determined by the delivery system operator;
compare the first and second postage values;
provide a credit to the customer if the first postage value is greater then the second postage value; and
generate a charge to the customer if the second postage value is less then the first postage value.
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Specification