System and method for instant online postage metering
First Claim
1. A method for a vendor to dispense postage to a customer over a network, the method comprising:
- obtaining a meter license from the Post, said meter license being associated with a meter account assigned to the vendor, said meter account being maintained at a data center;
receiving, via the network, a transaction request for Postage from a customer, said transaction request including information from the customer, said information corresponding to the transaction requested and payment method;
processing the requested transaction by requesting the data center to create evidence of postage payment and to account for the created evidence of postage payment in the meter account assigned to the vendor;
effecting payment for the transaction based on the information received from the customer;
receiving the evidence of postage payment created by the data center; and
sending the evidence of postage payment to the customer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for instantly printing PC postage before establishing a postage meter account. The method includes the steps of a meter vendor obtaining a first meter license from the Post for a first meter; loaning the use of a first meter licensed in the customer'"'"'s zip code to a customer; requesting a second meter license for the customer; initializing the first meter for use by the customer; and transferring the first meter to the Customer'"'"'s meter license when the second meter license is received. Alternatively, when the second meter license is received a second meter is assigned to the customer and the first meter is reassigned to the meter vendor.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for a vendor to dispense postage to a customer over a network, the method comprising:
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obtaining a meter license from the Post, said meter license being associated with a meter account assigned to the vendor, said meter account being maintained at a data center;
receiving, via the network, a transaction request for Postage from a customer, said transaction request including information from the customer, said information corresponding to the transaction requested and payment method;
processing the requested transaction by requesting the data center to create evidence of postage payment and to account for the created evidence of postage payment in the meter account assigned to the vendor;
effecting payment for the transaction based on the information received from the customer;
receiving the evidence of postage payment created by the data center; and
sending the evidence of postage payment to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 9)
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4-8. -8. (canceled)
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10. A method for a vendor to dispense postage via a network comprising:
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receiving a request for postage from a customer;
processing the request for postage by requesting a data center to create evidence of postage payment and to account for the created evidence of postage payment in a postal account assigned to the vendor; and
sending the evidence of postage payment to the customer via the network. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for dispensing postage over the Internet to any PC for printing, the system comprising:
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a data center accessible over the Internet;
at least one metering account licensed to a vendor and maintained at the data center;
means at the data center for receiving over the Internet a request for postage, the request being initiated by a customer of the vendor;
means at the data center for generating evidence of postage payment in response to the request for postage; and
means at the data center for accounting for the generated evidence of postage payment in the metering account licensed to the vendor.
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Specification