System and method for providing postage indicia

• US 20100131378A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PSI Systems Incorporated (Stamps.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PSI Systems Incorporated (Stamps.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Novack, Meghan, Tuller, Aaron, Kearney, Stephen Lee, Castaldo, Patrick Herbert, Hernandez, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,521,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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 17/00508 Printing or attaching on mailpieces printing mechanisms B41J; security printing B41M3/14; marking methods B41M5/00; inks C09D11/00; record carriers with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00064 Virtual meter, online stamp; PSD functions or indicia creation not at user's location
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00169 from a franking apparatus, e.g. for verifying accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0062 Label

Abstract

A method and system of providing postage indicia to a user. The method includes receiving an account number of the user at a computer server associated with a postage provider and receiving a request to print one or more postage indicia from the user at the computer server. The method further includes selectively prompting the user to enter an activation code associated with a plurality of postage labels by the computer server, wherein the prompting is waived if a predetermined parameter is satisfied; and sending, by the computer server, an authorization to print one or more postage indicia on at least one of the plurality of postage labels to the user if the activation code is valid.

Claims

1. A method of providing postage indicia to a user, comprising:

receiving an account number of the user at a computer server associated with a postage provider;

receiving a request to print one or more postage indicia from the user at the computer server;

selectively prompting the user to enter an activation code associated with a plurality of postage labels by the computer server, wherein the prompting is waived if a predetermined parameter is satisfied; and

sending, by the computer server, an authorization to print one or more postage indicia on at least one of the plurality of postage labels to the user if the activation code is valid.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying availability of funds in the account of the user, wherein the sending of the authorization to print comprises sending the authorization to print when there are enough funds to purchase the one or more postage indicia.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined parameter includes a type of account the user is holding, a type of postage indicia being purchased, an amount being spent to purchase postage indicia, or an amount spent since inception of the account, or a combination of two or more thereof.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the type of account includes a fee based account or a free account.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the prompting is waived if the type of account is a fee based account.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectively prompting to enter the activation code comprises prompting the user to enter an activation code each time the computer server receives a request to print one or more postage indicia.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more postage indicia are located on a single sheet of postage labels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectively prompting the user to enter the activation code comprises prompting the user to enter the activation code at a frequency depending upon the predetermined parameter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the frequency of the prompting decreases if the user holds a monthly fee based account.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to sending, by the computer server, the authorization to print one or more postage indicia, authenticating the activation code by comparing the activation code with a database of activation codes stored at the computer server.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reducing an account balance of the user by a cost of the printed one or more postage indicia.

12. A method of processing a request for printing one or more postage indicia on one or more postage labels, comprising:

receiving an account number of the user at a computer server associated with a postage provider;

receiving a request to print the one or more postage indicia from the user at the computer server; and

selectively prompting the user to enter an activation code associated with the one or more postage labels by the computer server, wherein the prompting is waived if a predetermined parameter is satisfied.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined parameter includes a type of account the user is holding, a type of postage indicia being purchased, an amount being spent to purchase postage indicia, or an amount spent since inception of the account, or a combination of two or more thereof.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the type of account includes a fee based account or a free account.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the prompting is waived if the type of account is a fee based account.

16. A method of printing postage indicia, comprising:

entering an account number associated with a user into a personal computer associated with the user, the personal computer being in communication with a computer server associated with a postage provider;

requesting the computer server associated with the postage provider authorization to print one or more postage indicia on one or more postage labels;

inputting an activation code associated with the one or more postage labels into the personal computer if the computer server requests the activation code, wherein the activation code is requested depending upon a plurality of parameters associated with the account number; and

printing the one or more postage indicia on the one or more postage labels if the activation code is valid.

17. A system application program, the program when executed by a personal computer in communication with a computer server causes the computer to perform a process comprising:

prompting a user to enter an account number associated with the user; and

selectively prompting the user to enter an activation code associated with a plurality of postage labels when the user enters a request to print one or more postage indicia on one or more postage labels in the plurality of postage labels or when the user enters the account number associated with the user, wherein the prompting is waived if a predetermined parameter is satisfied.

18. The system application program of claim 17, wherein the predetermined parameter includes a type of account the user is holding, a type of postage indicia being purchased, an amount being spent to purchase postage indicia, or an amount spent since inception of the account, or a combination of two or more thereof.

19. The system application program of claim 18, wherein the type of account includes a fee based account or a free account.

20. The system application program of claim 17, wherein the prompting is waived if the type of account is a fee based account.

21. The system application program of claim 17, wherein the process further comprises transmitting the account number to the computer server.

22. The system application program of claim 17, wherein the process further comprises printing one or more postage indicia on the one or more postage labels.