Continuous mailing forms and mailing preparation system

• US 5,325,303 A
• Filed: 02/25/1993
• Issued: 06/28/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Walz Postal Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Walz Postal Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Bentzen, Duane O., Walz, Gerard F.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US08/022,185
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 364/464.02, 364/464.03, 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2, 395/600
• US Class Current: 705/404
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00362 Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00427 Special accounting procedures, e.g. storing special information
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

An automated system for mail preparation and record keeping includes a data processor having a memory for storing program instructions and data including postage fees for different types of mailing, and a printer connected to a supply of continuous mailing forms which are separable along transverse tear lines and which conform to postal requirements for at least one type of tracked mailing. The processor is programmed to receive and store a list of names and addresses to which items are to be mailed, to compute the postage fees, and to print the names and addresses successively in designated addressee areas on successive forms in the form supply. The processor also keeps a record for each prepared form of the addressee, an article number provided on the form, and the postage fee.

Claims

1. An automated mailing label preparation and record keeping system, comprising:

data processing means including means for storing program instructions and data;

printer means linked to said data processing means;

at least one supply of mailing forms connected to said printer means;

input means linked to said data processing means for operator input of commands and data;

video display means linked to said data processing means for displaying information to an operator;

said processing means comprising means for receiving and storing a list of names and addresses to which items are to be mailed, means for controlling said printer means to print the names and addresses in designated address areas on successive forms in said form supply, means for associating an article identifying number on each imprinted form with the name and address printed on it, means for storing each said article identifying number along with said name and address information as a record; and

said processing means further comprising means for receiving and storing information on the return status of each article for which a record has been stored, and means for sorting the stored data according to operator selected criteria to produce a series of different types of report.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, including means for printing at least two different types of forms for different types of mailing, including registered and certified mailing, means for obtaining information from the user on the type of mailing required, means for obtaining other information from the operator as required for computing the postage fees according to the type of mailing required, and means for storing the information on the type of mailing along with the other stored information for each record.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for associating each article number on a numbered sequence of forms with the name and address printed on the form under the control of the processing means comprises means for requesting the operator to input the first article number on the form supply fed to the printer, means for storing that number and associating it with the first name and address to be printed, and means for incrementing the article number by one for each subsequent name and address printed and associating the resultant article numbers with the respective name and addresses as they are printed.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the means for associating each name and address printed with a respective article number further comprises means for requesting the operator to input information following a print interrupt to enable the system to associate subsequent names and addresses printed with a new set of successive article numbers.

5. An automated method of mail preparation, and record keeping at a computer linked to at least one printer unit, comprising the steps of:

receiving a series of names and addresses to which items are to be mailed;

storing said received names and addresses as a series of records in the computer memory;

prompting the user to enter an article number provided on a first form of a form supply fed into the printer unit;

printing each stored named and address successively on designated addressee areas on successive forms in the form supply;

associating the first article number with the first name and address printed and increasing the article number by one for each successive name and address printed;

storing the respective article number as a part of the record for each mailed item;

storing the mailing date for each item;

receiving and storing information on the return status of each item mailed for which a return has been received; and

printing a series of reports on operator command, including a listing of all records and a listing of the return status of all items mailed.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, including the steps of prompting the user to enter, for each record, information necessary to compute a postage fee for the item to be mailed to the name and address of that record, and computing the postage fee for each record and storing the computed fee in the memory as part of the record.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of printing a series of reports includes printing a listing of all items for which no return has been received.

8. An automated method of mail record keeping at a computer, comprising the steps of:

receiving a series of names and addresses to which items are to be mailed;

storing said received names and addresses as a series of records in the computer memory;

associating an article number with each name and address in the series;

storing the respective article number as part of a record for each item to be mailed;

receiving and storing information on the return status of each item for which a record has been stored; and

sorting the stored record data according to operator selected criteria to produce a series of different types of reports.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, including the steps of prompting the user to enter, for each record, information necessary to compute a postage fee for the item to be mailed to the name and address of that record, and computing the postage fee for each record and storing the computed fee as part of the record.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, including the step of printing each stored name and address successively on designated addressee areas on successive forms in a form supply linked to the computer.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the reports include a listing of the return status of all items mailed.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the report include a listing of all items for which no return has been received.

13. An automated mail record keeping system, comprising:

data processing means including means for storing program instructions and data;

input means linked to said data processing means for operator input of commands and data;

video display means linked to said data processing means for displaying information to an operator; and

said processing means comprising means for receiving and storing a list of names and addresses to which items are to be mailed, means for associating an article identifying number with each name and address on the list, means for storing each article identifying number and the associated name and address as a record, means for receiving and storing information on the return status of each article for which a record has been stored, and means for sorting the stored data according the operator selected criteria to produce a series of different types of report.